Dancing The Dream (Dance Moms, Autumn Miller, Sophia Lucia & Mia Diaz Fanfiction)

Chapter Fourteen || Chloe's POV

Chapter Fourteen || Chloe's POV

Published: Saturday 10th of August 2013.

***A/N I had such a good time writing this chapter, because making up and describing costumes is one of the funnest things ever in my opinion!***

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It's the day of the competition, and only a few minutes until I have to go on and perform my solo. I've never been more nervous. I got into the competition team, and now it's the whole school instead of just Abby Lee Miller relying on me and the others to win. It's a big responsibility.

I'm backstage in my Jar of Hearts costume. It's more simple than I usually had with the ALDC competition team- dark grey shorts and bra top with lighter grey swirling across it, like mist or smoke. I really love it - it's my style. Subtle but elegant.

Paige and Autie are waiting with me, squeezing my hands. Their 'Diamonds' costumes are different shades of bright green studded with tiny little rhinestone diamonds. They sparkle and glitter in the dim light backstage. Autie gives me a hug.

"Good luck," she says. "You're gonna be great."

Paige leans her head on my shoulder. I'm so glad we're a three now, all best friends. I'm a better person with both of them.

I watch Maddie do the last few seconds of her beautiful lyrical solo with a sinking heart. I'm on soon. I'm on soon.

Maddie's solo follow a Romeo and Juliet storyline, so she finishes up by stabbing herself in the heart with an (imaginary, I would just like to clarify) knife. She waits a few seconds, then stands up slowly and walks off into the wings on the other side.

"And now, Chloe Lukasiak, with Jar of Hearts," booms out the man with the microphone.

I freeze, and Paige gives me an encouraging push. I trip over my own feet in the wings, nearly fall flat on my face, then collect myself and walk elegantly onto the stage, my head held high. I lie down centre stage and wait for the music to start.

I know I can't take one more step towards you...

I rise up slowly, then begin my first turn sequence, ending with an illusion and slow high kick. Then I do a very slow back walkover, stopping in split handstand in the middle before sliding into right leg splits.

Every movement gets noticed, I tell myself as I try to stop my stupid hands from shaking.

As the music builds, so does the dance, and I get into it more. I do a straddle leap, stumble slightly but catch myself, my heart in my mouth. I drop to the floor on my knees, then do a very slow toe rise.  I feel all my toes click. Didn't warm up properly, I think. 

I continue with the dance, a look of anguish on my face as the choreographer told me it should be. I love lyrical, because I get to act.

I finish in a ball lying on the ground, my hand on my heart.

The audience errupts and a huge cheer goes up. I can hear Mom and Clara shouting above the rest.

"Go Chloe!!!"

I stand, smile, and manage to get myself off stage without punching the air in victory. I did it!!!

Paige hugs me.

"It was amazing," she tells me. Autumn nods in agreement. Now the solo division is over, and it's the duets. Paige and Autie are up first.

"You'll be amazing, guys," I whisper. Paige quickly runs round the back to the other side of the stage for her entrance. Then the music starts and they change leg leap onto the stage.

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"You were awesome," I tell them, genuinely astonished. "That was probably the best duet I've ever seen."

"Thanks!!! Let's go and get changed for the group dance," Paige says.

We run down the empty corridor at high speed. Everyone is either in their assigned room, in the audience or in the wings. Near our room, we bump into Kristina and Kevin carrying a simple black jagged tree, which is the only prop for our group dance Dark Paradise.

"Hey girls," she greets us. "You were great! I've decided on the make up for Dark Paradise- pale faces, lots of black eye makeup, black lips, and you need to use face paint to do ivy going up your cheek."

"Creeeeeepy!" Autie giggles. We all laugh.

"Brooke will show you how to do it," Miss Kristina adds. "Now off you go." She smiles, and we fly off back to our room to get changed.

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"How much longer?" Kendall asks, fiddling with her costume. "This is really uncomfortable."

It really is. I HATE itchy costumes, because they always slightly distract me from dancing. The costume is a metallic black leotard dress. We have fake black ivy in our messed up hair, 'creeeeeeepy' make up, and black dance shoes. The itchy thing is a band of fake black roses which we have to wind around our waist.

We're on next, but the group before us, which is Abby's new team, are taking an age. Their dance is called 'Summer Holiday' and they are wearing spotty bikinis and holding parasols. Our dance is going to look really morbid next to theirs.

The dance finishes.

We're called on stage.

I'm in charge of pulling the tree on stage using a rope, they're all waiting for me. The rope slips around in my sweaty hand. I'm so nervous.

I get a grip on it and pull.

I'm on stage.

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At the end of the dance we're all supposed to fall down like we're dead. I'm first, then Paige, then Autie, then Nia, then Kendall, and then all the others do three fouettes and fall.

It's nearing the time that I'm supposed to fall when I hear a small thud behind me. I serruptitiously turn round and see that Kendall's fallen already. For a minute I'm like a deer in the headlights, terrified about Abby's rage, but then I remember that she's not in charge of us anymore.

I turn to the audience and see her in the crowd, on the front row with the new dance moms. She noticed the mistake, of course. She's a dance teacher, how could she not?

She gives me a small nod. Carry on, it tells me. I do my front limber and fall to the ground like I should, waiting for the others to finish off the dance. When the music comes to an end, I focus my eyes on the exit and walk off.

As soon as I'm out of sight, I breathe a huge sigh of relief. Then I notice there's something wrong. There's some kind of confusion of stage.

I turn, and to my horror Kendall's still lying on the ground. Didn't she hear the music stop? Abby runs onto the stage and my heart warms. She's protective of us even though we're not her team anymore.

She shakes Kendall. Kendall doesn't move. She shakes her again and I feel sick. The early fall, the supposed anorexia - it all makes sense now.

Is she... dead?

Abby calls something to the judges which I can't hear because of the rushing in my ears. I can't breathe, I'm so worried. Then she shouts in my direction,

"Chloe! Paige!" Paige runs on from the other side and I grab Autie's hand like it's a lifeline and we run on too. By that time Miss Kristina's up too. Some of the audience are standing up, craning their necks to get a better view. I feel sick.

"Kendall's fainted," Miss Abby tells us. Thank God. She's not dead. "I think it's nerves, but she'll need a checkover. You two... three, will be going to hospital with her, since her mother is absent."

With that, Miss Abby picks Kendall up and carries her off stage to where our moms are, then dials 911. I sit on Mom's lap, my arms around her neck, tightly crossing my fingers and praying that Kendall's okay.

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