The Gift of Dancing (Book 5 of the Ava and Mia Series)

Chapter 15

We just hung around the venue for like 2 hours, checking out the vendors and then Mira's mom texted her saying they were gonna be calling awards in 10 minutes. We rush back and I put on my  hard shoes and my dress and head back stage. They're starting with the U11s then going down to the U6s.

After waiting through the U11s and boys U10 they finally call us onstage for our results. I'm getting major déjà vu here... I turn to the side to tell Mia that but then I remember that she isn't here with me...

"For our medal rounds, hard shoe first, in 15th place, competitor 154..." I don't think my hard show round was the best I did but I think I'll place in it though... "... In 3rd place, competitor 226..." I walk up and I get my medal. I can't be mad with 3rd... That's a podium place... They move onto the soft shoe one and its basically the same people again... "In 3rd place, competitor 192..." Well that's not me... "In 2nd place, competitor 166 and in 1st place competitor 226." Hey that's me! I walk up and get my medal again, bow and then they start overalls. "In a tie for 26th place, competitor 170, Lena Bowle from the Quinn-Drents Academy, Southern Region, England and competitor 210, Edwina McNab from the Francis School, Midlands Region!" Sweet not last!

Top 20... Not called... Top 15... Not called... 10th... Nope... 9th... Nada... 8th eeeeee! 7th... Nope... 6th....

"In 6th place, competitor 173, Miranda Harman from the Boyle-Phil Academy, Northeast Region, England! Let's hear it for your top 5!" And me and 4 other girls move to the front of the stage.

"In 5th place... Competitor 156 Jasmine Towner from the Ellis-Miller Academy, Cuige Chonnacht, Eire! In 4th place..."

I hold my breath... This is where I was called last year...

"... Competitor 187,Elle Gilliam from the Crown Jewel Academy, Cuige Ulagh, Eire!"

OMG I DID BETTER THAN LAST YEAR SO IM IN THE TOP 3!!!! Me and the two other girls all hug and hold hands as they announce third...

"In 3rd place... Competitor 162 Brynn Hailey from the Quinn-Drents Academy, Southern Region England! Let's hear it for your top 2!"

AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! We both hug again then wait for the final number...

"In 2nd place... Competitor 22.... 0, Fiona Quincy from the Salcross School, Scotland! Which means our Under 10 girls All Scotland Champion is Competitor 226 Ava Peterson from the O'Hannagan Academy, Southern Region, USA!"

OMG I WON! I CANT BELIEVE IT!!! I'm crying this is so exciting!!! The lady doing awards put the medal over my head then puts on my sash. It's purple and shiny! She helps me up onto the top spot then give me the cup and it has a giant fluffy dog stuffed animal in it! It's like the size of my chest!

"Okay can we have her teachers onstage?..."
"They aren't here!" I call out to the announcer.

The photographer takes a bunch of photos and then we can finally head off. I have to bring the teachers crystal too because nobody was here to get it. I'm super careful to not drop it and once I give it to Mira's mom and put down my cup I can start freaking out. Me and Mia are jumping up and down and I take off my dress and put on my schools jacket and sweatpants and we watch the rest of the awards. We're about to head out and back to the hotel when I hear a little voice shout "MISS AVAAAA!!!!" I turn around and there's the same little girl running at me. It takes me a second to realize who it is then it clicks. It's Keegan! I notice her sash. I think it's the 5th place one!

"Keegan! I didn't think I would see you here!" I say picking her up.

"Yeah! I've missed you so much!" She says hugging me.

I remember that's Mira and her mom are here so I turn to them, "this is Keegan, I worked with her a lot back in Delaware."

"So how is everyone?" I ask her mom.
"Actually right before Oireachtas after you guys left the school went bankrupt and closed down... So now we go to a school in Pennsylvania, the Francis-O'Donnell Academy, it's about an hour drive from our house but only 30 minutes from her school."
"One of my friends used to go there! Then she moved..."
"Yeah she's having fun and doing well, she's in prelim now just waiting on 2 more firsts! They wanted to send her because she couldn't go to Oireachtas and we remembered how well you did here last year."
"Well I am super proud of you Keegan! Maybe I'll see you around tomorrow!" I put her down and give her and her mom a hug and then we go our separate ways.

"Well that was cute." Mira says. "I got a cute picture of you two too! I'll send it to you when we get to the hotel!"

We walk back to the hotel and when we get back in I start to take off my wig. 5 million bobby pins later it's finally all out! Even though it's 10 here I take a shower to get all the hairspray off. I take off my sash and put it in the cup for tomorrow. I grab the doggie and climb into bed. Once I shut my eyes I'm out like a light!