Chapter 1

Mackenzie's POV

"Why can't you be more like your sister?" Abby yells at me. I run out of the room crying. Why can't Miss Abby understand that I am not my sister? Ever since I can remember, Miss Abby has always compared me to Maddie. But I am not Maddie! Why can't she see that?

Maddie and Kendall walk through the door to check on me. But Maddie is the last person I want to see right now. I keep running away from Maddie, but she won't leave me alone! Kendall holds Maddie back and tells her to wait for a second, while she speaks to me, but Maddie doesn't want to. After all, she argues, she is my actual big sister. Kendall manages to calm Maddie down and comes to speak to me. I tell her everything, even the things I have been forbidden to tell anyone.

"Miss Abby won't realize that I am not Maddie! I am an entirely different person and I don't want to just be known as Maddie's little sister! I want people to know that I am my own person! And to make matters worse, Mom isn't even here." I yell.

"Wait. What? Where is your mom?" Kendall asks.

"Oops. I wasn't meant to say anything. But I can trust you right, Kendall?" I ask.

"Of course you can!" Kendall exclaims.

"Well, Mom is on a business trip to California to make more money to pay for dance. The only people who know are Maddie, me, you and…" I pause.

"Yes, keep going! Who else knows?" Kendall urges.

"It's Miss Abby," I sigh.

"Wait. Who's looking after you then?" Kendall wants to know.

"It's –" I start.

Maddie bursts through the door. "Miss Abby wants you. NOW!" Maddie yells.

"Ok, ok, we're coming, Maddie!" Kendall exclaims.

Maddie runs out of the room. "Kendall, I need to tell you who it is. We are staying with… Miss Abby," I say.

"Miss Abby? How? What? When?" Kendall asks.

"Ssshh! No one can know! Ok?" I explain.

"Yeah. I know. I won't tell anyone. But can I tell my mom?" Kendall expresses.

"No! Nobody can know!" I yell.

Maddie comes back through the door. "HURRY UP!" she screams.

We follow her back through to Miss Abby. Back to another horrible rehearsal.

Chapter 2

Kendall's POV

This was huge! Kenzie had just told me that Miss Abby was looking after her! But, I had absolutely no idea how Miss Abby was behind the scenes. Was she nice? Or was it possible that she could be… No. I don't even want to think about that. Kenzie is fine! Maddie is Miss Abby's favourite and Miss Abby adores her. Of course she is nice to them. I wish I could tell someone! Mom, Paige, Brooke, Nia, anyone! But I promised Kenzie I wouldn't tell anyone! I have to keep my promise. Don't I?

"KENDALL! Daydreaming won't get you onto Broadway! Focus unless you want to be replaced!" Miss Abby yells.

"Yes, Miss Abby," I reply. Kenzie glares at me. I never daydream in class, so I think she could tell I was thinking about her. I better focus for the rest of the lesson. Or else, I might get kicked out of the team. And leave Kenzie defenceless. Poor Kenzie.

"KENDALL! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO STOP DAYDREAMING? 25 pushups, and after that you can explain to the class what you were daydreaming about. I do my pushups, and then stand up. "Care to tell us what is distracting you so badly, Miss Vertes? Miss Abby asks.

I have to make something up on the spot. I can't break Kenzie's promise!

Chapter 3

Kenzie's POV

I could tell that Kendall was thinking about what I told her earlier. She never daydreams in dance! Now she's going to expose Maddie and I and when we get home, I'll have to find all my leggings and long tops. Maddie and Miss Abby will have no mercy! Of course she would never think that Maddie told anyone! I won't be able to sit down for a while.

Kendall opens her mouth to speak. I'm ready for Miss Abby's reaction, but Kendall says what I don't expect!

"Sorry, Miss Abby. I was thinking about our costumes and how amazing the competition will be!" Kendall exclaims. I can't believe it! Kendall covered for me!

"Well at least you were thinking about dance! Just start warming up please?" Miss Abby cried with a pained expression. I give a quick smile to Kendall and start warming up. After stretching we go to the group dance. This week we have an acro dance called 'Survive This'. We start learning the choreography, but I am too tired to pick things up quickly today. Miss Abby woke Maddie and I up at 3am to get ready. She wanted us to be rehearsing at the studio by 4:30, but I couldn't find my hair tie. Miss Abby had taken them all just to make me late, then she was screaming at me to get in the car or we were going to be late. I ran down the stairs with my hair down and everything was worse! Miss Abby screamed at me and threw a hair tie at me. I ran to the car and tied my hair up, as we left. I was absolutely exhausted and couldn't pick up the choreography quickly. Miss Abby was still telling me to be more like Maddie, but now I was too tired to argue. Dance would be over in an hour. I would just have to put up with her for a little longer.

Chapter 4

Maddie's POV

I can't believe Mackenzie is such a lazy brat. All she wants to do is just stay home and eat chips? Are you kidding me? Mom is paying good money for us to dance! If Mackenzie isn't grateful, mom should just let me go and Mackenzie can just stay home and become an obese chip eater. She's lucky mom's away, or she would be so close to stopping dancing. Miss Abby probably would understand. If I told her this… Mackenzie might stop dancing, for a year at least, until mom gets back.

"Everybody stop and watch Maddie. This is how you do the back handspring into an aerial. Now line up and do it yourselves. Great, Brooke! You can do better, Paige. Work on that, Nia. Do that again, Kendall, not good enough. What is that, Mackenzie? See me after class." Miss Abby declared. Obviously, Kendall will always come second to me. I am the star after all. And Mackenzie? She doesn't even try to get up to my standards. She knows that she will never be good enough to beat me at anything. Class is finally over. Mackenzie is going to pay later. And she knows it.

Chapter 5

Mackenzie's POV

We stumble into the change rooms together and get changed. Eventually, Kendall and I are alone in the room together. I pull her aside to talk to her.

"Thanks for covering for me earlier today, Kendall. And, can you hang around and only leave at the same time as us please?" I ask.

"Sure! But… why?" Kendall replies.

"Maddie will rip me to shreds as soon as you're gone, and Miss Abby will too when we get back home. I'm scared, Kendall. Don't let them hurt me again." I plead.

"I won't Kenz." Kendall promises.

We walk out of the change rooms together and go to the place where the moms sit. Jill sees me and asks me how I am. She thinks my mom is home sick, and Miss Abby has been dropping me home, but that's not the truth. Kendall asks Jill to stay and help me practise, as I wasn't really getting it. Jill agrees and we head down to Studio C. Maddie had a private in Studio D with Miss Abby, but they don't spend the whole-time practising. Kendall helps me go over the dance and when Miss Abby comes out of the studio and sees me and Kendall working hard, she huffs and walks off with Maddie in her trail. Kendall hi-fives me. Miss Abby couldn't complain about us this time! The score is one to us and… a million to her. I sigh. At least we've made progress?

Chapter 6

Kendall's POV

My nightmare is coming true. Miss Abby really is horrible to Kenzie, but to make it even worse, she's sugar sweet to Maddie. Maddie is horrible to Kenzie too and her life is miserable. I have a plan, but Kenzie doesn't know. I'm going to surprise her and make sure Miss Abby can't say no. Kenzie is going to have a sleepover, and we'll save her for at least a night from Maddie and Miss Abby. We run out of the studio and go to the room where Mom is talking to Miss Abby. I go up to both of them and ask if Kenzie can sleepover at our house. Mom doesn't mind, but of course, Miss Abby has excuses.

"I'm not sure Melissa would approve, sweetie," she replied.

"Why don't we call her then, Miss Abby?" I ask sweetly.

"Oh, we don't want to bother a sick Melissa, do we Maddie?" Miss Abby declares. Maddie shakes her head smugly.

"But if we're taking Kenzie off of her back for a while, won't she be happy and be able to rest more?" I ask.

"I… I guess that's true. We can call her I guess." Miss Abby gives in. We find Melissa's number and call her. She answers with a remarkably realistic cough.

"Hello, Melissa Ziegler-Gisoni speaking?" she mumbles.

"Sorry to disturb you, Melissa. I was wondering if Kenzie would like to spend the night to help you rest?" I explain.

"Oh, that would be wonderful, but I need the girls home tonight. They are helping me get ready, I have a business call from Australia tonight," she replies.

"Oh, ok. What about tomorrow?" I ask. There is a pause. Melissa is trying to think of more excuses. But she obviously can't because she answers with this:

"I guess she can. I don't see why not," she sighs. We thank her and hang up.

"We really must dash. I have to get the girls home to help their mom with the business call," Miss Abby stated. We all run out of the door, but not before I tell Kenzie the good news. Kenzie squeals and I tell her she just has to get through tonight. Kenzie groans at the thought of tonight. We part after a huge hug and I wish for the best for her.

Maddie's POV

Somehow, stupid little Mackenzie has managed to get Kendall to trick us into letting her have a sleepover. I can't believe her. Mom has given us Miss Abby and she has just thrown her away. I tell her to just wait until we get home. Miss Abby and I are going to give it to her then. If only the cameramen followed us home, they'll get even more drama. The little rat must have told Kendall and then she told her to trick Miss Abby and Jill into letting them have a sleepover. If I can crash this sleepover, Miss Abby and I might just start to be respected by her. Miss Abby has kindly supplied us this place to stay, food to eat and lovely separate bedrooms, all out of the goodness of her heart. But Kenzie doesn't care how nice Miss Abby has been. She is so selfish, that all she cares about is herself. Just you wait, Kenzie, just you wait.

Kenzie's POV

I climb into bed, bruised, battered and sore. I didn't know just how much Maddy and Miss Abby would give it to me. If I had known, I would have begged Kendall for help. Tomorrow night, Jill will surely see all my bruises and realise something is wrong. She will ask me to tell her everything and I will. This nightmare will be over, and I'll be back with my mom. She will understand. But what will happen to Maddie then? Even if she is mean, she is still my big sister, and I don't want anything to happen to her. When I wake up, it'll be a new day and I'll be waking up to a new day of torture. At least I have Kendall to help me. But Maddie can't find out that Kendall knows, or I'll be in more pain than I am now. At this rate, having a baby will be painless, because of the pain I've been through and the pain I will be going through. I won't tell Jill that Maddie is hurting me. I'll only tell her about Miss Abby. But what if she asks about why Maddie isn't bruised and why she isn't protecting me? I can't risk it! I'll just have to make something up. And put up with them for longer. I just need to sleep on it, and I'll decide tomorrow. Kendall will look after me. I don't have to worry. Miss Abby opens the door and I dive under the covers, so she'll think I'm asleep.

"I know you're awake, Mackenzie. If you tell anyone about this, you are dead meat," Miss Abby threatens. I shake with fear, but she won't leave yet.

"I won't leave until you say yes, Mackenzie," she states. I am frozen in fear, I don't want to move or speak, but if I don't, Miss Abby will give it to me.

"Yes," I say trembling.

"Yes what?" she asks.

"Yes, Miss Abby," I reply. She pulls the blanket off of me and storms out of the room with it. I shiver in the cold air and try to get to sleep.

Maddie's POV

Miss Abby has tried to wake Mackenzie up about a million times, but no matter how hard we try, Mackenzie will not get up. I can't believe her! Miss Abby has work to do at the studio, and Mackenzie is too young to be left here! We have so much work to do, the competition in Phoenix, Arizona is tomorrow, and she still can't do any of the acro moves or our trio! If she doesn't hurry up, Miss Abby will replace Mackenzie in the trio. But if she ditches the trio, Chloe and Kendall will be upset. Well, who cares about Kendall, but Chloe is like my big sister! I don't want her to be sad! Mackenzie will not ruin this for Chloe. It's not fair! She is such an ungrateful little brat. Mackenzie will not get away with this.

Mackenzie has finally woken up and now she is taking her time to get ready. If she doesn't watch out, Miss Abby will deprive her of all of this, and she will have only dancewear to wear and she'll have to sleep on the floor. How would she like that? Maybe it would teach her a lesson though… Mackenzie is finally in the car and we can go now. Miss Abby is working hard for us and Mackenzie doesn't even care! She is so selfish. She only cares about herself.

Kendall's POV

It's already 8am and Miss Abby and the Ziegler sisters aren't here yet. Of course I know why the sisters are late, but nobody else does. Finally, Miss Abby's car just pulled up. Now we can make up for lost time. But what's her excuse? Why was he late? Miss Abby has not been late for over 40 years! I wonder if it was something to do with Kenzie. I hope she's alright. I can see her take a deep breath through the window and then she bounces out of the car, her usual happy self. But something's wrong. It seems fake today. She comes up to me and asks to speak to me privately. Miss Abby unlocks the studio and we all walk in. She doesn't seem in a good mood today, so we are all really quiet and nervous. The girls all head off to the changerooms, but Kenzie and I have our dancewear underneath our clothes, so we go to the dressing room. Kenzie pulls me into the storage cupboard. She tells me everything. About Miss Abby telling her not to tell anyone or she'd be dead meat, about Miss Abby taking her blanket, about Maddie laughing at her, about them both hurting her, about not waking up. It sounds horrible and I decide I need to help her. At least she'll be out of terror's way tonight, with us. Kenzie will see that everything is fine, and that mom and I will save her. We come out of the cupboard and Miss Abby walks in.

"I heard everything," she announces. Kenzie looks terrified. I have to protect her. Miss Abby is raging. She lashes out at Kenzie and I jump to save her…