⎼⎼⎼ 𝖕𝖊𝖗𝖋𝖊𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 ➵ 𝑏.𝑓.

025

mikki

"do you think anything bad's going to happen in pyramid today?" press asked.

i gave her a are-you-seriously-asking-that-question-we-might-not-make-it-out-alive look. she just shrugged.

"no," gia shrugged. i raised my eyebrows.

"do you think you're gonna get yelled at? it was a big issue."

"well, when i went over to you guys, on the other side of the stage, i was clarifying what the count were, it just seemed like you didn't care. we're called a team, but we don't act like a team."

"maybe it's because not everyone talks to each other," pressley sounded like she was choosing her words carefully, "maybe there's cliques."

smooth. gia and ellie had been glued to each other the whole time.

"since last week, you've been hanging out with elliana the whole time and none of us have really gotten to grow close with her."

"well, you go to ellie and say you want to go sit with her, it's not my fault i'm friends with her!" gia yelled. i could tell she was getting upset.

"the only reason i'm getting frustrated is because we were such good friends in the beginning, and now that elliana's here, you don't even talk to me. that's not a true friend to me."

"well it's not a true friend to me when you throw me under the bus backstage and your mom attacks me two weeks in a row."

this was all getting out of hand.

"girls, moms, get in here!"

i shuddered. oh dear.

"hi!" yolanda smiled.

"where is your daughter? you were supposed to have all her stuff sorted so she could be dancing with all the girls here.

"alright, on the bottom of the pyramid, gianina. you were off in the group routine."

"i asked them backstage to clarify the counts, i counted and they say yes, go to the other side, so i don't know if it was a miscommunication or if they wanted me to not do it right."

i frowned. she shouldn't throw us under the bus like that! all the moms made noises of protest.

"i'm sorry that i was wrong, and it might have cost the win, but i don't know?"

"we'd never ever want you to mess up," pressley said.

"well all of this," abby yelled, "is why you're not winning."

"next, we have lilly. brilliant performance one week, not so good the next.

"pressley. you did well, you did what you were given. but i want you to take what you're given to the next level.

"sarah. you have been consistent. you don't draw attention in a negative way, but not in a positive way either.

"next, hannah. you exceeded my expectations.

"elliana. she's not here.

"at the top of the pyramid, mikki again." i grinned. yay!

"she's on the top of the pyramid every single week," michelle shrugged.

"why? she's consistently been winning, she does the choreography well, she's here at class every day," abby listed. i was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

"she stole the chance for ellie or pressley to win for once!" ashley yelled.

"that's because she's a stronger dancer than your kids," mom shrugged.

"my kid just doesn't get enough care or time that yours does."

"are you kidding? she got an hour of rehearsal in total the whole week and thirty minutes backstage!"

"at least your kid wasn't in tears!"

"enough!" abby shrieked, "this week we are going to canton, ohio, attending drop the beat. gianina, you're doing a duet with elliana. gia's mouth went wide open. it's about judge judy. the group dance is called blue bloods. you are privileged to dance at the abby lee dance company. some of you might think this is it. i made it. two losses in a row. are we giving brady that much credit? or savannah? this week we have a guest doing a solo and standing in ellie's spot in the dance. moms, you're dismissed, girls, warm up."

"who's the new kid?" i hissed to press. she shrugged, mouthing 'no idea'.

"i think our guest is here!" abby announced. "hello sweetie, come on in!"

she was adorable. we all went in to hug her. she had frizzy black hair and the smoothest chocolate skin i had ever seen.

abby briefed her on what she was going to do while we were all squealing about kammy's cuteness.

"throughout the routine, it turns dark and the blood actually gets on your arms, and your legs and everywhere."

i made a face. it was going to be fun...

⤎⎼༌·⋱🩰⋰⋆༌⎼⤏

maggie

"welcome to the s*** show," joanne welcomed as kamryn's mom entered.

"what happened at pyramid?" she asked, sitting down.

"well, my daughter was accused," ashley said, "purposely telling a teammate the wrong counts so that she would mess up."

"she didn't accuse her, she just said that she thought maybe," joanne justified.

i groaned. "shut up," i snapped, "this is exhausting."

"coming from a thirteen year old-"

all the other moms started making noises of agreement with ashlee. my daughter this, my daughter that.

"maybe it's because she's worked professionally-"

"really? because that seems to be you. you don't have the ability to see a-ny-thing."

"what about mikki? she didn't get any credit from you and i haven't been arguing!"