Step It Up (4 page)

Toni ignored them and applied her red lipstick in the dressing room mirror. She smoothed her black hair back into a bun and made sure every hair was in place.

“I just wish we knew what Stinky Feet was doing for the group dance,” Rochelle said. “They were way too quiet. They definitely have something up their sleeves.”

Bria flipped through the competition program. When she saw the name of their group dance, her eyes grew wide. “Guys, you better come look at this,” she said.

Liberty grabbed the booklet out of her hands. “Lemme see that,” she said. She read out loud: “City Feet will be performing ‘Don't Be a Diva,' a contemporary jazz routine.”

Rochelle's jaw dropped. “They've gotta be kidding! That is such a diss!”

Toni clapped her hands to silence them. “Enough. If they want to take a swipe at us, let them. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” Scarlett could sense a story coming on.

“Did I ever tell you about the time Justine wore my dress to the Ballet Gala?” she asked the girls.

“No,” Rochelle muttered under her breath, “but I'm sure you're gonna.”

“I had picked out this beautiful white gown with pearl beading at the waist,” she continued. “The saleswoman assured me it was one-of-a-kind, and I was so excited to wear it. I left it at the store to be shortened.”

Liberty's hand shot up. “Let me guess: Justine found an identical dress and wore it to the party to embarrass you? That is so tacky!”

“Worse,” Toni said. “Like I said, it was one-of-a-kind. She went to the store and convinced the saleswoman she was there to pick up the dress for me. When I went back to the boutique, the woman who helped me said ‘my friend' had
come to get it since I was ‘sick.' I couldn't find Justine anywhere … until she walked into the gala wearing my dress.”

Scarlett gasped. “You must have been devastated!”

Toni shook her head. “No, I found another gown that was even prettier—a pale pink one with a beaded rhinestone bodice. I could have yelled at Justine for taking my dress, but I didn't. I realized how insecure she was, and I felt sorry for her.”

“I would have dunked her head in the punch bowl,” Rochelle said. “That was low, really low.”

“Maybe so,” Toni replied. “But there's always a positive way to look at something that's negative. Just remember that today when City Feet goes out there and does their number.” She gathered her bag and clipboard and held the door of the dressing room open. “Everybody out. Game faces on. And, Anya, that bathing hat is on backward.”

Anya turned the cap around till the big, floppy bow was hanging in her eyes. “How can you tell?”

They walked into the backstage waiting area and Toni gave them a last-minute warning before taking her seat in the audience. “Do not embarrass me.”

Liberty waited until she was out of earshot. “She's kidding, right? How embarrassing are these costumes? We look like turn-of-the-century marshmallows. I'm sure City Feet will be all sparkled and sequined and glammed up.”

Bria elbowed her. “Not exactly.”

The girls looked behind them to see the City Feet team making their way toward the stage. Scarlett gasped. “Oh no!”

Addison, Phoebe, Regan, and Mandy were dressed in black shorts and black–and–hot pink satin bomber jackets that looked a lot like the Divas' team jackets. They were wearing black wigs styled in tight buns and bright red lipstick. Gracie said what they were all thinking out loud. “They all look just like Miss Toni!”

“No wonder they kept their mouths shut when they saw us,” Rochelle whispered. “They
were planning an ambush! We have to do something!”

But it was too late. The announcer had already taken his spot at the podium. “Ladies and gentlemen, we're ready to begin. Please welcome the first team in the Junior Group Dance category. City Feet from Long Island!”

Addison stepped out on the stage carrying a stool. She placed it in the corner and took a seat, crossing her legs and pretending to take notes in an imaginary notebook. The rest of the girls filed in and took their place in a straight line in front of her. As the music started, they marched around the room like soldiers in perfect synchronization, with their arms and legs straight.

“Okay, this is creeping me out,” Bria said, peeking out from the wings to watch them.

One by one, each of the girls shed her jacket to reveal a hot pink sequined crop top.

“I told you,” Liberty said. “Sequins!”

Then they unpinned their buns and let their hair flow free. Mandy did a perfect roundoff back handspring while Phoebe and Regan did
fouettés
around her. Finally, Addison—who was clearly playing the part of Toni—clapped her hands together and the music came to an abrupt stop. She pointed to each of the girls, and they became “soldiers” once again. She gave the audience an intimidating stare before the lights onstage went black.

“I don't get it,” Gracie said. “Was she trying to be a mean Toni?” The audience and the judges didn't quite know what to make of the whole thing. There was a long pause before they applauded.

“Where is Toni?” Scarlett asked Bria. “Is she freaking out?”

Bria scanned the audience for her teacher's face. “I don't see her.”

“Oh my gosh, she was probably so embarrassed that she left!” Scarlett exclaimed. “That
was the meanest thing I've ever seen. That was even mean for Justine.”

“And that was just our first number,” Mandy said, suddenly appearing behind them. “Wait till you see my duet with Phoebe.” She wiggled her pointer finger in Liberty's face. “You are so going down.”

Rochelle waited for Liberty to say something—anything—to zing Mandy back. But Liberty had nothing! Mandy skipped away, gloating.

“You're unbelievable!” Rochelle shouted at Liberty. “You insult me and everyone else on this team, and now—when we could actually use that big mouth to defend our team and Miss Toni, you zip it?”

“I agree with them,” Liberty said. “Our costumes are lame; our dances are lame. I mean, come on, have you seen Bria and Anya's star dance?”

“Hey!” Anya piped up. “I know the costumes are ridiculous, but the dance is pretty good.”

“Excuse me?” Bria shouted. “My mom and I
worked for hours on these costumes. They are not ridiculous.”

“Maybe ridiculous is a strong word,” Scarlett said, trying to calm them down. “Maybe what Anya meant to say is that they're a little loud.”

“Loud?” Bria bristled. “You think my costumes are loud, Scarlett? I thought you were on my side.”

“Look, your dance is no worse than our monkey routine,” Rochelle offered.

“I like monkeys.” Gracie tried to put her two cents in.

“Stay out of this, Grace Face,” Liberty shot back.

“Hey, don't call my little sister that,” Scarlett said, stepping between them.

“You do!” Liberty said. “On the bus this morning, you said she was an annoying baby.”

Gracie's lower lip started to quiver. “I am not a baby!” She burst into tears.

“Gracie, cut it out,” Scarlett said, frustrated. “If you don't want anyone to call you a baby, then don't act like one.”

Just then, a voice boomed over the loudspeaker. “Next up in Junior Group Dance, Dance Divas with ‘By the Beautiful Sea.' ” The girls were too busy arguing to even hear their team being announced.

“Yoo-hoo,” Mandy said, waving at them. She and her teammates were watching all the fireworks they'd caused. “I think that was your cue, Dance Dummies. Oopsies!”

Scarlett froze. “What? Did we just miss our entrance?”

“You did,” said a stern voice. Miss Toni had come backstage to see what was holding up her team's performance. She looked furious. “Get out there this instant!” She tossed the beach ball at Rochelle.

The music was already playing and they were a beat behind and had to fight to catch up. Gracie was standing a foot too far to the left.

“What are you doing?” Scarlett said, grabbing on to the back of her bloomers and trying to pull her into line with the others.

Gracie tugged and Scarlett felt the fabric rip in her hands. The bloomers tore in half, and peeking out from under Gracie's costume was a pair of pink pig undies!

“Oh my gooshness!” Gracie yelped when she felt a draft and realized half of her costume was missing. She ran offstage in a hurry.

As the rest of the girls struggled to continue the dance, the ball soared over their heads. Each Diva was supposed to catch it midair and pass it on.

It was Scarlett's job to hold the ball as she did a side aerial. “Watch it, Anya!” She tried to warn her teammate as she accidentally kicked it out of her hands doing her
fouetté
turn.

“I got it!” Rochelle whispered as she did a graceful split and stretched forward to retrieve the ball. It rolled away from her fingertips and wound up under Bria's feet.

“Whoa!” Bria exclaimed, as she started her reverse leg hold turn. The ball rolled under her foot, and she lost her hold and toppled
over. Still, she managed to pick it up and throw it at Liberty, who wasn't about to let anything detract from her
grand jeté
. Instead of catching it, she kicked the ball out of her way with all her might.

This time, the ball flew off the stage and bounced right off the lead judge's head. Scarlett couldn't look—not at the audience, not at the judges—as the Divas took their bows and walked back to the wings.

“That was a complete train wreck!” Rochelle said. “The audience was laughing at us.”

Scarlett rubbed her temples. “There wasn't one thing that went right. Miss Toni is going to kill us.”

“You're right about that,” Toni said, glaring at them. “I have never been so humiliated in my life.”

“Not even after City Feet made fun of you? 'Cause I thought that was more humiliating,” Liberty pointed out.

“My own team, making a fool of me onstage
by botching the choreography, running offstage, falling on their butts, and assaulting a judge was much worse,” their teacher said, scolding them. “I don't know what to do with you girls.”

“We still have our duets,” Bria said. “We'll do better, Miss Toni, we promise.”

Toni didn't look convinced, but she didn't look angry anymore either. Just sad and tired. She went back to her seat in the audience.

“I think we really disappointed her.” Scarlett sighed. “I feel bad.” She turned to Liberty and Rochelle. “The only thing we can do is pull out a win in the Duets. We're counting on you guys.” Their monkey routine was fourth up in the category, and they had only a few minutes to change into their costumes.

Rochelle nodded. “I'll do my best banana split,” she said. “Get it? Split? That's dance humor.”

Scarlett tried to smile but she had a sinking feeling the day's drama was far from over.

“Just remember to keep the count,” Rochelle reminded Liberty as they warmed up and waited their turn backstage. “One and roll and two and roll and three and …”

“Roll! I get it!” Liberty snapped. “Let's just get this over with it.” She scratched at the fur on her monkey suit. “This thing smells like it's been in a litter box.
Eww
.”

“
Shhh
,” Scarlett hushed her. She pointed to Gracie, who was sniffling in the corner. “Let's cut the kitty talk, okay? Someone is really upset.”

Liberty rolled her eyes. “I'm not the one who tore her costume, Big Sister Scoot.”

“It was an accident,” Scarlett insisted. “And I pinned it back so you can't see her undies anymore.” But she doubted she could convince Gracie that the tear had been unintentional. Gracie refused to speak to Scarlett or even look in her direction. As far as Gracie was concerned, Scarlett did it on purpose to get even with her for ruining her leotard and tights. There was no convincing her otherwise.