I flipped up my tail, and the flippers at the end sprayed water everywhere. It took me a second to figure out how to move as I swam across the shallow end. Lily followed behind me, and we both wiggled our tails to move out to the deep end. We ducked underwater and pushed off from the side of the pool. I mermaid swam, with Lily right by my side.
Ahh. I was relaxed. And it got even better, because Lily’s mother brought out a snack tray.
“Sugar Plums just got new toppings in,” her mom said. “Maybe you can taste-test them.”
“Thank you!” Lily and I swam-raced to the tray.
There was a bowl of mini pretzel twists and a bowl of sour gummy kids. And Lily’s mom had given us some lemonade with raspberries. We were quiet for a minute while we both drank and snacked.
“I love all of these toppings.” I broke the silence as I fished a raspberry out of my glass and popped it in my mouth. “This day got much better. Thanks for having me over.”
“Thanks for coming over,” Lily said quietly. “I’m so bored with no friends here. And I look at my friends’ posts and I feel so homesick. The girls are starting lacrosse practices now, and I miss the team and my old dance team too.”
“Me too,” I said. “I miss my friends, my team, and my house. It’s so weird to wake up and be living a completely different life. It’s like, hello, who am I now? But wait—you play lacrosse?”
“Played, past tense,” she said. “My parents want me to focus, and that was the deal when I asked to do competition dance instead of ballet. They want to make sure I have enough time for ballet. Do you play sports?”
“I did soccer for like a day,” I said. “But I wanted to be on the dance team more. And I loved my old studio. My dad wasn’t even looking for a new job, and suddenly he just came home and said, Let’s have an adventure! Let’s move our whole lives!”
“Same.” Lily nodded. “My parents were like, We bought a new store, and suddenly I was just dumped here.”
We both drank our lemonade silently, leaning on the edge of the pool with our elbows, mermaid tails swishing in the water.
“I guess there are worse places to be dumped,” I said and popped a gummy in my mouth.
“Definitely. But I’m glad someone else gets it,” Lily said.
Me too.
CHAPTER
10
Is everybody stretched?” Vanessa called out. “Let’s rehearse what we’ve learned. Then we’ll add the second block to your routine.”
After swimming at Lily’s last night, we had rehearsed the dance steps over and over in her room. I hoped it was enough. I took my place off to the left side of the pyramid with Trina and Megan.
Vanessa counted the beats: “One, TWO, three, four . . . ball change and—”
I was on it! I had it . . . five, six, seven, eight . . . Lily shot me a little smile. I got my posture, my arms in position, my feet . . .
And I lost it.
“Break!” Vanessa called out. “Let’s try that last combo again. Keep your stance wide, but you have to move quicker to stay on beat.”
Vanessa didn’t call me out, but I could sense everyone looking over again. I closed my eyes and pictured the steps in my head.
“And . . .” Vanessa counted off again.
Nope. I stumbled again.
“Harper!” Megan blew out her breath, frustrated. “Can’t you speed that up?”
“I’m trying,” I said. I was. I was really trying.
What was my issue? I was used to picking up choreography. I was realizing the footwork in this routine was much faster than what I was used to with my old studio—but apparently not faster than the Bunheads and Lily were used to. Lily was so athletic. I could see her moving fast. My strengths were slow, lovely movements. Obviously, I’d danced fast before, but this group was faster than fast.
I needed to pick up the pace.
“Let’s move ahead and learn part two,” Vanessa said. “Then we’ll practice them together.”
The second half of the routine started out better for me. We had more of a lyrical focus, so I didn’t mess this one up. My arms flowed, making different shapes.
“Nice, Harper!” Vanessa called out. “Everyone see how Harper’s movements match the music? Look at her arms.”
Yesss. Lily gave me a thumbs-up. I twirled and I leapt, feeling much better. I was completely in sync with the rest of the team.
“Riley, turn your left foot out,” Vanessa said. “Trina, dramatic hands. Lily, be more fluid. Hm, this section needs more life to it.”
“Vanessa!” Megan said. “How about we do the turns into the big stag leap, aka the move that the judges loved when we did it at junior nationals?”
Megan turned to me.
“Our group came in first,” she informed me.
“That was a crowd-pleaser,” Vanessa said. “I’m willing to give that a try. We can move directly into that after the first combination.”
Ergh. I groaned inwardly. This sounded like what I was struggling with before. My jumps were okay, but not so quick after an intense combination.
Megan went up to demonstrate the move. The Bunheads, who had done it before, copied her flawlessly.
“Break it down slower for Lily and Harper,” Vanessa instructed. “This is new to them.”
Five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight . . .
I got the first part down, but when we sped up, disaster struck. Crash!
I leapt smack into Riley. Riley stumbled into Megan, who went off balance.
“Ow!” Megan yelped. “What the heck?”
“Sorry, sorry,” I apologized. “The half turn right before is killing me!”
“Perhaps we should wait on this section,” Vanessa said.
“But it’s our signature move!” Megan shot me a look. I wasn’t going to mess with that.
“It’s fine! I’ll pick it up.”
But I didn’t. We ran through it two more times, and while I didn’t knock anyone over, I didn’t get it right, either. I was feeling seriously frustrated by the time we went to cool down.
I went over to the cubbies quickly, already knowing my dance bag would have been moved to a different spot. I was used to it by now.
“Harper,” Lily came up to me. “Your other pirouettes and turns were really great. Weren’t you so happy when Vanessa told you that? I didn’t get anything called out today. I think I’m blending in too much.”
“I’d rather blend in than stand out the way I’m standing out right now,” I told her miserably. “Can you help me with the setup into that leap? You did that immediately.”
Lily demonstrated it for me. Then I tried. But I wasn’t getting it.
“Sorry,” I said. “I can’t get it right.”
“I don’t know, your technique is so good, it’s . . . I’m not sure. You have to loosen up and be fast, I guess?”
“That’s my problem, I can’t be loose,” I said. “Or fast enough.”
“I’m a terrible teacher, sorry,” Lily said.
I don’t think anyone is going to be able to teach me, I thought miserably.
Some younger boys and girls started filing in for a jazz class, so we got our stuff to leave.
“I have to go over to Sugar Plums,” Lily said. “Want to come?”
“Let me ask,” I told her, trying to sound less miserable. I was really happy Lily was on my team. But I was feeling like such a downer. I didn’t want her inviting me because she had nobody better to ask. Or worse, because she felt sorry for me. I needed to pick it up.
When we went out the door, the Bunheads were standing together talking. I almost tried to sneak past them, but then pulled it together. This was my team. I couldn’t hide from them. Plus, maybe if they got to know me better, I could get in sync with them. Or, if nothing else, they’d stop hiding my bag.
“We should invite them,” I whispered to Lily. “Team bonding.”
“Bunheads!” Lily called out. “Do you want to get fro-yo?”
“C
an’t,” Megan said, at the same time Trina and Riley said: “I can!”
Riley and Trina looked at Megan.
“My sister can’t pick me up until after her play rehearsal, so I’m stuck here,” Trina said.
“I’m stuck until Quinn finishes mini ballet.” Riley glanced at Megan. “And I’m really hungry.”
“Well! Okay!” Lily said. “We have new toppings.”
“Sour kids and pretzels,” I added, in the know about something, at least.
“Oh, Megan loves sour kids,” Riley said.
Megan paused, and the other Bunheads waited hopefully.
“Actually, I can.” She changed her mind without explanation. “Let’s go.”
The girls went out to the studio lobby and found the moms. My mom was sitting with Megan’s and Riley’s mothers.
“How did it go?” Mom asked me.
If she wanted an honest answer to that question, she should never ask it in front of others.
“May I go get fro-yo with the team?” I deflected the question.
“Mom, we’re going to that fro-yo place,” Megan said to her mom. “I need money.”
Megan’s mother wordlessly pulled out her bag and handed her a credit card.
“May I?” I asked Mom. She looked over at Hailey, who was sitting on the carpet, playing rock-paper-scissors with Riley’s little sister, who was in ballet gear. I was glad at least two members of our families were getting along.
“Well, your sister seems happily occupied,” Mom said, reaching for her bag. “Go ahead. We’ll come over in a little while. I wouldn’t mind a frozen yogurt myself. I’ll trade you a yogurt if you’ll watch your sister for me later tonight.”
“Deal,” I said.
As we walked over to Sugar Plums, Megan and the rest of the girls ignored Lily and me as they watched a funny video on Megan’s phone. As soon as we got to Sugar Plums, we all grabbed some treats after saying hi to Lily’s parents.
“What’d you get?” Trina asked.
“Original tart with sour kids,” I said.
“Makes sense since your class performance was sour.” Megan nodded. “Let’s get to the real problem here. What are we going to do about your dancing, Harper?”
I almost choked on a sour kid candy.
“What problem?” Lily asked, furious.
“Harper isn’t keeping up with the choreo.” Megan shrugged. “And we can’t have her messing up the routine for everybody.”
I couldn’t believe this. I felt my face blaze red, and I looked around to see everyone’s reactions. Trina and Riley were looking down at the table and Lily’s jaw had dropped.
“Harper and I are new and just learning,” Lily said, sticking up for me. “You guys have danced together forever, so obviously, you’re going to be in sync faster.”
“You’re doing fine,” Megan said. “I was talking about Harper and her weaknesses. I think it needs to be addressed. No offense, Harper.”
I almost burst into tears right there. Was I really messing up so badly? Lily reached under the table and squeezed my hand.
“That seems kind of harsh, Megan,” Lily said. “Vanessa is our dance teacher, not you.”
“You’re new, so you don’t know this, but . . . ,” Riley said. “Megan practically was team captain last year. Not officially or anything. But pretty much.”
“No, remember?” Trina shook her head. “Isabelle was team captain last year and Bella was second captain?”
“Well, if the Bells had gotten some sickness, then Megan pretty much would have been captain,” Riley said. “Like if they got the flu. Or chicken pox. Or . . .”
I regained my composure.
“Okay, I get it. Look. I know I’m messing up the dance steps,” I said. “I just need to get better.”
“That’s right,” Megan said. “That’s what I was saying.”
“It’s just the jump,” Lily said.
“TBH, it’s also the performance and facials,” Megan said.
“I was trained differently.” I jumped in to defend myself. “I can learn all of that. It’s been one week.”
“Let’s just skip the tricky steps until we have time to practice more,” Lily suggested.
“Do you know what DanceStarz is known for?” Megan said. “Our performance skills and our fancy footwork. We’ve worked really hard the past couple years, and now is our time to show everyone what we can do. We can’t go backward!”
Megan whipped out her phone.
“We need to show Isabelle and Bella that even though they left us for Energii and they think they’re all that, we don’t need them,” Megan said. “Look what they posted.”
She set her phone on the table and played a video. Six girls were on the dance floor, lined up in formation. Their arms and legs were perfectly matching each other. Their entire group did a long turn series in perfect sync, flawlessly, to open their routine. Right into the big stag leap.
Now I knew why Megan was so determined to include those moves. She wanted to prove herself to her former teammates—now rivals.
I wanted to prove myself too.
“I get it. I want to be just as good as these girls. I really do.” I looked squarely at Megan. “I like to win too.”
I thought I saw a glimmer of respect in Megan’s eye.
“We know you can win,” Trina said. “You won the dance-off! Remember when you leapt over Megan? That was so cool.”
Megan’s face turned back into a pout. Trina turned to me.
“Why don’t you take extra private sessions with Vanessa?” Trina asked.
That actually was a good idea.
“That might help.” Megan nodded. “Ask her ASAP.”
“I will,” I said, taking a bite of my now-melty yogurt. “Now you all don’t have to worry about it anymore.”
Ta-da! There was the solution. Everything would be better after I’d taken some private lessons.
CHAPTER
11
N o private lessons,” Mom said firmly.
“But, Mom,” I protested, “I need private lessons.”
I pulled the seat belt and buckled myself into the car. My mom started the car and pulled out of the parking lot of the dance studio.
“Turn on the music!” Hailey called from the backseat.
“One sec. I need to talk to Mom first,” I said. “It’s important. I have to do private sessions with her.”
“Did Vanessa say that to you?” Mom asked.
“No—not directly,” I said. “But—”
“I’m sorry, but they are not in the budget,” Mom said. “Moving was a big expense, and you know I haven’t found a job yet. Private lessons will have to wait.”
“But, Mom! You don’t understand!” After what just happened at the studio, I needed privates! I knew I was whining, but this was important.
“Harper,” Mom said sharply. “Do you understand that you already are taking dance five times a week? Have you thought about how many times a week your sister is taking any classes in any activities?”
“Two!” Hailey piped up. “Only two classes for the poor, neglected little sister.”
Ugh. They were kind of right.
“I’m sorry.” I sighed. “And I’m sorry, Hailey. You’re right.”
“Yay!” Hailey said. “You can make it up to me by playing with me when we get home—anything I want.”
“Perfect, because Harper agreed to babysit for you when we get home,” Mom said. “Also, please stop playing with your hair.”
I dropped my ponytail, but not my attitude. I sank back into the seat. Ugh. None of this was going well. Oh, right. One more reason I wished I hadn’t gone for yogurt after class. First I was humiliated, now I’m stuck babysitting.
“We can do the ‘What’s in My Cup?’ Challenge!” Hailey said.
For that challenge, we put mystery liquids in each other’s cups and had to drink them and guess the ingredients.
“Let’s not!” My mom shut that down too.
“Do you remember the mess you made last time?”
I did remember. I’d given Hailey a lovely concoction of orange juice, coconut water, and . . . hot sauce. It had been kind of funny when she’d jumped up, knocked over the glass, and spit the drink all over the table.
“But I guessed it right, so I won the challenge!” Hailey raised the roof.
“I’m so proud,” Mom said as we pulled into the driveway. “And no, you’re not doing that again.”
“Then let’s do Dance Challenge!” Hailey said.
If I were in the mood, playing Dance Challenge with Hailey was actually pretty fun. I wasn’t in the mood. But I wasn’t in the mood to argue with my mother, either.
“Okay,” I said. “Let’s get you into costume.”
We went into the house and straight up to my room. I opened my closet door on the side where my old costumes were kept.
“Which one can I wear?” Hailey asked.
“You choose,” I said, waving my hand toward the closet.
“Really?” Hailey was excited. “Any of them?”
“Well, not my one from nationals. Or my Dorothy costume. Or Princess Leia. Or the burgundy rhinestone or the white beaded halter top—”
“How about this one?” Hailey pulled a yellow dress out. It was one of my favorites.
“I guess you can wear that one,” I agreed.
“Really?” Hailey squealed and went to the bathroom to change. “What are you going to wear?”
“I’ll just keep this on.” I didn’t feel like dealing. My tank and shorts were comfy.
“What? You can’t dance-off in boringness!” Hailey protested. “Don’t ruin my fun.”
I thought about Hailey’s response in the car that she didn’t get to take dance classes or do anything fun. I guess the least I could do was hang out with her. I shuffled through my old costumes. Not the neon green stretchy one-piece, the pale pink tutu, or the royal-blue tap costume. I pulled out a black long-sleeved leotard with a sheer black skirt and slipped it on. That felt like my mood.
“Ready for makeup!” Hailey called from the bathroom.
After costume, we always did makeup. I had a case full of makeup that I used at competitions. Makeup helped fit the mood of the pieces and the costumes, and helped you get in character. It also highlighted your features onstage under the lights. Hailey wasn’t allowed to wear makeup out of the house, so she was excited when I let her use my makeup at home.
The Audition Page 6
