Abby was on another planet, like always, but it was super obvious today. She started out pyramid praising Maddie and the story she told with the duet. She continued by saying that she always tells a story when she dances, and that when Nia does, it's nothing. Obviously, Nia didn't hold back.

"Well, if I had more opportunities, maybe I would have been better at it." Nia snaps.

There's an awkward silence and Abby reveals the first headshot.

"On the bottom of the pyramid we have Nia."

I roll my eyes and obviously, it's on camera.

"The solo was fifth," Abby explains, "From what I saw of that dance, it could potentially have won."

Holly sighs as Abby reveals the next headshot.

"JoJo, you're next on the pyramid," Abby announces, "You're late on the videotape."

JoJo stares at her and Abby reveals the next headshot, that was a surprise for all of us.

"Next we have Maddie." Abby reveals, "Maddie, you were on the group dance, you did your job. You didn't stand out at all. You blended. If you want to be the it girl, it's not a good thing."

Ouch.

"Next, we have Mackenzie." Abby says and Kenzie smiles, "The penche was straight. You took the correction."

Next headshot.

"And next, Kendall. Kendall, why would you be this high on the pyramid if you didn't even dance?" Abby asks.

"She had her video premiere last week." Holly answers.

"Yes." Abby agrees as she reveals the next headshot, "Next we have Melanie. First with the duet, you told the story. on the group dance Maddie was overshadowed by you. You stood out, you told the story even though you weren't the lead."

I smile and Abby reveals the top headshot.

Kalani

Melanie         Kendall      Mackenzie

Maddie          JoJo            Nia

"So, we are going to Center Stage. Our solos are going to Mackenzie, you will be performing a solo. It's called 'Sink or Swim'. So we're gonna see if you swim with the big fish, or if you sink." Abby announces.

Great explaining, no it's actually really weird.

"My next solo is going to Maddie. You will be tapping. Then our last solo is going to JoJo. JoJo, you title, is aptly named, 'Rebel Without a Cause'."

"So are all of these solos competing against each other?" Kira asks.

 "Yes." Abby answers.

"No." Kenzie says, and instantly gets worried.

"WOOO!" I yell, "Sorry."

"This week, we have a guest choreographer. He will be doing the group routine this week." Abby tells us, "This gentleman has won three MTV Video Awards. He's worked with Lady Gaga, he's worked with JLo and, he's worked closely with Michael Jackson for over 20 years."

All of us girls gasp.

"I am giving him free rein." Abby adds.

"So once he sets the choreography," Holly says, "You're not gonna change it--"

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no."

Abby calls him inside and he enters.

We all clap.

"Mr. Travis Payne!" Abby exclaims.

"It's my pleasure to be with you, the next generation with superstars." Travis tells us, "Any of you familiar with any of those really famous dance styles from the '80s and the 90's--"

Does he know that we are all born after the 2000s?

"-- That's kind of the theme of this number."

Oh.

"Yay!" Mom exclaims.

"They are so ready!" Jill adds.

We all start stretching and the Moms leave the room. After the quick stretch, Travis starts explaining us the number.

"Just to give you a little background about the number we'll be doing." Travis starts, "It's called 'Beautiful Bizarre', and so, there were dances that were very famous lie voguing and waacking, and J-Setting is newer, uh, these days. And so we're gonna just sort of mix all those styles up together and create something for you guys, okay?" We all nod, "And so before we do that, I would love to introduce you to my collaborator for this, Aisha Francis, who you probably have seen dacning with Beyonce."

Aisha comes inside, introduction, stuff and other stuff, and we start dancing. 

~~~

Kalani, Nia, Kendall, and I all leave 'Studio A' and go take a break. Abby was going to start working with the solos. Maddie against Mackenzie, interesting. I sit beside my dance bag and take out my phone, there's a new text message, so I check it.

Mariella: See you at Nationals

Mariella? Nationals? I don't like the sound of that.

To refresh your minds, Mariella is my ex-best friend, had a solo against me on season 3, it was literally the same song and most of the same moves. She was only my friend because she wanted to find out everything about the studio through me. Point is, we haven't talked since she changed schools and everything. Oh! And also, she made a hate page about me on Instagram.

Mariella: I'll give you a couple clues, first one, I'm doing a style that it's interesting on Los Angeles, unlike your old and boring lyrical.

I don't even know if I'm doing a solo on Nationals.

I put my phone away and start talking with the other girls, to take my mind off that.

After the solo rehearsals, we went back home. I showered, watched some Netflix, and went to bed.

•Two Days To Competition•

"Are you sure it is the Mariella Mariella?" Kalani asks as soon as the group dance rehearsal is over.

"I'm pretty sure it's her, I mean, who would it be?" I tell her.

"True," Kalani agrees, "Who knows, anyways, rehearsal was boring today."

"Yeah, everything right now is Maddie vs Mackenzie. And JoJo, as an extra." I say as we sit on the floor.

"Poor JoJo." Kalani says, "Like she gets a solo, but Abby won't care because she's too busy with Maddie's tap solo."

"And Kenzie's solo is just another acro one with pigtails and a lot of lipstick." I add, "Just a guess."

"How much do you bet that that's going to be her part of the costume?" Kalani asks.

"Umm." I check on my dance bag, "5 dollars?"

"Great, I bet 8 dollars." Kalani says, "If it ends up happening we'll donate the money to charity."

"13 dollars?" I ask.

"Better than nothing." Kalani tells, me, "Or if you want, we can donate more."

"What about-- 20 each?" I suggest.

"Deal." We shake hands.

The rest of the day was, on my personal opinion, really boring, so I just talked with Kalani. And we texted the whole night, didn't sleep a wink.

•One Day To Competition•

Same as yesterday, pretty simple, pretty boring, but Kendall told us that she wasn't going to be be able to be at the competition, due to something on New York, so yeah, bummer. I did hang out with Nia and Kalani the whole day, it was extremely fun. That was while Maddie, Kenzie, and JoJo are at the solo war.

•Competition Day•

Kalani was doing a makeup on me, we were just really bored. Maddie, Kenzie, and JoJo all come out on their costumes and Kalani gasps, the eyeliner almost ends up on my right eye.

"Oww!"

"Sorry!" Kalani apologizes, "But look!" She points at Kenzie, that had pigtails AND the lipstick, "We won!"

"Charity, here we come!" I exclaim.

"What are you guys talking about?" Nia asks, walking over to us.

"We decided to make a bet that if Kenzie wore pigtails and a lot of lipstick of her solo, we would donate 20 dollars each for charity." Kalani tells Nia. 

"Sounds cool." Nia says.

"Interested?" I ask.

"Sure!"

We high-five and Kalani goes stretch. I look over to Abby, who's watching Maddie practice her solo.

"Make sure that arm stronger and get in somebody's face." Abby corrects her.

Mom starts working with Maddie's hair, and we just wait for them to finish.

Abby ended up giving her weave, and putting it on Maddie, poor Mads.

We all go backstage to see the solos, JoJo was up first.

"Please welcome JoJo to the stage with 'Rebel Without a Cause'." The EMCEE says as JoJo goes onstage.

She let's her long blonde hair fly through the air, she's chop it all off and not even care. Watch, watch her go, go. Here she comes. There she goes...

"Up next is act number 31, please welcome Maddie to the stage." The EMCEE says and Maddie goes onstage.

Her solo was... definitely interesting, but hate to say it. She has danced better. 

Next up was Kenzie.

"Up next is act number 32, please welcome Mackenzie to the stage." The EMCEE says and Kenzie goes onstage.

I've got a ticket to happiness, and you know I'm gonna stay. I've got a ticket to happiness, let the trip take me away...

She did amazing, but we need to remember, she's up against tapper Maddie. Even though I wouldn't worry, I've beaten her before, so this should probably be easy for Kenz, but I want to see Abby's face if either Kenzie or JoJo beat her dear Maddie. At least I know her face when I beat her.

She finishes and we all go back to the dressing room, where we get ready for the group dance.

I LOVED the makeup, it was so much different, the dance was so different, and I definitely wanted to win with this routine.

"Next is act number 67. Please welcome to the stage 'Beautiful Bizarre'." The EMCEE says and the music starts.

Kenzie and JoJo are the first ones to go in, then I go, and the rest.

The clouds are lit like tangerine. Tonight we're looking, gritty and mean. Lock and loaded, ready to roll. Stay with us, 'cause we're out of control...

~~~

"We're gonna start with our junior solo category." The Announcer says, "In third place we have entry number 30, 'Rebel Without a Cause', JoJo."

We cheer as JoJo goes receive her award and I can't help but squeal.

Sorry, way too excited.

"And in second place-- Number 31, Maddie."

Maddie goes receive her award and I hold Kenzie's hand. I look over to the audience where Abby and Mom look shocked. I roll my eyes.

They're gonna end up on the back of my head if I keep doing it.

"And our first place junior soloist in the class division, is act number 32, 'Sink or Swim', Mackenzie."

We all cheer as she goes receive her award and I scream. 

Good control there, Melanie.

Huh.

It felt so good that the two of us have beaten Maddie now, that goes to show that Maddie isn't invincible.

"Now in our class division, overall small group."

Third place was a dance called 'Locked in My Head'.

"Our second place overall is number 67, 'Beautiful Bizarre'."

I go up and receive the award.

After all we go backstage, near the dressing room, where we meet up with the Moms and choreographers and Mom almost kills Kenzie on a hug.

"Mom, it's just a competition, you don't have to cry." Maddie tells Mom, clearly annoyed.

"Let her have her moment, she cries at all of your solos." I snap.

"Well, I don't ask her to." Maddie snaps back.

"But you seem to enjoy it." I argue.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Travis tries to calm us down.

"Of couse I'm gonna cry." Mom says,"Because--"

"Because she beat you, that's why." JoJo finishes and puts her arm around Maddie.

"We have immensely enjoyed our time here with you girls. I think you're all so special." Travis tells us.

"You know, you don't always have to win first." Mom adds.

"No, no you don't." Travis agrees.

"I mean, they were great--"

"But it's nice, second place let's us get to realize how much we enjoy first place." Travis says, "It's let's us know how hard we need to work each week. That's fine, it's good. You placed."

Could you be our dance teacher instead?

We all high-five just as Abby arrives and hugs the big winner.

Travis hugs Kenzie and Maddie still looks annoyed, upsetting. Again.

"I defnitely deserved to beat her, but that's okay." Maddie tells Abby.

"Shut up already!" I yell, "Gosh! Maddie, just be happy for Mackenzie!"

"I am!" She yells back.

"You just said that you deserved to beat her!" I argue.

"And?" Maddie argues.

"Why do you think this is the Maddie show, and we're all just extras?!" I ask, "I know, both Abby and Mom made you believe that, but, knock knock, reality check on the way."

All the Moms and Abby enter the dressing room, the other choreographers leave. It's just the girls and I.

"It is not the Maddie show!"

"And if I want it to be that way?!" She asks.

"Bad for you!" I snap, "You're such a good actress, you can hide all of your jealousy! And they always believe you, the perfect little angel!"

I storm to the dressing room and sit down. All of the girls soon enter and Maddie pretends that the argument never happened.

"Your sisters are also so proud of you." Mom tells Kenzie, "I can tell."

"Wow, you can really tell." Kenzie says and we look over to Maddie.

"Mom, I'm not mad at all, so stop saying it!" Maddie yells.

"I didn't say you were mad." Mom says.

"You said it outside!" I yell.

"Melanie, shut up." Mom tells me and I scoff, "What's with the attitude?"

"Attitude? I'll show you what's attitude." I stand up and walk over to Maddie, "That is attitude."

"You said, 'Be happy, be happy', I'm like I am happy!" Maddie says.

"I know Maddie, I didn't say you were mad at all." Mom says.

"I AM happy, just stop it!" Maddie tells her, "I really don't care."

"Then why are you being all angry?" Kenzie asks.

"Mackenzie, shut up." Mom tells Kenz.

"Why don't you tell Maddie to shut up, she's the one yelling." I say.

"Shut up!" Mom says.

All of us girls go to talk to Abby and leave the dressing room, leaving the Moms inside, but I can't help but eavesdrop.

"Do you honestly think that Mackenzie should have beaten Maddie today?" Jess asks.

"No." Mom answers, "I'm sorry."

"Well, what makes you--" Holly says, "Why would you say that?"

"Because, Mackenzie looked like a seven-year-old onstage, she looked sweet and adorable onstage. Maddie was fabulous." Mom answers.

Before I knew it, I put my hand on the knob and rush into the room.

"You promised me that you were going to change!" I yell, "You said that there would be no more favoritism, and everyone would be treated fair and square!"

"Melanie--"

I feel tears full my eyes, I bit my lip and try to hold the tears back.

"But every single time you say that, you do something else," I start crying, "That is even worse than the one before."

All of the Moms look concerned at me, while Mom tries not to cry.

"Sometimes I don't even want to call you my mother." I storm out of the dressing room.

She'll never change, why did I think she would?

WHY?!