Tumbling Down (Dance Moms Fanfic)

Anonymous (Ch.7)

The time comes.

Chloe's day to leave.

If I look at her I'll burst into tears.

I go with her and Christi to the airport, along with all the other girls. Well, besides Maddie.

*Chloe's POV*

I hug all the girls for an equal amount of time. I'm gonna miss them so much. But I save Mackenzie for last. I even hug my mom before her.

Me(whispering): You're gonna be okay. I can come home as soon as you need me.

Mackenzie: I'll be fine.

Doubt that. She won't look me in the eye.

Well, I'm not looking at her either.

Intercom: Final boarding for flight 315. That's flight 315.

That's me. I wave, but I don't look back.

I take my little backpack and put it under the seat ahead of me. My eyes look out the window, watching the morning sunrise. I managed to get a flight before school starts, thankfully, so I can say goodbye at the last possible minutes. They'll be leaving now.

Goodbye everyone.

Goodbye Mackenzie.

Tears start streaking out of my eyes, though I make no sound.

*Mackenzie's POV*

Christi takes us all to school. I feel numb.

Going to my locker takes 5 minutes. Getting my books takes even longer.

Rock: Hey.

I jump.

Me: Please don't do that.

Rock: Sorry. Don't be so into your locker.

Me: I'm not.

Rock: Sure. So did you go with Chloe today?

My hand, which is on my locker door, grips the metal hard enough to turn knuckles white.

Me(quietly): Yes.

Rock: You okay?

I have the sudden realization I look on the verge of a breakdown.

Me: Oh, uh, yeah. I-I'm fine. Just gotta get to class.

Rock: Text me later, okay?

Me: Sure, whatever. Sorry, I'm late.

This bag seems so much heavier today. I close my locker and barely get the bag on my shoulder. Just like how I can barely get through the day.

I go home, not willing to go to dance tonight. I go anyway. Pyramid. Hate this part.

Abby: Bottom is Maddie for injury. Next, Chloe, ONLY FOR THE FACT she's not here. Not for performance. Or attitude. If that was the case she'd in a different place. I'm gonna pull someone in, not sure who yet. It was okay when it was just you guys, but now that I'm down two dancers, I need someone.

She keeps going. I'm in the middle row, not bad or good. As usual. But I "need to step it up for my sister". It's so annoying hearing that. Maddie Maddie Maddie. Be like Maddie. Ugh.

Abby: Assignments. Now, we have a group dance that Mackenzie is not in. For this specific competition, I want us in the senior group, but Mackenzie pulls us into teen. Nothing wrong, honey, but I want you to have a solo and only a solo. Remember the old solo I pulled from Starbound?

Yeah, I do. She pulled it because someone was there she knew Maddie could beat but not me. So she pulled mine and made Maddie do an old solo.

I nod.