Chapter 19 #2
“You’ve already met Lexi Cornell, our chief choreographer.
As Google might have told you, Lexi and I cheered together for three years for the same NFL team.
” Carole then introduces a statuesque brunette woman around her and Lexi’s same age.
“These are Adrianna Bergen, our assistant choreographer. Ruth Browning, in charge of uniforms, and Marianne Da Costa, our team coordinator.”
Jodie voices the thought in my mind faster than I can. “Bergen? Is it any relation with…”
“She’s my mom.” Gen’s smug tone pisses me off, but I see one of the cameramen turning on us. I signal to Jodie and Talia in the hopes that they’ll keep as calm as possible.
“Your mom,” Jodie bites out. “Is the assistant choreographer?”
I’m proud of my bestie for not yelling at Gen like I know she wants to.
“Jodie, Taryn, Genevieve, and Talia, is there a problem?” Carole addresses us.
Jodie opens her mouth to speak, but I rush to answer Carole’s question before my best friend can. “We were just surprised to learn that one of the choreographers is related to one of the trainees.”
Carole’s tone becomes cautious. “Is that a cause for concern?”
“Very respectfully, ma’am,” Jodie says after I give her a warning look. “Will Ms. Bergen have any say in who makes the team and who doesn’t? If that’s the case…”
“Like Lexi,” Carole explains. “And any other guest choreographers and fitness instructors we might invite to camp, Adrianna will get a vote when we make decisions. But to put any concerns over fairness to rest, like during auditions, any decision is the result of voting. Each of the people who will be coaching you and be involved in the process of turning our candidates into Shooting Stars will have a say in who makes the team. I get the final say in any matter that concerns training camp now and the team later.”
Silence descends on the arena. You could hear the proverbial pin drop.
“Our vision for this team is one that pursues excellence in every aspect. From the way you look, to your dance and performance skills, from your knowledge of hockey to the way you conduct yourselves. We won’t accept anything less than the very best. And if you’re standing in this arena today and are about to receive your trainee uniforms, it means that you were one of the top forty-two dancers out of over five hundred applicants. ”
Lexi backs Carole. “Each of you got a total score based on your dance skills, general level of fitness, looks, and the way you present yourselves. We are going to post everyone’s scores each week, so that everything is transparent and fair.
Adrianna didn’t want to join during the initial selection process, exactly because she didn’t want to give her daughter any advantage.
And while we don’t have to justify our decision making to you, I can guarantee you that Genevieve made training camp with the third highest score out of the one hundred dancers who participated in the final auditions despite being Adrianna’s daughter. ”
“That’s true,” Carole agrees. “In the effort of not giving Genevieve any preferential treatment, we ended up being tougher when we judged her. If anyone is still worried about fairness, you’re free to leave camp right now.”
A dissonant chorus of voices fills the arena as we all express our intentions to stay.
Carole turns to look behind herself, at the same tunnel where Lexi and the other staff came from.
“If anyone has any further concerns, you can come to see me in my office after you collect your trainee uniforms and pompoms from Ruth. But for now, we need to leave the arena to Coach Harrison and his Cove Knights for their afternoon practice. Please follow Lexi and Adrianna to our dance studio on the first floor of the main building. See you all in twenty minutes sharp.”
As we file down the stairs toward the guest team’s tunnel, several girls are voicing their feelings about what just transpired today.
“That’s why Gen got away with what she did to you,” Jodie says.
“I have to agree.” Talia chimes in. “They can say that they’re impartial as much as they want, but didn’t Carole and Lexi say that the living quarters assignments would be final?
And yet Gen took the room that had originally been assigned to Sam, and now my best friend has to room with the minions. ”
That’s true. “You’re right.” I sigh. “But you heard Carole. I don’t think complaining about things will get us anywhere, Tal.”
“You should listen to Taryn, Talia. She might be a slut with an exhibitionist streak and a penchant for stealing other girl’s boyfriends, but she isn’t stupid.
I’m guaranteed to make the team and to be named captain.
But I didn’t need my mom to join the trainers.
You’re forgetting that my daddy is one of the people who are paying for all of this.
Do you think there’s any way that they would cut his daughter from the team he’s funding? ”
Whether we like it or not, Genevieve is right.
“So if I were you,” she adds before strutting away toward her friends. “I would treat myself with the respect your future captain deserves. And you, Taryn. Stay away from Mack.”
I roll my eyes. “How many times do I have to tell you that Mack and I are just friends?”
“Bullshit,” Gen bites out. “I see the way you look at each other. Just know that Mack has only ever loved me and eventually he’ll get bored with you and dump you faster than an old pair of skates. Don’t come crying to me when he’ll pretend he doesn’t even know you.”
I don’t dignify her with an answer. “Let’s go get our training uniforms, girls.” I tell Talia and Jodie.
Training camp might be harder than I anticipated. Genevieve sees me as her biggest rival on the team. And she thinks I’m after her ex-boyfriend. Her connections make her not only a shoo-in for a permanent spot on the team but also pretty much untouchable.
The feeling that I have a target on my back is hard to shake as I leave the arena with Jodie and Talia by my side.