Chapter Thirty-Three #2
We file off the bus and make our way into the school, the team nervous and excited and anxious and full of hope. We say hello to all the teams we meet.
Addie, Naya, and I peek into the audience to locate our family and friends. Naya jumps in her place as she points out her mom, who is talking animatedly on the phone. She frowns at that, but then lightens up when her mom ends the call and drops her phone into her bag.
Nathaniel Bradshaw once again looks uncomfortable amongst the huge audience, but I can tell he’s looking forward to the performance and that he’s extremely proud of Addie.
When Raven and Sophie notice us peeking out, they wave and tap my parents and Blake.
They, too, wave at us, Mom blowing us a kiss.
I look over my shoulder to call for Ryder, but see him standing on the side with his eyes glued to his phone.
He has a pained look on his face, though he’s trying hard to hide it.
Focusing back on the audience, I sweep my eyes over all the people there, trying to find the familiar faces of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett.
There are tons of people here, but I don’t see them anywhere.
I know his home life is a sore subject for him, and I don’t want to bring it up and ruin his mood when we’re about to perform, but my heart aches for him.
I wish I could say something to make him feel better, but I don’t think anything I say will help.
So I walk over to him and slide into his arms, squeezing him very tightly.
“What’s that for?” he asks with a laugh as he closes his arms around me.
“I just want to hold you.”
Moreno tells us that we’re one of the first teams to perform. That’s such a relief because we can get it over with quickly and then enjoy the rest of the performances. We immediately start to stretch.
With each passing second, my anxiety levels shoot through the roof.
Then I gather everyone in for a huddle and say, “This is it, guys! The moment we’ve been working our butts off for!
I know that each and every one of you has dedicated every ounce of your body to this routine, and I appreciate you all so much.
I’ve never been prouder of you and I know that you guys are super proud of yourselves.
No matter what happens today, we’re winners because we have the best team in the world.
I know it might be lame to say that, but I really feel that we have a special team, like a family.
I want us all to have fun and soak in every moment we’re up there.
Lean on each other’s energy because we all have each other’s backs.
And the most important thing? Let’s kick major butt! ”
We say, “Go Eagles!” and cheer as we break away from the huddle and sprint to the stage, since we’re next. As Ryder passes me, he whispers, “Mega hot,” before winking and running ahead.
When the team before us is done, the audience cheers like crazy.
I swallow, trying not to let their reaction get to me.
It doesn’t matter how the other teams perform—we need to focus on ourselves and put on the performance of our life.
If we manage to nail it, I really feel like we have a shot at first place.
We file onto the stage and get into our starting position. I feel the jitters practically suffocating the stage, but I also feel good vibes, too. As though we’re all trying to pump one another with confidence. I don’t look out into the audience because I want to focus on the routine only.
The music starts to play and off we go. Like the previous performance, each and every one of our movements is sharp and precise, graceful when we need to be and powerful when the occasion calls for it.
But what’s different about this performance is that the moves are much more complicated and complex, and I can feel the audience gasp at times, especially when we do this cool hand and foot motion that took us weeks to perfect.
I manage to glimpse at a few dancers, including Naya, and see the thrilled and pleased expressions on their faces.
None of us seem to be having an off day—we’re all totally and one hundred percent in it.
Our movements slow down as we draw nearer to Ryder and my duet.
The rest of the team flits toward the stage wings while the music grows softer and he and I step closer to each other.
As he presses his forehead to mine, he whispers, “You’ve got this, my unbelievably talented and beautiful girlfriend.
And in just a few short moments you’re going to float. ”
I don’t have a chance to respond because our routine starts and I need to concentrate.
As my body moves in sync with the music and with Ryder, I feel like I’m actually embodying my character, something I only touched on the surface during practice.
But right now? I become the princess, and Ryder becomes my prince.
Each and every one of my movements is perfect , graceful and intense and powerful and elegant.
My spins are spot on, my emotional expressions believable, and when Ryder twirls me in his arms, I stare into his eyes like I really am in love with him.
The truth is, I think I am.
The audience is so quiet, you can hear a pin drop. I don’t look out at them, but I can feel just how invested they are in our duet. The charge in the air is so thick, I swear it fills me with even more confidence than I already have.
Before our lift, I clutch onto his body like I’m supposed to and whisper in his ear, “You’ve got this, Twinkle Toes.”
Then I spin away from him and rush toward him. He wears a confident look as he grabs hold of my waist and lifts me over his head as my arms and legs extend in a graceful and beautiful form. The audience oohs and claps, and Ryder and I share a quick smile. He flips me over and we continue our dance.
Each of our lifts is successful, and each one gets more applause from the audience. And then it’s time for the grand finale.
Ryder places one hand on my waist and the other in my hand as we dance side by side.
I tear my hand out of his and turn my back to him, crumpling my body toward the floor as though I’m in pain for having to separate from the love of my life.
Ryder holds out his hand toward me with a longing look on his face, telling me that we should fight to be together, no matter how hard it is, no matter what evil witch or evil spell or evil monster stands in our way.
I rise to my feet and hold out my hand toward him, too, a look of hope in my eyes.
Then I bolt toward my love and he hoists me in the air, keeping me as high as he can as he does a spin and then a few more moves.
I really feel like I’m floating in the air, and a huge grin appears on my face.
Ryder’s arms don’t falter once—in fact, it seems like he can hold me like this for another thirty seconds.
But he carefully lowers me to the floor and then we end the pose in each other’s arms.
The audience goes wild. They cheer the loudest I’ve heard so far.
But the routine is not over yet. The rest of the team joins us and we continue the performance.
I finally have a chance to peek at the audience and see that many of them are on the edge of their seats.
From their expressions, it appears as though they don’t want it to end.
But it eventually does, and the crowd cheers wildly again. We rush off the stage and squeal and gush as we throw our arms around each other. I run into Ryder’s waiting arms and he spins me around, lifting me a few inches off the floor.
“You were amazing,” I tell him.
“ You were amazing.”
“No, you.”
“Nope.”
“Are we arguing again?” I say with a laugh.
“We sure are,” he says, laughing, too.
The rest of the team crowds around us, telling us how magnificent we were. I exchange hugs with Addie, Naya, and the rest of my team, telling everyone what a phenomenal job they did. Moreno compliments us, too, informing us that we couldn’t have done better.
Now that our performance is over, we get to enjoy the rest of the performances. Addie, Naya, Ryder, and I sit together and enjoy their routines. They’re all absolutely amazing, but they don’t have a romantic pair sequence like we had. That gives me hope that we could win.
After a few hours, the competition is over and it’s time to announce the rankings. I clutch Ryder and Addie’s hands, maybe a little too tightly. They don’t complain, though. And then I see our name appear in second place.
Naya leaps to her feet. “We got second!”
“Oh my gosh!” Addie also leaps to her feet and does a victory dance. With a giggle, Naya joins her.
I just stare at the screen, not believing what my eyes see. Is there really a number two next to our name?
“Carly!” Ryder flings his arms around me and hugs me tight. “We did it. You did it!”
“I…can’t believe it,” I whisper.
“All your hard work.” He presses his lips to my cheek. “You’re so amazing, Carly. Please, please can I kiss you now?”
I laugh before gripping the back of his head and pressing my lips to his. Some of our teammates “ooh” and “ahh.”
Then we meet up with our friends and family.
My parents hug me over and over again, letting me know how proud they are of me.
Dad even has tears in his eyes! He tells me how proud he is of me and how he can’t wait to see the day my dreams come true.
Because all he wants is for me to be happy (even though I’m still under promise to go to college for a backup plan).
Blake grins at me. “Did you really put that routine together, little sis?”
I lift my chin. “You bet your butt I did.”
He chuckles as he closes his arms around me. “That was the sickest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“Thanks, Blake.”
Then my friends hug the living daylights out of me. While I’m made into a human pancake, I notice Ryder putting on a brave face as he exchanges hugs with my parents. His eyes dart around the room, as though he’s searching for his parents. But even he knows that’s futile.
Then he and Blake do one of the handshakes they did all the time when they were kids.
Naya’s mom offers to take us all out to celebrate.
She chooses a super fancy restaurant that makes my parents a little uneasy, but she assures them a million times that she doesn’t mind.
Actually, she’s glad to do this for us kids.
We have a great time getting to know Naya and her mom better.
Ms. Jani is a tough cookie, but it’s obvious she loves Naya very much.
Naya looks like this is the best day of her life.
All the while, though, I sense a despondent cloud over Ryder’s head.
I wish I knew what I could say or do to help him, but maybe I can’t?
I have to understand that I can’t fix everyone’s problems. Maybe the only thing I can do is be there for him, and be the best girlfriend I can be.
And when he’s ready to open up and share that part of himself with me, I’ll be there.