Adopted By Rachel Ballinger

Chapter 48

I make sure I have everything once more, and walk out to the car. We drive in almost silence, it's about 6:45 am and I'm about to fall asleep. I wanted to wear pajamas but Ms. Abby said I had to wear ALDC stuff, so I wore my ALDC Pom Pom jersey with leggings.
"Girlies, what do you want from Starbucks?"
"I'll have a strawberry refresher, I don't care the size, and a chocolate chip cookie, please."
"Sure Lilly. Maddie, Mackenzie?"
"I'll take a large latte and a croissant." Maddie says before curling back up onto her seat.
"Kenz?"
"Iced tea and a buttered roll."
"Ok I need something from the trunk. Do you want your blanket Lilly?"
"Yes please." I say with a yawn. She hands me it and goes into Starbucks. I lean on one side and try to get comfy. Melissa comes back and hands me my super yummy, and big, drink and the cookie.
"Thank you!" I say as I take a sip.
"Anything for you Lilly."
I close my eyes and sleep for the ride to the airport.
I'm awoken to someone taking a picture of me. I keep my eyes closed though, and drift back off to sleep.
"Time to board Lilly." Maddie whispers to me, and carries me on the plane. I sit in between Maddie and Mackenzie, and home they already said that I'm going to be in between Kalani and Maddie.
"Have you been on an airplane before?" Maddie asks.
"Yeah! When I went to Disney world."
Kenzie helps me with my headphones and the movie Sing is on so I decide to watch that. About halfway through the plane ride someone comes over and asks for a picture with us. We agree and the girl freaks out that she's meeting dance moms girls and Rachels daughter. I'm not going to lie, it was so funny. Honestly I thought she was about to cry because she was so happy.

We just landed and are staying in a hotel, and the competition is at the hotel Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Maddie carries me off the plane and helps me with my luggage. I start to walk out when Mackenzie stops me.
"Ok so there are going to be lots of people out there taking pictures, just don't look at them."
I nod, sort of confused and she picks me up. She was right, there are a lot of people and I can barely hear her. We get into this big limo and I sit on Maddie's lap, in between Alexus on Kalani's lap, and Peyton on Mackenzie's lap. Melissa takes a picture and sends it to my mom. She's been sending pictures so my mom gets to know what's going on. After a few minutes we arrive at the hotel, and it's gigantic. I'm pretty sure we are staying at Foxwoods, I think it's a casino. (Fun fact: I went to fox woods for a dance comp over the summer and didn't go outside for three days😂😂😊)Tonight I'm staying in a room with the Zieglers and mommys coming late tonight, and tomorrow through the rest of the time we are here, we are sharing a room with Alexus and her mom. Mackenzie and I are hungry and want to go swimming. Melissa texts the mini moms and Maddie texts the elite girls that we are going down to the indoor pool and meet us there. I take out a bathing suit and change.
"Ok Lilly, miss Abby has some rules for the pool."
I roll my eyes, she has rules for everything.
"It's easy trust me. You need to bring ALDC Apparel for after, and you can't do a trick you just learned into the pool." I nod, and pack a bag with an ALDC hoodie and leggings. I also pack a red crop top and red booty shorts just in case. I know this hotel is really cold and I hate the cold.
We walk out of the room and bump into Alexus on the way there.
"I'm so excited for tomorrow!"
"Me too. Our solos are tomorrow, right?" I question.
"Yes. It's our solos tomorrow night."
"Ok!"
We get into the elevator and ride down. We are the first people there so of course we get lots of chairs. I get the girls and we go in. We decide to do a chicken fight because we are the only people down here and nobody can complain that we're too loud or whatever. I get onto Maddie's shoulders and wait for Alexus to be ready. I grab her hands and pretty much just push her. Eventually we both fall and nobody else is here still. We do another round and they start arriving.
"Lilly, Alexus, do you guys want to push Brynn in?" Mackenzie asks.
We nod and get out. Brynn goes by the deep end and I stand behind her. Kenzie nods and we push her in and run to the moms.
"What did you girls do now?" Melissa asks.
"Nothing..." We say in unison.
Ashlee laughs because she obviously saw what happened.
Ashlee has become nicer to me, and she doesn't have a problem with me because my mom doesn't create drama or whatever.
"Lilly, come here!" Brynn shouts.
I run over and she asks me to help her out, I'm not two I know this trick.
"Good try Brynn. The ladders right over... There!" I say as I jump in, splashing her.
We spend the rest of the time at the pool playing games until the moms say we have to go. We head towards the bathroom to change, 'cause you know. I put on leggings that say ALDC and a black ALDC sweatshirt with a crop top on under. I walk out and of course Melissa takes a picture. We wait for everyone else and go make dinner reservations at the Sugar Factory. They aren't for like two hours though, so we decide to head back to the rooms for a little.
~
"Ok, you're good!" Maddie says. I'm in the same clothes, she just French twisted my hair. We walk out of the room and down to the elevator. We get to the restaurant first so we fool around and do cartwheels. Some old people sit on the bench next to us and start watching us so of course we gave them a show. Everyone else starts arriving so we go to check in. The kids are at one table and the adults are at the other table.
~
"Hey Lilly I have a surprise for you." Maddie says while taking my hand. We just finished up dinner so now we're just fooling around.
"Ok close your eyes and wait until I tell you to open them."
I nod and am lead out of the restaurant.
"Ok Lilly, you can open your eyes now." Mackenzie says.
I slowly open my eyes and scream and excitement.
"Mommy!" I scream, hugging her.
I give daddy a hug also when mommy tells me to look behind myself. I do as told and see Aunt Colleen. I practically jump out of dads arms and into Aunt Colleen.
"Ryan!" I shout while hugging him.
Everyone else comes out of the restaurant and meets my aunt and cousin.
"Mommy! Look at me!" I shout as I go to do my aerial.
Everyone claps and Yolanda makes a face and whispers something to Elli.
"Guys watch!" Elli says and nobody looks except her mom.
"Ok girls, it's getting late. Time to go back to the room." My mom says to Alexus and I.
"Five minutes!" I beg.
"Two minutes."
"Fine mommy."
We go back with our friends and do lots of tricks.
"Ok let's give eachother like a good thing about their trick, and something to work on." Elli says. We nod and I go first with my back hand spring.
They all say I have good form and I need to point my toes. Next up is Elli, she does a cartwheel.
"You had really good feet, but try to extend your legs." I say and suddenly we are interrupted by all the moms yelling at Yolanda.
"Lilly legitimately said that her legs were bent." Yolanda screams.
"No she didn't!" Melissa shouts.
"Lilly, come over here. You too Alexus." Kira says calmly.
We saunter over and they ask us what happened.
"So Elli came up with this game-"
"Listen to Lilly! She's trying to explain." Ashlee shouts.
"So Elli came up with this game, where we do a trick and get a compliment and a critique. So I did a back handspring and was told I have good form, I just need to point my toes. So Elli went next and I said she had good pointed toes, but she should extend her legs more. I never said her legs were bent." I say really annoyed that Yolanda would change the story.
"Lilly are you telling the truth?" Yolanda asks.
"Yes she is! And keep my kid out of this." Mommy says.
Holly comes and takes Alexus' and I's hands and walks us away from everything. Maddie comes over also and they decide we will go back to the room. Kenzie comes over as well and picks me up. We go up quickly and they sit us on the beds.
"Are you guys okay?" Maddie asks.
Alexus nods but I stay quiet.
"Lilly? Are you okay?"
"What? Oh um I guess..."
"Lilly..."
"It's just not fair. Elli should have moms yelling at her, she made up the game."
"Aw, it's okay." Maddie says as she puts me on her lap.
The door opens and it's the moms.
I get swarmed with hugs and mommy picks me up.
"Ok come on guys, let's go to our room." Alexus' mom says.
Mommy grabs my suitcase and we walk across the hall. I put on pajamas and brush my teeth.
"So what are we doing tomorrow?" I ask as I sit on the bed.
"Well you girls can't go swimming because you have to perform, so maybe shopping." Mommy says.
I nod and yawn. We have two big beds and bunk beds, along with a pullout couch. Alexus and I get into the bunk beds and drift off to sleep, thinking about performing tomorrow.