UPSIDE DOWN. (aldc)

eight

"Okay girls I know that your moms have gotten into some type of altercation but don't let this affect your dancing," Mrs.Fowler says to our group of girls as we gather around her getting ready to perform the group dance.

We all nod our heads awkwardly and go back to where our mothers were not interacting with each other. I sit around for a few minutes looking at all my social media until I get the 10 minute warning until the group was up. 

"I'm going to the bathroom I'll meet you guys backstage. I say to the group before leaving the room and letting the door close behind me.

I walk around in circles looking for the bathroom before I come to a long hallway that looks like a bathroom might be down it. As I walk down the hallway I hear two voice talking in a low whispering voice and I immediately get curious. As I walk closer I can faintly make out the sound of the voices but not entirely. I finally make it to a room near the hallway and press my head to the door. Inside I hear what sounds like Jess and JoJo talking without Abby.

"JoJo I know that you love the girls but you have to mess up the routine on stage." I hear Jess say in a harsh tone to JoJo.

My eyes go wide as I hear the words that are being said and I can't help but feel bad for the girls in the group. Even though I don't really know any of them they are good dancers and seem like nice people. I listen again to hear JoJo's response and I instantly feel bad for the 13-year-old.

"Mom please don't make me do this you know these girls are my friends and even if Abby is mean she is still a good teacher." She says trying to convince her mom not to make her embarrass herself, the girls, And Abby.

"JoJo you are going to do what I say or you're going back to Nebraska."I hear her mom say back and I shake my head.

Having enough of the conversation I walk away in disbelief feeling horrible for the girls and what's about to happen. Forgetting about the bathroom I find my way back to the hallway with our warm-up rooms and I head towards the one with the white and black ALDC sign on the front of it. I hesitatingly knock on the door feeling a little scared about how the moms are gonna react to what I tell them. The door is quickly opened by Abby who looks annoyed with me knocking on the door. From behind her, I see the girls running the dance and I can't help it feel bad for interrupting them only to bring bad news.

"Oh Katie hi I was just getting the group ready, moms this is Katie from central city dance," Abby says to me and the moms with a smile on her face.

I wave to the moms and the girls and they wave back Maddie and Brynn adding a little smile that makes me giggle.

"Hi Abby I'm really sorry to interrupt but I was going to the bathroom and I overheard something that I think you all need to hear," I said quickly trying to explain why I was at the door.

Abby motions for me to enter the room and I do as instructed while the moms come for there areas at the makeup table over to where I was to hear what it was I had to say.

"Well, shouldn't we wait for Jess and JoJo to come back since it's important," Kira says to the group trying to make me wait.

"Actually it's about Jess and JoJo," I explain earning a surprised and curious look from the women in the room.

"When I was walking down a hallway I overheard Jess telling JoJo that she had to mess up the group routine for you guys so that you couldn't win and then she would leave the team and when JoJo said she didn't want to do it her mom threatened to send her back to Nebraska," I explain to the group of girls in front of me feeling terribly sorry.

All the girls look hurt and I can't help but want to help them in some sort of way. Abby has a disgusted look on her face and the moms look disappointed in Jess. Just as I finished telling the story Jess and JoJo walk into the room with Jess wearing a devious look on her face. Abby rolled her eyes and the other girls stand there looking like the didn't know what to do.

"Abby what is this child doing in here," Jess says looking at me annoyingly trying to make me feel intimidated.

JoJo walks over to her suitcase and pulls out her ALDC jacket to put over her body. As soon as she puts the jacket on Abby walks up to her and simply takes it off without saying a word. All the people in the room stand in disbelief as the cameramen for lifetime stand around to capture it all. JoJo looks confused along with her mom who also looks furious like she is about to fight.

"Abby what are you doing to my daughter," Jess says angrily making me want to leave the room.

"You and JoJo are no longer on this team it is time for you to pack your things and go," Abby states calmly sitting back down in her chair.

"Jess I can't believe you would try to sabotage our kids and Abby," Melissa speaks up stunning the whole room.

All of a sudden the room erupts with argument and it takes me by surprise. All the girls look at each other with uneasy faces and then turn back to their mothers who were giving jess and piece of their minds. Abby comes over to all the girls and ushers us out of the room for the group dance and away from the bickering moms in the room. Just as I was walking out of the ALDC dressing room my team came out of our room only to look at me with Abby and roll their eyes probably thinking that I was trying to get special attention again. Before Abby could say anything to me about what just happened I ran towards my group who were walking pretty fast to the backstage wing to get ready for the dance.

"Why were you with Abby again," Yasmine says to me as she pulls her leg into a heel stretch and then lets it fall away from her body. 

I notice all the girls perk up when the question was asked and I could tell that was on all of their minds. I try to think of how I want to answer the question but nothing comes to mind, I don't want them to be upset and mad at me but I don't want to lie to them.

"I had to talk to her about something important," I say to the group of girls as I go down into a slip trying to avoid any other questions.

"You mean talking to her about trying to get on the ALDC team?" Kaylee replies to me with a disgusted look on her face.

I roll my eyes and ignore the looks I was getting from the other girls which were really hard considering it was six of them and one of me. Just as Candice tried to say something else the announcer announced our group coming on stage. We all looked at each other and tried to act as much like a team as possible even though we didnt feel like it.