𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖲𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗌 || 𝖣𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝖬𝗈𝗆𝗌

Watch Your Back, Mack

Maddie

Paige   Kendall   Chloe

Nia   Giselle   Mackenzie   Brooke

As Abby finished explaining Brooke's placement, I noticed there was another headshot right next to hers. It was most likely Annie's, but I couldn't help but wonder why she still had the headshot after the girl officially left the team, the show, and the studio.

"You may think this is Annie, but it's not," Abby announces. "We have a new member of the team. She made the commitment, and now--" She revealed the headshot. "Asia will be joining the Abby Lee Dance Company."

We all realized who Asia was within a second.

She was on Abby's competition show, and she's Kenzie's age.

She was Annie's replacement,

Everyone but Kenzie and the moms looked excited. I guess I don't blame them, but it was an unexpected situation. I guess Kenzie was finally enjoying the fact that Annie was gone and she wasn't going to get compared to her anymore. However, now she was another threat, another dancer her age, and another possible replacement.

"She was a contestant in the Ultimate Competition that I judged this summer," Abby explains as we all get back into the line. "Her mother, she--" She turned over to the mothers. "Signed the same contract that you guys signed. She is here for the duration. She wants my tutelage. I do not think there's enough competition among you, which is crazy because I thought that after Evie raised the expectations so much, you would all start working harder, but it's been the complete opposite. And I want to warn you. I don't want to hear one word about anybody chasing this woman out."

So Asia is basically Annie's, Sophia's, and Genevieve's replacement all in one.

"We are going to Energy Dance in Highland, Michigan, and I know for a fact that the Wicked Witch of the West and her crappy little apples are going to be there." Abby continues. "You are the reigning national winners for Energy Dance. You cannot walk in there this weekend any less. We are doing a group routine, and the title of the routine is "Return To Grace". This is a very mature routine. It's about reincarnation. That group routine will be without Mackenzie and without Asia."

Some things apparently just never change.

"I have a trio." Abby moved on. "And my trio is going to Kendall, Maddie, and Chloe. This is a jazz trio. It's high-energy. It's called "We Believe", and I have one more solo, and that will be going to Asia, and she will be competing in the mini division."

~~~

Sigh, sigh, sigh, sigh, sigh.

Abby was more than eager to show Asia off to the rest of us, and it surely paid off.

Asia was the only first-place win that week, and I was going to tell Kenzie to watch her back, but I'm starting to think that all of us should watch our backs instead.

• • •

So I don't hate this chapter, but I don't like it either. Asia comes in and surprises everyone (as she should) and Sour Bananas (Thanks G) Super-Boy team (thanks Elle) get a perfect score.

Update: I do, in fact, hate this chapter now. Writer's block has me fed up and, well, next up is a freaking Genevieve interlude in case you missed her.

-A