Brooke

Maddie Genevieve Chloe

Nia Paige Mackenzie Vivi-Anne

T

his week, everyone had a solo, since we were competing in Pittsburgh. After pyramid, Abby asked Maddie and I to stay behind as everyone else left.

"This week, you are both competing with two solos." Abby announces.
We look at each other, smiling.

Genevieve: Every year, Miss Abby has Maddie and I perform two solos, it's really fun.

"You're going to perform your solos from two weeks ago." Abby tells us, "And you're both learning tap routines."

"I love tap!" Maddie exclaims and turns to me, "This is going to be fun!"

"Don't forget that you'll be competing against each other." Abby mentions.

"Yeah, fine." I turn to Maddie, "This is gonna be epic!"

Abby laughs as the rest of the girls enter studio "A". Solo rehearsals start right after that, starting with Maddie rehearsing "Cry".

After a couple rehearsals, we are both dismissed.

"Where were you last Thursday?" Maddie asks as we enter the dancer's den, "You left earlier than usual."

"Riley wanted to go see Zane's and Jake's baseball game." I answer as I sit down.

"But they are dancers, right?" Maddie sits down and takes out her water bottle.

"They play just for fun." I say, "Even though I'm starting to think that they'll want to switch."

"Wouldn't surprise anyone." Maddie comments.

The day after, we both decided something. We were going to have a direct "competition" with our tap solos.
Chloe and Nia watched as Maddie and I rehearsed our solos, time and time again, not even taking breaks.

"Isn't it enough?" Nia asks.

"Nope." Maddie answers, "Only when Evie stops dancing."

"In your dreams, Mads." I say, "It'll be when you stop dancing instead."

"In my dreams, I'm in Broadway." Maddie says.

"In my dreams, I'm crushing you and winning the competition." I add.

"Ooh, that's how we're doing it." Maddie smiles, "In that case, I think I can beat you any day."

"I think I'm better than you." I smile.

"I'm the better dancer."

"I'm the better tapper."

"The judges will like me more."

"The judges will judge the dance, not you."

"They'll like both my dancing and my attitude."

"The judges will like my dancing, my attitude, my facials, my charisma and my technique.

"Stop!" Chloe exclaims and we both fall to the floor.

"Talking 'bout friendly competition." Maddie smiles, "But I think I can beat you."

"Not if I do it first." I tell her.

After that, we both start laughing as Chloe and Nia share a confused look.

NICOLE

The next day, the moms were having lunch without Cathy, especially because she was the topic of conversation.

"Because if you start making exceptions to the rules, then why have rules?" Christi asks.

"Exactly." Holly agrees.

"I guess, and the other issue is, to level the playing field, would you both be willing to pull one of Maddie's and Evie's solos?"

Melissa and I share an annoyed look before looking back at Christi.

"I don't know about that." Melissa answers, "I have to talk to Abby about that."

"Besides, they both do their tap solos every year." I add, "It would be unfair to pull the solos after both girls have worked so hard all year long."

"I don't think we would do that." Melissa continues, "I don't think you guys would do that."

"I did do it." Christi mentions, "I did it this year."

Nicole: I don't get why Christi is so upset about Evie and Maddie doing two solos. We pay for the privates, we pay for them to learn, it's not like Abby just gives them out.

"Why not?" Melissa asks.

"Because Paige and Nia deserved a chance to shine." Christi answers.

"We'll talk with our daughters about it." I say.

"What would be your reasons for not doing it?" Holly asks.

"'Cause I'm not going to hurt my daughter." Melissa answers.

"If you looked at it from our perspective, you would be upset it Chloe were doing two solos and your girls had the chance to do only one." Christi says.

"I would not." Melissa says.

"It's becoming very cutthroat, and I don't think it needs to be that way." Holly says.

I take a sip of my drink as Melissa shakes her head.

"I don't want to discuss it." Melissa tells them.

"Holly, while I agree with you, I'm not pulling one of my daughter's solos." I stand up, "And if you excuse me, I have to go pick up my kids from school."

I could feel the awkwardness as I left the house.

I mean, I am right. Evie has worked really hard for my solo. I won't just take it away and have a really upset daughter just because some other mothers are upset.

I need these mothers to understand that to me, my kids will always come first.

GENEVIEVE

"Straighten your legs!" Abby yells as Riley does a front aerial, "Don't look so scared. You're not going to hurt yourself."

"That's what she told Kennedy last time and we all saw what happened." Paige comments as we wait in line.

"Maddie, you're next!"

"Does anyone know why we randomly had an acrobatics class?" I ask.

"No." Nia answers, "It's weird."

"Do you guys have your solo music?" Chloe asks.

"Still not." Paige answers.

"I do." I answer.

"Me too." Nia adds.

"So the only one who doesn't have their solo music is Paige?" Chloe asks and we all nod.

"Nia!"

"Has anyone seen my sister?" I ask.

"She's probably with Brooke." Paige mentions.

"And will Abby notice if I leave for a couple minutes?"

"No."

"Good."

Trying not to get caught, I silently leave studio "A" and enter the dancer's den, which was empty at the moment. I could hear some voices from studio "B".

"I aspire to be that level of awesome someday."

"I know, right? She's so cool."

"Wait, what was her name again?"

"Lexi Price. She's almost, like, a dance prodigy."

The two voices quiet down and the door opens. Brooke and Giselle enter the dancer's den and sit down.

"Is the acro class over?" Brooke asks me.

I shake my head in response.

"Who's Lex-- I mean, what were you guys doing?" I ask.

"Just talking." Giselle answers, "We're just waiting for you and Paige to be over."

"Genevieve!"

My eyes wide as I stands up and run back into studio "A" to continue with the class.

~~~

I rehearse my solo as I wait to go onstage.

"I'm so glad we're performing." Maddie smiles.

"Let's show those moms that we can rock it!" I exclaim and we laugh.

Genevieve: So the moms were upset that Maddie and I had tap solos this week, but I think we deserve them because we worked really hard.

"Next up, we have an advanced mini tap solo." The announcer says, "Please welcome Maddie with "A Capella"."

Maddie goes onstage and performs her solo while I watch her.

She is really into it. I hopefully can pull off a win today.

Everyone cheers as Maddie walks offstage.

"Next up, ladies and gentlemen, an advanced mini tap solo, please welcome Genevieve with "The Roaring 20's"."

I walk onstage and smile. Maddie gives me a thumbs-up from backstage and the music starts.

The next couple hours, in my opinion, went by really fast. After all of the girls performed their solos, it was the time for the awards ceremony.

"All right, now it's time to announce our overalls four our advanced mini soloists." The announcer starts, "I will announce the top ten highest scoring advanced mini soloists entries that we have seen today."

"Here are our top five. Fifth place overall-- "Mother". That's Chloe from the Abby Lee Dance Company."
Everyone claps as Chloe goes receive her award.

Fourth place overall goes to "A Capella". That's Maddie from the Abby Lee Dance Company." Maddie goes receive her award.

"Third place overall is "Handclap". That is Genevieve from the Abby Lee Dance Company."

I stand up and go receive my award.

"Second place overall is "The Roaring 20's. Genevieve from the Abby Lee Dance Company."

I smile as I take the other award.
"And our first place overall top scoring advanced mini soloist, receiving a $75 check and the trophy is "Cry". That's Maddie from the Abby Lee Dance Company!"

Everyone cheers as Maddie goes receive the first place award.

"Well, I did say I was the better tapper." I whisper into her ear, causing for Maddie to laugh.

We all met up with the mothers and Abby. I place my trophies on a table as I put on my team jacket.

"Now, we don't want to ruin the waited victory." Christi storms into the dressing room, "Abby, we need to go in the hallway."

"Don't be doing this on front of my daughter, Christi." Melissa says.

"Abby, we can all go in the hallway 'cause I tried talking to you, and I tried talking to you, personally." Christi continues.

"Why are you doing this?" Abby asks.
"I'm not going anywhere." Melissa tells Christi, "My daughter's happy."

"Do you want to talk about all the things that need to be talked about?" Christi asks, "Because you won't talk about and you won't talk about it."

"You're making my daughter cry, so shut up!"

"How many times have my daughter beat your daughter this year?!"

I could feel my chest close up. It felt really weird. It was, like, if my chest was burning, and I couldn't breathe that well.

Even though, I really didn't want to cause a scene in the other scene, so I just focused on my trophies.

"You're all about the wins, Christi!" Mom yells, "Because two days ago, you were on my back about how unfair it was for Genevieve to do two solos, but when she doesn't win, it doesn't matter anymore!"

"Your daughter is holding a national title, and I will take it away in a minute!" Abby yells at Christi.

When the two adults got extremely near to me, I ran out of the room. I kept on crying as I walked down the hallway.

"Eves?" I turned around to see Holly, "You okay?"

"No." I cry, "I'm scared."

Maddie runs over and hugs me. We could both hear Mom, Melissa and Kelly talking as Abby and Christi continued arguing. Cathy left the dressing room with her bags and Holly was calming Mackenzie down.

"Why was she so mad?" I ask.

"Because Chloe didn't win." Maddie answers.

Was Christi right? Or was she just being a crazy dance mom?