The Story of Chloe and Maddie

05. The Dented Lollipop

Maddie

I had an awkward feeling in my stomach as I walked into the studio. It was as if everyone was looking at me. They usually did. I was one of the select that was chosen to be on television and almost everyone was pining to have at least a camera in their face. But as Kenzie and I said hi to Gia at the desk and saw the girls, something was wrong. Even Vivi-Anne was looking at me funny!

I politely said hi to the moms and hugged all of the girls. Only Holly returned my hello and the girls didn't even hug me back.

I wonder if it's because of my two solos. Or the fight between Christi and my mom. Even Mackenzie was angry about my two solos.

Chloe was talking to the girls about her mom having lunch with Abby.

I couldn't help but feel a little nosy. I was too far away, so all I heard was that Christi had to sign something in order for her to go back to the studio. They kept having their conversation while I was just procrastinating until we were called in for pyramid. I really hope that I'm not on top of the pyramid, but considering my two wins, I doubt it.

Low and behold, I'm on top of the pyramid and shocker, the moms are giving me the stink eye. Maybe they are jealous of me. I felt a little bad for Chloe. Because of the fight her mom had with mine, shes on the bottom of the pyramid. I held her hand to make her feel better because when Miss Abby said that everyone could have done better, she was looking directly at Chloe.

Chloe

"We are doing the new number Sugar Daddies at the showcase." Boring.

"Maddie, you won the overall high score of the competition." In other news, the sky is blue.

"Brooke, you need to show more emotion. All I see is a dull face." She's a teenager. They're supposed to be like that.

"Nia, forgot the solo, kept dancing, made it up, went on finished with the music."

"Chloe, did a great job there were some other situations. You're here i want to see what attitude improve on stage. You mean the situation where you called my mom an alcoholic?

Abby also told us that a talent agent was coming so we had to be on our best behavior. But I was more excited with the fact that all of the moms were going to have to dance at the showcase as well. 

-

The group dance was a mess. We had props this week and someone was bound to be hit in the face. They were so heavy and weighing down my arms. 

"Point your toes, Chloe!" yelled Gia.

It was too hard to concentrate with this big weapon in my hands. I'd love to see Gia and Abby do the dance.

"Back leg is not high enough!" Yeah, yeah.

-

Maddie

Since our group wasn't going to be judged, the girls and I had more time to relax. All of the girls and I went into the viewing room and we pretended that we were the moms. In this case, Cathy was Abby, and our moms were us.

"Where's your mom Chloe?" I asked.

She shrugged. "In the bathroom wishing she didn't have to do this."

She hurried in a few moments later. 

"This is so embarrassing. I honestly don't know how all of us got our dancing talents. Clearly it wasn't from our mom," I said holding in my laughter.

"Oh my God my mom said she used to be a good dancer," said Paige.

The only mom that was good at the sixteen counts was Holly. Which is surprising since Nia wasn't the best dancer on the team, but it's because of the stupid show. During the past few groups, we've noticed that Nia has been behind in the steps. She told us that the producers make her dance on her bad leg from now on. Poor Nia. She was one of the top dancers next to Chloe and I but since this how started, I just though the pressure was getting to her.

-

The talent agent was coming any day now and we had to get our resumes ready. We had some photos done. I wore my costume for Cry, Nia wore her costume for the solo she did a week before and Paige wore her costume for the first trio of the season. I did a couple leaps until we got the perfect shot.

We rehearsed our dance again, but this time we had the full plastic lollipop. It was even harder this time.

"They're really heavy," Paige complained.

"The're really heavy?" Abby said. "If any of you work preofessionally, a comment like that will get you fired. Deal with it." 

"She wouldn't have said that to Maddie if she complained" Paige mumbled.

I stiffened and ignored Paige's comment and watched the dance. After Brooke did her leap across the stage, Paige's lollipop was stuck up Brooke's nose. It immediately started to turn red. I gave Brooke a really quick hug and went back to the dance.

Chloe

 When I walked into the studio, all of the girls quickly hugged me. They must've remembered.

"Happy birthday Chloe." Maddie said. "You should dance with your hair out. Your hair is so pretty."

"If I want to get yelled at by Abby I'll definitely do that." All the girls laughed.

"They'll let you because its your birthday," she insisted.

"If you say so," I said taking out my ponytail.

Abby walked in to check on the dance. She noticed my hair was out and made me do twenty-five push ups. 

I went back to do turn sections when Abby yelled at me again. I couldn't fight the tears anymore and rushed out into the den.

Brooke went in to hug me, but I didn't feel any better. I couldn't help but feel that Maddie set me up just so I could get in trouble. But she wouldn't do that. We were best friends, right?

-

Maddie

The talent agent was coming in less than an hour and the studio looked run down. Abby was yelling at everyone to clean the floors while she cleaned her desk.

Paige worked on her turns while I was practicing some of my lines with Payton, but I keep messing up my words. This happened when I auditioned for Billy Madison. I had a couple callbacks, but I didn't get the part because I kept flubbing my words.

"I'll call for lil-" Messed up my words again. I sighed in frustration.

I had more time since Chloe went in first and I looked over at Mackenzie who was scared to sing. She had singing lessons every week and mom was going be disappointed if she didn't sing. 

But when she went in with Viv-Anne, she didn't sing and blamed it on a chin stand. If you're going to lie, make a good excuse.

Then it was my turn, and I had so much pressure riding on me. Abby expected me to be the best. I executed my reverse jump and tried to keep eye contact with him. But I was too nervous and my a la seconds were lower than ninty degrees but kept a smile on my face. 

I went crying to my mom but she just told me to stop being such a perfectionist. I wasn't just worrying about me not being so great, I was worried that Chloe was going to be chosen my the talent agent.

-

 Because of the mess of a audition I did, I needed to catch the attention of Cesar. Before the Sugar Daddies dance was about to go on, I snapped one of the props. Because I was in the middle, I probably wasn't going to have to use a prop so it probably looked like I shouldn't have had a prop in the first place. I felt guilty as I left the dressing room and heard Gia find the broken prop, but this might be my only chance to be on Broadway or Disney Channel.

The group dance was up and I used my facial expressions, and this time I executed my a la seconds perfectly. Hopefully, that was good enough to impress Cesar.

After we got off the stage the girls were wondering what happened to the prop. I just shrugged. I tried my best not to look guilty but Brooke looked at me weird.

After the dance, Cesar went to me and told me that I was a star. He went and told my my mom to call him if we were ever in New York. Of course my mom was proud and everything, but the girls were jealous. I know they were sad that they weren't scouted, but even if I didn't break the prop, he would have noticed me anyways.