My Time to Shine (Dance Moms/Harry Potter Crossover - Part 1)

Chapter 13: Maddie Defeated

The next day was competition. They had travelled to Glasgow to compete at a competition called CanDance UK. Abby didn't show up until right beforehand. Mackenzie had spent the rest of the previous night trying to duplicate the spell she had cast in the studio that morning. It took her the better part of an hour before she was able to produce the cool mist from her wand tip again, but she managed it. She felt both relieved and apprehensive. 

The group dance was flawless, from Mackenzie's point of view. Maddie had a freak out after their second performance because she had fallen out of the turns she and Mackenzie now did together. Working with her younger sister had clearly gotten to Maddie's head. She was a wreck. She placed second in her solo, while the group placed first.

"What happened?" Abby had just entered the dressing room after the awards ceremony to see Maddie and her mom in somewhat of a yelling match. Melissa was trying to convince her that it was ok if she messed up some turns and got second on her solo. Maddie was having none of it.

"I'm Maddie Ziegler! I don't screw up turns and I don't place second!" she spat at her mother through angry tears. She stormed past Mackenzie who merely looked at her. "And you!" She directed her rage at her younger sister. "Don't go stealing people's lead parts!" She was furious. Mackenzie looked at her but decided not to fuel the flames as Abby was coming over. 

"Maddie, get over it. And you know what I'm going to tell you about the tears, you're thirteen years old." Maddie stalked away and went to change out of her costume. Melissa ran after her. While she would never say it allowed, everyone knew Melissa put Maddie first. Some days it was easier for Mackenzie to tolerate than others. 

Mackenzie thought it was impressive that that was all Abby had said to her given that she thought 'second was the first to lose' and she had displayed the behaviour of a five-year-old. Despite the mild frustration of the unfairness of it all, Mackenzie's magical abilities had aided her artistic skill and she was very pleased with herself. 

"Mackenzie, where did those turns come from?! You must be working really hard, my dear. I want to make sure this wasn't just a fluke and challenge you next week to see if this is going to be the new, reformed MackZ. This will be a test for both you and Maddie because you are going to learn a solo that she performed last year and she will be teaching it to you." Abby informed her.

"But why is that a test for Maddie? I don't get it." Mackenzie inquired.

"Well, she's going to have to teach you her spare time. It will be a test of your performance ability and of her patience and willingness to teach and coach you." Abby told her.

"But Abby, I don't know if Maddie will have extra time to teach a whole solo to Mackenzie. She's very busy with school, you know." Melissa, hearing her precious Maddie's name popped out of the changing area and tried to intervene.

"I thought that wasn't what's important right now. You told me dance was." Mackenzie whispered into her mother's ear who swatted her away and told her to mind her own business. 

One of Melissa's rings caught Mackenzie's cheek as she swatted her and the blood came immediately. For Mackenzie though, the sting originated from her mother's inability to see her worth despite the fact that she had done everything Melissa wanted her to do and was successful at it to boot. Tears sprung to Mackenzie's eyes as she wiped the blood from her cheek. Her mother hadn't even noticed what had happened. Mackenzie pretended she needed to stretch her hamstrings and went to the floor with her head down. She didn't want Abby to yell at her, it was almost too much to bear. Nia, who was close by at one of the mirror stations touched Mackenzie's hand as a mark of solidarity. This also went unnoticed except by Mackenzie who deeply appreciated Nia's friendship at that moment.