Melanie Ziegler || Dance Moms

Maddie vs Kalani

At Monday all of us girls and Moms decided to go to Disneyland. It was really exciting!

We were all walking around.

"What do we have to work on tomorrow?" JoJo asks.

"Something about a slumber party thing." Kenzie answers.

"Live today!" I exclaim.

"I know, just asking." JoJo says.

"I know." I say and we all laugh.

"Ooh, let's go to that one!"

•Wednesday•

Kendall​​​

Kalani      Maddie

JoJo    Mackenzie   Melanie  Nia

"So this week we are traveling to Riverside, California, to attend World-Class Talent Experience."

We all clap and look over to the Moms, who look like they have something to say.

"Kira knows who's gonna be here this weekend." Jill says, "We're seeing MDP."

"All right." Abby says and we look back to her, "My first solo is going to Kalani. Your solo is called 'Innocent'. It's a contemporary piece. Maddie, you will also be performing a solo. The title of your music is 'Dreams Come True'. The style is lyrical so the legs have to be turned out, the feet have to be winged. The two of you are going up against each other."

Abby looks over to me and I smile nervously.

"My last solo is going to Melanie. The name of your solo is 'Heather'. Do you know why it's called that?" Abby asks and I shake my head, "It is because the singer of the song is jealous of a girl named Heather. On this case, you are jealous of another girl, you want the attention, you want to be the favorite, the perfect one, but you know that you will never be like that."

I feel a pit on my stomach, does this have to do with Maddie? Because it feels like that, and I actually feel that way. Not that I'm jealous of Maddie, of course not, it's that I want to be the best that I can be, but I'll never be like that. It doesn't matter how hard I try, I'll never be the best in Abby's eyes.

I wish I was Maddie.

I tear up as I continue looking at Abby.

"The group routine. It's called 'The Rose Garden'. It's contemporary. It's-- a bit dark."

"We do that well." Jill says.

"We do that well, yeah." Mom adds. 

"You know, every rose-- has it's thorns." Abby says, "It's also time to let everybody know that Maddie will not be here tomorrow at rehearsal. And I'm very proud to announce that Maddie will be performing for the television show Ellen."

We all clap, and Abby looks really excited for that. 

"All right, Moms, out the door. Let's go."

All of the Moms leave, we spread apart and we warm up. We start the group rehearsal.

"Like she's telling a story and there's this nuance of-- negativity and it's eerie and it's dark." Abby tells us, "Whatever judge is watching you, you need to be amazing, let's start."

We start dancing and guess who's front and center? Of course, Madison, again, again, again. 

When he turned down your prayers...