UPSIDE DOWN. (aldc)

eleven

Awards started and I couldn't be happier not only did I do good in my solo but I was in two group dances which meant i had two chances to win. The solos are up first and I sit in between my team and the ALDC while waiting for them to announce the top five dancers. They get to third place and can't help but feel like I was gonna win this whole thing which would have been amazing. They finally announce second place and my heart drops to the floor "in second place we have Maddie Ziegler with Stand Tall" the announcer says and she runs up to get her award. I look around at the girls who have huge smiles on their face and then I hear them call out the unthinkable " and in first place with the highest junior solo today we have Katie with summer rain!" The man exclaimed into the microphone causing me to jump up and run to the person handing out the awards.

Maddie reaches over and gives me a hug with a smile on her face even though I could tell she was a little disappointed that she lost. When we got back to our seating area all the girls on ALDC congratulated me while the girls on my team gave me a half smile and looked away. After going through the teen solos and all the duets and trios we finally get to the junior small group category. The start with fifth place and work their way up until the get to second place. I feel my heart thumping in my chest as they call out the second place group winner "in second place junior small group we have Snow White from central city dance!" The man once again says to the audience as the girls and I all hurry up to claim our second place trophy. "And in first place junior small group we have we don't need you from the Abby Lee Dance Company please give the girls a round of applause." The man announces for the third time and the girls jump and claim the first place trophy. As the girls from ALDC come and stand next to us I quickly slide over to their group and give the girls a hug while smiling towards the crowd who looked a little confused. We finally sat back down and the girls and I couldn't help but talk about the fact that I learned the dance 10 minutes before we put it on stage. I quietly talk to them through out the rest of the awards and occasionally look over to see my team giving me dirty looks and rolling their eyes.

Once awards were done we were able to get off stage and go back to our dressing rooms to prepare to go home. Maddie and I talked all the way back to the rooms and it turns out we had a lot in common. We both were perfectionist we both loved to paint and we loved dancing and acting so much. As we finally get back to the central city dressing room I spot my mom and Mrs.Fowler talking in the hallway. Me and Maddie walk up so I could go inside and take my makeup off and then head to the ALDC dressing room to speak with Abby. "Hello you must be Maddie." My teacher says as she waves to the brunette next to me and smiles. "Hi I am Maddie and you must be Mrs.Fowler you did an amazing job teaching Katie." Maddie says nicely while also smiling to my teacher and my mom. We talk with my mom for a bit more until we make our way inside the dressing room to get my stuff. All of the moms and the girls were in there and they all watched as me and Maddie headed to my makeup station to get my suitcase and all my things to go. Unexpectedly Kaylee walks up to Maddie and says the most rude thing ever "I just want you to know that you can have Katie on your team because she is a horrible dancer and a horrible friend and you Maddie can't even dance and you sucked in the book of Henry." She says with a smirk on her face. All the moms and girls burst out laughing as Maddie stands their uncomfortably trying not to cry. I take this opportunity to fire back at Kaylee who was smirking like she owned the place. "Kaylee why don't you just go away and be a fake friend to someone else because no one did anything to you and also you better stop because Maddie is amazing and she is a better dancer than you." I say back making Maddie smile. "Oh and don't make me tell your mom about all the times when you snuck out and went to go make out with a bunch of senior boys." I fire once more leaving Kaylee with a hurt look on her face and her mom with an angry look on her face.

I quickly grab my things and head out the door with Maddie following behind and I can hear the yelling between Kaylee and her mom going on as I exit the room. We walk out laughing as my mom and Mrs.Fowler look at us weird and then turn back to each other brushing it off. We make our way into the ALDC dressing room and all the girls run up to me and hug me while jojo and Jess sit in the corner and stare at me with hatred in their eyes. "Katie I just would like to thank you again for stepping in for our team and helping to lead us towards victory and not only that but you beat my star student." Ms.Abby says as she pulls me into a hug. I hug back and then proceed to taking off all my makeup and giving the costume back to Ms.Abby and Gianna. All of us girls excluding JoJo sit around and laugh and talk as we take our makeup off. Finally my mom walks into the room and goes straight over to Abby "Abby I would just like to say that Katie will be at the next rehearsal when you need her to be and i will do anything to get her away from those evil mothers across the hall." She says dramatically and I can see the tears starting to spill down her eyes.

"My daughter is picked on non stop because she loved dancing and because she was the favorite and I'm sick of it she doesn't deserve to be treated like that she deserves to be on a team with people who want her to be there." My mom confess to Abby while she is still crying. Abby walks up to my mother and gives her a hug while signaling me to join in. From inside the hug I hear my mom respond with a "thank you Abby" and I already know that my mom and I were welcome at the ALDC