IMAGE: CADC group dance costume
Mom drags me to the dressing room. "Vivi, you're going to be in the group and prove that we can beat the ALDC." The camera crew follows close behind, and I'm doing everything in my power not to look at them or just scream at them. They're so annoying. But that's not the issue here.
The group has been rehearsing for eight months. Right now, there's only an hour until the group goes onstage. There's no way I can just hop in, without a costume, and fit in, let alone win. "Mom, you know this is a bad idea. Don't make me do this, please."
Mom sighs. "Vivi, do you want to be on that ALDC team or not? Just listen to me. I'm the adult here."
We enter the dressing room, and she claps her hands twice. "Girls, I'm putting Vivi in the group number."
The moms look confused. "Cathy, there's an hour 'till they get onstage. No way. Vivi's not going to learn a dance in one hour. Are you out of your mind?"
Mom smiles. "Then we'll have to start learning now. Kendall? Justice? Come and teach her the dance. You can do your hair and makeup later."
Kendall flanks me on one side and Justice on the other. They perform the choreography once, and then teach it to me. It's a lyrical dance- something I've never done before. But the tricks are mostly all things that I've learned from the ALDC, so I manage to keep up. Surprisingly, I know the dance in forty minutes.
"What are we going to do about costumes?" a mom asks.
Mom grins. "Well, I brought Taylor's costume with me just in case anything happened to anybody's costume." Taylor is a junior dancer who was in the group, but she sprained her ankle a month ago and had to be cut from the dance. "Vivi is going to take Taylor's position in the dance."
We reblock it and rehearse feverishly backstage. There are parts where there are tricks that I can't do, and I have to do leg holds or slip offstage a couple times when the group does a turn sequence or aerial. Learning the choreography isn't too difficult- I know how my mom choreographs, so there is a set order to things that I can remember. There are only seven people in the group, including me, so even one mistake will be very noticeable.
The speakers crackle. "Please welcome to the stage... the Candy Apples Dance Center with Door to Dreams!"
Kendall walks onstage gracefully, assuming a sitting position. She starts the song, and everyone comes in one by one, except for me and another girl. We both come in at the same time, because there isn't time allotted for another entrance.
My heart is pounding. I've literally just learned this dance in less than an hour. I know the ALDC will be watching closely. I have to watch the others in the dance a couple times to remember what I'm doing, but I manage to stay on track for most of the dance. I'm actually pretty proud of my performance.
We walk offstage and Kendall squeals, grabbing my hands. "Vivi! You did it!"
Justice holds up his hand for a high- five, and I take it excitedly.
I notice the ALDC girls watching me from the wings on the other side of the stage, and instantly let go of Kendall's hands.
"Vivi? Are you okay?" Kendall asks. "You did really well. Don't freak out on me!"
"Um... yeah. I, um... I'm going to... I'm gonna go... I have to... go to the bathroom." I make up an excuse, leaving the rest of the Apples.
It feels wrong dancing with the Candy Apples when the ALDC is right there. I almost feel guilty dancing with my mom's studio. In a way, I don't want the ALDC to see me with the Apples and think that I don't want to be on their team anymore, because I do. I really do. If I want to succeed, I have to be on that team. And now Abby thinks I'm not committed to the team, and I'll never be the dancer my mom wants me to be.
But it's her fault in the first place! Mom was the one who didn't drive me to pyramid. Mom was the one who told me to dance with Kendall. Mom was the one who entered the duet in the competition and put me in the group. None of it is my fault. Why do I have to pay for it? It isn't fair. I feel a tear running down my face, but I keep walking away.
Kendall runs up to me, catching up. "Vivi, are you okay? What is it?"
I shake my head. "Kendall, can you just not? I can't deal with this right now, please, could you just leave me alone for a second?"
Kendall's eyes widen. "Vivi-"
I shake my head, walking away. She doesn't follow me, and for the first time today I'm glad.
It's not until I hear the shuffling of footsteps behind me that I realize the producers have been following me the entire time. Shoot.
YOU ARE READING
Vivi-Anne at the ALDC
FanfictionWhat if Cathy's daughter Vivi was a talented dancer, and kept dancing at the ALDC? And what happens when Vivi becomes better than Mackenzie?
