I am warning you now; this chapter is over 6000 words long, which is three times longer than my normal ones.
***
"Wake up Aurelia! We have to take the long route out of town so we'll have to leave early," my mother whispers to me, not wanting to disturb Eben's beauty sleep.
"Wha? Why?" I say, bleary-eyed and cursed with bedhead.
"They had a crash further up the road so it's closed. Hurry," She whispers again, before quickly leaving to get ready herself.
Hastily, I pull on tights, a black leotard with a patterned netting round the front and throw jeans and a jacket over it. I brush my teeth, apply a minimal amount of makeup and am downstairs in a jiffy. I grab a breakfast bar, an apple and my dance bag, climbing into the car in a rush.
My mother hops in and starts the engine. It seems the rest of the neighbourhood also has the same idea because we wait five minutes before we can pull out of our driveway and onto the busy road. Despite leaving early, the long route is slow and jam-packed and we arrive late at the studio anyway. Unfortunately, Maddie, Kendall, Brynn and I are missing homeschooling today for the audition, which meams Abby will be mad.
I have to battle my way politely with numerous 'excuse me's often followed by whispers of the hundred boys waiting patiently outside the studio door for the open call audition. As soon as I get in Abby turns around and gives me a disappointed look. "I'll speak with you afterwards," She simply says and motions to the den as she opens the door to let the first twenty dancers in.
I quickly take off my jeans and jacket and search in my dance bag for my pointe shoes. With a jolt I realize that I've left them at home, since I didn't have ballet en pointe yesterday and didn't pack them this morning. I panick for about ten seconds before Ezra from tumbling class comes in.
"Are you alright?" She asks, taking off her own jacket to reveal her hip hop attire. She sees my ballet tights, and I think she realises what has happened.
"I arrived late which means Abby is mad at me and now I've forgotten my pointe shoes," I explain, chewing the inside of my mouth and looking down at the carpet.
Ezra looks to the curtain hesitantly before facing me again. "If it helps, Jana left her pointe shoes here yesterday and I picked them up for her and still have them with me. You can borrow them and I'll tell her," She says, passing over the matte pointe shoes. My face instantly brightens, but I know Abby will notice since I always wear shiny ones.
"Are you sure she won't mind?" I ask, wrapping and tying the ribbons round my ankle.
Ezra shakes her head. "I expect she'll be flattered to have thought Aurelia Ellery has worn them," She smiles and retrieves a water bottle from her bag, taking a big gulp. I take that as my cue to leave.
"Thank you so much," I express my gratitude once again before exiting the den. I wait nervously outside the door to Studio A while Abby comes out. All the dancers auditioning in the studio stop and watch and the moms behind me speculate with beady eyes.
Abby sighs when she reaches me, closing the studio door behind me. "I must say, Aurelia, I expected better of you." I grimace and look down as she gives me a frown. "You're an amazing dancer, yet lately you've been slacking, and that can't happen, especially if you're missing class tomorrow. You were late yesterday morning, late coming back from lunch and now you're late again with someone else's pointe shoes on. Don't make me regret putting you on this team."
I nod and look away as she marches back into the studio. I take a deep breath before entering and sitting down to join Maddie, Brynn and Kendall who are stretching in the corner.
"You alright?" Maddie asks and puts a hand on my back as I blink the tears away. I nod, the boys starting to dance again, although many of their gazes still lingering our way.
Kendall leans over as Brynn holds her leg up into over split. "So, which boy do you think is the hottest?" Kendall asks, pointing around the room.
Instantly, a smile appears on my face, confidence renewed. "Kendall! You're already going out with someone," I exclaim quietly, not wanting Abby to hear and be angry at Kendall as well.
"That doesn't make them any less hot," Kendall winks and Maddie calls her over to help her with her over split.
"I saw what you posted last night on Twitter and instagram," Brynn grins, flexing her toes and then pointing them so they touch the ground. I narrow my eyes and lower my eyebrows, confused.
"Wait what?" I gush. "I didn't post– oh," I realize. "Aiden and I had a competition last night in tumbling and he won - technically cheated - and the deal was that he could go on my phone and on social media. He then thought it would be a nice idea to disable my phone. Speaking of which, it seems I've left my phone at home as well as my pointe shoes," I sigh, grimacing.
"That makes sense now," says Brynn, still flashing a non-sensical grin. "I'll show you later on my phone at lunch." She doesn't show me later at lunch because I have to practice the group dance on my own in a spare studio though.
*
An hour passes and there are only ten of the hundred boys left. Three of which are Marcus, Josue and Jack.
"Okay boys, you are our finalists. Usually I'd send you all home and tell you tomorrow if you made the cut, but we need you today. I am looking for strong, rebellious dancers and not Swan Princes saving Swan Princesses." The boys all nod their heads and Abby beckons for us four girls to stand and we walk over to her gracefully. "Four of you will dance with the girls at a time, and we'll do it so that you have the opportunity to dance with each of them and then I'll decide who's made it." Abby looks at us. "I trust you have been watching and know the little routine by now." We nod our heads and pick a partner.
I'm with a boy who has blonde hair and impeccably green eyes. He introduces himself as Rowan. He is a beautiful dancer alone, but his hands fumble when he goes to lift me up in arabesque. Abby's sharp eyes catch this, and immediately calls him out. My feet feel rubbed sore every single time I point my toes or go en pointe, and there are blisters on my ankles from the ribbons being pulled too tight. After a few more run throughs of agonising pain, Abby seems to have decided. There are only nine left.
"Number 26, 24, 91 and 62 step forwards," Abby calls and they step forwards, one of which is Jack. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to let you go." They dip their heads, murmuring a thank you before leaving the studio.
"What are your names?" She asks the five dancers left.
Carson, Cameron, Adam, Josue and Marcus, they introduce themselves.
Abby turns to us. "Girls, you may choose which dancers will stay," She says, dismissing us as we all huddle around each other.
I feel horrible, it's unfair to make us choose, but also makes sense since we're the ones who will be dancing with them.
"Definitely Marcus," Brynn gushes, and Kendall giggles at this. "And Adam was kinda good." We all nod.
"I don't think we should do Josue," I say, just putting it out there. "He's far too quiet."
"Lia," Maddie groans. "Just because he's quiet it doesn't make him a bad dancer. I think we should let Josue stay." The other two agree and this time it's my turn to groan.
Kendall whispers, "I feel really bad that we're going to be choosing out of Carson and Cameron; they're twins for goodness sake!"
Brynn bites the inside of her cheek, and I decide not to comment and let them debate it. After about two minutes of talking Abby gets impatient and demands our answer.
We motion for Maddie to announce it. "We want Adam, Marcus, Josue and..." The tension is as thick as smoke in the air. "...and Cameron." Carson's face instantly falls and Cameron looks as though he's committed a crime.
"Well done girls, I'm afraid Carson we are going to have to let you leave, but other than that you eight start talking and getting to know each other. I'll be back in a moment once I sort out who is with who," Abby barks and scurries out the room with Gianna in tow.
"So I guess I don't really need to be introduced to you again," Isaac comes up to me awkwardly, the cameras recording everything.
"Yeah, you could say that. We probably ought to get acquainted with everyone else as well. As you know this is Kendall and Maddie," I motion to Kendall who is being swarmed by cameras as she engulfs Marcus in a hug. "This little blonde here–" I mess up Brynn's hair as she blushes and talks with Adam– "is Brynn. She's my baby bestie along with the other two. Well, we're all besties but still," I bumble on. Embarrassed I quickly turn away and start talking with Cameron, who seems to be standing there alone.
"So, where do you come from?" I ask him casually and he smiles appreciatively.
"North Dakota, but my family have a holiday house just outside of LA. My friends back home used to mock me for watching Dance Moms and your movies, but I absolutely love it. I'm completely fangirling - fanboying? - right now!" He chokes out, grinning widely as if I've broken the fourth wall.
"Aww, that's so sweet," I say and continue talking with Adam and have a snippet of a conversation with Marcus before Kendall gives me a humorous glare of possessiveness and I walk back to Maddie, who is indulged in a conversation with the other four.
Just then, Abby comes in. "Students, the reason why I left was to see who had the most connection. In this dance it's not just about how strong a dancer you are, it's also about the connection you portray. I'm going to pair you all up now and then we're going to work on this dance until lunch."
She starts with Kendall and Marcus. "Right from the moment he entered this room I could sense a connection between you two, and it seems I am once again right; as soon as I gave you permission to talk Kendall ran straight up to Marcus and hugged him and barely talked to anyone else. Next we'll have Brynn and...Cameron. There was less of a connection if I'm completely honest. I feel more inclined to put Brynn with Adam," I saw Brynn's eyes light up by a fraction and she stood straighter by an inch. "And Cameron with Aurelia, but I need those two for other roles in the dance so you two better be able to pull this off. I want Adam and Maddie to be pairs as well. Maddie you talked and laughed with everyone, and I think as one of the more expressive and stronger dances in this room you'll match perfectly." Maddie looks slightly uncomfortable with this concept, but Abby turns to me and I grit my teeth. I already know who my partner is.
"And finally Aurelia and Josue. You both already know each other as far as I'm concerned, and it's particularly perfect as you both have similar dancing styles." I grimace again and Josue chuckles quietly beside me.
"Now the dance will start with you four girls coming on, then going off and the boys coming on. The girls will come back on then the boys will join them and they'll have a mini war before an agreement is made to ally the two sides so the can fight bigger enemies. Boys, continue stretching on the side while I start with the girls."
*
Two hours later it is ten past eleven and we still have fifty minutes to go. My feet ache and scream with every move, but I persevere through the rubbing. We've choreographed the whole dance, but it's certainly not perfect or in time at all. Everyone's arms are doing something different and we're all going at odd speeds paying no attention to the correlation of the music. The only part which is really alright is the last twenty seconds of the chorus before the end.
Us girls do fifteen pirouettes en pointe while the boys run diagonally and do four beats in the air while turning, they do this twice as we come down. They then come behind is and we go en pointe in reversed attitude and then normal attitude while the boys do stag leaps. We go en pointe in arabesque and the boys then lift us over their shoulders behind them, legs first, and we pull them into a kinda trust fall.
While running through this, I go en pointe in arabesque and suddenly the pain intensifies. It feels as though my whole foot is on fire. "What kind of face is that?" Yells Abby at me for about the nth time this hour. "Rerun that section," barks Abby, and everyone groans in protest except for me, because I don't want to anger her any further than I already have. Just as Josue lifts me up by my waist and leg, my legs wrapping onto his shoulder, my ankle gives out and my foot drags along the floor. In my panic, I kick out and the slick sweat causes me to slip from Josue's strong grasp. My neck gives an audible crunch as it hits the floor and it twists as I land on it. I cry out; I'm winded, my neck is swelling up, my feet are on fire and my back aches. My legs reverberate from the pang of hitting the wood.
Everyone else has stopped and the cameras are all pointed at me, even Abby has turned off the music. I hear Josue mutter a rude word. My eyes fill with water, but I refuse to let the tears fall.
Abby is infuriated. "Look Aurelia, I don't know what is wrong with you today, but get up and take a five minute breather to sort yourself out." She shakes her head. "And don't come back until you're ready. Josue, you may as well go with her." Abby turns away shaking her head and everyone is quiet. No one moves.
Awkward and in pain, I give an unladylike grunt as I feel my knee clicking. I try to steady my feet with my hands, but my right shin gives way and I feel tears bordering my eyes. No one moves to help me, so I try again and get to my knees. Suddenly I feel stiff fingers lifting me up from my armpits and carry me bridal style out the room. I look up to see Isaac holding me looking down with a concerned face. I give a weak smile and mutter a thanks, my voice tight with pain.
Immediately my mother rushes up to me. "Are you alright Aurelia?" She asks worriedly and I nod my head slowly. Her face turns angry and she states, "I'm going to go in there and give Abby a piece of my mind." But I reach an arm out and whisper, "Mom, please don't. You'll only make it worse." The other moms chime in with their agreement, and Josue sets me down as we walk to the den. The only two in there are Lilly and Elliana, but they quickly leave when their moms come and fetch them to give us some space.
"So, what hurts?" Josue asks, biting the inside of his cheek.
"You know that's a really stupid question, right?" He chuckles as I lean my head against the wall. "If you must know it's my head, my legs, my back, my neck and my feet and ankles." I smile weakly as he chuckles again. Josue's face suddenly becomes serious again as he bites the inside of his cheek again.
"I'm really sorry, it was my fault, I dropped you and –" I hold up my hand and he stops.
I put my hand on his shoulder. I know he blames himself but it was my fault. "I'm the one who dragged my foot along the floor and wasn't in the right position. Heck, I kicked you in the face." I can see the cameras recording discreetly through the gap in the curtain.
Josue looks more reassured now and he rubs my back, oozing the sores. "Yeah, you have a pretty powerful kick. If it helps, my mom packed me a basic first aid kit and I have a few pain killers." He reaches into his bag to retrieve them.
"I would like that very much," I say as he passes it to me.
"Now look who's being all posh," he grins. He reaches over and picks up a water bottle, handing it to me. As I take it, and as he turns around, I realize just how close our faces are, and the weirdest thing is: I don't mind.
Suddenly, the den curtain bursts open, revealing a sweating Aiden. I jerk away from Josue quickly and I see hurt flash in his eyes. I swiftly swivel to Aiden and limp over and hug him.
"I'm fine," I say, but I'm upset about hurting Isaac. "Josue just gave me a painkiller," I add and take a big swig of water as I gulp down the tablet.
"You didn't tell me about Josue," Aiden regards me curiously.
"You didn't ask," I say grinning. "Anyway, he's just this boy I met at the mall with Kendall and Maddie and he auditioned for the dance this week. Basically, he's my ballet partner."
Aiden gives Josue a narrow gaze. "Aurelia the Ballerina," mocks Aiden, totally ignoring Josue.
"Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it," booms Josue from behind me, standing up to face Aiden. The boys have a mini eye contest before Aiden breaks away and comes and comforts me.
"It's wondrous what painkillers, water and a bit of rest does," I say jollily.
Aiden looks hesitant, and says with a soft voice, "About that, Aurelia, I don't think you should go straight away. You should rest and–"
"–I think she's fine," snaps Josue sourly. I hold up my hand again.
"Boys! I think I'll decide for myself. I'll rest for two minutes and then I'll see whether I'm better." Neither of them contradict me with the compromise, but Aiden starts muttering about "of course she's not fine, she just landed on her neck for goodness sake" while Josue utters under her breath "thinks he knows best, overprotective sucker"
Three minutes later, I hug Aiden and return to Studio A. I dance fine, but don't stand out.
Afterwards, sore and bruised, I get ready for last week's interviews. Aiden, Josue and I make a few musicallys before I go on, but coincidentally the painkiller makes me completely forget about my pointe shoes that I borrowed. I go into the interview room and realize that it's too late to change.
I smile and answer truthfully in present tense.
"What do you think about getting a solo?"
"I'm slightly surprised that Abby has given me a solo straight off, but I haven't come second all season, and I don't intend to start anytime soon, so I'm pretty confident."
"Can you tell us your opinions on the girls?"
"Well, Kalani is very optimistic and mature and I really see her as a sort of role model to look up to because she's four years older than me, and I really hope she likes me, though. Kendall has a crazy personality, but she always seems to have something interesting to say. Nia is underrated period. I love Nia so much and she is a great supporter. Brynn is my bestie and she too is underrated, but I feel like she transmitted those feelings in our duet. Kenzie is in the middle between being adorable and funny. Although, sometimes she can get lazy." I pause for a moment, looking around to make none of the other girls are here.
"Personally, I don't like Jojo. I don't like all her bows and childliness - I know that's her style, but I feel like she isn't going to get as far as kid shows with her attitude. Maddie's also my bestie and I love her to pieces. Although, I feel like she is overrated because she doesn't have as good a technique as Brynn and Nia, but thats just my opinion. The minis are really advanced and mature for their ages as well."
I smile and go through a few more questions before I get up and go back to the den. All the girls are there, and I feel slightly guilty for just dissing on them all in my interview. I decide to take off Jana's pointe shoes because the pain killers are starting to wear off. A few gasps resound around the den.
"Oh my God Aurelia what did you do!" Shout Kendall, Jojo, Kenzie and Brynn at the exact same time. I look down to see the side of my foot is bleeding, my big toe is bleeding under the nail, my other toes are all mangled together and my ankle is rubbed raw and my toe knuckles completely bruised.
"That's why I fell today," I grimace at the other girls and Kendall, Brynn and Maddie look incredibly guilty; I thought they were my best friends. "Thanks for helping me earlier." I say, to add to their guilt. I pick up my bag and walk out to the car park. I see Jana and give them back, apologising profusely. She says it's fine and that she has two pairs at home and that she can't wait for our sleepover on Sunday. I smile and get in the car.
When I get back I check my phone, and I am shocked. Aiden had posted a photo of him and I smiling at each other and captioned it: with this handsome beauty 😌👅💕 and had tagged himself.
Then on my twitter he had asked the fans to comment questions that him and I would answer. I had twenty three thousand comments!
I giggle at this and hang out with Eben as we chat all night about the premiere tomorrow.
*
Wednesday runs smoothly, although Abby does not seem to be any more forgiving as she was yesterday. "Brynn, I know your leg can go higher than that, elongate it!" Abby shouts, even though Brynn is already in an oversplit. "Maddie, I need more of a connection with Adam. Cameron, don't pas de bourrée too early. Right let's run this through one more time and then go call in the other girls," says Abby and we all nod.
Pas de bourree, glissade, changement, pas de chat, I run through the steps in my head. Relève and down, battement en cloche. Wait, wait. Six pirouette piqués and tour jeté, run run, plié and cabriole off. We watch the boys perform their piece from the makeshift wings. We run on and join them. While dancing in synch next to each other, Maddie pauses and starts dancing with Adam, I do the same three counts after her with Josue until we're all dancing together. We end the dance with the boys in a balletic lunge away, their heads inclined towards us and their arms in grande pose. I do a backbend with my leg out behind me, one arm on Isaac's shoulder while my other is in fifth position. Abby claps for the first time today.
"Well done girls and boys, that was the first practice we've had so far where you haven't messed it up," She smiles passive aggressively and dismisses us with a flick of her hand. We hurry to the den and tell the others to go to Studio A. The moms are already in there in a line, and we all stand there as we wait for Abby to begin.
"We are all here right now to decide who will be going with Aurelia in ten minutes for the premiere. Two of you will be invited. Boys," She looks at them apologetically. "I am afraid that this kind of event is not suitable for you, although I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunities later on in life. Judging by your hard work you've done today and yesterday, you should all be successful, I think."
Abby turns to us and gives us all a narrowed gaze. "Aurelia," She flicks her hand towards herself. "Come stand over here while I choose them." I quickly dash over to Abby, biting the inside of my cheek; I don't want to have to single any of the girls out, it's not fair!
"Kalani and Kenzie, you have been alright, but I do not think this is the event you should shine in. Mackenzie, you would shine better at a singing concert than a movie premiere. Lilly and Elliana, you are too young. Brynn and Nia, whilst you have both been given opportunities to show yourself to me this week, I have not felt any extra effort put in."
"That's not fair," shouts Ashlee. "Brynn's standards are higher than everyone and you're saying she doesn't work hard enough."
"I said she hasn't worked as hard as she did last week."
"Oh, maybe that's because she had a duet last week, which - may I remind you - she won with a perfect score. And this week she's stuck with just the group dance. Ridiculous!"
Brynn looks really upset. Kenzie puts her arm around her and Nia comes and hugs Brynn. I feel excluded since I can't go over and comfort her.
"Look Ashlee, you think by arguing with me this is going to make it better for your kid? No, so just shut up!" Abby snaps, downright disgusted. But Ashlee was just trying to stick up for her child, like all the moms were.
"This leaves three of you; Kendall, Maddie and Jojo. Maddie, you are the lead and I can see how hard you've been working, so you will be going." Maddie smiles and runs up to me, hugging as everyone else claps. "Jojo, you will also be attending, your solo is going along well." Jojo awkwardly comes and stands next to me, and I give her a half-hearted smile. Out of all the girls who could've come, I would not have picked Jojo. No offence to her.
"Aurelia, do you agree with my choices?" Asks Abby, and I open my mouth to reply, but am interrupted by Jill.
"This is obvious favouritism. Maddie is the lead of the group dance and is your favourite so you're trying to make her even more famous for your benefit and it's not fair that Jojo is going only because she has a solo. If Jojo gets a solo for coming second then I think Kendall deserves one as well," Jill shouts.
"Jill, Jojo has been working hard fair and square, so I don't think you should be complaining," Abby sashes back with a rude look.
"I agree with Jill," snarls Ashlee. "Brynn beat Kendall with her duet last week and you don't give her a solo, but you give Jojo one for coming second in a trio? That's just plain ridiculous."
Abby shakes her head."Okay, Brynn, Jojo and Kendall get over here. Moms, stand in a line over there. These three are going to do a little bit of improv and afterwards you'll all vote for who you think did the best."
Abby turns on some slow music, and it's obvious to everyone that the slow pulse does not match Jojo, but her facials rock and if I hadn't seen the other two she would've been amazing. Kendall is very melancholy and wavy with her moves, but Brynn is absolutely perfect in my eyes.
"Okay thank you girls," says Abby, turning off the music and facing the moms."I'm going to ask each of you to write down who you voted for and hand it to me."
Everyone immediately takes a slip of paper from Abby and a pencil and begin scribbling a name down. Hesitantly, I contemplate possible scenarios, and decide in the end that although Brynn danced amazingly, would I really want to go to the premiere with her? After yesterday I'm not so sure whether we are still best friends.
"We have eight in each pile and there are twenty five of you so someone hasn't voted; who is it?" I raise my hand. "Aurelia what is your final decision; this is the deciding vote."
I put my hands on my head and squeeze my eyes tight. I know the camera will be recording this, but I feel like I can either make a better friendship today or lose one.
I open my eyes, still undecided. "Jojo, Brynn, Kendall I love you all, but I'm going to have to go with..." I take a deep breath and sigh, "...Brynn." Brynn shrieks and jumps on me, her eyes watering with tears of joy. I didn't think this would mean so much to her.
"Jill, Ashlee, I'm really disappointed in you both. I can't believe you'd bring a kid down just to get your own way," snarls Jessalyn.
"We did not bring your kid down," says Jill, siding with Ashlee for once. "We just wanted to make sure that the right choice was made. There were two possible right choices and I think one of them was made." Jill strokes Kendall's arm and looks down at Kendall as if to say there is always next time.
*
Brynn wears a black lacy dress with a white belt which really compliments her complexion. I wear a white summer dress with blue flowers on it and curled hair. Maddie pulls of a fluffy pink dress with a back chest and curled hair with pink eye liner.
When we arrive at the premiere cameras are immediately flashing. Eben opens the door up for me as Maddie, Brynn and I climb out. Brynn giggles as it is one of the first times she's ever been to a movie premiere on the red carpet.
Eben's film is about a girl - played by Katrina Oslen - who struggles with ADHD and takes up ice skating to try and help. Eben plays the main character as a skiing instructor who injures himself so badly that the doctors say he may never be able to ski again. So, Eben's character becomes an ice skating coach and helps the girl become the best ice skater in the world, at the end of the movie Eben's character manages to get his mobility back and the pair do ice skating duets. It's a very happy movie, until the end. Katrina's character is hit in a car crash and goes into a coma state and eventually dies. It ends with Eben kneeling by her grave.
As we walk the red carpet, us four give a few interviews talking about why Maddie and Brynn are here and the whole movie experience.
"Do you reckon there will be a sequel?" Inquires one reporter to Eben.
"Umm, I'm not sure. But if there was it would be pretty cool. Like, my character would have to move on and like - in my head at least - I imagine Katrina's character coming back as a ghost or spirit and helping him move on without him realising," Aiden chuckles.
"That would be very interesting, you should become your own movie producer by the sounds of it," says the reporter, winking at my brother. "Thanks for your time!"
I move on to another reporter as the other three do so as well.
"Hello, we are with Aurelia Ellery at the Our Winter Story premiere live! Says the reporter to the camera joyfully before turning to me. "So, is it true that you have joined the reality TV show Dance Moms?"
"Yes, it's very exciting actually, and I think the episode is actually airing tomorrow." I smile.
"As I'm sure you've heard the rumours; are you Team Isaac or Team Aiden?"
"What?" I splutter gracefully, my eyes wide. "Umm, I didn't even know there was such a thing but if I had to choose it would definitely be Team Aurelia." I do jazz hands as the reporter giggles.
"Yes, speaking of which here he is." I jump as Aiden hugs me from behind. I give a small shriek as he comes to stand next to me.
"You didn't tell me you were going to be here," I laugh.
"You didn't ask," he grins back.
The reporter intervenes our little reunion. "So, can we expect any songs from the both of you two."
At the same time I say no Aiden says yes and we both laugh at each other.
"No," I quickly confirm to the camera. "I haven't sung at all in two years and I doubt I'll be starting anytime soon."
"Aww that's a shame," pouts the reporter. "So tell us again, why did you stop singing?"
"Umm, mainly because lots of people were saying that I was too much of a copycat of my brother's and I thought - I'm not my brothers, I'm me and if they can't appreciate that then why should I continue. But also because I found more of a passion towards dance and acting so singing just got left behind."
"But you sing beautifully," says Aiden, poking my nose.
I taunt him, "But you've never heard me sing."
"I've heard your albums."
"That's not the same, Aiden."
The reporter asks a few more questions with us two before we leave. Katrina Oslen has decides to have a sleepover round ours with Eben, so naturally Aiden is coming round as well. Brynn, Maddie and I giggle all the way to their houses as we drop them off.
*
When we finally arrive home, Aiden and I go up to my special sleepover room.
"Hey Aiden, you know that thing you posted on my twitter, let's do it now," I say and he agrees. I swiftly get out my camera and start recording. The video will be posted on Aiden's YouTube channel since I don't have one.
"Hey guys! It's Aiden and Aurelia here and today we'll be answering all the questions that you guys have been asking on Aurelia's twitter." Aiden starts.
"So, also, we might be speaking a bit quietly because we're not actually supposed to be awake since it's half ten right now," I add. "So the first question is..."
"Are you Team Isaac or Team Aiden?" Aiden asks and wrinkles his eyebrows weirdly. We both pause for a moment, looking at each other before we burst out laughing.
"Okay, let's get one thing straight, Isaac is my friend and also my ballet partner, while Aiden is also my friend and my hip hop partner." I smile. "But if I had to choose..." I pause for dramatic affect. "Just kidding guys I'm Team Aurelia for life!"
We scroll through the comments. "Can you say something in Spanish?" I read out.
"Me amo y mis amigos." Aiden and I say at literally the same time. "I didn't know you could speak Spanish!" I laugh and he says he didn't either.
We rattle on with sixty more embarrassing questions and then we end the video. Before we settle down, Aiden whispers, "I'm going to make you get a YouTube channel."
I tell him to buzz off and he chuckles. "I'm being serious, by the end of this week you will have a YouTube channel."
"No I will not!" I say, fluffing up my pillow.
"Is that a challenge," he says, raising his eyebrows and smirking.
"No," I smirk back. "It is a declaration of war."
He chuckles, before turning serious. "Let the war of the Ellery and the Oslen begin!" He declares before we sleep. Let's just say, tomorrow is going to be interesting, and with all this news about Aiden and Isaac, I'm not sure what to think or who to pick.
***
No hate was meant to be on any of the girls or moms, I just saw that Aurelia hadn't really interacted with Jojo much and it clicked. A lot happened in this chapter, but there will be one more before the competition though. Comment what you think; Team Aiden or Team Isaac?
Please feel free to comment, vote or ask questions because I love getting feedback and constructive criticism. I apologise for any typos or mistakes because this chapter has not been checked or edited.
By the way, none of my chapters will have been properly edited so please point out errors
Thanks,
anon-sirekl20