Chapter 6

Nothing of great interest to me happened at the competition. I won my division and the overall, which was great, and Christi did a great job of pretending to be upset over Maddie's two solos. Brooke wound up competing two solos as well, placing second and third behind me in the division. The senior group won, and I had a lot of fun competing it.

Pyramid was always after jazz class for me, so I was a little out of breath. The pyramid went Vivi-Anne, Mackenzie, myself, Paige and Chloe, with Nia and Brooke in the middle and Maddie on top. Whatever, for the purposes of the show I hadn't danced the week before. It was all fake, for television, anyway.

I was very busy this week as it was the showcase and I was in fifteen numbers, only three of them solos. Brooke and I were going to compete our Nationals-winning duet from last year and I had a trio with Killian and Brandon. Those were the dances that I was most excited for, I think.

In between practices, I helped Nia and Paige with technique. I really didn't mind; maybe they weren't good at it, but at least they were trying, and that was the first step. I had the ballerina's body, naturally turned-out feet, and good health other than my parents' abuse. Nia had relearned how to walk not that long before, and Paige wasn't in many technique classes, so not everyone was as blessed as I was in terms of dance opportunities. The cameras picked up on this and insisted on filming a 20-minute session. Nia struggled with her front aerial, so I was helping just her that day.

"Show me how you set it up, if it were in a dance," I told her. She did so, and I could see the problem. "You're not taking off with enough speed. Try running into it."

"Won't that look bad?"

"It would look worse for you to fall."

"I guess you're right."

Nia was doing better with the aerial once we got done, and I gave her a few technique exercises to work on. She seemed less stressed when I corrected her, likely because I was actually nice about it.

The cameras followed others around this week as most of what I did was practice unaired routines. The junior group routine was a mess, with people getting hit with the props and the whole group out of time. This had happened last year too, at least it wasn't a competition.

Melody started to come to the studio after school, meeting some of my friends and the junior team (besides our cousins, of course). The producers tried to get her in for an interview but she saw right through them.

"No thanks. I wouldn't have anything to say and I'm not a parent."

"Miss, please, just one interview."

"I'd rather not, but you can film if I'm in the room. If I'm not under contract, I don't need to interview with you."

Melody won the argument, much to my amusement. She helped me stretch before Senior Group rehearsal, alongside Ursula Green, who was returning from injury and able to do limited moves in the routine. She'd sprained her ankle badly a month and a half ago and was healing pretty well.

"Your birthday's in a few days, right?" Ursula asked me. I nodded.

"On Saturday; I'm having a small party, and you're invited, but please keep it quiet."

"I will," Ursula promised. She was a pretty Black girl, with dark brown eyes and long, carefully braided hair. She was extremely flexible and wanted to eventually join the Cirque du Soleil, something I thought she would definitely achieve if she worked for it.

"Oh, yeah, for sure. How are you feeling about returning to class, Ursula?"

"I'm excited, of course, but nervous that I've fallen behind."

"I doubt it. And even if you have, you'll be able to catch up. Most of the teachers will be understanding."

"Yeah, I know. It should be fun, and I'm looking forward to being able to perform in the showcase."

We were rehearsing our Nationals-winning group dance from the year before, a lyrical piece called "Shining Bright." It had a lovely storyline, where Killian and Peyton were a couple who was torn apart and trying to get back to each other throughout the dance, blocked by the other dancers. It was a great piece, one of Abby's better creations.

The Junior Elite team had the opportunity to perform for a talent agent, Caesar Rocha, and I took part mostly to get experience at auditions. My lack of singing skills (though I was a decent pianist) would drag me down quite a bit here.

I was up first, as the guinea pig, and entered Studio A. There were three agents at the table, and I greeted them warmly with handshakes.

"Great to meet you, thank you for coming. I'm Joanne."

"Lovely to meet you too!" Mr. Rocha beamed. "According to my notes, you're the cousin of two sisters who will also be auditioning?"

"Yes, I've been living with my Aunt Melissa for two years, and my older sister Melody who doesn't dance just started living with us."

"How lovely! How do you like living with Maddie and Mackenzie?"

"They're great kids and really fun to be around."

"Awesome. Do you have a piece prepared for us?"

"Yes, this is a solo that I recently performed at a competition. It's about someone who's about to go to jail, so there's a lot of storytelling involved." I'd chosen my "Justice" solo because I was practicing it for the showcase. I did well and it was received well, with a bit of clapping.

"Thank you, it's one of my favorite solos. I won't make you suffer with my singing, I was tone-deaf long before I lost my hearing," I joked. Mr. Rocha raised an eyebrow.

"I suppose I could have seen the hearing aids. If I may ask, were you born deaf?"

"No, I lost my hearing two years ago. It was a hard adjustment at first, but I was lucky enough to have access to plenty of support."

"You have a very generous outlook. Thank you, Joanne, and please send Brooke in," Mr. Rocha smiled at me. I left the room feeling good about my performance. Aunt Melissa told me later, after lyrical class, that Mr. Rocha had talked to her about connecting me with an agent that specialized in ballet, with the possibility that I could represent the studio and maybe even the US at YAGP competitions.

"I'm barely on pointe," I said in disbelief. "I didn't think this would happen this year."

"You deserve it. So that's a yes?"

"Of course!" My contract allowed for opportunities outside of the studio and not through Abby, unlike the other girls'. "Tell Mr. Rocha thank you as well."

I was soon getting very used to co-sleeping with Melody, so when Melody had a sleepover on Friday night I found myself tossing and turning for an hour before giving up for the moment and turning my light back on. I read when I could and enjoyed a few pages of the third Dune book. My heart was beating rather quickly, so I took my anxiety meds and turned the light off once again. This time I was able to sleep and woke up as a twelve-year-old.

"Happy birthday!" Maddie greeted me with enthusiasm, jumping onto my bed in the morning. I slept with short sleeves, showing my scars, but Maddie didn't seem to notice. Mackenzie would surely say something, though, which I wasn't ready for.

"Thank you! I'm excited!" I grinned. "I feel pretty much the exact same so far."

"You look older."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, Mads."

The morning went quickly; Melody returned from the sleepover and gave me an early birthday gift, a science fiction book by Iain Banks. Melody also came along for the show preparation, planning on taking a nap to catch up on missed sleep.

I made sure to eat a full breakfast before the rehearsals started, as I was in quite literally half of the numbers performing, and there were students as young as five in the show.

Abby wasn't around the dancers, luckily, and I kept myself busy with dancing and socialization all through rehearsal, when we had a twenty-minute break before the actual show started. I would begin the entire showcase with my solo from last year's national championship, a technical contemporary piece called "California." Its storyline was powerful, as it was about a girl who ran away from her unhappy home to a new, hopeful place. I poured a lot of emotion into it every time.

The audience clapped once I was done, but I barely heard as I rushed to change into a new costume. I think I did well overall, but honestly the day went by in a blur. Before I knew it, it was time for the last two numbers; this was complicated because it was the Senior competition team's group dance then my "Justice" solo, which I would have to perform in my red sequined costume. Not the greatest scheduling choice on the organizers' part.

The number was jazz, with lifts and a lot of turns. It was going great until Peyton, who was supposed to be lifting me around her head, let go unexpectedly and I dropped. I was able to land safely and do a leg hold to keep up with the music but it was an odd moment.

"What the hell, Payton?" Killian turned on her the moment we got offstage, but I didn't have time to worry about it; I had thirty seconds to prepare for my solo.

"It was a mistake," Peyton defended herself. "Joanne's fine, right?"

"Yeah. Can you guys argue somewhere else, please, if you're going to?"

I did the best I could emotionally in the solo, fighting through the exhaustion that was starting to pull at me. I finished the solo, bowed to the audience, and left the stage to grab some food. Brooke hugged me tightly.

"You did so good! Happy birthday!"

I smiled. "Thanks. It's quite a lot to do but I enjoy it. You looked great onstage as well."

I refueled and changed into practice clothes before heading back onstage for awards and scholarships. A lovely little girl called Sarah whose mother was off the rails (keeping her from joining the team, unfortunately) got the scholarship for the Mini category, Maddie received the Junior scholarship, and Nia received the Most Improved award. Then it was time for the Teen category, which would be tight. Peyton seemed to think that she would get it, but I thought that Killian would.

"Your 2011 Teen scholarship winner is..." Abby paused for dramatic effect. "Also winning a full scholarship, Joanne Ziegler!"

I grinned, caught off guard. Brooke urged me forward and I stepped up to take the plaque from Abby. "Thank you," I told her in shock.

"It's also her birthday, so wish her a good day!" Abby told the crowd, who clapped in appreciation. I returned to the group I'd been standing with, and Peyton was fully scowling at me. I ignored her.

Killian was apparently considered a Senior dancer though he wasn't actually old enough, as he received that scholarship. That tracked, he deserved it. This was his last year at the ALDC and he'd be headed straight to Broadway in two months, a dream come true for him. I suppose I wasn't actually a Teen, just competing in that age group.

"You need a shower," Aunt Melissa informed me when she saw me. "I bet you do after your... dance."

Aunt Melissa rolled her eyes. "Cathy can take the spotlight, Maddie and Mackenzie didn't get their talents from me."

"I really like Cathy. It's pretty funny that the producers want to paint her as a villain."

"Oh yeah, she's already a close friend," Aunt Melissa agreed with me. My cousins approached, looking tired but happy.

"Let's go! I want to eat cake!" Mackenzie squealed. I let her pull me to the car.

The house was all set up when I returned; Melissa's fiancé, Greg, had clearly put in a lot of effort. He was a nice man, not overbearing, and Aunt Melissa didn't argue as much with him as she had her ex-husband, Kurt, who was not bad, just not a good match with my aunt.

I smiled and hugged Greg, thanking him. There was a nice vegetarian meal on the table, and the smell of a cake from the kitchen. Chocolate and coffee, my favorite. Killian, Ursula, Nia, Brooke, Paige, Chloe, Brandon and another senior dancer Kaeli showed up toting presents. I hadn't ever gotten presents or any sort of celebration when I was living with my parents and so this made me feel warm and loved.

"This is delicious," I said over the polenta. "Thank you, Mr. Gisoni."

"It's Greg, hopefully I'll be around for a while," he responded lightly. "And I love cooking."

I had a good time opening up the presents; Melody gave me a new game, Aunt Melissa gave me my next pair of pointe shoes and Greg gave me a poster of my favorite animal, the snow leopard. I got stuffed animals from the entire younger competition team, as I didn't have many and loved them, and the rest of the Dune series as a combined gift from Kaeli and Killian. Ursula gave me a framed photo of us dancing a duet together last year. Holly, Christi and Kelly got me books, which was very nice of them.

I enjoyed my evening, eating plenty of cake and playing board games with my friends and family. I was ready to go to bed by nine, but Aunt Melissa told me to stay up for a few more minutes.

"We have one more gift," she told me. I blinked. "You didn't need to, this is more than enough already."

"You'll love it. Stay there and close your eyes."

I did so, a bit nervous, and was very confused when my aunt placed something moving and furry in my lap. "What-" I opened my eyes to see a cat, an adult gray tabby with long fur and yellow eyes, leaning against my chest. "Whose cat is this?"

"Yours! We went to a shelter to find a pet for you, and this one caught our eye. Her name is Misty. She's four and has been at the shelter for more than a year. She's very sweet, loves to cuddle and sleep with humans and is great with little kids."

I put my arms around Misty gently, tears forming in my eyes. "I love her. Thank you so much." The cat purred and rubbed her head against me, closing her sweet eyes.

I may have been cursed with horrible biological parents, but God had blessed me with a wonderful found family.