𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖲𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗌 || 𝖣𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝖬𝗈𝗆𝗌

Kiss Or Get Off The Pot

Do you remember the time I compared myself to a rag doll?

Well, now everyone's treating me like a porcelain doll.

It was an intense conversation that took place Monday afternoon that ended up with me crying two times because of how unaware I had been of the situation. Everyone was understanding, but it was starting to feel like they were waiting for me to break. It was like they were walking on eggshells around me because they thought I would snap at any moment.

While I was pleased about finally having support and being able to be honest with them, it started to feel a little bit as if I was suffocating. Mom had a not-so-pleasant conversation with the dance teacher after we were basically forced to show up to the episode of Dancing With The Stars she guest-judged in.

It wasn't all that surprising that the pros weren't happy with Abby and her teaching methods.

But my mom and she ended up arguing, but it was also obvious nothing on the show would be affected. After all, they had made sure that all the abuse and anxiety were kept under wraps because if it came out, everyone that criticized the show would be right and they would be both in danger of getting sued and the show canceled. For obvious reasons, that couldn't happen because then they wouldn't get their precious paychecks anymore and they'd have to create another show about some other grown woman physically, mentally, and emotionally abusing minors.

Honestly, admitting to the physical abuse was probably the hardest part of the conversation, but it felt good to let it out and let them all know. Still, now it's like I have bodyguards twenty-four-seven from literally everywhere.

At least I felt I could be safe in the studio, but it was never safe enough because now Abby knew I told them and would probably be looking forward to the first time we were left alone in a room to go back to her antics.

"Sarah, Alexis, Allison, and unfortunately, Christy, are here with us today." The teacher started. "You're both guests here this week. You need to appreciate that, and be grateful for that opportunity." Both of the girls nodded in response. "You guys are-- two for two-- losing. Two for two to the select team. How did it feel to get beat?" She tilted her head to the right.

Not a single one of us spoke. We simply stared at the teacher in mere silence before Maddie spoke up. "Not good."

"Not good." The older woman repeated. "Girls! I wasn't disappointed in your dancing. I wasn't disappointed in your hard work. I was disappointed in your attitude after the competition." That made me frown slightly. "You need to suck it up!" And that made me flinch. "Evie." And that made my blood go cold and I stared at her with slightly frightened eyes. "You could have been in that winning team, but you had to make a big deal about it. Remember that this isn't about making friends, this is about being the--"

"Yeah, Abby, you've made that pretty clear." Mom interrupted. "And you've also made clear that you won't give her the time of day to prove that before you're off yelling at her for every single thing she does."

"That--" Still staring at me, the teacher leaned forward a little bit and pointed at my mother with her right hand's index finger. "--Is why you never get any opportunities. It's because of her."

"But you've given her plenty of opportunities." Melissa piped up. "You just didn't give her the chance to prove herself for any of them because you thought she wasn't good enough."

That one hurt.

"Ladies, we're going off-script." Bryan attempted to intervene. "Let's go--"

"Isn't reality TV about things being unscripted?" My mom questioned as she turned to look at the man. "I'm giving you more things to talk about in the show. We can talk about the way she treated--"