Vivi-Anne at the ALDC

26. What Comes Around

VIVI-ANNE'S POV

We sit down after duet rehearsal and Kenzie tries to teach me a new hand clapping sequence that she learned with Maddie. I'm laughing again. This is why I came back. I belong here. With Kenzie. With Abby. With the girls.

Suddenly, the door crashes open and my mom storms in. "Vivi, get your stuff. We're leaving."

I remain seated. "Mom, I'm not leaving again."

She grabs my wrist. "Vivi, we're going. Those moms don't want us here anymore, we don't have to be here."

Kenzie looks up at me, her eyes filling with tears. "Vivi!"

I shake my head. "Mom, I'm not going. I want to be here."

My mom grabs my shoulder and wrenches me to standing. "Vivi, we're leaving. I've had it with those moms. They don't deserve us here."

"Mom!" I'm crying now. "Please! You can't do this to me."

She manages to drag me to the door of the changeroom.

"Mom, stop!" I plead, digging my heels into the ground. "I want to be here. I don't care about the moms." Cameras crowd us, and I resist the urge to scream at them instead.

"Vivi, you have no idea what those moms talk about upstairs. My mind is made up. We're going home. I'm not sitting there any longer and watch them tear you down, tear me down, tear my business down. "

Kenzie runs over and hugs me. "Please don't go."

Mom sighs. "Okay, say goodbye to Kenzie and we're leaving."

We wrap each other in hugs tighter than tight. I can barely breathe. I can feel her tears on my shoulder. If this is the last time I ever get to see Kenzie again, I'll never let go.

"Okay, that's enough. Let's go. We don't have time for this. We've got better places to be."

She takes my hand and drags me out the door. "Good riddance, ALDC!"

And just like that, I've been stripped of everything I love, all of my hopes and dreams, all I've ever wanted. Gone.