"Welcome back to Pittsburgh. We came back from LA because we weren't ready, and I felt we needed to regroup. We had a winning solo. We had a duet that placed. We had a duet that didn't place. We had a group that placed. We had a group that didn't place. We only had one person who won big. Having groups from the Abby Lee Dance Company not even placing in the top 10."
That's how pyramid began, wonder how it is going to end, if someone doesn't storm out before we finish.
"So on the bottom of the pyramid is Maddie." Maddie says revealing Maddie's headshot, "You were not participating with the group this week."
She reveals the next one.
"JoJo. Technically, you have issues. You, let's say, fumbled through a few steps. You were either facing the wrong direction, you were off the counts. You have to keep it together."
JoJo looks at her confused as Abby reveals the next headshot.
"Nia. Technical things. The jump around the corner, not degaging your front foot, all right?"
The Fraziers are kinda serious today, after all they were the only OGs to stay to film the music video, because they were the only ones who weren't SCARED and acted like babies. Unlike Abby, Jill and Mom. I look at the pyramid as Abby reveals the next one.
"Next we have Kalani. Kalani, you were in a group that placed, but you were in a duet that wasn't even mentioned. Next on the pyramid... We have Kendall. Kendall, you only did one number. It should've been perfect. It wasn't."
Really Abby? She reveals the next headshot.
"Next is Mackenzie. You did a duet, you took it, and you ran with it. You never missed a beat. Next again we have Maddie. She's here again because she represented the ALDC amazingly."
Wow, why didn't she do that when I was on Disney too? Kidding! Abby reveals the top headshot.
"And on top we have Melanie. She was the only first place of this group."
Melanie
Maddie Mackenzie Kendall
Kalani Nia JoJo Maddie
"This week we are traveling to Manahawkin, New Jersey. We're going to World Class Dance Experience. Now, I like the competition. I don't like their ages. 12 years old is teen. This is the Junior Elite Competition Team. And if we keep finding competitions that teen is 12, you're not junior anymore, you're teen. And guess what? Once you're a teen, I'm finished with you."
I thought you were finished with us since the second class when we were preschoolers, but she LOVES to say that she's finished with us, right?
"Well, we really only have two teens right now, Kalani and Nia. You know, what-- a 13 and a 14." Jill tells Abby.
"You would take some of the teens out and keep some of the younger ones and put them in, or--" Kira says.
"Yes." Abby answers.
"I don't think it's right, just all of sudden, say, 'Oh, because you're too old, you're, like, geriatric and you can't compete'." Holly says.
"I understand that." Abby says, "We have three solos and one group routine. At this point, I'm not sure everybody's in the group. My first solo is going to Kalani. The name of the routine is 'Pretty Little Liar'."
We clap but I realize, that's for what Tracey and Ashlee said about Kira last week, huh.
"My next solo is going to... Kendall. Kendall, you're doing a blues number. My last solo will be going to Nia. Nia, your routine is entitled 'The Golden Rule'. Now, in life there are rules, and even in Hollywood there are rules. Something called ethics."
What's up with this woman? Now it turns out that Abigail Miller is the queen of rules and, how do I say? Ethics.
"Something called loyalty. Something called, don't step on the people on the way up because you might see them again on the way down. The group routine. Dominoes. I thought we got rid of a couple bad apples, but now I have the domino effect. Somebody has something happening or I addressed someone about a situation, and it's like domino, boom, boom, boom, boom, down the line with all of you."
I already know how to play dominoes, no need to teach me, Abb.
She dismisses the Moms and we start practicing the group routine.
"Don't use your hands, but look front-- look front and then, ugh, like, disgusting, like-- Yes!" Abby tells Kendall, "It is contemporary, it's dark. It's deceitful. They're being bad. Deception is all around, like, people are being deceitful behind my back. People are not truthful, something like that. Go ahead."
Gianna plays the music and we start dancing again.
If rehearsal is going to be like this everyday, I don't want to come then.
"Okay, you're all dismissed except Kalani and Nia, we're gonna work with your solos." Abby says and we all go to the Dancer's Den.
We all sit down and JoJo closes the door.
"Finally we can smile." Kenzie says and we laugh, "Abby is so like--"
"Ugh" I say, "Like so shady."
"Yeah." Maddie adds.
"Just because of a video." JoJo says.
"Was it fun to film?" Kendall asks JoJo and she nods, "I really wanted to be on it."
"Me too." Kenzie says.
"Me three." I add.
"I wasn't even going to be on it, but I feel bad for you guys so, me four." Maddie says and we laugh again.
After solo rehearsals we go back home and my sisters and I decided to have a 'mini-sleepover', but it didn't really work out because we fell asleep quickly.
•One Day To Competition•
We all were sitting against the mirror watching Kendall as she did her solo. She had a musical theater solo this week and it was called 'Living The Blues'.
"Don't dance with your eyes closed!"
"At this point she just wants to talk." JoJo whispers to me and I chuckle.
"Melanie and JoJo, don't talk!"
I roll my eyes and go back to watching Kendall. She has a hat and she kind of used it as a prop, it looks pretty cool.
"Everybody get up, let's work with the group." Abby says and we stand up and go into our positions, "Remember that today is the last day, tomorrow is the competition and you need to redeem yourselves."
Did you notice how she said 'you' and not 'we' like she always does? That's because we lost, if we won of course she would've said 'we' instead.
Deception is all...
"Look at your legs, girls. Some of you look not neat. Some of you look like you have rolling arches. Some of you are turned out." Abby says as we continue dancing but I ignore her.
Caught your eyes...
"Kendall, look how far you are from Maddie and too close to Nia. Why can't you split the difference?"
She calls us over.
"What is the average age? You're going to be 13. You're going to be 14. So that means they're in the teen division. They will not compete in the teen division. I need to go talk with the moms, be right back."
We watch as she leaves and closes the door.
"Okay, let's practice at least one more time." Gianna says and we start dancing again.
After a couple minutes we finally leave, we get on the car and Mom starts driving back home.
"I don't like how Abby's acting." Maddie says, "Like, accept it, they made the video anyways."
"But Abby told them not to do it and they did anyways, they can't expect no consequences." Mom says.
"No consequences for their daughter's careers?" Kenzie asks, "Wow, that's sooooo bad."
"The video is now history." Maddie adds.
"Not everyone is like you and Jill." I mumble.
"And who do you think Abby's pulling out the number?" Kenzie asks.
"Oh, she didn't tell you?" Mom asks.
"You know? Who is it?" Maddie asks.
"I can't tell you." Mom says and Maddie groans, "Sorry girls."
We get home and I go take a shower, after that I do some homeschool and I go to sleep at 11:30.
•Competition Day•
I was writing on my laptop about a lot of random stuff, we were on our way to the competition on the bus.
"What are you doing?" Kalani asks closing her math textbook.
"Bored, like always." I tell her looking at the empty page.
"I have an idea." Kalani says and I look at her, "What if we write a story?"
"About what?" I ask.
"Mmm . . . I know, can I take your laptop?" Kalani asks.
"Yeah." I say, giving her the laptop.
She puts the laptop on her lap and I sit closer to her.
•Story•
This text= Kalani
This one= Melanie
So what's your idea?
I'm thinking, I'm thinking... Oooh I know!
Go ahead, write!
Once upon a time, there were two girls, their names were Brooke and Victoria.
Really? Our middle names?
Shh! Listen, or read in this case.
They were two normal girls from Pittzona.
Mashup of Pittsburgh and Arizona?
Yup!
One day, they decided to go on an adventure, they went to a small village and met a hermit. The hermit told them about the awful things that were happening. A terrible dragon had come to live in the lake and he lost his wallet!
Wallet?
No one helped the dragon to find his wallet, so he started attacking the village! The villagers didn't know about the wallet, so they just gave his all the food they had. But the dragon was full, he had eaten a buffet before moving!
Sounds yummy.
The kind sent his army to capture the dragon, but the dragon was too strong and the knights were chickens, they were really scared and ran away. With nothing left to give, the king sent his only daughter to the lake. But . . . The dragon doesn't like visitors!
Of course, the girl has to go.
Brooke and Victoria ran to the lake just in time when the dragon woke up from his nap and was really hungry, but he had eaten all the food, he was a glutton. He saw the princess and licked his lips. Brooke ran and attacked him with her sword.
Where did she get it from?
Shh!
While Victoria ran and pushed the princess away. Brooke killed the dragon and the three of them went back to the village, where there was a party. Some other dragons prepared a funeral for the dragon, who just wanted to find his wallet, but no one understood.
Aww, poor dragon, are Brooke and Victoria the bad guys?
Kinda, who knows!
You! You're the one writing the story!
Hehe.
The end.
•Present•
Kalani closes the laptop and we burst out laughing.
"We're here!"
I put my laptop back in my suitcase.
"That was really fun! We should do that again sometime." I say.
"Yeah, poor dragon." Kalani says and we continue laughing.
We get off the bus and go to the dressing room.
"Ooh, it's very quaint." Jill says as we enter.
"Oh, it's nice and cozy though." Mom says.
We start stretching and do our makeups as the soloists prepare. Everyhthing was kind of calmed down today.
"Girls, come on, I'm going with you. You want to take your girls down to the stage?" Abby says and we all leave the dressing room.
I walk between JoJo and Kenz, that were behind Nia and Kendall, that were behind Abby, Maddie and Kalani.
"I want another solo, I have only had one this season." Kenzie says.
"Which one?" I ask.
"Boom Boom, she did that solo on my first week." JoJo tells me.
"Oh, I was filming the movie." I say.
"I really liked our duet last week." JoJo says.
"Me too, we should have another one, or maybe even a trio." Kenzie says and looks at me.
"Someday." I tell her.
We get backstage and wait for all of the soloists to perform.
"Please welcome Kalani, 'Pretty Little Liar'." The announcer says and Kalani goes onstage.
When a secret falls, honey from lips, flamable, catchable, sweet taste of risk...
She finishes her solo and leaves the stage, one down, two to go.
"And next up is act number 46. Please welcome to the stage Kendall, 'Living The Blues'." The announcer says and Kendall goes onstage.
The skyline seems to dissapear, when you are lonely in New York. Broadway is a dead-end street...
She leaves the stage when her solo is over and there's only Nia left now,
"Please welcome Nia to the stage, 'The Golden Rule'." The announcer says and Nia goes onstage.
I'm going to be something, I set my head and my mind, won't stop for nothing...
Nia finishes and leaves the stage and we go back to the dressing room to get ready for the group dance. I sit down and start doing my makeup.
"When you were in LA you recorded a song right? Can we hear it?" JoJo asks, "You guys want to hear it?"
"Yeah baby!" Kendall exclaims as I take my eyeliner out of my makeup bag.
."Okay, lets listen to it, be quiet everybody." Kalani says and Nia presses play, "That's cool!"
Whoever you choose to be own it
It's your drum and it's your beat
Show it off for the world to see
Be a star in your own life
Be a star in your own life
You are a star in your own life
"Is it you? You sound so cool." Kenzie says as the song continues.
"How was it working with Aubrey?" Maddie asks.
"It was great, she's so positive, she's like---" Nia says.
"Opposite of Abby?" I ask.
"Yes." Nia answers.
"That's so bad." I say sarcastically and we all laugh.
The door opens and all the adults come in. Abby tells Kalani that she isn't going to be on the group dance, but that she could wear the costume anyways.
"Aren't you upset that you aren't in it?" Jill asks.
"Well, I'm a little upset that I am not in it but I can't do anything about it, her mind's not gonna change." Kalani tells Jill.
Yeah sis! She's more mature than most of the Moms and Abby combined.
"Well, maybe your mother could do something about it." Jill says, trying to add fuel to the fire.
Luckily, both Kalani and Kira are mature enough and decide to ignore her.
We put the headpieces on and make sure they don't fall.
"Last week, Maddie was absent. Did both groups lose because Maddie wasn't there or did they just happen to be beat?" Abby asks and I look at her, what about me?
Oh wait, I'm not Abby's favorite, how could I forget?
"Come on, keep it together, let's go."
We all go backstage.
"Up next, we have a small group doing a contemporary routine. 'The Domino Effect'." The EMCEE says and we go onstage.
We are like dominoes. Do you feel guilty? What are your prospects now? Are you even willing to try and figure out what you don't know yet..?
~~~
"Our fifth place overall, is act number 46, 'Living The Blues'." The announcer says and Kendall goes receive her award.
Fifth place? Huh. They call fourth and third place and neither Nia or Kalani have been called.
"Our second overall goes to act number 14, 'Unchained Melody'. Our first overall goes to act number 47, 'Pretty Little Liar'."
We cheer as Kalani goes receive her award, this is her first win of the season. Sadly, Nia didn't place today, I really wanted her to show Abby that she could do it. She did, but the judges just didn't think the same.
They start announcing the group dances category and I hope it was worth taking Kalani out of the dance.
"Second overall, goes to act number 38, 'Small World'. And our first pace overall junior small group goes to 'The Domino Effect'."
It did!
We get up and go receive the award, even Kalani even though she didn't dance, Abby told her to do it.
Now I really wanna play dominoes.