Une Fleure Fanée

Week 6 Part 3 (Tuesday)

     Today's pyramid. Great. I groan. I was facing the wrong way in the group dance, and I'm definitely gonna get it in the pyramid. Ms. Abby also tried to take away GiaNina's win by finding out how Brady got a lower score than GiaNina, so the moms are definitely going to fight about it. I don't want to go to dance today. But I force myself to get up and put on a maroon sports bra with sleeves and blacks leggings with a maroon waistband, slipping a cropped plum hoodie with the ALDC logo stitched in gold on the front over my sports bra. You're lucky the hoodie covers your ugly body, Lilliana.

     I put my hair in a traditional tight ponytail, a black elastic hair tie shaping my hair and holding it behind my back, adding two LK rhinestone clips near either ear. I look so fat in the mirror. My ribs and most of my stomach and arms are at least covered by the hoodie, even though we have to take it off during our privates. I'm preparing for our four hour pyramid.

     I put on some simple mascara and lip gloss and suddenly remember my calorie limit as I take my meds: 300 calories. It's 200 less calories than my limit yesterday and the day before. I walk to the kitchen and grab a peach. 59 calories. It's sweet, but not disgustingly sweet. The peach is almost refreshing.

     Realizing that I need to pack a lunch to avoid suspicion, I grab some blueberries, a water bottle, and some baby carrots. The blueberries are 85 calories and the carrots are 40 calories. 125 calories. That means I have 116 calories left for dinner if everything works right.

     Mom grabs her coffee and her egg sandwich that is really just two pieces of bread and a fried egg jammed in the middle and I grab my dance bag as we head out the door. GiaNina is going alone, so we decide to do a big carpool with Savannah, Hannah, Pressley, and I. Pressley's mom will be driving us, and the other three moms will be driving behind us.

     Poor GiaNina. Ms. Abby tried to change the scores on her so Brady would score higher. It's like Ms. Abby has no faith in GiaNina. In addition, Pressley got news that her solo will not be aired for a second time, so she's a little bummed about that. Plus, Brady's not here. Overall, this past week has been crappy. This week won't fix it.

     GiaNina's already there and her mom is talking, and GiaNina is sadly talking back to her mother in a loud conversation. I ignore her as I quickly drop off my duffel bag, slide off my hoodie, and head to Studio C to warm up. The other girls do the same. GiaNina comes quickly, and we stretch. You look so ugly compared to the other girls, Lilliana.

     "Girls, moms, let's go!" Ms. Abby calls out from the hallway.

     We hurriedly all collect to see Ms. Abby, who's wearing matching plum leggings and a plum sweatshirt.

     "You're gonna open the door and lay my thing out?" Ms. Abby asks me, and I obediently grab her metal thing and prop it up in the threshold between the hallway and Studio A so Ms. Abby can wheel in.

     "Brady's not her anymore. You know, you girls are gonna have to start picking up the slack," Ms. Abby reminds us.

     This was normally Brady's job. He would normally lay out the metal apparatus. But now he's back in Florida. Ms. Abby's reminder makes me visibly shiver in sadness, but I set down the metal thing and we all walk into the studio.

     I'm the only one not wearing my hoodie. I think about going back to grab my hoodie, but that would be suspicious. It feels weird that Brady and Ms. Farrar isn't with us. The moms aren't near us. Mom isn't near me. I start to panic, looking at my Mom, but she just gives me a nod. I take a breath. This isn't a big deal, Lilly. Not a big deal.

     "All right. Well, you all got your wish- Brady's gone," Ms. Abby starts.

     Ms. Paolantonio speaks for all of us with, "I don't think it was our wish. You sent him home, not us."