"hello." mom says to Abby as we walk in
"she looks really happy this week." i whisper
"maybe that's a good thing." Chloe says as she opens the dancers den door
"hello! the apocalypse is upon us." mom says
"why?" Jill asks
"Abby just smiled at me." mom says
"wow." Holly, Jill and Elizabeth say
|Pyramid|
"come on girls lets go let's go." Abby calls
"this is a cause for celebration!"
we all cheer
"The Abby Lee Dance Company took back ownership we beat the crap out of the crabby apples, didn't that feel good?" Abby asks
Asia and Kristie then walk in
"hi! how are you?" Abby asks and Asia gives Abby a hug
Asia then stands beside Kenz and Kristie stands beside Holly
"without further ado i'm going to get to the pyramid." Abby says
"first Asia, you weren't here that's where you end up."
"and next on the pyramid Nia, in the group you lagged behind a little bit i don't want you to be the weak link"
"next Kendall, Kendall you were apart of a award winning group you did a good job..during rehearsal mmm you need to be stronger."
"and Paige, you were second overall highscore usually second is the first to lose but i think you had a great performance you should be very proud of yourself."
"next Eloise, went from the top..all the way to the bottom..you looked great in the group dance it's your timing that needs work but that's an easy fix."
"moving on up Camila, you worked hard and you're finally learning to pay attention to what Maddie does and you're starting to get better."
i nod
"next Mackenzie, Mackenzie i have big plans for you this week you're this high on the pyramid because that's where i expect you to be that's how well you need to perform you gotta give me more."
"next we have Chloe and Maddie, Chloe and Maddie two professionals out there it looked like you could've done that dance eight times a week so congratulations to the two of you."
we clap for Chlo and Mads
"on top of the pyramid is Brooke."
"yay Brooke!" Kelly cheers
"it's about time you dance like you're fifteen years old." Abby says
Brooke
Maddie Chloe Mackenzie Camila
Eloise Paige Kendall Nia Asia
"this week we will be attending Powerhouse Dance Competition in fortwaine indiana, we have a very serious if you will group routine the group routine is entitled Living With The Ribbon now you're all aware of the pink ribbon people everyday are living with cancer they're beating the odds they're surviving." Abby says
"Melissa you okay? why did you get choked up there?"
"just my mother died of cancer..my mom died of a really awful she died in nine months it was awful." Melissa says
"it is." Abby nods
"children are living with cancer their surviving this is a piece i've wanted to do we're going to do it this week it's very intrigue choreography."
"Mackenzie, Asia you are not in the group routine you have solos..Asia it's entitled Too Hot To Handle, Mackenzie you'll also be doing a solo it's entitled Old West"
"Maddie you will be doing a solo this weekend the name of your routine is Be Anything."
"and my last solo will be going to Camila, Camila the name of your solo is called You Can because You Can get better..you can listen to your mother and do what she tells you to do or you can listen to me and do what i want you to do."
i nod
|Group Rehearsal|
we learn the group routine and it's very pretty it's a really good routine
we do the routine a few times and it's really nice
"okay you're dismissed go." Abby says
|Solo Rehearsal|
my solo is a lyrical piece and it's stunning like this is probably the best solo i've had in a while
"pretty ending." Abby says as i do the ending of the solo
|Three Days To Competition|
"my solo music is so pretty this week." Maddie says
"oh it's gorgeous." Melissa says
"i wanna hear!" Eloise runs over to Maddie
Maddie pulls out her phone and plays the music
hold on.
"that's my music." i say
Maddie looks at me confused
"this?" Maddie asks
"yeah." i say and i grab my phone and i play it
it takes a moment to break a butterfly.
"it's the same music.." Jill gasps
"wait play yours" Chloe says to Maddie
Maddie plays her music
"it's the same." i say
"it is the same?" Kelly asks
"yeah." Maddie nods
"is the choreography the same?" Asia asks
i do the start of my routine but not fully full out
"it's the same..that's my start" Maddie says
"so we have the same dance?" i ask
"that's a new one!" Kelly says
"wait why do we have the same song but different names?" Maddie asks
"so that we wouldn't catch on." mom says
"it makes the sentence in the song you can be anything." i say
|One Day To Competition|
|Solo Rehearsals|
"alright so you obviously figured out you're doing the same routine when you go to an audition aren't you all given the same combination, yes that's really the main reason why i did this exercise." Abby says
"sometimes when you win i hear a whole lot bunch from your mother and what i hear is well if Camila would've had Maddies choreography if they would pay that much attention to my Camila if this if that it's one excuse after another and some of them are pretty darn offensive to me"
i bite my lip
"Camila turn around..go infront of the door." Abby says
i turn to the door and Maddie does her solo
then Abby has me do my solo
and i really try to do it amazing and i think i do
"good..good." Abby says as i finish the number
|Competition Day|
we arrive at the competition and i'm pretty nervous i just hope i pull this off..
we get to the dressing room and mom helps me get ready for my solo
Camilas solo costume:
i start to stretch and Chloe helps me
we go backstage for Asia and Kenzies solo
Kenzie performs first
and she was so cute
i miss when i did cutesy dances like this
Asia perform next and she was amazing
her faces were great
and her energy was amazing
we go back to the dressing room
"Asia why were you onstage singing the lyrics." Abby asks
"you ruined your entire number because everyone was looking at what your saying i even motioned to you from my seat..Asia every goal and obstacle we concur you throw yourself back two steps."
"Mackenzie did you watch Asia from the wings? what did you learn." Abby asks
"not to lip sync" Kenzie says
i laugh and so does everyone else
Maddie runs though her solo..or my solo..or both of our solos?
but i'm really nervous because i know Miss Abby wants me to fail.
i then run through the solo
"Cami." mom calls
i walk over to mom
"you go out there and be you, don't be Maddie because you are amazing just as Camila you'll do amazing and no matter who gets that trophy i want you to go off that stage saying you did your best." mom hugs me
"okay," i smile
we then go backstage and im so nervous
"you'll be amazing Cami." Chloe hugs me
"coming up now is entry number 19 in the junior solo division here's Camila with You Can." the announcer says
i smile and i enter the stage i get into my starting position and i perform the routine
i think my technique and my turns were flawless and i thought i did really good
i get into it ending pose and the crowd cheers
i exit the stage and Paige hugs me
"you were so good!" Eloise says
"thanks." i smile
Maddie performs next and she did amazing
she did bobble on her turn at the end but she still was so good
we go back to the dressing room and mom hugs me
"you were beautiful" mom says
"thanks." i say
we then get ready for the group and we run through it before heading backstage
"taking the stage right now is entry number 97 in the junior small group category here they are with Living With The Ribbon." the announcer says
we enter the stage and i think we did an amazing job
i think my emotion was amazing and that my technique was really good
|Awards|
"it is now time for our junior small group division" the announcer says
i take Chloe and Kendall's hand
"in second place entry number 96 He's my son,"
"and in first place entry number 87 from Abby Lee Dance Company Living With The Ribbon"
we cheer and we get up to get our award
for the mini solos
Kenzie got second
and Asia got first
"your elite high points for the junior solo division."
Chloe and Kendall take my hand
breathe
"third place entry number 17 Escape."
"second place entry number 20 from Abby Lee Dance Company Be Anything."
my head shoots up and i clap
that was Maddie..she was second, Maddie was second.
have i won? did i do it?
i grip onto Chloes hand
oh please let me win, please, please, please
"and in first place junior solo in the junior division entry number 19 from Abby Lee Dance Company You Can."
a wide smile appears on my face and i get my award
i look to my mom and she is beaming
i beat Maddie Ziegler and we both had the same choreography, Miss Abby tried to make me fail but i proved her wrong
and it feels so good.
i give Maddie a hug because i still feel bad for her
we sit down and Chloe hugs me
we go backstage after awards and Eloise hugs me
"don't be sad." Paige says
i look around to Maddie
"i'm not sad." Maddie says
is she upset i won? i'm always happy for her..
"did you not see me smiling?" Maddie says
"no i wasn't..Paige did you not see me smiling the whole awards?" Maddie asks
we go back to the dressing room and i run and hug mom
"wasn't she amazing!" Chloe beams
"she was absolutely fabulous! and you did it as yourself." mom says
i smile
i did it, not as Maddie Ziegler but as Camila Lukasiak
"hey! congratulations!" Abby comes in saying
we all cheer
the guy who announced the awards then walks into the room
"we had a goop, one of our judges they gave Camila a 99.10 she actually had a 99.66 because they gave her 275 in a category with 25 points." he starts
please don't say it.
"so that means that the overall winner would've been Maddie."
my whole world just crashes.
of course she won.
it's Maddie.
she wins everything.
she's the winner.
she's the talented one.
she's the golden child.
the perfect one.
no matter how hard you try she'll win.
i put on a small smile and i clap for Maddie
"thank you so much we appreciate that" Abby says
"i'm sorry." he says
"hey you know things happen." Abby says
he soon leaves
and Abby cheers
i blink away tears
don't cry, it's just some stupid win.
"everybody congratulations on the group..Maddie and Camila congratulations on being great sports mistakes happen." Abby says
i grab my plaque and i hand it to Maddie and Maddie hands me hers
i'm happy for Maddie, i really am.
i just thought i did it, i thought i showed Miss Abby i can be a winner.
but it's okay there will be a next time
it was just Maddie's day
i guess.