This is mainly a get to know your character story... the real ALDC action happens next chapter!
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"Aurelia! Hurry, your mother will be here soon to pick you up." Ms Crystal, my dance teacher, calls from the door of the studio. I quickly land my fouettés, making that twenty two. "Oh, and," she walks over to me and gently places her hands on my shoulders. "You need to keep these relaxed, don't tense up and bring your shoulders to your ears." I grin and dip my head in gratitude. She pulls away and we stare at each other in an awkward silence for a few moments. I won't be seeing Ms Crystal for a few weeks because I am going back to LA for a while to visit my family.
A loud rev of a car engine knocks us out of our thoughtful thinking and I give her a brief hug before dashing into the dressing room, grabbing my suitcase and hurrying outside. My mother stands there smiling beside her Porsche and I throw my bags in the back and quickly hop in.
"How's it been so far?" She asks as I try in vain to evade her kisses.
"Amazing, Ms Crystal is such an inspirational coach and I can't wait to be going back August. Although, I did miss Eben, Finis and Hiram and you of course!"
"They sure did miss you!" My mother smiles again, pulling out of the parking lot.
Soon we're on the motorway and conversation starts up again. However, my mother seems slightly subdued as of earlier and she keeps throwing guilty glances out the window when she thinks I'm not looking.
"What's wrong Mother?" I ask quietly. My mother's eyes widen immediately as if she'd been caught doing something wrong.
"Nothing Aurelia. I'm fine."
"I know thats not true," I say, trying to extract it out from her. "You've been upset ever since we left Ohio."
There was a long silence before my mother gave me a remorseful stare. "The truth is," she started slowly, contemplating whether she really wanted to tell me still. "You're not going back to Ohio. I got a call the other day asking for you to join a different competition team. It's far more local so you'll get to see your brothers more and I looked up so reviews this morning and apparently it is much better than Ohio."
My mouth falls open. I decide not to talk because I am not sure what I might say. I can't decide whether I'm mad or sad or happy to be moving teams. I might never see Ms Crystal again or my team.
"Okay," I say quietly, "I'll try it out for two weeks and then I will see whether I want to stay or not." My mother nods in understanding. "What is it called though?"
"ALDC - Abby Lee Dance Centre. Apparently she never calls in dancers to join. Everyone has to go to open call auditions or compete in her special competition to even get a shot at being recognised, so consider yourself very lucky." I nod my head and close my eyes and fall into a soft sleep.
*
I am awoken by my mother shaking my shoulder.
"We've arrived at the airport. Come on."
We take our bags and check in. Our flight is at midnight so we buy some salad and I buy two books and some sweets for the journey. I check social media and I find that Hiram has a new girlfriend. I quickly text him to ask why he didn't tell me first, but I remember he is at a premiere tonight and won't be able to pick up.
We finally board our plane and I settle down in my First Class seat. I watch a movie before sleeping for the next four hours.
*
"Please secure your seatbelt for landing." Booms the pilot and I connect the belt together. As my mother and I walk out of departures I spot two familiar faces.
They are surrounded by fans who are trying to get their attention, but they turn around just as we come out and I grin so widely that I think my cheeks will implode. Eben opens his arms and I run into them with my mother hauling the bags behind her. Finis kisses the top of my head.
"Who is she?" One of the fans - a girl with black cropped hair with purple highlights and grey eyes - asks, holding her phone out as she records the who reunion. I don't quite understand how there are so many people here when it is like one o'clock in the morning.
Finis looks somewhat aghast at her question, but then it seems to click in his head that the girl is asking for the camera. "This," He starts decreeing dramatically, his voice loud for everyone to here. Eben pulls away from the hug and holds my hand as if I am a victor. Finis continued, "is the great and almighty Aurelia Ellery. Our sister."
I smile, waving at the small mass of phones. "You flatter me too much, Finnie. We both know that if anyone is almighty it is you, how else do you think you won the heart of Marcy?" The crowd gasp and a few chuckle at the well-known inside joke. Marcy is Finis' girlfriend and everyone knows how much he was trying to impress her from day one.
"Lets get back," I mutter to both of them, turning away from the fans so they won't hear it. Judging from the look on their faces I must seem really exhausted. Lucky it is a Sunday!
*
Nine hours later I am back home and decide to search up about this ALDC. Mother told me not to tell Finis and Eben because she didn't want them finding out just yet for some reason. As far as they knew I was just using a random studio temporarily to practice and keep on top of my dance and flexibility. When I first started dance I only wanted to do tap, ballet and contortionism. Contortionism had always been my favourite, but my mother wanted me to compete in dance so I had to do all the other styles as well.
I type in ALDC Junior Elite Competition Team and what comes up surprise me...a lot.
Apparently, the team members all star on a reality tv show about dance, I read some more and call mother. She explains the whole situation to me.
"But I don't understand why I can't tell Finis, Eben and Hiram."
"They don't need to know just yet," she calls down the line. "They'll find out later. Oh, and just so you know, you will be starting tomorrow so be ready at six."
I am seriously mind blown. To take my fuzzing brain away from this new news I push open the door of Eben and Finis' study room. I say study room, but the only bit of studying equipment is a desk crammed in the corner. Its full of beanbags and photos and awards and is basically where they spend most of their time. Currently, they are doing a live on Instagram.
"Hey Aurelia! Come over, we are doing a Q and A with everyone." Calls Eben. I bounce over, smiling at the camera. I look at the screen and see that he has 60 million watchers. All three of my brothers have 150 million followers on instagram and the number is the same on most of their other social medias as well.
"Okay guys," says Finis to the camera. "We've answered some of your questions, now it's your turn to ask our dear sister Aurelia some questions." Almost instantly they start talking to me through the comments.
"What's my favourite type of dance? That seems to be a very popular question at the moment." I grin at Eben, who is rolling his eyes because he dislikes it when I talk about my dancing as he doesn't understand any of it. "Well, I definitely like acro, I think that's common knowledge for most people. Although here are three facts that you guys probably didn't know:
"When I was younger I only wanted to tap and contortionism, but my mother told me that there was no competition in contortionism so I don't do it much anymore, but I still love it.
"I hate hip hop. I'm sorry, I respect all dancers who do hip hop as their main type, but I find it really hard to get my head around it myself.
"And lastly...wait," I look at my two brothers and motion to the door. Begrudgingly, they follow my silent orders groaning. One comment pops up on my screen saying how cool it was that I could boss them around and I liked the comment.
"Lastly," I whisper. "I'm going to tell you a secret that I don't want my brothers to know..." I know the fans won't tell, because if they get on my bad side then it angers my brothers as well. "I have a favourite brother. If you want, guess below in the comments of my most recent post and when I reveal it, I will select one random winner for a shout out!"
I tell my brothers that they can come back in and we talk for a while. We end the live and have dinner. I excuse myself early saying I'm not feeling well and that I need to have a good sleep for tomorrow.
*
I lie in my bed contemplating what will happen tomorrow, before letting blissful sleep take over.
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What will happen tomorrow? How will it go and will the other girls like her?
Please feel free to comment, vote or ask questions because I love getting feedback and constructive criticism.
By the way, none of my chapters will have been properly edited so please point out errors
Thanks,
anon-sirekl20