So, this is really bad because I was speed writing, but it was my b-day yesterday so pls enjoy this chapter. Also, I know y'all love longer chapters but I though you would prefer quicker updates instead for this one
***
"In fifth place," announces the judge, before pronouncing a name I don't recognise. My nerves rack up as fourth place is mentioned. "In fourth place in our pre-teen soloists category is act 42 Jojo with Shattered." From the wings, I clap for Jojo, feeling as a small pressure has been relieved. There's still Kimberley to face. To make matters worse, I didn't see her solo so I have no idea what I'm going up against.
"Excuse me, sir," I turn politely to one of the backstage men. "If we were to be announced for an award would we be allowed to go on stage?"
"Absolutely not. You were late so we can't let you on," he says roughly. I nod my head and duck away from him.
"In third place is act 52 Rae with Old Place." Not Kimberley then, but not me either. From the curtains I can feel the cameras on me. I try to keep a straight face as Maddie moves to clench my sweaty hands.
"And our runner up; in second place is..." Did they notice my slip up? Have I finally been outshone , reached my peak, tried to hard, gone too far? "Is act 41- '' - that's my number. "Kimberley with Rise Up." What? I think as I feel tears border my eyes. No one moves. From my vantage point, I can see Kimberley glowering at me, challenging me to walk out. I can't.
She, fortunately, gives up first. I let nothing show on my monotonous face. As Kimberley collects her award it finally dawns on me that under the circumstances, I've won. If I calculate all the hours I spent only five on that solo and I've pulled it through. Though I still can't receive my rightful award.
"And our overall winner of the pre-teen division is... Act 40 Aurelia with Shattered!"
"That's me, sir," I whisper to the man again.
"I'm afraid I still can't let you on."
I bite my lip and signal with my head to Brynn to go collect it. Kendall, however, has other ideas. She sprints from the wings before the man can stop her and collects it. Everyone knows it's not me though. I, too, try to reach the stage, but the man now has a firm grip on my arm and I stop trying. Maddie and I hug each other as we wait sadly in the wings.
"Now onto duets and trios..." I tune the announcer out as I sit there, defeated. My ears pick up neither Maddie's or I's names and I feel particularly suspicious when we reach first place.
"Now, in first place we have a draw. Both with 298.6 points we have Act 33 Lost Song by Maddie, Brynn and Kalani and also Act 35 We've Waited Long Enough by Aurelia and Josue!" Maddie and I both sit slumped. She rest her head and my shoulder, tears glimmering in her eyes. I suspect it's not only that we can't go on stage and that we drew, she's probably missing Kenzie. I, for one, certainly am.
Brynn Kalani and Josue go up together. No one asks where we are, which saddens me but I'm not surprised. Since I came to ALDC the moms have never accepted me, so in competitions I'm just another number, an extra face in a crowd of dancers trying to get noticed.
At least we beat Kimberley in both the duets and solos, a small voice in my head says.
"And, our overall first place group dance goes to...Abby Lee Dance Company with The Circus Curse!" My team jumps up and I spy Kendall wrapping her arms round Marcus, my trophy in her hand. What caused her to do that? How did the tides change?
*
Back in the dressing room Maddie and I sit separately from everyone else as they come in talking. Abby marches in and looks disappointedly at us.
"Girls, I trusted you to go out to town and you and back late. If I set a due time you have to obey that!" She shouts at us, although it's not directed at Kendall.
"Hey!" Retaliates my mom. "Don't blame them, they got caught up with fans and it would've been impolite to deny!"
"That's doesn't defend them. As the more qualified dancers on this team that behaviour is not acceptable." I see Holly and Jill make a few faces at this.
I decide to take my stand. "At least I didn't steal someone else's trophy!" I mumble.
"What did you say Aurelia," Abby barks.
"At least I didn't steal someone else's trophy!" I say louder than I intend.
"I don't want that kind of attitude if you want to come back next week," She snaps at me before rounding on Kendall. "You had no right to do that! If you wanted to win then maybe you should work harder and you'll actually earn an award which isn't second."
"But you don't give her any solos to prove herself," Jill argues.
"Because she doesn't deserve them because she never wins so I don't trust her enough," Abby states matter-of-factly.
"You know what, Abby, I'm not going to fight with you because that just decreases the chance of her getting a solo so I'm going to trust you to help my daughter...as I have done for several years." I hate how easily and snidely Jill gets away with it.
Abby nods here head in approval. "Yes, that's the kind of attitude I expect. Now Kendall give me the trophy."
Reluctantly, Kendall hands it over to Abby and she gives it to me. I whisper a brief thanks before Josue comes over and starts messing with my hair. I giggle a bit and we take some photos.
Jojo comes over as well as Kalani and Brynn until almost everyone is over here except Kendall and Adam. We talk and chat for a while as if nothing happened. Soon, Kalani, Maddie and Brynn go off to resort their trio. The rest if us start getting ready for the group dance again because they want to catch more angles on that dance as well.
"Hey, Lia, do you mind if we take a pic?" Jojo asks and we both grin and snap a few selfies. I post one on my snapchat captioned: twinning cos we winning
*
The coach ride back to the studio is quiet. I sit with Josue, Adam and Brynn. We're watching a movie. Kalani and Jojo sit together and are listening to music while Jojo and Maddie are playing are making musicallys. Kendall and Marcus are silent as they sit next to each other.
With about ten minutes left of the journey the movie ends and I decide to scroll through my social medias. I go onto instagram to find Kendall posted something. The first photo is one of her, Maddie, Kalani and Kenzie and the second one is of everyone except her and Adam crowded round me from earlier. It's captioned missing my old besties 💕 👅 and I feel largely skeptical over the hidden meaning.
*
"Oh my gosh I am so excited for Bratayley!" Shrieks Jojo, positively blowing everyone's eardrums. Their car pulls up and five people step out. Annie - who I've heard so much about from Jojo and Kenzie - Hayley, their parents, and a brunette who looks suspiciously like–
"Kenzie!" Maddie and Brynn yell and sprint to engulf her in a hug. Bratayley film it the entire time.
"I thought you were ill?" Questions Nia as we draw closer.
"Oh," She gasps happily. "I was. The reason I threw up was due to some balancing issues with the fluids in my ears or something which caused me to feel dizzy. The doctors said that I should be alright provided I took some breaks between dancing."
Katie Leblanc films us all and pans out an introduction of each of us.
"So what are we going to do?" I ask the question everyone was thinking.
"Well," says Katie. "We were thinking of maybe going to the gym and having so me fun thereand may've go to our house and play a few games." Everyone agrees that it's going to be very fun.
*
At the gym we decide to have a dance off. We draw two names from the hat and they both have to try and out dance each other by improvisation. The rest of the girls and Annie and Hayley decide who win.
First is Jojo and Kalani, and we decide that Jojo was the obvious winner. Kalani was good with her tricks but Jojo's tricks won it.
Second is Brynn versus Kendall and and Kendall wins. Let's just say neither ref them are the best at improvisation.
Then it's me and Kenzie. I feel bad going against her since she's just been sick but I love showing of my tricks to Annie, since she is a gymnast after all.
Last, but not least is Nia and Maddie which Nia wins.
We put the victors names in a hat again and this time the order is different.
I'm against Kendall, who I easily beat and Nia thrashes Jojo as well.
"Okay, okay." Says Annie, the ultimate judge. "I've already decided the winner. Whichever of you two win I challenge to an acro challenge. And it is...Aurelia!" Ecstatic, I high five Annie.
We battle each other, though jokingly as we try to outshine each other by doing the same tricks at the same time.
"To conclude," announces Hayley dramatically. "We have a draw!"
"Not another one," I hear Brynn murmur sarcastically into my ear and I elbow her, smiling widely.
We then show them the dances we competed, except I can't show them my duet so Jojo and I decide to dance our solos together - this time neither if us mess up.
*
"Can I please talk to you again?" Asks Mackenzie as I chalk my hands. We're all having fun on the he gymnastic bars.
"Sure. If it's about the song I did a lot of brain storming and I came up with a few songs."
Kenzie looks up happily at this. "Oh, great. Maybe we could both go down to the recording studio next Tuesday." I nod my head. "But that's not what I wanted to talk about."
"Hey Kenz, whatever you want to say I'll listen. It's alright to be upset," I say, sensing something wrong.
"It's just," her eyes dart around nervously. "I just get this feeling Annie doesn't like me. We were friends beforehand but she's been ignoring me lately and I feel like I'm sticking up for her with my fans but she's not. I just don't know what to do."
"Aww, Kenzie. Don't worry about Annie. You have plenty of other friends, do don't let one hater get you down." She hugs me appreciatively. She calls a thanks over her shoulder and runs off with Brynn.
*
"Mom, where's the ice cream?" Calls Eben to my mom upstairs.
"You're not having anymore," She yells back down. "That's the third tub I've had to buy in the last week!"
Eben groans to me and I chuckle.
"Lighten up my mood please and tell me I'm your favourite brother."
I smirk at him indignantly; no way am I giving in to an easy victory. "Actually, Hiram is my favourite brother."
"Nooo!" Howls Eben like a little child. "Why does the hot girl always go to the sportsman!"
"Hey, I never said that."
"Ooh, so you're admitting to liking Aiden or Josue."
Suddenly the phone starts ringing manically. I shout for mom to get it and she quickly grabs it before going back upstairs.
"Look, Eben." I say seriously and I see his expression change. "I do like one of them, but I just don't know how to tell them."
"Aww, ye poor lass!" He mocks me in a Scottish accent.
"No I'm serious Eben," I say, looking at the ground and blushing furiously.
Eben looks at me apologetically. "Hey, I understand." Spoken softly. "You're Aurelia Ellery for goodness sake, if you want a guy then go get him."
"You sure that'll work?"
He opens his arms wide. "Well that's how I got Katrina after all!" Yup, turns out their romance isn't only on screen, but off screen too.
*
Dinner is long and silent. I gratefully scoff down the pasta, exhausted and ravenous from dancing. My mother looks as if she's holding something in. What really happened in that phone call?
"Okay, you two. I have something to say." She looks very excited, which instantly fills me with ecstasy. "Lifetime called me earlier and asked me if I would allow for us to have our own TV show called Living with the Ellery's..." She trails off, looking nervously at us both.
I feel my mouth drop open and a quick glance to the side confirms that Eben's wide eyes sow he is just as shocked as me. "And what did you say?" I prompt her.
"I said yes!" She squeals uncharacteristically. "Shooting begins tomorrow. Be ready for them coming in the house and they'll also go to your dance," She motions to me. "But do not worry you'll barely notice them from the norm."
"Wait, what's the 'norm'?" Eben asks, confused. I realize that my mother and I never actually told Eben what I am doing at the studio.
"We'll tell you tomorrow," says my mom, after and awkward silence. "But you two need to go up to bed right now or you'll be too tired for the cameras.
*
At precisely nine o'clock on the dot we receive a phone call.
"Hello, Mrs Ellery, we just wanted to let you know that we are outside waiting for you." The voice says to my mom. We aren't allowed to open the door in case of fans.
We let them all in and there is a very extensive camera crew.
"Hello, my name is David and I will be the director of Living with the Ellery's." Says a tall bald man.
The rest of the morning goes on with them discussing the terms and signing contracts. We then have to shoot an opening scene of introductions and a house tour and such.
Halfway through the afternoon I am just getting used to the camera's following me everywhere and capturing my every move - half of which they won't need - when Eben comes up to me with my mother behind him.
"So," he begins, gesturing to the sofa for us both to sit down. "What do you two both do while the handsome me is busy. I mean, mom, you don't have to stay and watch Aurelia dance all day on you?" He says it cautiously, knowing that we will spill either way.
"Fine," my mother says reluctantly. "The truth is, Aurelia and I star on a TV show called Dance Moms."
"Oh, I've heard of that," Exclaims Eben, surprised. "I didn't know you were on it; how did I not her about that?" I shrug my shoulders, as bewildered as he is.
The doorbell rings again and my mom goes to open the door. It's Ezra and Jana.
"Ezra, Jana!" I shout, running to hug them. They return it with equal enthusiasm. "I can't wait for this sleepover, do come in!"
*
It's evening, the cameras are here until ten, so there is another hour before they leave. The director has been fairly nice so far, chatting us up when we get bored and not encouraging us to cause any drama. He also said that the other cameramen arrived to film my brothers this morning. I miss Hiram and Finis. They seem so far away and we never see each other except over facetime.
Dance is tomorrow, but I'm only slightly nervous for the pyramid, less so of the assignments. Although the extra classes from last week may not have helped me with my solo, I feel like the improvements will definitely show the week.
Ezra and Jana are so fun. We've played in the pool, gone ice skating and taken lots of aesthetoto otoscope in the nearby park, some of which I posted on social media.
Almost at the exact same time as last night, the phone rings. However, as my mother picks it up, her face darkens. She exits the room, two cameras following her but the rest remaining on us. Eben and I exchange nervous looks across the table. I'm unsure whether to look back at my phone and ignore it or go into the lounge and see if she's alright.
I don't need to, however, because she comes back quickly. There is a grim expression on her face and I brace for the worst. It doesn't come, instead my mom just walks past us and goes upstairs. I can hear the faint sound of a suitcase.
"What's going on?" I ask Eben whispering, even though it doesn't make a difference. Ezra and Jana also share an awkward look.
"I don't know, I just hope mother's alright." We both look to David in sync, who shrugs his shoulders at us.
Soon, my mom comes back downstairs. "Mrs Idella," says David, before ushering her to the side to speak with. They speak in hushed tones.
"Children," says my mom in a very pretentious voice, the kind she used when she's about to say something we won't like. "I'm afraid I have some awful news. Ezra, Jana, you may not be aware that their elder brother, Finis, was shooting a movie in Australia–"
"–what do you mean 'was'?" Cuts in Eben; I swear he should be a detective.
"What I mean," says my mom slowly. "Is that, while performing a stunt, Finis fell and has broken his collarbone and thigh bone."
There is a long pause and Jana gasps. How on earth did Finis manage to break his thigh bone? Why was he doing those stunts anyway if there was that risk?
"I'm going to have to fly out tonight to go see him. I've already arranged for Eben and Aurelia to stay at Jojo's and Kalani's houses. You will be staying with Jojo on Monday and Tuesday and then Kalani's until I get back. I'm afraid Jana and Ezra you will have to go home now; I called your parents and they said it was fine and that they understood."
Jana and Ezra still look shocked, but Ezra gathers her wits and starts to pack up. "Sorry," I say to her apologetically.
"It's fine," She whispers. "I think if anyone should be apologising it should be me. You'll be going through a lot now."
They leave after their parents arrive to pick them up. Mother drives us over to Jojo's and then leaves for the airport.
"Eben," Jessalyn calls. "I know that I am currently Aurelia's legal guardian, but I think it would be best for the show if you came and stood as her mother. Because, you know, the directors like to think there is a feud going on between me and Brynn and Lia." Eben nods his head quietly and Jessalyn starts explaining everything to him.
Jojo and I go upstairs to her room. "Hey, let's film Jojo's Juice!"
"Sure!" I say, although the energy is half-hearted compared to hers.
Now I feel not so prepared for pyramid tomorrow, especially with double the cameras on me.
*
So, bit of an anti-climatic end. Pyramid will be out soon, but I really want to get this boom to 1.75K by the next chapter!
Pls comment if you want anything to happen so I can incorporate it into the story line for you!
If this chapter gets one hundred reads or ten votes then I might update early! I'm also going to do a dedication over chapter to someone who has commented on my works!
Teaser: Eben learns how to cope with the moms, Lia finally has to fight for her spot on the team, friends turn into enemies
anon-sirekl20