The AlL-sTaR Ultimate Dance Battle

Chapter 19- Someone Else Leaves

Maddie paced back and forth in her tight costume. She scratched the back of her neck, careful not to ruin the curly ponytail. She breathed in and out, scared to death of her duet with Tyler. They had some tension between them ever since Maddie told him.

"Hey, Maddie, Travis?" A stage director said.

"It's Tyler," Tyler muttered back to him.

"We have about twenty minutes, they just said that people just started to come in. You can go back to the Green Room." The guy smiled and walked away. Tyler nodded and ran back to the Green Room.

Maddie didn't follow him. She felt like she'd be like a stalker. But a few minutes later, Tyler returned with his phone in his hand. "We are gonna FaceTime my friend Riley. Are you okay with that?"

Maddie shrugged and smiled. She didn't want to say no and hurt Tyler and Riley's feelings. Tyler started the call. After a few rings, Riley's face popped up on the screen.

"Hey, Ty! Who's the lady friend? Is this Kendall?" Riley had jet black hair with piercing blue eyes. Maddie liked him, he seemed funny and nice.

"Nah, Ri, this is Maddie! You know, my best friend here?" He pulled her into a hug, which shocked Maddie. "We are about to go on and I wanted to say a quick hi."

"Oh! Hi!" Riley smiled and waved, laughing. "The whole studio misses ya back home, Ty, and, Maddie, you haven't said a word. What's your favorite lipstick? Is that what girls talk about?"

Maddie laughed. He was funny. "No, we talk about random things. We like fun. And you're funny, how old are you?" She smiled at the kid and Tyler let her hold his phone. He did a mini dance.

"Twelve. Thirteen, soon. I'm so excited to be turning thirteen, like, a new adventure in life waits!" He pumped his fist up in the air and spun around. "I gotta go, talk to you later Tyler! Maddie, what's your number so we can text?"

Maddie bit her lip. She was never asked for a number before. "555-7879. See ya!" She waved before turning it off and turning to Tyler. "Ready to kick butt?"

Tyler smiled. "Let's!"

--

A few minutes later, Tyler and Maddie walked onstage. They struck their beginning poses, which was really in the two bottom corners of the stage. They started to dance. Maddie felt super confident after talking with Riley. She knew that she would be good.

Just because the song was Kids of America, didn't mean it was fast. Maddie had this part where she did really fast shuffles and Tyler had to turn like there was no tomorrow. It made them both dizzy, but it was worth it. The dance was great.

At the end, they got a great reception from the audience. "Abby, what are your thoughts?" Kevin asked.

"I thought you guys were on great timing. It's hard with this dance because I've seen people at competition do it in the Intermediate categories. I thought you did great, Maud Arnold, my applause to you." Maud smiled and gave the kids a thumbs up.

"I agree!" Rachelle yelled into the microphone. "Except, one problem. Get your knees up higher, kids! It was flat. But overall, great job."

Maddie wiped the sweat that formed on her head away. She was getting nervous about the dance and all of that was washed away after she danced. "Thank you so much, I'll be back for the group!" She ran back stage while ripping the ponytail out. For the group, the hair for the girls had to be down and curly, and two pieces from the front tied back.

Next up was Chloe. She had her hair up in a high bun with a bump before it, almost giving it a 1960's look kind of. She ran over the most tricky part of her dance. She had to do a switch leap into a pirouette. She was scared she wouldn't pull it off, but it was musical theater and she had to be big.