"This is our last week before we go to LA. Maddie is not here. She's in New York City rehearsing for Saturday Night Live. All you Moms be thrilled that I chose your children this week over being at Saturday Night Live with Maddie."

Abby says that like if she danced with Maddie, duh.

Mom is literally lost, all she could talk about this morning was how much she wanted to be in NY with Maddie, so why don't you go and leave us with Jill instead? It's so annoying to know that your own mother would rather be with your sister with the famous stuff than you and your other sister. Both Kenzie and I have realized how much more Mom cares about Maddie than us, and it is sad. 

"Congratulations! A clean sweep! Our duets, we had a third place overall. Second lace overall. First place overall. I mean, that's a win, place and show. The group routine, you all did well. The group dance won. Not only did you beat Cathy, but they weren't second. They were third. So they tried to do too contemporary, too innovative, too weird and it backfired. Who puts their hands down on a side aerial when you're 13 to 14 years old?"

"Horrible." Mom says.

"Both hands." Jess adds.

"All right, let's get to the pyramid. I'm gonna do pyramid a little bit differently."

Kalani

Maddie   Nia   Mackenzie

JoJo      Kendall    Melanie

"Okay, so this week, we are going to World Class Talent Experience. And since it's in Ohio, we know those rotten apples are going to be there again. So, solos. JoJo? You will be performing a solo. Now, my other solo would go to Mackenzie. Mackenzie, the name of your piece is 'Who Are You?'."

Sounds cute!

"Without being Maddie's little sister. Without saying MackZ, you're not saying, who are you?"

Never mind, this is just another of Abby's games, and knowing our mother she won't say a peep. 

"Mackenzie." Kenzie answers.

"Well, that's what we need to find out." Abby says and I roll my eyes, "There's a duet, that will have Melanie and Liam, it is entitled 'I Don't Wanna Live Forever', this better be like Maddie's and Gino's duet."

Why the urge to compare us to Maddie?

"Well, Maddie's duet with Gino was second." I snap and they all look at me, "My other duet with Liam was first, so we were kind of better than the other one."

Kenzie high-fives me and I look at Abby.

"Now the group routine, Maddie is not here. So I hate to do a contemporary lyrical without her being present. The style of this routine is jazz funk. We're reminiscent of The Spice Girls."

The group dance rehearsal was boring, just because there's only 5 Spice Girls and 6 dancers, so Abby decides to pull me, once again I'm the sacrificial lamb. Last week I was the only one who didn't do a duet and this week I'm the only one doing a duet. The duet rehearsal was also pretty simple, wonder if Abby is mad at me because I talked back.

After all Kenzie, Mom and I get in the car and go back home, even though we had to go to the supermarket first. We get off the car and start walking towards the building.

"And Melanie what happened at pyramid today?" Mom asks as we continue walking.

"About what?" I ask.

"You talking back to Abby." Mom says, "You never do that."

"If she wants to keep comparing both of us to Maddie, I need to find a way to keep her mouth shut." I tell her.

"She's an adult, you need to respect her." Mom says as we enter the supermarket.

"And why can't she respect us too?" I ask as Kenzie gets a shopping cart, "Isn't that like, the golden rule? The one she was so desperate for Nia to 'follow'?"

"Yeah, but it is her dance company." Mom says and we start walking, "You still should have not have talked."

"Well, if you're not going to defend your daughter, then I will do it." I say and we stop walking, "Because everything is always Maddie, Maddie, Maddie, Maddie, it's never Mackenzie, Mackenzie, Mackenzie."

"Melanie stop it." Mom says and Kenzie looks at me nervous.

"Oh no, I exposed you again." I say overdramatically, "So sad."

"Melanie." Mom says on a serious tone.

"What are you gonna do? Punish me because what I said was true?" I ask and cross my arms.

"That's it." Mom says, "Give me your phone."

"Here." I say giving it to her, "By the way, it doesn't have battery so, your loss."

Mom then picks me up and places me on the shopping cart seat.

"Wow." I say.

Mom and Kenzie continue doing the shopping while I just sat there.

"You both always think it's so easy." Mom says as she moves the cart, "Like, sometimes it probably looks like I care more about someone than the others but that doesn't mean I don't love and care about you, it's just, Maddie is doing all of these things at such a young age, and I don't want her to get hurt out there."

I kind of get her point, but I also get my point, this is a 50/50 situation.

"It's okay." Kenzie says.

I kind of over-exaggerated, I was just trying to defend myself and my sister, but I get the point of also protecting Maddie, I mean she's 12. 

After that I said sorry and Mom accepted my apology, she also gave me back my phone, even though it didn't have battery.

•Two Days To Competition•

Liam and I were on Studio A sitting on the floor, watching as JoJo practiced her solo. We had just finished the duet rehearsal, and the duet is super simple, which worries me, that means that it isn't that competitive.

"Oh, come on! You're better than that!" Abby tells JoJo.

"At least she sounds positive today." Liam whispers.

"She probably calmed down from yesterday." I whisper back, "But we can't talk high because then she'll tell us to shut up and get mad, experience."

Liam laughs and we go back to watching JoJo.

"Kenz, you're up." Gianna says and Kenzie starts dancing.

She continues dancing and then stops.

"I just went over it with you. It goes straight to bend, and it tips over, don't fluff it." Gianna tells Kenzie.

"Do you have to do this with Maddie?" Abby asks and I feel anger inside me.

"She would have done it right four hours ago, the first time." Gianna says.

Not even Gianna can make a difference?

"So, onstage, it just looks like, well, she was good. She was cute but it's not like, oh, my God! Did you see Mackenzie?"

"I won't be able to watch this." I whisper and stand up.

I walk out of Studio A and close the door. 

"I'm not getting defensive with you!" I hear Mom say.

"You are because you're like no--"

"But there's nothing I can do about it, she's Abby Lee Miller!"

That's exactly the problem. 

"Abby called all of us inside." I hear Kalani say and I go back into Studio A.

We all sit against the mirror, facing the Moms and Abby.

"So, let's see Mackenzie." Abby says and Kenzie stands up.

She goes to the middle and starts dancing. On the middle of the dance she stops.

"I messed up." Kenzie says.

"Yup." Mom says, "Don't cry, it's fine."

Then she continues dancing. When she finishes we all clap, but Abby doesn't seem that happy about it.

"You forgot the chug arabesque." Abby tells her. 

"I'm thinking too much." Kenzie says, trying to catch her breath.

"Thinking too much? I don't think you're thinking enough. Maybe this homeschool thing isn't for you." Abby says and I feel Liam hold me from behind.

"Don't think I didn't notice that you were about to stand up and say something." Liam whispers and I look at him.

"What do you mean she's-- What do you mean, the home-schooling thing's not good enough for her?" Mom asks.

"She can't remember a two-minute number, Melissa." Abby says and I look over to Kenzie, who looks like she's about to cry.

"She can remember a number. She does it all the time." Mom defends Kenzie, "She's smart. She's a lot smarter than Maddie is educationally."

"Mom, just... Stop." Kenzie says shaking her head.

"No, 'cause you are smart, Mackenzie. Very smart." Mom says.

"Get off the floor. Go change your costume." Abby says and Kenzie leaves the room. 

•One Day To Competition•

We were at the Dancer's Den and all of the girls had their group dance costumes on. We were talking about each one of the Spice Girls until Mom receives a text from Maddie that was a picture of her onstage for SNL.

"I just feel great without Maddie." Kenzie says.

"Me too." I agree and we both smile.

Everyone gasps and looks at us.

"Madis-- Mackenzie and Melanie!" Mom scolds us and we both laugh.

"No, we were joking." Kenzie tells Mom. 

The rehearsals today were pretty simple, typical for the last day before a competition.

•Competition Day•

"Get on one knee and you sit on it, look at him full of love." Abby says as Liam and I run through our duet for the last time.

"This duet is really cute." Mom says, "Just like the first one."

"I know, right?" Kenzie asks and I look at her.

The bet.

Kenzie and JoJo both get into their solo costumes and soon we all go backstage.

"And up next we have act number 47. Please welcome Mackenzie to the stage! 'Who Are You?'." The EMCEE says and Kenzie goes onstage.

"Yay Kenz!" I cheer.

Something beyond the horizon, reaching through time and space. Never need any reason why. They can lead us into darkness, they can burn us with their flame.

"This is only my second solo, JoJo has had like literally six solos." Kenzie says as soon as she gets offstage.

"Next, the number 48. Please welcome JoJo to the stage!" The EMCEE says and JoJo goes onstage.

I'm so popular I should be a Pop Singer. Put me on an US cover like a celebrity. I'm so hot, this is how I woke up, don't you think I'm dead drop gorgeous? Look at me, look at me.

We wait for all of the solos to be over and soon we get to the duo/trio division.

"Next is number 69, please welcome to the stage Liam and Melanie! 'I Don't Wanna Live Forever'." The EMCEE says and we both go onstage.

Been sitting eyes wide open behind these four walls, hoping you'd call
It's just a cruel existence like there's no point hoping at all

Baby, baby, I feel crazy, up all night, all night and every day
Give me something, oh, but you say nothing
What is happening to me?

I don't wanna live forever, 'cause I know I'll be living in vain
And I don't wanna fit wherever
I just wanna keep calling your name until you come back home
I just wanna keep calling your name until you come back home
I just wanna keep calling your name until you come back home

I'm sitting eyes wide open and I got one thing stuck in my mind
Wondering if I dodged a bullet or just lost the love of my life, oh

Baby, baby, I feel crazy
Up all night, all night and every day
I gave you something, but you gave me nothing
What is happening to me?

I don't wanna live forever, 'cause I know I'll be living in vain
And I don't wanna fit (fit, babe) wherever (wherever)
I just wanna keep calling your name until you come back home
I just wanna keep calling your name until you come back home
I just wanna keep calling your name until you come back home

I've been looking sad in all the nicest places
Baby, baby, I feel crazy
I see you around in all these empty faces
Up all night, all night and every day
I've been looking sad in all the nicest places
Give me something, oh, but you say nothing
Now I'm in a cab, I tell 'em where your place is
What is happening to me?

I don't wanna live forever, 'cause I know I'll be living in vain
And I don't wanna fit wherever
I just wanna keep calling your name until you come back home
I just wanna keep calling your name until you come back home
I just wanna keep calling your name until you come back home
I just wanna keep calling your name until you come back home
I just wanna keep calling your name until you come back home

I just wanna keep calling your name until you come back home
Until you come back home

We finish and are greeted by all of the girls, and after that we go back to the dressing room.

The girls go change into the group dance costumes and I sit beside Mom. Her phone rings.

"Oh, it's Maddie." Mom says and answers the call, "Hey Maddie."

"Hey, Mads." Jill says.

"Maddie, I miss you." I say.

"Aww Mel, I miss you too." Maddie says.

It was a FaceTime.

"Let the girls come out."

"You're gonna die when you see them, okay?"

All the girls come out with their costumes, and they look so fun. They continue talking with Maddie and I decide to go backstage alone.

Hopefully no one will notice.

I close the door and start walking down the hallway when I hear Cathy's voice.

And they noticed.

"What are you doing all alone?" I hear Cathy ask and I turn around.

"Nothing." I answer and quickly walk away.

I get backstage and wait for the rest of the girls to arrive.

"Melanie, what did Mom say about leaving without telling anybody?" Kenzie asks.

"I was just bored." I say.

"And you worry everyone else." Kalani says, "Don't worry."

"Okay guys, so this is our last competition before LA, we need to go out with a bang." Kendall tells the girls.

"It's very LA-like, you can do this without Maddie." I tell them.

"Even though she's part of the team, and she's one of our team members, we can win without her." Kalani tells us. 

"Especially now that she's gonna be gone a lot more." Kenzie adds.

"And up next, we have a small group doing a jazz routine. Please welcome to the stage from the Abby Lee Dance Company, 'Tell Me What You Want'." The EMCEE says and the girls go onstage.

They say the party won't be on until I get up in the place. Hey, people say my name. Hear that alarm, it's goin' off. When I'm walkin', starting flames. Hey, I'll make you go insane.

Suddenly I hear someone picking me up and I scream.

"Shhhhh!"

The person puts me down and it was Liam, I punch him playfully on the arm.

"Sorry for screaming." I say and look at Liam, "Really?"

"Sorry." Liam says and shrugs.

•Awards•

Kenzie was second and JoJo was first, we were now waiting for the duo/trios and small groups.

"In the duo/trio Division, third place is act number 72, 'Vivir'. In second place, act number 69, 'I Don't Wanna Live Forever'."

And there we go, just like Maddie's and Gino's duet.

Liam goes receive the award and then sits back down. The group was also second.

After being defeated with three out of four dances we all go back to the dressing room, ready to face Abby's wrath.

"We did not win, was it because we were without Maddie?" Abby says, "I can count on one hand how many times Maddie was ever second."

The door opens and the Candy Apples come inside, Cathy was holding a cake with Abby's face on it.

Producers.

"Hey." Cathy says, "We're still celebrating! We thought we would come and give a piece of cake to all of you."

All of the Candy Apples form a line on front of Abby.

"Abby, would you like the end piece with all of the icing?" Cathy asks.

"No, I don't like the icing." Abby answers.

"Or do you want us to stab with the fork in your eyes? You decide. Do you want some cake?"

I take a wipe and start taking all of the makeup off.

"Get those ears fixed."

Everything goes silent as Abby leaves the room. This was just like Chloe's eye, and if I'm not wrong, the dancer's name is also Chloe, Abby!

The dancer's Mom, Liza, goes after Abby, and we don't see them again.

Another Abby meltdown, when will she ever change? Now what will happen when we go back to Los Angeles, will it be the same as last time?