CHAPTER 17: Class A Competes

That evening back at the hotel, Andrew and I were on our way to the vending machine. When I passed by the Everetts' room, the door was open a crack, and I could hear Jason's voice saying, "Look, Mum, how much longer do I have to ride in this wheelchair? It's getting bloody annoying, not to mention embarrassing."

"I'll tell you what, Jason," Diann said. "Since you've been showing a lot of signs of improvement, why don't we just push you up to the front door of the school, then we'll let you walk around as long as you hang onto someone's arm. How's that sound?"

I thought that sounded like a great idea. Ever since Jason was released from the hospital, he's had to stay in that chair, and I could tell he was getting sick of it. I know I would be.

"Okay. Fair enough," Jason said.

Good for you, Jason, I thought. I was glad he wouldn't have to stay in that chair much longer.

The next day was the last day of the competition. The Class A groups were finally going to get a chance to strut their stuff. We had to get up early, as usual, and after breakfast, we were off.

When we got to the school, just as I'd hoped, Diann kept her promise to Jason. At the front door, she set the brake on the chair, then she and Kristy helped Jason up before Diann folded up the wheelchair and put it in the corner, and he clung to Kristy's arm. I could be wrong, but I think he likes her. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if they decided to get married someday.

We got to the auditorium and took our seats, and soon the competition got underway. The first group to perform was a group from a town in Ohio called Coshocton, and they were called Essence. They were good, but they weren't nearly as good as the Company, which was the last group to perform.

The first thing I noticed about them was that they were an all-black group. Their costumes were really something. The guys had on black skin-tight short-sleeved jumpsuits with red, black, and green sequins on the collars and around the sleeves. The girls had on black satin knee-length dresses with the same color sequins on the top half, nude pantyhose, and black character shoes. And let me tell you, they ROCKED!

The highlight of their show was "Dancing Machine" by—you guessed it—the Jackson 5. It was the guys' number, and let me tell you, their choreography just blew our minds. They did this really cool dance called the Robot, where their bodies were moving—mechanically? That's the right word, isn't it?

Anyway, what really surprised me was when Manette, the kid with the dreads, did this unbelievable spin on the balls of his feet. He was spinning so fast that his dreadlocks were literally suspended in midair, and when he stopped, they flopped down over his shoulders. A few of them landed right under his nose, but with a defiant sneer, he brushed them away and kept going.

Jessi and I both gasped, then looked at each other in amazement. Also, while Manette was singing, I noticed Jessi staring dreamily at him. Everyone in that auditorium was clapping and moving to the beat. I think I even saw a few of them dancing in the aisles. In my opinion, that was not only their best number, but they were definitely a candidate for the Grand Champion award.

On the way back to the hotel, we couldn't stop talking about the Company, if we tried. "Weren't those guys totally amazing?" Jenny exclaimed. "I've never seen anyone dance like that before!"

"Yeah, no kidding!" Natalie agreed. "What'd you think of that one guy with the dreadlocks? Wasn't he awesome?"

"I'll say," Becca grinned. "And did you notice how Jessi was staring at him?"

"I didn't," Rosie said. "I was too busy getting into the song. And let's not forget that one group called the M & M's."

"Why'd they have to pick a name that sounds like candy?" Bobby asked. "That's like if we decided to call ourselves the Skittles."

"Well, in our costumes, that's kind of what we looked like," David Michael pointed out. The rest of us rolled our eyes and groaned, even though he did have a point.

All the while, I looked out the window and thought about the competition in general. I thought everyone had done a great job, and wondered what awards everyone would win.

Later that evening, we went swimming in the hotel pool. I kind of wished that Jason could've gone with us, but I also knew that he still needed his rest. Oh, well.

This pool was amazing. It's shaped like a giant crescent moon, and has a low-dive, a high-dive, a sprinkler right in the middle, and a spiral-shaped slide. Andrew loved that slide so much, I think he must have gone down it twenty times.

"Hey, Kristy!" I called. "Kristy, do you have your camera with you?"

"Yeah, it's under my towel," she said. "I'll be right back." She climbed out of the pool (no ladders for her), and went over to the bench to get it.

"Okay, let's get ready," I said to my friends. Just then, Kristy turned around. Rick, Scott, and Nick had lifted us up on their shoulders, and we put our arms around each other.

"Okay, Kristy," Hannie called, and Kristy took the picture. Almost as soon as she'd finished and put her camera away, Bobby and Hank popped up from under the water and started tickling our feet. We were struggling to keep our balance from laughing so hard, and before we knew it, we fell into the water. Hannie went first, and she pulled Nancy and me right in with her. Call me crazy, but instead of clobbering those two, we were just laughing hysterically.

All in all, a great day.