Chapter 1

"Chlo, are you ready?" Chloe's mother, Christi, called from downstairs.

Chloe's mind was filled with annoyance upon hearing this and she closed her eyes in distress. The girl groaned, placing her pillow tight over her ears and tried to get some more sleep. Normally, she would be sound asleep by this time. However, Abby, her dance teacher, thought that the elite team was falling behind, so they were asked to rehearse in the mornings too. Apparently placing in the top three spots wasn't good enough for Abby. If spending their afternoons and evenings at the studio wasn't enough, now they also had to attend it for almost a complete day, instead of just enjoying their last days of summer vacation, like any other kid their age would be doing. They might as well get a salary off of it because recently dance had become more of a job than an extracurricular activity with all of this pressure.

Moving her pillow aside, Chloe's mind unavoidably drifted off to thoughts of all of her previous dance years. She tried to search for a reason why she had thrown herself into this nightmare. When Chloe took up dancing, she was only two years old. Perhaps that could be why she used to be excited to dress up in unimaginably elegant costumes at that time. It wasn't as exciting nowadays. Sometimes the themes were just repetitive or even boring. Chloe could even remember her very first day at the studio and how she couldn't help beaming proudly at her clicking tap shoes. That was also the day when she met someone who would become her best friend. Her name was Paige Mackenzie Hyland, and she was so ridiculously alike to Chloe that everyone would joke that they were the twinnies. That day, the two blondes just walked up to each other and shyly linked arms. They didn't even talk; their arms seemed to fit perfectly together. Their friendship had blossomed quickly after that, and now their picture lay on Chloe's bedside table.

Chloe Lukasiak had gone through a lot of change since those days. Now, she dreaded her dance class. She hated it when the appointed hour got close, and she had to go to the stupid dance. She had felt this way for months. Enjoying dance had become quite impossible for her recently. Chloe had to keep a very tight schedule; arriving at four and retiring at ten while dancing nearly every hour. She didn't even take tap anymore, and ballet, her favorite style, had lost its appeal with time. Also, to top it all up, her dance teacher bullied her. It all started with a few comments about how she wasn't keeping up with the rest of the girls, which in her opinion wasn't even true. However, Abby's studio started to get very successful and the fame went right up to her head. She started treating some kids badly, and favoring others. Chloe had been on the lucky side for years, unlike her friend Paige, but lately Abby had even picked on her physical appearance. Abby was finally showing her true colors, and neither the girls nor the moms were too happy with it.

"Chloe!" came her mother's voice again. "If you don't hurry, you're going to be late!" She had been saying that to Chloe and her sister since Chloe was five. It almost seemed as if that was her motto. However, Chloe was never late.

Squeezing her eyes shut and opening them again, Chloe sighed, and mentally counted to ten before answering her mother

"I'm coming," she yelled, her words fading into the warm summer air.

Then she stood up from her blue, purple, and pink bed, and straightened out the wrinkles. She folded the edge of her comforter and fluffed her pillow. Finally arranging her pillow and bolster back in place, she walked over to her window and looked out over the backyard.

It was an early Monday morning in late August, and forty-six minutes from now, Abby would be assigning pyramid spots. Usually, Chloe was pretty confident that she would receive a good position. However, in the last dance competition, she had come in second place to Maddie. Chloe did win an Expressive Heart award, which she felt was even better than first place, but she kept this feeling to herself, knowing exactly what Abby would say: "Second is the biggest loser on the stage."

Snapping out of her trance, she started her daily pre-dance routine. She opened her drawers and picked out a blue and pink chevron patterned top and its matching booty shorts before laying them on her bed. Then she grabbed a black leotard, pink tights, tan jazz shoes, some turners, her arch stretcher, and pointe shoes, quickly packing them inside her dance bag. Once Chloe had slipped into her dancewear, she brushed her hair, pulling her thick blonde locks into a high bun, and securing it with bobby pins and a hair net. She slipped in a purple flower clip just towards the side of the bun, complimenting her outfit.

After washing her face, she applied a thin layer of mascara, concealer, and some lip-gloss. Then, walking back to her room, she quickly grabbed a navy knitted jersey and slipped on some boots. After picking her dance bag, she headed downstairs.

On one side of the living room, her little sister Clara was watching cartoons while she happily sucked on a lollipop. Sitting on the couch, her mother was impatiently scrolling through her Twitter feed.

"You're finally down," Christi looked up from her phone and smiled at her older daughter. "Chloe, don't you dare let that crazed woman belittle you," Christi added reassuringly as Chloe plopped down beside her on their couch. "You were amazing on Saturday, and you should be proud of yourself. I know I am." She hugged Chloe warmly. "I love you, my beautiful dancer."

Chloe always smiled at this, but sighed heavily nonetheless. She'd been hearing that for too long now and nothing had changed. Quite honestly, Chloe couldn't even remember the last time her teacher had given her positive feedback on anything. She couldn't even remember the last time she had a genuine smile that actually meant something.

"Chloe," Christi continued, catching her daughter's attention, "Listen to me. I'm sorry that you feel so unhappy. I know you don't want to go to dance jail. I don't either, but you have to get ready." She cupped her daughter's face in her hands, making her gaze directly into her deep chestnut eyes. "Look, you know that Abby is never going to treat you fairly, no matter how great a dancer you are, but we also know you are a better person than that woman ever will be. Don't let her bring you down."

Chloe bit her lip. Her mother was certainly right about at least one thing: Abby was a biased teacher who shamelessly played favorites. Unfortunately, her opinion mattered, because Abby Lee Miller made stars and if she didn't like Chloe, then she would be doomed in the business. This meant she had to prove that she was a good dancer, that she could be in first, and that she had real potential. There was no alternative. Otherwise, Chloe would have her head handed to her on a silver platter.

After listening to her mother's pep talk, she checked one last time to make sure all her things were in her dance bag. She scooped it up and slung it over her shoulder before finally exiting their house.

The morning sun rose over the horizon as magnolia white clouds dotted the azure blue sky. A smile graced Chloe's lips as the wind ruffled her messy bun. Once she had reached the car, Chloe climbed into the front seat of her mother's SUV. Shutting the door and pulling out her phone, she fired off a text to Maddie, one of her teammates:

Heading 2 the studio. U coming?

Her mother pulled out of the driveway as Chloe slid the seat belt around her waist. In a few seconds, she got a reply:

Of course! I'm already here warming up. C u soon :)

Angrily, Chloe dug her nails into her palm. She loved Maddie. Everyone did. But couldn't she be absent for one day? Why did she always have to be early and ready while the other girls were still tripping over their own feet?

About fifteen minutes later, Chloe and Christi pulled into the parking lot of the Abby Lee Dance Company. Chloe hopped out and immediately stumbled over the untied laces of her right boot, but kept on her feet and sprinted into the building. As she entered, she slowed to a brisk walk. She quickly waved at Gianna, who was sitting at the front desk, smiling as sweetly as always, and then walked into the dancer's den.

"Hey, guys!" She pasted on a huge grin and hugged Maddie. "You look amazing! You too, Kendall. Love that skirt, Nia! And that shirt looks great on you, Kenzie." She smiled at Maddie's little sister, who was wearing a floral tee that said 'Found my bae'.

Then something clicked. Brooke and Paige were nowhere to be seen.

It was no wonder what had happened, not after Abby and Kelly's brawl. At their last competition, the girls' mother and Abby had gotten into a fight, splashing drinks, pulling their hair, and even throwing punches. It was not a surprise that Brooke and Paige were gone, after what their mother did.

"Girls, let's go!" Abby's voice cut through Chloe's thoughts. "Is there something going on out there? No? Move it!"

No answers were needed. The submission on the girls' faces was enough for the instructor to understand she had made herself clear. Then she walked back to the adjoined room, knowing the girls would be following right behind her.

Usually, the team raced to the studio, but today they dragged their feet and sucked in their cheeks. The atmosphere was tense and heavy, and no one wanted to be the first to be bombarded by Abby.

"I told you all," Abby announced clearly, the moment Nia's second foot entered the room, "that the face of the Abby Lee Dance Company is changing, drastically. I'm sure you're all wondering about the pyramid." She cleared her throat. "First, I have an announcement: Brooke and Paige Hyland are no longer members of this team. I didn't want them gone, and I certainly wasn't planning on replacing them. Unfortunately, their own mother took care of expelling them from this group." Abby coughed again, shaking her head.

The group of girls all wore different expressions but the root emotion was all the same; they felt loss and, from that loss, anxiety. The team wasn't complete without the Hylands. They were a very important part of it, and without them, the group dynamic would never be the same.

"So," Abby decreed, pointing over at the covered headshots on the mirror. They were placed in the same pyramidal disposition they had followed for years, yet there were only five pictures now. Then, Abby peeled off the paper covering the last headshot in the bottom. "On the bottom, we have Nia. You made an obvious mistake in the group routine. After your grand jeté, you landed out of line, so that Mackenzie missed her cue to move. We went down like dominoes."

Nia inhaled deeply, her facial expression screaming shame, and nodded. Only Abby could make her feel this way.

"Also on the bottom is Kendall. You were good, hon, but I'm waiting for you to be great. Did you really use your face and claw your way into the heart of every single judge on that panel? Absolutely not."

Kendall searched for Abby's eyes hesitantly and when she met them, she halfheartedly faked a smile. Then, they traveled down to the sprung floor. Chloe could only hope she'd be placed higher on the dreaded pyramid.

"Lastly on the bottom is Chloe. You lost to Maddie, and you were barely mediocre in the group dance. If your mother was honest with you like she used to be, you'd improve much more." Abby's eyes were cold as she uttered those words.

Chloe could feel the venom dripping from them, but knew better than to react, and decided to shrug it off. Christi grimaced as she gave Abby an exasperated eye roll.

"Moving up on the ladder is Mackenzie. You were gorgeous, and your lines were flawless. The missed cue wasn't your fault, and you pulled it back together as best as you possibly could."

Mackenzie nodded. Her mother Melissa continued to gaze innocently at Abby, knowing that Maddie, her other perfect daughter, would be on the top as usual.

Abby peeled off the white sheet of paper covering the picture on top. "Lastly, on top of the pyramid is Maddie. You had the overall high score, and your solo was majestic." She praised the brunette. Maddie wore a radiant smile in response, but it seemed somewhat fake. Chloe wondered if deep inside she was tired of being at the top and felt sorry that the other girls never got their chance to shine.

"Now, I have an announcement to make to you all. I have found a team that is just like all of you. Each of you will go up against one member of this team. The girl from the new team that impresses me the most will be on top of this pyramid. Any one of you," Abby's stare skated over them, "that doesn't impress me will be switched in a heartbeat. Everyone is replaceable. Am I clear?"

They all nodded with concern.

At this point it was official. Abby was trying to destroy the original seven—now only five remained.