Last place

Chapter 8

"In first place is Erin Joyce from the Ryan-Byrne school of dance, Midlands Region England" the crowd cheered as I buried my face in my hands. I was crying so much, all the hard work payed off. I turned to receive my sash and she put the long white strip of material over my shoulders and it draped just below my dress. I received my tiara and then walked straight up the podium. I got to the top and lifted the plaque up high, my arms outstretched....."
I shot up. Realising it was just a dream. My heart shattered, knowing I had no chance of winning anyway.
"Erin come on there starting results now!" My mum said. I raced down to the elevator and then straight into the ballroom. A mad rush from our hotel room! I rushed Straight back to my seat and quickly stepped into my dress. I slowly made my way down the stairs to the backstage area just before they announced the world qualifiers.
"Okay so starting the girls u14 B results off, we have the 24 world qualifiers!" The crowd cheered and I zoned out knowing it wasn't going to be me.
"In no particular order: 157, 192, 160, 200, 260, 166, 173, 198, 202, 178, 234, 227, 180, 187..."
Wait that was my number? I turned around to ask the girl behind me did she just say '187' and she confirmed she had said it. I made my way up the stairs and it hit me.

The girl who didn't do well. The girl whose parents weren't particularly bothered about her dancing. The girl who had the sister who was pretty much famous in the Irish dance world. I was going to worlds. I was going to worlds. I kept repeating it in my head and it really hit me hard.

I began shedding tears but kept my cool as we were all handed certificates. I was also in the top 24 in America! They brought us off stage while they did the other places. I was talking to most other girls, who had all seemed to have gone to worlds at least once or twice.
After a long wait they finally brought us back onstage.
"In 24th place, 202, Kennedy Murphy, deegan school, mid Atlantic Region USA!" I didn't even come 24th, what is happening!
"In 23rd place, 157, Elise Smith, MacNamara school, North west Region, England/Wales!"
"In 22nd place we have a tie! Competitors 160, Delaney Kirkpatrick, O'Hanlon school, New England Region USA and 227, Alexandria Moxhay from the MacRitchie school, New England region USA!"
"In 20th place, 187, Erin Joyce, Ryan-Byrne school, Midlands region, England/Wales!" I walked over to the lady distributing the boxes and medals and received mine. I walked to the front of the stage and got a photo and then walked to my place. I was over the moon at my result. I clutched the box in my hands and waited to find out the rest of the results. They quickly got to top 10 and then top 5.
(These are the real results unlike the ones before!)
"In 5th place, from the Lavin Cassidy school, Mid America Region USA, number 166,   Michalene Donelly!"
"In 4th place, number 1...92,  Ciara Rose McKeon, O'Neill Geraghty school, Cuige Laighean, Eire"
"In 3rd place, number 200 Abigail Bradley from the Bell School, mid America!"
"And in second place, with pink in her dress!" The audience laughed.
"Wearing a bun wig, is...
Competitor 1..." The girls squeezed their hug even tighter than before.
"178, Siobhan Phelan, Flynn O'Kane Academy, Cuige Mumhan, Eire!" The crowd screamed as Simone and Siobhan hugged again.
"So that means your girls u14b champion is... Competitor 234, Simone Loysen from the Broseler school, Southern Region USA!!" The crowd cheered as her teachers made their way onto stage. They each individually hugged her as the presentation music blared and then soon enough the presentation was over. My mum ran towards the stage and took a bajillion photos of me before I made my way back to my seat. I quickly ran back to the room to change and then we went out for a meal to celebrate!