"Kalani told me." I admit, "It was an accident, but I became curious, so I kept on asking--"

"Please, just don't tell anyone." Mom tells me, "Not even Kenzie."

"Kenzie?" I look at her confused, "What about Maddie?"

"She knows."

"Why can't Mackenzie know?" I ask.

"I know that she should know, but what if it slips during rehearsals?" Mom asks me and I shrug, "She can't know for now."

I go to my room and close the door. 

It sounds weird, I thought that we would always stay on the team, so it's kind of unreal to think that we could be leaving soon.

~~~

First pyramid with Maddie. Fingers crossed, it would be a good one, but fingers not crossed, Abby's crazy. I actually spoke way to soon, Abby's throwing a temper tantrum in her office today. So Gia is helping us warm up. I was unusually quiet, I mean, what if it slipped what Kalani and Mom told me? I would be in so much trouble, so I'd rather not talk, even if it looks weird and suspicious. I'm an actress, so I can make it look like if nothing's wrong, right?

Next thing was that Maddie booked a photoshoot for Seventeen magazine, and they were looking for two more dancers to appear with her. The ones chosen were Nia and Kendall. Those three definitely work well together, and now I wanna see the results, but the magazine doesn't come out until February.

Ugh.

Maddie

Mackenzie   JoJo   Melanie   Kalani

Kendall   Nia   Brynn

"Our competition this week is in Santa Monica, California." Abby announces, "The group routine, the name is 'The Elite'." Abby looks over to the minis, "This week, the minis will be competing. The name of your group routine is 'The Spotlight is On Me'. Now, I have an announcement."

All of us girls look at each other. This doesn't sound nice.

"Melanie." Everyone looks at me, "These past couple of weeks I've been talking about how young you look compared with the other girls." So? "So you'll be in the mini team."

Why?

"Why would she?" Mom asks, "She's been dancing with this team for years."

"You can't just take her out." Holly adds.

"I can and I did." Abby smiles, "It's not forever, maybe. You'll be in their group and you'll have a tap solo. It's entitled 'Better When I'm Dancing', and I want you to wear Maddie's old season one costume."

I look down to the floor with a confused expression. Why do I have to be on another group now? Also, what's up with Abby now treating me like a mini? First taking me out of the JECT and putting me on the mini team, and now wanting me to wear the costume from one of Maddie's costume from when she was a mini herself. She literally competes in teen now.

Maddie and Brynn also have solos this week. This is gonna be awkward.

•Two Days To Competition•

My solo was good, energetic, entertaining, but is it too late to say that I kind of miss doing contemporary? Trying new things, I guess.

"Isn't it weird that Kendall, Maddie and Nia aren't here?" Kenzie asks as the five of us play on the silks in the trampoline room.

"Definitely, it's a lot more quiet." Kalani smiles and we laugh, "But with that I mean Melissa and Jill."

"Holly is always chill." I agree.

"Have you seen how Abby adores the minis?" Brynn asks.

"She's like 'You're just so cuuute'." JoJo says.

"Question time, am I a junior or a mini?" I ask.

"Half and half." Kenzie answers.

"Perfect." I smile.

"Melanie!"

"Aww, listen to it, she monster's calling you." Kalani comments as I get off.

"Wish me luck." I say as I start walking away.

"Good luck!"

"Luck!"

"Hope to see you again!"

I enter the studio, where Abby and Gianna were with all the minis.

So the dance was pretty cheesy, so Abby made me the lead, making me have a lot of things to do individually, and harder things. My favorite part was at the end, when I had to do an illusion and some leg hold turns right after that.  Abby was mad at all the other dancers but me, so I was like the new Maddie for five seconds, until I remembered that she changed me of groups, the thought left my head after that.

The last day of rehearsal was great, well, I just worked with the music and finished my solo. Besides that, nothing much.

•Competition Day•

We were all backstage watching Maddie as she performed her jazz solo. I was all ready to perform mine.

"That looks so fun." Kenzie comments as Maddie finishes her solo.

"Can we all agree that the costume is amazing?" Nia asks and we nod.

Something suddenly catches my attention, or rather, someone. I don't really have any time to see who it was, because I had to go on stage to perform my solo.

"Now we're going into entry number 12B, welcome Melanie to the stage." The announcer says and I go on stage.

Don't think about it
Just move your body
Listen to the music
Sing, oh, ey, oh
Just move those left feet
Go ahead get crazy
Anyone can do it
Sing, oh, ey, oh

Show the world you've got that fire
Feel the rhythm getting louder
Show the world what you can do
Prove to them you've got the moves
I don't know about you

But I feel better when I'm dancing, yeah, yeah
Better when I'm dancing, yeah, yeah
Oh, we can do this together
I bet you feel better when you're dancing? Yeah, yeah

Pa-pa-pa-da-da
La-la-la-la-da-da
La-la-la-la-da-da
Pa-pa-da-da

When you finally let go
And you slay that solo
'Cause you listen to the music
Sing, oh, ey, oh
'Cause you're confident, babe
And you make your hips sway
We knew that you could do it
Sing, oh, ey, oh

Show the world you've got that fire
Feel the rhythm getting louder
Show the world you can do
Prove to them you've got the moves
I don't know about you

But I feel better when I'm dancing, yeah, yeah
Better when I'm dancing, yeah, yeah
Oh, we can do this together
I bet you feel better when you're dancing? Yeah, yeah

Everyone cheers and claps as I go off stage and rush to get ready for the group dance. Ten minutes later, I was all ready to go, so I just waited with the rest of the minis.

"Please welcome to the stage entry number 31A, 'The Spotlight Is on Me'." The announcer says and I walk up to the center of the stage.

The rest of the girls get into their positions and the music starts.

You're hiding in the corner like a timid girl
But know that you're an animal so come and purr
Let your hair down, put your shoes up, come on out play
Don't get shy, get out of your own way

I had fun being the lead of the dance, mainly because I could ignore the mess some of the dancers were doing, but it was overall pretty good. 

The other girls went on stage to perform their group dance soon after we finished ours, so I decided to go ahead and go back to the dressing room. 

"Look who it is."

I quickly roll my eyes as I turn around to see the forever annoying Mariella.

"What the heck do you want?" I ask as I start walking backwards, away from her.

"I thought you danced with the older girls now." She tells me, "How embarrassing."

"It was just one week, Marie." I snap, "Next week, I'll be back to dance with the rest of the girls."

"Oh, next week, am I right?" Mariella says as the two of us stop.

"Yup, and what? Couldn't handle placing fourth at nationals." I tell her as I turn around to face her.

"It was hard, but now, I think I'll win." Mariella smiles.

"Why?" I ask and the smile turns into an evil grin.

She pushes me into the janitor's closet and closes it.

"Mariella, what are you doing?!" I start hitting the door.

"Boo!" She laughs, "Don't know why I'm doing this, but it's fun."

She locks the door from outside and the lights turn off inside.

"Marie, please!" I yell as I hear her walk away.

Does she have an obsession with me?

I don't know, but it's dark.

I sit against the door and cover my head as I try to calm down.

It's really dark.