Forbidden Love

The Connection

Chapter 4

(Maddie's POV)

I emerge out of the dressing room with my costume on.

It's a beautiful two piece, and it's blue. It is flowy, and as Abby says, made to make the judges breathless. My mom is cooing, as usual, and Mackenzie has a solo too, but she is not in my age category. She walks out in her costume already, but her solo performance is an hour after mine.

I get walk out of our dressing room and go backstage. I warm up, do a couple of coupe turns, do a side aerial, when I spot, out of the corner of my eye, a boy, warming up. Although he looks strangely familiar, I wave it off. This must be the boy Abby was telling me about. I need to beat him. He's just a guy.

I hear the announcer.

"Next, is entry number 56, Gino, with a lyrical solo, Found!''

He walks out. That was his name! Gino! He used to be a Candy Apple! My thoughts dim, as I remember all of the crazy, stupid rumors that the T.V. producers had made. I resolve myself to beat him. He's just a guy.

His performance starts. He is much better than I remember. He can do 12 turns now, he has his front aerial, and the way he dances, its like he means every word the song is saying. The way he moves his hand, its like he's telling someone his story. I was impressed, but the thought escaped my mind as quickly as it had gotten in. Now I really had to beat him. He was good, but I had to be better. I cannot be beat by a former Candy Apple!

"Next, is entry number 59, Maddie, with a lyrical solo, Breathless''

I strut out, feeling confident. I have to portray falling in love, so I pretend as if cold water is being poured down my back. That's what being in love feels like, right? I smile, and smile, and at one point I put on my distressed face. As usual. I jump, leap, do all my tricks, and cinch my performance with a final ending turn sequence. I tell myself that I sold that performance but my heart isn't convinced. My feet were not pointed on the calypso, my knee drop was bad, and I fell out of the opeining turns. I smile and strut off the stage, walking smack dab into Gino, standing like a lost puppy.

He turns pale.