With a spin, a twist and a sneer, our dance was over and we
strode apart, leaving room for Chloe in the middle. Lowering my arms, I blew
out a breath and waited. Alistair spoke almost immediately after the crowd died
down. “And that’s why you two are the top two dancers. You are both so strong
and fierce. This has been one of the most amazing seasons of So You Think You Can Dance and it’s all
in part due to you two.”
“Thank you,” Alice said smugly, standing up taller and
smirking.
“This has been a dream,” I breathed. “Thank you for the
opportunity.”
“A class act to the end,” Carmen smiled. “We should be
thanking you.”
“Before we announce the winner, let’s take a look at both of
your best bits,” Chloe said. On the screen, our story wove together and it was
a combination of our best performances, rehearsals and camaraderie with the
cast. I had more of the latter, but they gave us equal time. When the video
ended, the lights came up. “In a record-breaking vote, America’s Favorite
Dancer is …”
I took a breath, focusing on my thoughts, my dad, my
friends, Edward and my future. Whatever
may come … I can do this.
After the fifth elimination, I went back to the house. I
wanted to stay in Edward’s apartment, but my roommate from the show had been
eliminated and I wanted to be there for her. Maggie was flummoxed and shocked
that she had been eliminated. Yes, I was having a difficult time with
everything in my personal life, but I still supported my friends. Maggie needed
me. I was not going to leave her hanging because my issues were pulling me
apart at the seams. Though, I wished that Alice would have gotten eliminated. I
was pissed when she was deemed safe along with me.
Oh, well.
She just needs to go
away … evil bitch from hell.
In a small victory, my mom was banned from the studio,
thankfully. I can’t say the same for my phone, though. I’ve had to turn it off
and purchase a burner cell because of the hateful messages my mother continued
to send me. I just turned off my cell, pushing it into the dresser under a pile
of dance clothes. Eventually, I’d have to change my cell phone number, but I
didn’t want to deal with that now. My mom’s own special brand crazy will be
dealt with after the competition.
Ignorance is bliss, they say.
“I was really hoping that I was going to stay,” Maggie
sniffled as she packed her bags. “That weird jazz piece really did me in and it
didn’t help that my solo sucked to high heaven.”
“Your solo did not suck,” I countered, handing her some
clothes from her closet.
“Bella, it did,” she laughed sadly. “But, thank you for
saying that it didn’t. My movements didn’t match the music. I was freestyling
and ugh … it was not good. As much as I hate leaving here, I deserve to go
home. Though, again, I wish I was staying.”
“If it’s any consolation, I wished you were staying, too.
We’re stuck with Malice for another week,” I said, wrinkling my nose.
“Soooooo not going to miss her,” Maggie sang. “She is such a
bitch. She totally puts on a show for the cameras, but when they stop rolling,
her true colors come out and they are not pretty. I feel for Jasper.”
“He’s still fawning over her?” I asked.
“He is. He told me that he sees a softer side to Alice and
that she’s not all bad,” Maggie shrugged, zipping up her duffle. “I think she
has him completely snowed, too. I told him that if he goes out with her, to
watch his valuables and to get tested afterward if they bump uglies. She has
that certain ‘skank’ appeal. She did fuck that camera guy.”
“Don’t remind me,” I deadpanned.
“In my opinion, she should have been eliminated with that
incident. I just don’t get it,” Maggie said, her phone beeping. “Oh, Sergei’s
here. We’re taking a long road trip up the Pacific Coast Highway. Your sort-of
date with Edward convinced me to do it.”
“Have fun and be careful around the Palisades. People like
to fuck next to rocks,” I giggled.
“Noted,” Maggie laughed, walking over to me and hugging me
tightly. “I’ll miss you, Bella. You better win, kick Malice’s ass!”
“Just for you, Maggie,” I said, kissing her cheek. “Go crump
your fiancé!”
“Oh, I intend to,” she beamed, lugging her bags out of the
room.
Edward and Bella's Broadway Number
"Kiss of the Spider Woman"
Group Hip Hop Number
"Ready Or Not, Here I Come" by District 78, featuring Cheesa
I was an anxious nervous mess. It had been a couple of days
since I’d last heard from Bella. I knew that she needed time, but my impatience
was making me sick. I really wanted to talk to her before rehearsals began for
this week’s show, especially since I wanted Bella to be one of the featured
dancers for the piece I had choreographed.
“Edward, you need to stop pacing,” Peter quipped, his feet
on my cocktail table. He was in town for the premier and to watch the show. He
was mooching from my fridge. “The girl will call you. Maybe she’s dealing with
some shit.”
“This whole competition, she’s been dealing with some shit,”
I growled, sitting down on the couch. “What if she decided that we’re not worth it? What if Alice
convinced her that …” My phone interrupted my irrational rant. I nearly fell
over my own feet to answer it. “Hello?”
“Jesus, Cullen,” laughed Rose. “You sound a little
desperate, bub.”
“Shut it,” I growled. “What’s the deal, Rose? Why hasn’t she
called me?”
“I love my roommate, my sister from another mister, but that
girl has a stubborn streak a mile long,” Rose said. “However, Jacob, Maggie and
I have told her that she needs to pull her head out of her ass. Alice is still
acting all smug, making everyone
believe that you really had hooked up with her. Bella needs proof.”
“I’ll give her proof. I’ve already spoken to Carmen and
Alistair, getting the raw footage of our rehearsal,” I explained. “I’ll show
her that Alice was the instigator in this whole charade.”
“Good,” Rose said. “I’m going to give her what for once I
get off the phone. Can you be here at the house in like an hour?”
“I’m on my way,” I smiled. Rose, while the master
kiss-blocker, had turned out to be a valuable ally. I wasn’t going to give up
on Bella. Alice’s manipulations had driven us apart, but I was determined to
not walk away from something that was potentially life-altering. I hung up the
phone and gave Peter an anxious smile. “Wish me luck.”
“You won’t need it. You can just give her a crooked grin and
swivel your hips, she’ll be falling at your feet,” Peter snickered.
“I’ll have to do more work than that, Peter,” I deadpanned.
“Bella’s trust in people is shattered. You saw what happened when Tyler gave
her grief about being injured. He’s still trying to crawl out of the hole he
dug for himself.”
“Edward, you and I both know that Bella is not going to walk
away from you,” Peter said. “Now, go win back your girl and tell her all of the
dirty deets about Malice.”
“Malice,” I snorted. “I like it.” I picked up my laptop and
the rough cut footage of what happened with me and Alice. “Wish me luck.”
“You won’t need it, but good luck,” Peter said, flipping on
the television.
“What’s with the scowl, Edward?” Emmett asked, sipping his
beer. “Did someone piss in your Cheerios? Your girl did great! She was a
favorite and …”
“She did phenomenally, Emmett, but we had a moment
interrupted by her best friend,” I grumbled. “I was going to kiss her when Rose
burst in, talking about spending some time in the pool.”
“I’m assuming you didn’t kiss her,” Emmett said, arching a
brow.
“You assume correctly,” I sighed. “I was this close, Em. This CLOSE.” I held up my fingers
millimeters apart.
“It doesn’t surprise me that Rose ruined the moment,” he
spat. “She is a total diva and a nosy busy body. I don’t like her.”
“Rose? She’s not too bad and totally not a busy body. She’s
got shitty timing, but she’s not a diva. She’s hard as nails and Bella’s best
friend. They have been through a lot together. The diva, however, that would be
Alice Brandon,” I deadpanned.
“True,” Emmett replied. “She’s been nothing but a pain in
the ass to her cast mates. Bella, in particular, is dealing with the brunt of
her divaness.”
“She told me,” I frowned. “Alice is so fucking manipulative.
I’m afraid that she’s going to do something to Bella. Sabotage her or ruin her
chances to win.”
“Have you expressed your concerns to Alistair?”
“I told him about Alice during callbacks, but he said that
regardless of her character, she was a hell of a dancer,” I sighed. “I’m not
going to deny her talent, but I just hope that Bella doesn’t get burned by
her.”
“From what I’ve heard, Bella ain’t taking shit from Alice,”
Emmett snickered. “But, I’d keep a close watch on her, just to be safe.”
I nodded. “Who do you think is going to be eliminated
tomorrow, Em?”
“I don’t know. There were a few performances that were
subpar. Chelsea and Ben’s jive was awkward. They had no chemistry and neither
one of them looked comfortable with the choreography,” Emmett said, sitting
back on the couch. “But, I think the worst couple was Kate and Garrett.”
“Their Broadway number was a hot mess. I can’t believe that
Garrett dropped her,” I shuddered.
“They are beautiful dancers and it was
shocking to see them look so disjointed.”
“It was a difficult lift. I’m surprised that Spencer put
such a challenging lift into the choreography,” Emmett said. “During the first
week?”
“I guess they’re weeding out the weak links,” I suggested.
“One thing for certain, Bella is not a weak link,” Emmett smirked. “Everyone
loved her. I listened to the crowd as they left and almost all of them are
voting for Bella and Tyler. She has this innocence about her that appeals to
almost everyone in the audience and out there in their living rooms. On top of
that, she’s sweet and genuine.”
Opening for the Results Show
"Beautiful People" by Marilyn Manson, District 78 Remix
