Hearts Bleed.

I. The Competition Begins

The clear, pristine glass doors to the Abby Lee Dance Company gracefully swing open, inviting a rush of warm, golden sunlight to flood the spacious interior, instantly enveloping the entire building in a comforting embrace. As the doors part, a gentle breeze carries with it the tantalizing scent of freshly cut flowers, mingling harmoniously with the faint aroma of sweat and determination that lingers in the air. The radiant beams of sunlight dance playfully across the polished wooden floors, casting intricate patterns of light and shadow that seem to mirror the rhythm and grace of the dancers who call this place home.

Abby's eyes immediately fill with excitement. Standing right before her is a strikingly tall woman with stunning fiery red hair. And not far behind her, there's a young girl, almost a mirror image of the woman, who eagerly takes the lead.

"Hi, Miss Abby." Bianca greets with a smile, making her way towards the front desk, her mesmerizing jade green eyes radiated with enthusiasm. The beaming sunlight streaming onto the gleaming front desk mirrored on her face, accentuating the beauty marks that adorned her face with striking prominence.

"Afternoon, ladies," Abby greets back, her smile growing wider and her eyes sparkling with warmth as she diverts her gaze away from the mountain of paperwork that had been consuming her attention. "How are you two?"

"We're doing great, Abs," Victoria responds, flashing her stunning pearly white smile. "Are you ready for today?"

"As ready as I can be," Abby replies with a smile. "Why don't you head into the den, get stretched?"

"Thank you," Victoria warmly tells her, following Bianca into the den.

Once they made it into the den, Bianca quickly shred herself of her outerwear, feeling the warmth of the room embrace her. She peeled off her layers, revealing a solid white cropped top, paired with high-waisted shorts. Her dark, auburn hair is elegantly styled in a low ponytail, gracefully cascading down her back. To add a touch, she has adorned it with a perfectly matching white satin ribbon, which skillfully holds it up.

A few minutes later, the girls eagerly gathered in front of Abby in the spacious studio, their excitement palpable. "All right, girls, it's the first day of rehearsal for the new competition season. Ladies, you all know why you're here. You are the cream of the crop in your age group, and I have lots of new ideas in store. I am going to do something that no other studio in the country does. Every single competition we are doing a new routine."

Surprised and slightly taken aback, Bianca furrows her eyebrows in confusion, desperately seeking reassurance from her mother. As she scans the room, her attention is momentarily diverted, and she realizes that she's not the only one feeling this way.

The sound of fingers snapping, sharp and distinct, abruptly interrupted the atmosphere. It caught the attention of the girls, causing them to momentarily divert their gaze from their mothers and fix their curious eyes back on Abby. "Uh-uh-uh-uh, girls, don't look at your mothers. I am the coach; I am the teacher. I can make you, or I can break you."

With a bit of a struggle, Abby manages to successfully rotate the blackboard positioned right beside her, unveiling a meticulously arranged pyramid formation consisting of all the girls' headshots.

Bianca had eagerly searched for hers first, her curiosity piqued by its mysterious purpose. Uncertain of whether it had good or bad implications, she couldn't resist the urge to look anyway. As her gaze fixated on the blackboard, her own headshot prominently showcased on top, and a surge of pride surged through her veins.

"Everybody wants to be on top, of course, but you have to work for it. Everybody wants to be front and center; I hear it all the time. You know what? Whoever is in the front, they can't make a mistake. They are holding that group together. So, at the top right here, I have Bianca because she is the epitoe of an Abby girl. She comes to class everyday dressed appropriately; ready to learn and go out to win. Bianca, are you ready to be front and center? Are you ready for that pressure?"