You Aren't Us (Sequel to You Don't Know Me)

The Competition

PAIGE'S POV

Today is the one year anniversary of Maddie's death. The Dancers Kick Cancer Tour raise a lot of money, and now we have our own dance wear line, along with having performed on multiple shows, including Ellen (which was so amazing). Today we have a competition. Sophia, Autumn, and Kalani were joing us. We were performing our routine from the tour, and Sophia, Kalani, Chloe, Autie and I were performing our solos. 

I stepped off the bus, breathing in the warm Miami air. Fans cheered all around us, took our pictures, everything, but I was used to it. Pulling my DKC jacket around my ALDC tank top, I strutted ahead, my flip flops clapping the tile floor once inside. We walked to the dressing room, carrying our competition supplies, and costumes. 

Abby's voice boomed over the choas between the girls and our moms, "Group first- in 1 hour, then solos half an hour after that!" 

We started stretching, helping each other get in and out of the splits. Acro, piroettes, leaps, and leg holds were seen amongst us all. But, I had my own way of warming up, my own routine, you could say. I started with the splits, like the other girls, then did some ballet, then turns, then more acro, then leaps, and finally, ended with a fullback. All of this happened while I blasted the group music from my iPhone 5S to my headphones. 

Then, we changed, coming out in costumes just like the ones for our old dance Living With The Ribbon, only in white. Everyone slipped on their tan jazz shoes, and we ran the number a few times. I loved this group number. Jordyn couldn't make it, sadly, because she fractured her ankle, and was in a walking boot. 

We all had simple ballet buns in our hair. I knew the emotion would be there, I just worried about everyone being able to handle it. Not Sophia or Autie especially, but my team looked so sad. A year ago today I lost my sister, my best friend. Sure, we were all close on this team, but  Maddie, Chlo, and I were especially close. Not just because of our trio, but because before the show, we were the top three. Maddie, Chloe, and Paige, the most feared dancers at competition. Now she was gone. I swallowed the tears, letting myself calm down.

We shrugged on our jackets, and walked out with the lady who would bring us backstage. People surrounded us, asking for autographs, questions, everything. Our security team (body guards) surrounded us, allowing all of us to hold hands and walk with each other. Once backstage, we were notified that we had two numbers before we were on. Brooke had joined us again, her gorgeous daughter, Madi, was at home, probably sleeping. Madi had Brooke's eyes, and Nick's blonde hair. She was so cute, and everyone at the studio loved her. 

I did 15 piroettes, midlessly. I ran through the dance in my head, and got in my position. 

"Please welcome the Abby Lee Dance Company performing Clouds!"

The music started, and so did the dance, Atuie and I left the wings from opposite sides, doing turns, and  aerialing towards the middle. The dance continued, and all I thought about was Maddie. I knew this dance like the back of my hand, after doing it on TV shows, and DKC. I thought about being 4 again, having Maddie and Chloe in my ballet class. I thought about when we all got our tilts, when we were 6. I thought about winning our first trio. I thought about winning Nationals with our trio in 3rd grade. I thought about all of the laughs, tears, simles, and memories with Madison Nicole Ziegler. The girl I loved like a sister. The girl who was now dead. Tears started to form in my eyes, and soon, we were done. I got off stage quickly, and instantly bawled. Sophia and Kalani embraced me, and Sophia whispered in my ear.

"She's in a better place now, Paigey. She would have wanted you to do this." 

I sobbed into her shoulder as she walked me back to the green room, where Abby didn't yell at me for crying, and everyone embraced me. Kenzie sat on my lap. Chloe sat next to me, crying also. I couldn't bear this. I couldn't. 

Abby embraced me. I let my mom take my hair out, and put it in my solo hairdo. I changed into my costume, the royal blue costume, much like Chloe's for her old solo, Silence, gleamed with rhinestones. I stretched, and then did my makeup. I ran the dance, blankly. My solo was called Lovely. It was about becoming lovely, the attitude, looks, and everything. My modern shoes were new, so they almost gleamed. 

Sophia wore modern shoes, also. Her costume looked like our costumes for our immigrants dance. She was doing a lyrical peice to Skyscraper, the one she did on tour. Autie was doing a jazz peice to a song called Mine, Baby. Her costume looked like Chloe and my costumes for our duet Broadway Blondes, only in blue. She wore a french twist and tan jazz shoes. Kalani was doing a contemporary peice to Team by Lorde, her costume was like Brooke's for the Garden of Eden solo, only in Royal purple on top, and balck on the bottom. Her hair was in a simple ballet bun, and she wore tan jazz shoes. Chloe was doing a ballet peice, with a costume just like one her mom made. She wore a ballet bun, and ballet shoes. No pointe solos until we all can do a pointe group dance and nail it. Abby's rule. 

We all ran our numbers multiple times, I was worried. We were all in the same age category. We walked backstage, and each did a trick or two. After Sophia and Autie went, I was up.

"Please welcome, Paige in the teen eilte category with Lovely!" I walked onstage, and took my starting position. I got up from my seat, and did a front aerial. Then, I ran and did a strattle leap. After that I went on. I nailed my turns, but bobbled on my fullback. I did a perfect routine, up until the last 16 counts, when I blanked. The dancer in me urged me to make it up, but my mind wanted to run off stage. I listened to the dancer, and did some prioettes, and ended in my ending pose. I walked off stage, and right into Autie's arms. I didn't cry, no, there was people around.

I simply whispered, "I forgot the last 16 counts." and went over to give Kalani a pep talk. I helped Chloe stretch, and not long after, they had both gone, and done really well, except Chloe messed up her turns. I kept thinking of Maddie, how I let her down. I wanted to win for her, and after forgetting my dance and making it up, I don't know if I would. 

As we walked back, the memories of Maddie flooded back again. Walking halls like these every week, with cameras surrounding us, her usually in costumes, me walking her to the wings to cheer her on. Sometimes we did solos that they didn't air. Sometimes we did trios that they didn't air. And sometimes, Maddie and I did duets. Sometimes, Maddie would be crying after. Sometimes she'd be proud. Sometimes she'd be mad. But most of the time, she was Maddie. Perfect, smiling, gorgeous, happy, amazing, Maddie. The Maddie that I loved like a sister. The Maddie who had died one year ago today. The Maddie that was the only thing that inspired me to keep dancing without her, because I know that's what she would want me to do. The Maddie that was my sister, more than that. The Maddie that shouldn't have died. The death that should have been anyone but hers. 

As I walked to the greenroom, it was like I was in a fog, even once we got there. Because I didn't have my Maddie Moo Moo. My Maddawg. My Madison Nicole. I didn't have the last part of the unbeatable trio, the best friends, the girls who would make it to broadway. And even though I was alive in that moment, I was half dead inside.

A/N

sorry it took forever, and sorry about not doing awards, I just really liked the ending. I hope you all like it and please comment and vote it makes my day! :) This is the first chapter of the sequel and if you didn't read You Don't Know Me this might be confusing. I love all of you readers I hope you like it! I love the pic on the side btw...

- <3 Hannah