Une Fleure Fanée

Week 13 Part 6 (Friday)

     Today is the day of the bus ride. Ugh. At least we're dancing in Pittsburgh instead of Cleveland. I need to wake up today, and a bus ride would just lull me back to sleep. And I need to graduate today.

     I put on a Lilly Leo, and I cover it up with leggings and a yellow ALDC hoodie because I don't want to show my horrendous arms as much as possible. Today is a no-eating day, and so is tomorrow, so I hope that I lose some weight. You'll never lose enough weight, Lilliana.

     I quickly rush to the bathroom and I look at my cuts. Scabbed up from my euphoric high. This is going to be hard to cover. I pick off the scabs so it's level, let the open wounds bleed for a quick minute, and cover it with concealer, foundation, and setting powder.

     Onto skincare, makeup, and medicine. I go and double-check my suitcase. Meds, clothes, stuffed llama, phone, computer, everything. I wash off my razor, put it back, and head to the main room.

     "Competition is tomorrow, so we have to arrive a little earlier. School is on the bus today, so we're going straight to dancing and we're carpooling with Elliana and Gia, so I want you to grab an Ensure and get all of your stuff. We have to go!" Mom informs me, and I run back to my room

     My stomach is cramping up and I double over in pain, crumpling to the floor. I let out an exasperated gasp and try to stand back up. The stomach cramping is still there, but I have to get to dance. I grab my stuff and walk to the main room again.

     I put on my shoes, the pain still overtaking me. However, when I grab my Ensure, it starts to subside and I can finally breathe normally. I grab a raspberry Ensure and we're off to dance. I see Elliana and Gia in the hallway. We all fist-bump and walk to the elevator.

     "Ellie, are you excited for your solo?" Gia asks as we get into the elevator.

     "Yeah, pretty excited. But I'm going up against Sarah. And Hannah. And I haven't been dancing as well as I have before. I'm not fluid enough in my movements," Ellie answers, her sentences getting more and more negative.

     "Don't say that, Elliana. You're going to do great today!" I encourage, and the door to the elevator opens.

     She gives me a quick side hug and we go to my car. All of our suitcases get in Mom's car, and, with Joanne, Mom, Lilly, Ellie, and Gia's suitcases, plus all the dance prep stuff, it's pretty packed in the truck.

     We get in and I'm stuck in the middle again. Oh well. Joanne is pretty tired, so I guess no jam session. Double oh well. Ellie is marking the choreography in her head, Gia is talking to this girl named Bella. Bella is like, one of her best friends in LA.

     I suddenly start to get another horrible stomach pain, clutching my stomach, trying to keep a straight face. It's like a demon twisting my stomach. Fun! Gia side-eyes me, but I can tell she's worried. Stop being so dramatic, Lilliana. Nobody cares.

     "Are you okay?" Gia mouths.

     I nod, and Gia decides to FaceTime Bella. She's this ginger with these deep-set eyes. A big hip-hop dancer. I think I've seen her around. We all say hi and I mask the immense pain in my stomach.

     Eventually, the pain goes away and we have to hang up because we're at the ALDC. I see the bus in the back parking lot. The big ol chonker of a bus. We all wave to some of the crew loading and head into the receptionist's office, where I discreetly toss my Ensure.

     Once passing that, we go into the dancer's den. Brady and Pressley are already in the dancer's, so we make some small talk as we wait for Hannah and Sarah. Eventually, they show up, and I can tell Michelle is not happy with Sarah, but quickly says hello and goes up to the viewing area.