Chapter 13 #2
“I know.” She shrugs. “Olivia told me. It’s ok, that tourist slut means nothing.
Mack is just trying to make me work for it.
He hooked up with someone else because he knows that I hooked up with the goalie of the Miami Coyotes while I was in Florida on spring break and we had just broken up.
But Mack and I have been together since high school.
Our families are close; we’re just meant to be.
I know it, and he knows it. And he was in awe of my performance. It was written all over his face.”
Talia crosses her arms over her chest. “So you think you’re in because your on-again, off-again boyfriend was one of the judges?”
A catty glint appears in Genevieve’s eyes. “I sure do. And before you get all weird, you should be guaranteed a spot, too. Your big brother will definitely give you a leg up and ask his teammates to do the same.”
One of the staff pops her head into the changing room to give Talia and Jodie their five and ten-minute warnings.
“It doesn’t matter who is sitting on that panel,” Talia decides. “You’re done with your performance, Gen. But the three of us have to concentrate on crushing our solos. And to do that, Taryn, you need a better outfit.”
Tucker’s sister lowers the zipper of the suit bag she’s been holding all this time.
“Holy shit.” Jodie gasps. “That’s gorgeous. Tar-Tar, you have to listen to Talia. You need to wear that for your solo.”
Talia’s bag contains a two-piece red outfit that sparkles under the lights of the changing room.
The halter top has a plunging neckline, and the skirt features an asymmetrical cut that resembles a flame. Micro red crystals are sawn on the garments, making them catch the light with the tiniest movement.
“Talia.” I gasp. “That’s stunning and it must have cost a fortune. I can’t wear it.”
Jodie agrees. “It’s beautiful, but Taryn is right. Why are you offering it to her?”
“Because I ordered it especially for this tryout and there must have been a mix up with measurements. It’s too big around the chest. Unfortunately, I picked it up on Friday morning, and I only tried it on last night.
So there was no way to get it fixed in time.
I was going to return it, but you and I are the same height and shape except for our boobs.
You will look amazing in this, Taryn. And it should fit you like a glove. ”
Tears well in my eyes as I touch the beautiful garment. “Are you sure?”
Talia gives the hanger to Jodie to pull me into her arms. “Positive. You go out there and slay it. I can’t wait to be teammates.”
My best friend and Tucker’s sister leave me to change into my new outfit.
I’m the last candidate left to solo. I don’t know if going last is a good thing or a bad thing.
On the one hand, if I do well, my performance will be fresh in the judges’ minds.
On the other hand, the judges will have been watching ninety-nine other dancers perform.
It’s true that each solo lasts only an average of four minutes; but they’ve been watching performances for seven straight hours with a one hour break for lunch.
Gen is the only other person in the changing room. She is finished changing out of her pink leotard and back into her street clothes; but rather than leaving like I expected, she stays.
“Can I help you, Genevieve?” I’ve put on the red skirt, but the halter top is still on its hanger.
Her smile is surprisingly sweet. “No. I’m ok, thanks. There is something I wanted to say before I leave.”
I brace myself. So far our interactions have left me with the distinct impression that she doesn’t like me. Even though we barely know each other.
“I just wanted to apologize if I came across like a bitch.” She says. “My mom and Mack always tell me to count to ten before I say what’s in my head, and I just realized that I might have given you the wrong impression.”
If by the wrong impression she means that I kinda want to make sure she isn’t hiding a bucket of blood to drop on me right before the performance, then I guess we’re on the same page.
I don’t say any of that out loud though, waiting for her to say what’s on her mind.
“I swear I didn’t mean that you won’t make the team because you’re short or anything like that.
” She begins. “I was just relaying things I’ve heard from my mom and from Carole.
I actually spent last night watching some of the performances of your college dance team after I saw Jodie in that collab, and you’re a terrific dancer.
Even better than Jodie. I think you’re going to do great out there.
And I hope that if we both get selected, we can be friends. ”
Her words leave me so surprised that I don’t know what to say.
“Mack always says that I sound so confident that I can come across as arrogant. And I realized that I do that a lot more when I’m nervous, like now.”
She sounded arrogant to the point of being obnoxious, and I don’t sugarcoat it. “You didn’t come across as nervous at all.”
Gen hangs her head. “I sounded like a grade A bitch, didn’t I?”
I open my mouth to say that she didn’t, even though I think her assessment was spot on. “I…”
“It’s ok. I know I did.” She says softly, “I’m not looking for excuses, but the reason why I’ve been so nervous is that I’ve heard what the other Zeta sisters who tried out have been saying behind my back.”
She looks genuinely sorry, and I feel bad for judging her. “What did they say?”
“They’ve been calling me Nepo Barbie because my mom and Carol were maids of honor at each other’s weddings. They’ve been saying that their friendship is the only reason why I’m gonna make the team.”
She’s the only one I’ve heard saying those things, and the words are on the tip of my tongue.
“That’s why I kept talking about it. If they accused me of it, I might as well flaunt it and act like their behavior didn’t hurt.”
Ok. It’s a slightly twisted way of behaving, but I think I get it.
Jodie did the same with her ex. The more he acted like their relationship meant nothing to him, the more she would parade a different hookup under his nose to prove to him that she wasn’t hurt by his behavior.
“Can we get a fresh start?”
I nod, accepting the hug she offers me. “Thank you for opening up, Genevieve.”
“My friends call me Gen.” She smiles, releasing me.
The same staff member from before comes to give me my five minute warning.
“Shoot.” I take the delicate, sparkly red top off the hanger and put it on. “I don’t have a bra I can wear with this. The straps will show and it doesn’t look good.”
Gen crosses her arms over her chest, observing me with her head tilted to one side. “Can you go without a bra?”
“I guess I’ll have to.” I slide my bra down my arms and pull it off.
“Yes!” Gen beams. “You have big boobs but they’re perky and they look very natural. Who did them?”
I look at her chest and I realize that she must have gotten a boob job, and she thinks I got one too. “Mother Nature, I guess.”
“Shut up!” Gen gasps. “I would have killed for boobs like yours. And my parents made me wait until I was eighteen before they allowed me to get a boob job. Can you believe it?”
I don’t think making her wait until she was a legal adult is the abusive behavior her expression suggests, but I don’t want to say anything to jeopardize our brand new friendship.
“Parents.” I roll my eyes, hoping to sound supportive enough.
“I know, right?” Gen giggles. “But without a bra, the ends of the top that go around your neck are a little too loose. You need to pin them tighter than the button in the back allows you to. Here, let me help you. I always have a safety pin handy; you never know when you might need it.”
She fixes the top behind me. “Here you go, perfect. I fastened the button for you but pinned the fabric tighter so it eliminates that tiny bit of excess slack in the fabric in the front. You don’t want to give the judges a bigger show than they’re expecting.”
“God, no.” I laugh nervously. “Thanks. I hope I don’t fuck this up.”
Gen squeezes my shoulder. “You got this. Go. I’ll be outside the audition room watching you dance on the big screen in the auditorium. Hopefully I can apologize to Jodie and Talia for my nervous blabbering, too. We’ll be there when you’re done.”
As I leave the changing room, my body is almost shaking with nervous energy.
I hear the chattering coming from most of the other candidates gathered in the auditorium. The final auditions are being filmed for the reality show that will follow the cheer team and the hockey team during their summer training.
The producers have demanded that the solo auditions be conducted behind closed doors. That’s both to guarantee an environment without distractions for every girl, and because they’re protecting their exclusive rights by making sure no one decides to film the solos on the DL.
“Number one hundred.” I hear Carole, the cheer team director, call. “You’re up.”