Lie Until You Laugh

44- Finales: Part 1

“So the competition is today,” Stella announces as I’m waking up on the morning of our final competition. The huge one that will possibly get us a scholarship to Julliard and a lot of money.

“It is today,” I agree with a tired yawn.

“And your ankle is totally fine?” She wonders.

I nod. “Yes, Stella. You’ve asked me that every day this week and it’s been fine all week. I promise you that I’m totally fine.”

“I’m just worried,” She defends.

“I know,” I laugh. “Just relax a little bit. There’s nothing we can do now to increase our chances of winning. We have the routine and it’s a good routine so all we can do now is hope for the best. We can do it, just relax.”

“You’re right. I just need to relax a little bit. But before I do that, we need to win,” Stella says. “Come on, you have to get dressed so that we can go. We have an hour to go over last minute things before we have to be at The Arena to check in.”

“I have to go pick up my mom and Jo,” I inform her apologetically as I hop out of my top bunk and start to brush my hair. Stella made all three of us take showers last night so that we didn’t have to waste time this morning showering because she’s very anxious about this competition and she’s very competitive, I’m noticing. I guess with so much on the line, this competition is a lot bigger than the one we did in the past together so I can understand her angst. I’m pretty nervous as well but I think I’m better at keeping my nerves held together.

“Okay,” She sighs. “That’s okay. Just meet me and Mason in front of The Arena as soon as possible.”

“Roger that,” I nod. Stella leaves the room to go find Mason and I quickly get dressed in sweat pants and a tank top with flip flops which is the quickest thing that I find to put on and grab my car keys that has an attached room key on it. I don’t want to get dressed in my dance costume yet because I’m afraid of ruining it or something. I’ll get dressed after I meet up with Stella and Mason after I pick up my mom and Jo so that they can come and see the competition.

When I get into the house, Jo is sitting on the couch watching TV and she grins excitedly when I walk through the front door.

“Nenna!” She cheers in a whisper. She bounces off of the couch and hurries over to me, wrapping her thin arms around my waist and hugs me tightly.

“Hey, Joey,” I hug her back. “Why are you whispering?”

“Mommy’s on the phone,” She whispers, pointing towards the kitchen that is separated from the living room by a door.

“I’m going to go let her know that I’m here,” I tell my little sister before stepping away from Jo and going towards the kitchen. I step through the door just as my mom is speaking into her new cell phone (Chase bought it for her).

“Yes, I know that,” She says and when she hears me walk in, she turns around and her eyes widen just a little bit. “Okay, see you soon. Goodbye.”

She hangs up and I just look at her. “Who was that?” I wonder curiously.

“Just Uncle Chase,” My mom supplies quickly. “Are you excited for your competition today?”

I shrug and walk back into the living room. “Just a little bit nervous.”

The drive to get my mom and Jo is only about twenty minutes there and back so I hurry both of them into the auditorium with all of the other eager families and people who want to watch the competition that starts in about ten minutes but we don’t go on for another two hours. This competition is actually pretty big around here so there’s news crews and other forms of media beginning to surround the auditorium as well, which is kind of nerve racking but I try to keep myself calm.