Making Strides (Book 2 of the Reaching New Heights Series)

Chapter 6

Now it's my turn. I look out of the corner of my eye and realize I'm going alone. Wait what? This can't be happening! Why am I going alone when everyone else went with another dancer?! This isn't fair! 'Calm down, Lucy. Now all eyes are on you.' I point my foot when the music begins and I start dancing. Shuffle hop back tip down 1,2,3,4. I'm doing my best treble jig ever! When it ends, I have a huge smile on my face. When I come off the stage, Razz gives me a high five and says, "Lucy, honestly that was amazing! I have big plans for you next class missy!" I grin and my mom hugs me again. Ugh not the hugs again! Goodness, it's not like I did the fast treble jig in the middle of a mined field or something and almost didn't survive! "Now you just have to wait for results!" Razz says. "Lemme know how you do! I have to go find Anne." Then Razz disappears.

When we get back to our stuff we see Chloe with some trophies and her dress still on. Her dress is pink and white and it looks really good on her! "Wow Chlo! How'd you do?" Mom asks eagerly.
"I got a 2nd in my treble jig, a 3rd in my reel, and a 3rd in my slip jig." She said proudly. Wow she's amazing!
"That's amazing Chloe!" My mom exclaims.
"Yeah most people don't place their first few feises, let alone as high as Chloe." Aunt Carol says and my mom gets a puzzled look on her face for a second before it goes away again. Is it just me or are they trying to tell me I will never place or be as good as Chloe? What's with them?!
"That's great!" I say trying to sound happy.
"And how'd you dance today Luce?" Aunt Carol turns to me.
"Razz says that I'm definitely ready for novice, even my fast treble jig. She says it depends on how I place but she said my dancing today could've easily gone on a novice stage." I say.
Aunt Carol has a pained look on her face as she says, "Well that's wonderful honey!" I'm done talking to these two. They're being pretty rude to me, and I sit down on the stool thing mom just got. Mom and Aunt Carol talk for what seems like a year and a half but then I finally drag her away. "Let's go check results!" I'm dying! I need to find out if I placed at all. I doubt I did since the competition was really tough, but I just wanna see.

We head out into the hall and over to the wall with papers taped up on it. Surrounding the walls are so many little kids and parents and teachers and I don't even know who else! I try to squirm past all of the people to see the wall and to see if my competitions' results are even up yet. Sure enough they are. I look first at the paper with 113 in big bold letters on the top. I scan down the list, trying to see if my number's up there, to see if I placed in my reel. Then I look over at my slip jig competition and look down the list, and then my light jig results list, and lastly my fast treble jig list. Then I head back over to my mom who's standing back away from the crowd.