Started in the Hallways

28

December 2, 2023
Sages POV

We're currently backstage right now. Well, no, not really. You know how in Dance Moms they had a whole dressing room? That's where we are.

Except, we're not getting dressed. We're just warming up. We go on stage in 15 minutes.

"Okay, you guys can socialize until it's time to go on stage," Ms. Clarke says.

"Are you excited?" Aria asks me, Nolan and Zane.

"Heck yes," Zane answered.

"This is going to be amazing," I said.

"Yeah," Nolan speaks. "And because it's mainly choreographed by the one and only, Aria Jackson, we have this in the bag."

"Aria, your choreography is amazing," Londyn says.

Oh-? Is Londyns days of being a jerk finally over? Is the war finally finished?

"Oh, thanks Londyn!"

"I've got a question though. Do you think they'd deduct points if they're confused about one the students genders?"

"What do you mean?"

"No offense Aria, but you look like a guy from the neck below. The only feminine feature you have is your face and your hair."

I spoke too soon. It's always something with her.

"Londyn, just back off," Zane said. "They're not judging us based off our clothes."

"If anything," Nolan starts, "if a judge were back here right now, we'd probably get disqualified because of all your negativity."

"Okay, jeez," she said. "Ruin the fun why don't you?"

She walks away, laughing. Her laugh is annoying.

"You okay?" I ask Aria.

"Yeah, but what if they actually do take off points if I look like a guy? I mean, I'm already singing a part of a song from a movie that was sang by a dude."

Dang it Londyn. Can you leave Aria alone for once in your miserable life?

"You don't look like a guy," Zane said. "Your outfit is amazing. Plus, it's DC. I'm pretty sure you'd find some LGBT representation here anyhow."

"I mean, here's me!" Nolan exclaims. "The judges don't know I'm gay, and regardless, they don't have to. So even if you were on the LGBT spectrum, they wouldn't care, because it's not any of their business to know that a competitor is gay."

"Okay then. Thanks, guys."

"Wait, you're gay?" Zane asks.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry I know it's weird."

"How is it weird?"

"Because you share a room with me."

"So? I'm pan. It doesn't bother me dude."

"Why are there so many queer humans?" Londyn asks, who's apparently been spying on our conversation across from us. She says it so loyd that everyone can hear.

She's like one of Ursula's eels from The Little Mermaid. She should've been a background character for that song.

"Are you just mad because I'm able to pull more men than you?" Zane asks loudly so that everyone can hear.

Everyone just laughed at Londyn. She deserves it.
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We just got off stage and we're back in our dressing room. Let me tell you, that was amazing! I'm positive that we're at least going to make it in the top three for our category.

"Hey, I'm gonna go to the bathroom," Aria says.

"Okay, I'll just be sitting here."

As she walks away, I see Londyn in the corner, just moping.

The inner nice person inside me can't help but go over there and ask if she's okay...

Darn my awesome personality!

"Why do you look so depressed?" I ask.

"I'm just sick of it," she answers.

Thats totally telling me something.

"Sick of what?"

"Of Aria being the center of attention."

"What do you mean? She's never really the main focus?"

"Yes she is. Out there on that stage, she got so much applause when she did her solo, which wasn't even that big. I, on the other hand, hit a high note, and I got nothing."

"Well, to be fair, you stood so still. Aria was dancing while she did hers. She wasn't the only one who got applause either."

"Well still, she got the most."

"Regardless, Londyn, it doesn't give you the right to be a jerk towards her. I get that you don't like how she gets treated nicely, but you would get the same treatment if you would be a decent human being for once in your life."

"What do you mean? I am a nice human," she says, standing up like she's going to fight me.

She'll regret it.

"That's a lie. You've treated Aria like crap since she got here."

"How so?"

"Well, you decided to act like her friend at first, but then you used her past life against her just to make her your little puppet."

"She told you about that?"

Oh shit. Something I wasn't supposed to expose...

"It's a good thing she did. Now most people know where your loyalties lie. Now goodbye, Londyn."

As I walk away, I think about how I might regret the fact that I just told her that Aria told me what happened between them that caused them to stop being friends.

I mean, everyone else only knows that they just stopped being friends. I don't think anyone knows the actual reason except for me.

"Guess who's back?" Aria says, referring to eminem.

"Back again," I reply to her and match her energy, to cover up the fact that I possibly made things between her and Londyn worse.

Who knows though? Londyn won't fight anyone she knows she'd lose against. Looking at Arias muscles right now, she'd sure enough lose.

Wait...

Why am I looking at Arias muscles?

No idea. I honestly don't care at this point though.