What I didn't say

Abby's return

The next day, Via was awakened by news she never wanted to hear.
"Abby's coming to see us tomorrow!" JoJo boomed.

This wasn't really good news for anyone apart from Siwa herself. And Kalani.

Yet Abby's two most prized pupils since day one weren't on good terms with her. And they hadn't been for quite some time...

For Maddie, it was uncomfortable for her to watch the woman bash her one moment, then gush about how amazing she was the next.

For Via, it was uncomfortable hearing the woman who helped raise her refuse to show any remorse to her, constantly bashing the child at any opportunity.

Although Abby had many it very clear for the past couple of years:
Via and Maddie did not maintain any contact with her after Dance Moms.

Via herself remembered watching Dr.Oz's interview with Miller when he asked this question:

"Are you in contact with them?"
Via leaned forward, ears perking for her former dance teacher's answer.
Abby frowned as if she didn't know who was being mentioned.
"In contact with who?"
Dr.Oz appeared slightly uncomfortable.
"Maddie Ziegler and Via Gumacho?"

Miller rolled her eyes before replying with a resounding "No."
Barring a few tuts and sighs, the audience was quiet. It was known that Abby's best dancers did not speak to her.

Dr.Oz shifted his posture. "Do you know...why?"
Abby shrugged, telling him, "Well...Melissa was only after the fame, I guess everyone knows that."

She then paused and Via could see tears in Abby's eyes.
"As for the other one...I speak to her mom. Not her kid though."
Another shrug was given which signalled the end of Abby's answer.
It left no one satisfied. Not even Via herself.

Via had so many conflicting emotions. This was the woman who raised her, witnessed her first steps and was the subject of her first words.
As Abby often said when defending her, "I've known her since she was four hours old!"

"Via? You ok?" Looking up, Via was shocked to see Paige appearing concerned.
Shrugging, she replied "I'm fine."
Paige appeared to show sympathy.
"I feel bad. I mean you've got the most history with her." She pointed out.
Via again shrugged. "As long as I don't speak to her...I'm fine."

Rehearsal was in a few hours but until then, the girls relaxed.
Via decided to sit in the balcony. Not long after, she was joined by a familiar blonde figure.
"I feel so bad for you."
Via frowned. "Why are you saying that?"
Chloe sighed, clearly about to share something that was going to make things awkward.
"I kind of screwed your relationship with her."
Via violently shook her head. "No, what she said about your eye was unacceptable."

Via then realised what the subject was about and the awkwardness settled in.
"Look," a hand was placed on her knee, "I don't think we ever got to talk things out."
Via was worried. "About what?"
Chloe rolled her eyes. "You know what...about my eye."

Via folded her arms. "We don't need to talk things out," she decided, "I've apologised, you said you were over it, it happened over six years ago. We're fine." She concluded and she was pleasantly surprised to see Chloe nod, not questioning anything.

"Well," Lukasiak got out her chair, "me and Kendall are going down to the beach. Not supposing you want to join us?"
Via shook her head. "No thanks. I'm good."
With that, Chloe was gone and an unpleasant memory popped into Via's head.
When she told Abby she was leaving her team.

Via was shaking. Holly, Kira and Jill had just told Abby that they weren't going to be with the team for much longer and it was her turn to do so.
Her mum was kind enough to offer to tell Abby but Via felt it was more mature of her to inform her teacher of the decision.

Abby had been in an emotional state however it saddened Via more when she overheard Miller telling the moms that she'd spend so much money building the studio in LA.
Didn't Abby understand? Everyone leaves. No one hangs about forever.

The sobs had turned to sniffs and Via decided to go and tell Abby.
Before she chickened out.

"Miss Miller?" Via's voice was timid, no longer brimming with confidence.
"Not now," she heard the familiar harsh tone, "I've just gotten bad news."
Via added, "It won't be long."
Abby put down her tissue. "Fine," she decided, "tell me."

Via shuffled back, the true magnitude of her actions beginning to truly sink in.
"I'm leaving."

There wasn't a reaction. Not one that Via expected.

Abby looked at her dead in the eye before muttering "I knew it."
Via thought about walking away when she heard Abby continue.
"What am I? A charity? The kids I've given so much to are the one that are rifling their knives into my back."
Via looked around the room. Thankfully there was no one filming. In fact there was no one else.

Then the words became deadly quiet, each one another poisoned arrow to Via's chest.
"Of course it's you. I've given everything for you.
It's not just this team you're leaving. It's the place you grew up. Your first home. Me."

Via began to back away but Abby wasn't done yet.
"Hope the drugs teach you something," she hissed, "if it wasn't for me, you and your mother would be on the streets."
Miller then paused. "Then again, am I surprised? This was the same person who made fun of her best friend's eye."
You, you did the same thing, Via wanted to say, to scream, for people to hear.

Instead she left. Left the woman who raised her behind.

Abby was returning. And it was inevitable she'd want some revenge on the child she considered the most to be her own.