Leading Ladies

XII. Everyone's Replaceable

"Catch!"

Elsa turns to catch her duffle bag from Sabrina. "Thanks."

She swung the bag over her shoulder, tightening the strap before running for the glass door. They were running late, too late. They didn't even get to stop home for lunch; hence they were still in their school uniform.

Entering the den, she greets the staff at the front desk before heading for the den. "Hi guys!"

"Hi girls, we swerve starting to worry," Melissa remarks.

"So were we," Bianca says, opening her duffel bag.

Elsa does the same; she takes out her black trunks, wearing them under her skirt before taking said skirt off.

"I don't think I've ever seen you guys late. What happened?" Christi comments.

"My fault," her mom says, coming into the den. "I had a parent-student meeting that ran late."

Elsa counties to change while chatting with the rest of the girls.

"Come on, girls, let's go!" Moms, girls, get in here! Let's go! Abby yells. Elsa quickly slips on her jazz shoes before following the rest of the girls into Studio A. "Hello, ladies. How's it going?"

"Good," all of them reply.

Abby looks around the room. "Where's Holly? Nia, where's your mother?"

Elsa blinks before looking around herself. She was so focused on the fact that they were late that she hadn't realized that Holly wasn't even there.

"She's at work," Nia replies.

"Not gonna happen," Abby frowns. "She needs to leave work, leave the job, forget it, and be here with you. Yes? That's what's important. You want this, I know you want this. I know you love it. She has to love it for you.

Elsa kinda agreed with Abby. Her mom works too; they even work in the same career field. Yet their Mom was always at the studio and at competitions. Holly misses both. She didn't think it was fair to her Mom.

"Now, first of all, you're national champions. It was a great competition at Starbound in Lake Tahoe," Abby congratulates them.

"Whoo-hoo!" she cheers along with everyone else.

"That's something to be very proud of," Abby continued when the noise calmed down. "Then we got to L.A. and did a video. People know who you are now from watching that video. You're a target. When you walk in, it's gonna be all about beating the Abby Lee Dance Company.

"We all know that Cathy's not here because Cathy wasn't a team player. Where did that get Vivi-Anne? Nowhere. I'm gonna have an open audition, a casting call for a new dancer for the Abby Lee Dance Company. Tell everybody you know that we're looking for a new girl for this group. Maybe two new girls. Everyone's replaceable. Are you next?"

Elsa shares a look with her sisters when Abby looks over at their Mom. "Ileen. I want Sabrina, Elsa, and Bianca to come early, and I'm going to have them demonstrate for me."

"Okay," her Mom nods.

"Great," Abby nods before returning her attention to the girls. "First, Mackenzie. You can't sit on the couch and eat chips. You're not six, and under you're seven and over. And I expect the same thing for you as Maddie did when she was seven. Next Brooke. Brooke, why are you on the bottom of this pyramid? You had a great season, but then you took a break. You didn't show up to class. Paige, the same thing you can't take a vacation. New rule: dancing year-round!

"Nia, you want to win a title. It's all about a title. Every time I talk to your mother, it goes back to the title. Your mother could care less about you winning a title. She's not even here. Chloe, you're in the video. People recognize you wherever you go now. That's pressure. Elsa, you got third place. You are this beautiful technical dancer, but when you have a solo, you let the nerves get to you."