⎼⎼⎼ 𝖕𝖊𝖗𝖋𝖊𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 ➵ 𝑏.𝑓.

007

mikki

"you won't be able to dance for this week," the doctor announced, handing me a sheet of paper.

"great," i replied dully.

"it's for your own good," mom fired back, "thank you, ma'am. come on mikki."

i limped after her, screwing up the paper and tossing it into the bin. it rolled around the edge and fell out. scowling, i picked it up and dropped it inside.

"mom," i began, frowning, "what about miss abby?"

mom tensed. "what about her?"

"will she make me dance?"

"no."

"how do you know?"

"i won't let her."

⤎⎼༌·⋱🩰⋰⋆༌⎼⤏

"come on, let's go, let's go, let's go," abby rushed, wheeling in, "ok. congratulations on a big win. second week out, second win. i'm proud of all of you. but i'm not proud of all of your mothers." my lips tightened. erin had broken down in the bathroom and called michelle a pathetic mother. in front of sarah. "and some things need to change. so actually, i'm gonna send you guys over to miss gianna, she's in studio b, ok? go ahead, get warmed up!"

i shot a worried look at brady who returned a tiny shrug. we all got out as quickly as possible into studio b.

"hi girls and boy," gianna said, "let's get warmed up. stretch to the right..."

"what do you think they're saying?" i whispered to lilly. she shrugged with an i-don't-know expression on her face.

"probably stuff about my mom," savannah complained, "i wished she would just let me dance!"

"girls, stop whispering," gianna called, directing us into a right split. i shut my mouth. "ok, i think they're done," she said, poking her head out into the corridor.

"i think we're better at getting along than the moms," brady joked.

"you think? i know," i replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"it's time for the pyramid," abby announced. i could almost hear the dramatic music the producers would edit into the scene. "at the bottom of the pyramid, hannah. you did the right choreography at the wrong time. that doesn't happen to aldc dancers. understand?"

"yes," hannah squeaked.

"now next on the pyramid. gianina, brady."

i frowned. the group routine won, brady was the lead. he should have been higher.

"brady, i thought at the end of the competition everyone should have been," she mimed whispering, "about you. they weren't. gianina, same thing. did you do anything wrong in the group? no. were you spectacular? eh, not really.

next on the pyramid, sarah. there are certain elements of your dancing that you've been trained to do wrong. it's my job to point them out, but it's your job to make the corrections. understand?"

sarah nodded.

"pressley. for someone who doesn't have very good feet and not the greatest flexibility, i thought you did an outstanding job. when you performed, i saw a kid who wants to dance.

moving on, savannah. savannah, you're probably wondering why you're not on top. i won. yes you did. but your mother ruined your chances of being on top.

next, lilliana. she was second. but her facials wowed everyone. you could have been shooting a film. you could have been doing a movie.

and on the top of the pyramid, mikki."

i grinned as everyone clapped.

"it's obvious why. did well in the group dance, won your age category, won the overall high score. and you didn't cry when you got injured. what's the verdict on the foot?"

"i can't dance this week," i admitted. there was an intake of breath.

"well. this will be a good learning experience for the rest of you girls. you have to dance without relying on mikki!"

that was not what i was asking for.

"abby, why did you say 'the rest of you girls'. why not brady?" stacey demanded.

"because..." abby paused, trying to weigh her words, "i think that brady is the only boy and he can't rely on a girl because he's usually got different choreography."

i raised an eyebrow at brady, who shrugged and rolled his eyes.

"maybe lilly would learn not to rely on mikki if you made her the lead of some dances too!"

"well, she has to earn that, doesn't she?" abby retorted, "moms, you're dismissed."

wow. and i thought there had already been a lot of drama. there must be way more coming.

the author speaks:
my groupchats are crazy <3