Brooke

Maddie   Chloe   Mackenzie

Kendall   Nia   Melanie   Asia

Asia, Kenzie, and I are not in the group dance, but we all have solos against each other, and it scares me, they've both have beaten me in the past, and I'm honestly not sure that someone can beat Asia. Asia's solo is entitled 'Too Hot To Handle', Kenzie's entitled 'Old West', and mine is called 'Breathin'.

"Look, you have beaten Mackenzie before but I don't think you can beat Asia." Miss Abby says as soon as rehearsal starts, and suddenly I feel bad about myself, now my dance teacher doesn't believe in me, and once she says something like that everything goes downhill.

I start rehearsing and watching myself in the mirror, just faking to smile for my teacher. Miss Abby is just saying how I need to have Maddie's face, Asia's energy and Mackenzie's control. Now she's pressuring me over nothing, ever since Asia arrived I became the number two girl, if everyone thought that Asia was Kenzie's replacement, it looks like it is mine too.

•Three Days To Competition•

We get to the Dancer's Dena nd start getting ready with everyone else when Maddie decides to play her solo music, that turned out to be the same as Chloe's.

"Wait, why do we have the same song but different names?" Maddie asks.

"So that we wouldn't catch on." Christi answers.

"Same choreography, same song, same costume, same dance." Maddie says.

"Did you learn them the same day?" Kelly asks.

"Yeah." Maddie and Chloe answers, "Yes we did." 

"Girls! Come on in!"

Another day.

•One Day To Competition•

MIss Abby was going to show the group dance costumes on front of the camera, so I suddenly thought that it was going to be something like 'Electricity', but it was not, they were beautiful.

"Listen to me. How many people here know somebody that's died of cancer?" Miss Abby asks and everyone raises their hands, "Is that a painful thing? Is it a loss of dignity? Do you know what that means, girls? You're not in control of your body. Yes? You feel this big."

She starts crying.

"How many of you think you can lift your dad?" Miss Abby says as I hear crying behind me, and I start crying too, "I did that. I had to do that. My dad had a brain tumor. He had a seizure and collapsed on the bathroom floor. It's not pretty, and you're all very pretty. Right now, there are people living with the ribbon, there are people living with cancer everyday. And that's what you're showing. That's what the dance is about. Are you crying 'cause I'm sad? Who-who passed away?"

"Well, my dad-- when I wasn't born, but it was, like a long time ago-- my dad-- his dog Diablo died, it was just so hard for him." Asia says.

"His what?" Miss Abby asks, "His-his daughter?"

"No, his dog." Asia answers and we all start laughing.

"Dogs do get cancer, it's horrible I know, let's just wipe all the tears away." Miss Abby tells us, "Let's think positively. We win the dance, maybe we'll win the cure for cancer, all right? Let's go" 

These are really like my favorite types of moments at the studio, even if it hurts, cancer sucks.

•Competition Day•

Well, old Roy might lock you up. But will turn you out if you buy the next round. Yes those words went up, in a mighty blaze. 

Everybody wanna come get with me, they be asking, do you have a boyfriend? No, no, no

After both Kenzie and Asia are over, is time for my solo. I look at my xostume and touch my hair.

Calm down, Mel.

"Now next is entry number 19, here is Melanie with 'Breathin'." The announcer says and I go on stage.

I want to show Miss Abby that I don't need to be neither Asia, Maddie or Kenzie to win this dance, I can simply be Melanie.

The pressure is a lot, but I'll do the best out of it.

Some days, things just take way too much of my energy
I look up and the whole room's spinning
You take my cares away
I can so overcomplicate, people tell me to medicate

Feel my blood runnin', swear the sky's fallin'
How do I know if this s*** fabricated?
Time goes by and I can't control my mind
Don't know what else to try, but you tell me every time

I look towards the ALDC group in the audience and tears start falling. I start using my face once again, just like Miss Abby has been telling me since forever.

Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin'
And oh, I gotta keep, keep on breathin'
Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin'
And oh, I gotta keep, keep on breathin'

Sometimes it's hard to find, find my way up into the clouds
Tune it out, they can be so loud
You remind me of a time when things weren't so complicated
All I need is to see your face

Feel my blood runnin', swear the sky's fallin'
How do I know if this s*** fabricated, oh?
Time goes by and I can't control my mind
Don't know what else to try, but you tell me every time

Now I start crying completely, obviously still dancing.

Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin'
And oh, I gotta keep, I keep on breathin'
Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin'
And oh, I gotta keep, I keep on breathin', mmm, yeah

My, my air
My, my air
My, my air, my air
My, my air
My, my air
My, my air, yeah

Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin'
And oh, I gotta keep, I keep on breathin'
Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin'
And oh, I gotta keep, I keep on breathin', mmm, yeah

Feel my blood runnin', swear the sky's fallin'
I keep on breathin'
Time goes by and I can't control my mind
I keep on breathin', mmm, yeah

Everyone starts cheering and clapping as I get up from my ending pose. What were supposed to be only seconds,m actually became minutes, I just got a standing ovation! I walk off stage and am greeted by Kendall, Kenzie, and Asia. From there, we all go back to the dressing room.

~~~

"It is now time for our junior small groups division" The announcer says, "In second place, entry number 86, from Z company, 'He's My Son'. In first place, entry number 87, from Abby Lee Dance Company, 'Living With The Ribbon'"

We all clap as the girls go receive the award.

Kicking cancer's butt once again!

"It is now time for our divisional overalls. In third place, from Abby Lee Dance Company, entry number 17, 'Old West'."

Kenzie stands up and goes to receive her award. I close my eyes, on one side I'm thinking that I actually can beat Asia, but on the other one, I just remember what Miss Abby said at rehearsal, probably I'm not able to beat her after all.

"Don't be nervous." Asia whispers and I smile at her.

"Now moving on to second place, from Abby Lee Dance Company, entry number 18, 'Too Hot To Handle'."

Asia's second? Wow, hope I can be the first overall to show Miss Abby.

"And in first place, with a perfect score from the judges--"

All the girls smile and look at me. I can also see Miss Abby and the mothers talking and the cameras moving, so something's definitely up.

"From Abby Lee Dance Company, entry number 19, 'Breathin'. The announcer says and the girls scream, everyone starts to cheer and clap.

I smile as I stand up and go receive the award. We all bow, the three of us hug, and go sit back down.

"The elite high point awards for the junior division. In the junior solo category, third place,entry number 15, from Tiffany & Company 'Escape'. Second place, entry number 21, from the Abby Lee Dance Company, 'Be Anything'."

Maddie stands up to go receive her award and we cheer for her.

"In first place junior soloist in the junior division elite high point award, entry number 20 from Abby Lee Dance Company 'You Can'"

Chloe goes up to receive her award and we all cheer.

Sadly, the day didn't end how I wanted it to be, Miss Abby took away Chloe's win and gave it to Maddie.

At least I showed everyone that I can be first, and I'll keep it that way!