To Become A Star

Chapter 1: The Competition Begins

I pushed the door open, my mom walking behind me as Abby looked up from the computer she was typing on. She smiled, watching as my mom walked over to her desk, holding a box full of a dozen donuts. "Good morning, how are you?" She questioned, muttering, "Thank you," to my mom as she took one of the offered glazed donuts.

"We're doing good Ms. Abby," I said, walking to take one of the donuts before my mom closed the box. She had made me wait until we got to the studio before I could get one, that the car smelled like them all the way over. It had been torture to sit in the delicious smelling car for 30 minutes, knowing I couldn't have any until the ride was done.

"Right, well head over to the den. Class will be starting in a couple of minutes," Abby dismissed us, she had probably fallen behind on her paperwork again. There had been many times when she misfiled important papers or forgot to pay the bill and the studio had closed until she had gotten the lights or heater back on.

I nodded, my mom holding my hand as we walked to the den. I was excited about the new competition season. Ms. Abby said that we were going to do a lot of competitions and I couldn't wait.

I pushed the door open, being welcomed to the sight of my teams stretching and talking, their moms quietly mingling amongst themselves. "Hey, guys," I said, waving as I went to sit beside Paige, who was doing a backbend. I shrugged off my outerwear, revealing my leotard and pink stained tights.

I would have to change again for hip hop and jazz, but it was always good to show up to the studio looking ready to dance. There had been an incident when a girl wore clothing that Abby didn't think was appropriate, and she had been practically bullied out of the studio.

Now I always took the time to make sure my outfit would please Ms. Abby, and she loved how put together I looked every time I was in class.

"Kianna, hey, are you excited?" Asked Nia, pausing her stretching to get a drink of water. The other girls smiled, beginning to sit down on the bench as the cameramen began to pour into the room. "Yeah, I've been bouncing in my seat all morning." Not before long, Ms. Abby called us into studio A.

We walked in, sitting on the floor like we did ever since the first pyramid had become a part of our daily routine at the studio. This time, however, there were a multitude of cameras filming our every action.

"All right girls. It's the first day of rehearsal for the new competition season. You girls all know why you're here. You are the cream of the crop from your age group, and I have some new ideas for you."

I smiled, it was very difficult for Abby to think you're the best from your age group, and I work very hard everyday to improve my talent. "We are going to be doing something no other competition team in the country does," Abby says, punctuating her message with her hands. "Every single week, we are going to be doing a new routine."

Immediately, some of the other girls look at their moms, wanting to confirm if what Abby is saying is true. I kept my head straight, Abby wouldn't make this announcement if it wasn't true. "Girls, don't look at your mothers. I am the coach; I am the teacher. I can make you or break you," she said, snapping her fingers to retrieve the girl's attention.

Abby grabbed the chalkboard, going through the long process to turn it so the pyramid was visible. I never understood why she didn't just tape it to the wall.

My headshot was on the top, followed by Maddie, Chloe, and Paige, and lastly Nia, Brooke, and Mackenzie. I had expected to be this high, I had one the most awards out of my age group for the year, and attended a bunch of intensives over the summer.