Une Fleure Fanée

Week 15 Part 2 (Monday)

     "Are you sure she doesn't have an eating disorder? I mean, half of these issues should be resolved by now, and it would make sense with all of these symptoms popping up," Tricia mutters.

     "Tricia, I thank you for this, but I'm pretty sure my child does not have anorexia or a bulimia relapse," I answer, a little annoyed.

     She nods and heads up to the dancer's den. Maybe I should check the measurements that I take of her each week for her costumes, just in case.

***lilly***

     I start stretching out with all the other kids. No new kids have come in here yet, and neither has Hannah. Weird. We all start chatting around when a new kid comes in. I think her name is Berkleigh. She was in the auditions. She's wearing one of my leos! I get up, fighting dizziness, and say hi.

     "Hi... Berkleigh!" I say, double-checking the name tag as I greet her.

     "Hello," she answers, shaking my hand.

     Very formal. She finds a seat next to Brady and starts chatting with him. I eavesdrop a little bit. I guess they have something in common. Both military brats. She's also from Maryland, so not too far from here.

     The next person, or should I see people, come in are Hannah and I guess, her younger brother, William. They kind of go off into their little sections. I go to talk with Pressley before a third person emerges.

     She has a very big brown bun with a lot of pink. Her name tag says Landree. I think she may have been on Toddlers and Tiaras at one point. Maybe her talent was dancing. She seems nice, but she goes to chat with Sarah.

     A fourth person, a very tall and older girl, about Hannah's age, with the name tag Alaina, enters the dancer's den. She goes to talk with Gia, addressing her as GiaNina. I haven't called her that in weeks. I guess she doesn't know her as personally as I do.

    How many people have Ms. Abby brought in? Two more people walk into the dancer's den. One has blonde hair in a bun and the other is African-American with dark black hair. The blonde one is Elli, who goes to Pressley. The other one, Paris, comes to talk to me.

    "Lilly, right?"

    "Yeah, nice to meet you," I answer.

     She seems sweet.

     "So, where are you from?" Paris asks me.

     "North Carolina,"

     "I live in North Carolina too. Jacksonville," Paris informs me.

     "I live in Fayetteville, about an hour away, I think," I tell her.

    "We should meet up sometime when you come home," she suggests.

     I nod. We keep talking until Ms. Gianna walks in through Studio A. We all nervously enter in with her. I take off my hoodie, absolutely freezing. I guess I'll have to bear it. I have to set an example.

     "Ok, I want Lilly, William, Sarah, and Berkleigh in the front. Gia, Pressley, Elli, and Paris are in the middle. The other four, Brady, Hannah, Alaina, and Landree in the back. There, three rows of four. Everybody back up. Gianna's going to teach you guys a one-minute jazz combo. You have one hour. I am going to watch it. Any mistake, I will see it. My originals, be an example. Go," Ms. Abby instructs.

    I get in the front next to Berkleigh. She seems very concentrated. I try to block out all of the pain and suffering my body is going through, and Ms. Gianna leads us through a quick ten-minute stretch before beginning.