Last Dance

Chapter 23

  Jessica woke up the next morning super nervous. This was the last day of competition. She had to do well to be able to even place in the top ten today. She stood up off the floor and stretched.
She looked around the room at all of her teammates and her friends scattered around the room on the floor and smiled a little bit. She was happy that everyone stayed in here last night to stay with her. She carefully made her way to the bathroom while trying to avoid them. When she got to the bathroom she locked the door and used the bathroom.

  She finished up in the bathroom and opened the door and gasped when she found almost everyone in the room awake already.

  "Why are all of you already awake? I don't even have to be at the stadium for three hours." Jessica said as she entered the room.

  "Well I woke up when you got up and I don't know about the rest of them." Alice told her as she walked over and put her arm around her.

  "We all want to be up with you because we all know how hard this day will be for you." One of the other girls said as the grabbed her arm and dragged her to the bed.

  "I really appreciate all of you being here. I can't believe I am the only one still in the competition from our team. I really thought that more of you would be here with me." Jessica said looking at all of the girls.

  "We knew you would make it this far. You have proved time and time again that you are the best dancer we have so you are there to represent our team and heck all of America because no one else from America is still in the competition." Alice said.

  "Thank you. I just wish my family were here." Jessica said. She looked down at her hands trying to blink back tears.

  "Hey you know they are still watching you perform on that stage and I know they are so proud of how you are still up there on that stage fighting after everything that you have been through." Alice told her.

  Jessica gave her a small smile before pulling her into a hug. They sat there for a little bit while they waited for everyone else to wake up. When they all were awake Isabell jumped up on Jessica's bed and ran around the room like a mad man making everyone chase after her. Once Jessica caught her they both fell to the ground laughing.

  "Hey Jessica you have two hours before you have to be at the studio so why don't we get the rest of the team and all go out for breakfast as a team before you dance." One of the girls said.

  "That would be so much fun but we do have to bring Austin and Isabell because I told her dad to meet us at the stadium so he didn't have to come get her early." Alice said. They all split up to go wake up the rest of the team and their coach before they went out to eat.

  "Okay now that everyone is settled I have something I want to say to everyone. It has made me so incredibly happy to have been a coach to all you fine young ladies. I know after today we will all go our separate ways when we get back home but we will always be a family." Their coach said.

  "Yeah we will always be there for one another no matter what happens." Alice said wrapping her arm around Jessica and Isabell.

  "Well I will say this it has been so much fun dancing with all of you guys this year. When I win this competition today it will be thanks to all of you who have stuck with me this year and pushed me farther when I thought I was done." Jessica said. They all talked and laughed while they had breakfast and before they knew it they had to get back to the hotel so Jessica could get ready.

  "So I have a question for you Jessica." Isabell said.

  "Well I may have an answer for you." Jessica said.

  "What happens after the competition? Will you hang out for a little bit or are you going back home?" Isabell asked. Jessica noticed she looked sad.

  "Well I have to hang around after the competition is over. I promised you I would teach you how to dance and your uncle Austin promised me he would teach me how to surf." Jessica told her.

  "I don't want you to leave me. Evryone leaves me behind because i am younger and I don't want you to leave me." Isabell told her as she began to cry. Jessica put down her hair curler and picked Isabell up and held onto her.

  "Aww hunny." Jessica said. Isabell wrapped her arms around Jessica and started crying even harder. Jessica unplugged the hair curler and walked out of the bathroom carrying Isabell with her. When she entered the room both Alice and Austin looked at her confused.

  "What happened? Is she okay? Why is she crying? If she got hurt her did is going to kill me." Austin said as he ran over to grab Isabell.

  "No she is fine. She is just upset because she doesn't want me and Alice to leave after the competition is over. I have already told her I was staying a little bit after the competition to teach her how to dance like I promised." Jessica said.

  "You are still going to leave me after that. Everyone leaves me behind and that's not fair. First my brother and now Jessica and Alice." Isabell said crying. Jessica put her down on the bed and sat beside her.

  "Hunny I don't plan on leaving you. I may go back home but I will still stay in contact with you and Austin and I will visit as often as I can." Jessica told her.

  "I will too. You have become like a little sister to me. I care about you so much. How about this. Me and Jessica will both stay here after the competition ends. We will be here with you for a while. We will have to go back home because my mom lives there but I will visit you all the time." Alice told her as she gave her a hug.

  "I have to finish getting ready but I will be right back." Jessica said after they got her to calm down. She walked back into the bathroom and finished doing her hair before getting dressed and walked back out.

  "Come on let's get to the stadium so Jessica can dance her heart out up there on stage." Austin said as he picked Isabell up. They all walked out to his car and headed to the studio. The closer they got the more nervous Jessica got about performing.