Une Fleure Fanée

Week 9 Part 3 (Tuesday)

     Ugh. Pyramid is today. But at least Brady's back. Mom now has another television enemy, and Ms. Yolanda has a new friend to dislike Mom with on television. I guess I should get ready. I pick out a black and white royal-looking ALDC sweatshirt. The sweatshirt is a much better choice, Lilliana. It covers your disgusting body.

     My hair goes up into a low ponytail with a black elastic around it. Even though I could probably get away without covering my scars, I apply some light foundation so they're covered enough that nobody will notice if I have to take off my shirt for a class or something.

     After makeup, skincare, and meds, I grab an Ensure out of the fridge, my phone, my dance bag, and my shoes. Mom saunters into the living room and grabs an already made cup of coffee. The Ensure is gonna make you fat, Lilliana. Don't you dare drink it.

     "We're going with Hannah today in Ms. Ann's car, okay?" Mom informs me, and I nod, pretending to chug down this buttered pecan Ensure before throwing it in the trash.

     After all, I have 150 calories to use, not 500. I'm excited and dreading pyramid today. Excited because me and Pressley may be higher because we won. But our duet is gonna be unaired. And then how are we going to do Brady's entrance?

     So many components and I'm not in control of them. I hate it. At least I can control what I eat. I walk down to the lobby where I see Hannah doing something on Snapchat. I peer over and photobomb her. She giggles before we make our way to the car.

     The drive seems really short, yet dragging on for ages at the same time. Hannah seems very chatty today, carrying the conversation on. I try to mask and be just as peppy and upbeat, and luckily, I think I nail it.

     I'm anxious as we walk into Studio A, Brady waiting in the dancer's den. All the other girls are here before us, bar Kamryn. Is Kamryn running late? Or did she get pulled off from the team roster? My mind is racing. You're gonna be on the bottom, Lilliana. You were the weak link in the duet for sure, and it shouldn't have won.

     "Moms, let's go, let's go, let's go!" Ms. Abby shouts and the moms rush in, ready to start the pyramid.

     "Congratulations. The group finally won!" Ms. Abby proclaims and we all applaud and cheer.

     Ms. Abby then begins to boast,"I guess that my philosophy worked. Got rid of Brady, you danced together as a group."

     "No," Ms. Yolanda states before continuing, "Bringing Elliana in, to step everything up for the rest of the team worked."

     All of the moms roll their eyes. I kinda agree with both sides, personally. Working together as a group without Brady as the automatic lead helped, and Elliana coming in also aided in our win last week.

     "They knew they had to work together as a team. With or without your kid," Ms. Abby explains to Ms. Yolanda.

     Ms. Yolanda then argues back, repeating it over and over while Ms. Abby repeats her sentence over and over, overlapping and cutting each off, "But you can't discount it."

     "I have been in touch with Yolanda this week, and I'm glad that the schooling worked out. Yolanda, I had a little trial because I finally wanted to put this 'assault' to rest," Ms. Abby begins to say, and I immediately clutch Pressley's hand in anxiety.

     "I take offense to that, because if there was an 'assault,' then I would be in prison. So I'm not gonna sit here and continue," Ms. Yolanda reasons with Ms. Abby.

     "Then go!" Mom snaps, and Pressley draws some shapes on the back of my hand with her thumb to distract me.

     I don't think they're just doing this for the cameras anymore. After last week, something just went wrong. The flashbacks of me crying come back. You're such a crybaby, Lilliana. You shouldn't cry on national television. It makes you seem weak. You are weak anyway, though.