Hello guys! This was seriously the hardest chapter EVER to write just because there was so much damn dancing... I gave up on one song and focused on emotions rather than the actual dancing. I'll give instructions on how to find the dance videos at the end of the chapter, because you really just have to see these dances... like for reals.
I hope you enjoy!
"Okay, okay. Calm down everyone. Here are the rules for the hip-hop dance off!" the announcer's voice rang through Meg's head as she stared down her opponent, Achilles from the Demigods. Figures that in the first day of Nationals, she would go head-to-head with one of her biggest rivals.
And ex-lover.
But she disregarded that. It had been a year since he had seduced her, broken her heart, and hung her out to dry. She was over it now.
Meg scoffed. All the more reason to kick his ass.
She turned her attention back to the blond announcer who was standing in between them on stage. "You will each take turns dancing to a thirty to forty-five second segment of each song. When each new song starts, it's the other person's turn. There will be four segments total, giving you each two turns. The judges are looking for a Hip-hop dance off, breakdancing will be disregarded; this will be judged on dance alone."
Meg smirked. This gave her the upper hand. Achilles always depended on tricks rather than pure dance.
"The audience will decide the winner of the dance-off immediately after using the classic "louder cheer" technique. This will factor into your ultimate score which will be announced after the rest of the dance-offs. We will flip a coin; winner goes first."
Achilles called out "Heads," giving Meg tails.
After a second, the coin hit the stage, landing heads up. "It's heads! Achilles from the Demigods goes first, followed by Meg from DDW!"
Meg grinned. A double upper hand.
"Ready? Dance off!"
The crowd roared, as the familiar sound of scratching tracks rang throughout the stadium. Achilles got ready…
A fast rap with a repetitive but chill beat came on. Monster, by Meek Mill
Whoa, I put my jeweler on his feet. Hundred thou I used to do that every week
Achilles seemed to know the song too, hitting the slow "Whoa," and then throwing his arms up in the air and pulling them back down to the beat, his feet mimicking the motion, and then gestured to his feet on the word. A series of fast arm movements followed, and then he shook it to the left, pumping his fist upward and then punching down.
Never sleep its funny how I never speak, You see a foreign in my city that was me
He slowly pulled it around, body rolling in the process. He stepped on leg forward, popping into it, and then repeated with the other. He quickly popped both feet forward, staying on his heels, and back, almost double time. Meg had to admit that it was smooth and planned on stealing that footwork sequence for something… Later that is.
I've been sitting on that money like a chair, I've been getting to that money all year
He jumped forward, and then popped backwards, throwing in fancy footwork and hand movements. He pushed his right leg across his body and back, then popped his chest forward to drop it down. He stepped forward, getting into Meg's face, and then moved backward, giving her a "beat that" hand movement. Meg just smirked at him. Not hard to…
All year and my niggas all here, But we started from the bottom we was selling hard squares
He body rolled twice, getting some squeals from the audience, and then shook it to the right. Some more fancy footwork popped both his legs back out and in again.
The money turned me into a monster, The money turned my noodles into pasta
He scooped his body to the audience, getting low, and then body rolled it back. He popped it to the side, then forward, and then followed through with a half turn.
The money turned my tuna into lobster, They want to do me I'mma do it like a mobster
He shook it down, and then turned back to face Meg, giving her a smirk and a wink. Cheeky bastard.
The sound of scratching tracks filled the stadium again. Meg's turn, she grinned.
Yea, Dat's ugly.
Oh, she knew this one alright. Actually, she had been dying to dance to this song; Get Ugly, by Jason Derulo. Her smirk widened as the four familiar beats filled the speakers, Meg popping forward on them, her arms going down, up, across her chest, and then her right up, leading her into what she knew was next.
Bruh,
She scooped down, folding almost in half, following the slow, drawn out word, and then threw her body down, hands and feet out, and then popped back up on the drum beat that followed.
I can't, I can't even lie
She pushed to the right, then to the left, and then brought her arms across both sides of her body, mimicking the moves she just finished, her right leg popping out with them.
I'm about to be that guy
She followed her outstretched arm with her body, turning half way, and then brought both arms down to her hips, her body rolling as it followed their path. She threw her legs out and popped her chest, and then pushed them down, her legs folding in. She brought each arm up to her chest, her legs popping out with the respective arm. She threw a pop to the left, using the same "come and get it," hand motion that Achilles did earlier.
Someone else gon' have to drive me
She crossed her foot in front of the other, walking left, and then threw her hands up in the air, to lock them in front of her. She rolled her hips twice, gaining the same yells from the audience.
Home, (La la la) Home!
She put one hand out to the right, then stepped backward as she brought both up. She then crossed them in front of her, and pushed them out on the last "Home."
Bang-a-rang-rang, bang-a-ring-a-rang-rang
On each beat that followed, she moved; first, she brought her arms across her chest, popping her feet out, and then she tilted it to the right, her head following. She countered, centering herself, and then quickly moved, her hands punching forward, and then hit her hips, pulling her right leg in once, and then punched behind them, hitting every quick beat. Nailed it.
Bass in the trunk, vibrate that thang
She jumped up center, punching her right arm up, and then scooped her leg to plant her body to the audience, half-facing Achilles, while throwing her arm forward. She shook it twice toward him, her abs crying at the abuse.
Do your thang, thang, girl, Do that thang
She threw in a basic salsa move out to the side, allowing her hips to follow with the steps and threading her hands through her hair.
like la la la
She jumped out, her hands pushing down in front of her, and then popped both her right knee and hand out and back in, followed by her left knee and hand. Keeping her hands together, she pushed them up above her head, popping her chest, and rolled them down her body. On the last beat, she threw her right hand over her shoulder, twisting her hips and popping her leg.
Tell them pretty faced girls tryna grabs each other
She stepped backwards, now facing the audience, and put her right hand down, her hands alternately climbing the air on the beats. Bringing both hands to her chest and leaning her weight on her back foot, she snapped forward, sliding on one foot and running her hand over her hair sexily. She then countered, snapping downward, her legs going out and her fist punching in-between them. She jumped up, and then slid her foot across the ground in a circle, her arms pulling in front of her in a sudo-hug motion, a sexy smirk on her face. Then, she hit the beat of the music, snapping her arms up, and popping her right up off the ground across the other leg. She then rotated her arm around, changing her weight back to her right leg that she set down. She hit the last beat of the line, snapping her leg forward and her hands downward, allowing them to recoil back up.
And them all around the world sexy motherfuckers
She stuttered her body, first her hands, pushing downward twice in motion with her hip popping, and then her body, following through with a stuttered body roll. Moving fluidly again, she pulled her hands in a circular motion back behind her hips, and then grasped them across her body, one around her hips and the other placed on her cheek. On "sexy," she turned gracefully, gyrating her hips, and then planted her feet apart, sealing the deal by throwing her hips forward in a suggestive motion on the last word.
Woo! Get ugly
On the cheer, she body rolled her way out of the squat, rolling to face Achilles, her hand tracing her hair. Meg hit the drum beats in the music, first throwing her hands down and out, her heel popping out, then folding her elbows in, brought them to her face, with her heel moving back in. She then pushed her hands down between her legs, shifting her weight to her left foot, and brought her hands up at eye level, bringing her leg in. On "get ugly," she gave Achilles a smirk, mouthing the words to him and giving him the "suck it," hand motion.
On the first part of the scatting, she went into a double-time salsa move, hardening the edges to turn it into more of a hip-hop footwork style. She hit the last beat, twisting sideward and clapping her hands together.
Get ugly, baby,
On the second scatting, she rotated her hips and body, body rolling backward to the beat, earning catcalls from the audience. She hit the last beat again, snapping her body forward and clapping.
woo hoo
On the third round of scatting, Meg planted her legs, and then twisted her arms around to the beat; first to the right, then to the left, and then pulled them in a circle twice, popping her foot up and freezing on the last one.
And everybody say la la la
On the "la la la," she let go of the tension in her body, giving a nonchalant push of both her arms out and up. She pulled her leg up, spinning her body around backwards into a lyrical spin that Elsa had helped her perfect.
Dat's ugly
She hit the last beat, giving him a smirk, her hands smacking her hips.
The familiar sound of scratching came through again. His turn.
And it looks like they were slowing things down now, as the familiar tune of Usher's "I Don't Mind," came crooning through the speakers.
Girl, I don't mind (no, I don't)
He came at her, gyrating his hips in a circle twice, his arms moving in time with the rapper's voice
When you get off of work I'll be ready to go in the 'Rari
And when we get home we'll have us our own private party in here
Meg tried to catch her breath as she watched Achilles struggle to move slowly. His weakness. He used the fast words of the music to his advantage, but she could see him struggling when he tried to slow it down.
So I don't worry at all about the things they do or say
I love you anyway
She had to admit that he wasn't royally sucking, but she knew she could top him if they slowed it down for her after this. She figured they would, after all, slow music seems to be most hip-hop dancer's greatest weakness.
You can twerk it while in a split, you racking up them tips
Your body rock and your booty poppin', I'm proud to call you my bitch
Meg tried not to laugh as he body rolled and popped his hip, attempting to hit the 'twerk' motion. Apparently he still couldn't humble himself to learn from other people, because she knew Helen from the Demigods was a master at twerking; she was kinda a slut.
They be lookin', but they can't touch you, shawty, I'm the only one to get it
So just go ahead and keep doing what you're doing
Don't get her wrong, he was doing pretty well. Just as a seasoned hip-hop dancer, she could tell that he was struggling and running out of ideas.
Just in time, because his thirty seconds were up. The sound of scratching rang through, interrupting his attempt to stop himself smoothly.
Her turn.
Familiar music started playing and her eyes widened. Meeting his, she could tell he was shocked too.
It was their song.
She recalled the first time they had slept together, he had insisted in listening to music. After all, they were dancers and the beat of the music enhanced it when they moved in sync with each other. This song had come on right as they started having sex, and afterwards, he had deemed it their song.
She hadn't been able to listen to it since he left her for another girl he had been sleeping with.
She stuck her chin up; No time like the present.
After all, he is bound to have some memories, and she was determined to play with them. A smirk came on her face. Oh, she could play with him…
While I go and put this tongue on you
She tilted her head down, looking at him coyly through her lashes, moving her hips to each side smoothly, her arms following suit. She tapped her chest, looking up at him, and pointed on the last word, leaning backwards. Oh, this was going to be good.
So tell me when you ready
Then she moved. She stepped back forward, popping her arms up into almost chicken wings, and then scooped them forward, stepping with them again. She did a half pivot, bringing her arms to her chest again, and then jumped out, her arm punching in between her legs to the beat of the music.
I'ma speed it up for you just for a second,
She crunched twice to the right, and then threw it to the center, bringing her legs back together. She grooved backwards twice, her hips and body rolling smoothly, as she put one arm in front of her, and then both.
Just for a second
She scooped her right leg and arms backwards, and then turned sideways, her arms out in front of her and she switched them, throwing her head backwards and popping her hip. She jumped to face him again, throwing her arms in the air, and then brought them back down in fists to hit her hips. She rotated just her hips, focusing on isolating them. He always had a thing with her hips and stomach… Her leg followed as she turned back to the side, freezing in an almost jerky move.
Then I'ma slow it back down and keep it steady
In a series of quick movements, she moved her arms and legs, bringing her weight back forward and then setting it backwards to go into the next move.
Oooh, Now that you are out them clothes
On the beats of the 'oooh's' she rotated, moving her hips and arms twice, and then pushed backwards, body rolling twice. With her left hand, she punched upwards, jumping to the right to counter, and then did the same with the left, but using both hands. She scooped her right arm across her body, her hips following the motion, and then dropped, popping her knees outward and rotating her arm above her head.
Oooh, I just wanna see you dance in
She came back up, giving him a sexy look, and ran her hands down her bare stomach while she rolled her body. Then she stuck both arms out, one at a time, as she stepped backwards, and then ran one over her hair and stomach. She pushed downward and then came back forward, scooping her leg up and planting it on the drop. She body rolled down, prepping.
Slow motion
She came up with a sexy body roll, and then followed it with two turns of her hips, knowing by the look in his eye that she was driving him crazy. She stepped out of it, moving so her back was to him, and sliding her foot along the floor and pivoting slowly.
We can take, we can take, we can take our time, baby
On the beat of the music, she moved quickly, countering the slow movements she was just doing. She shook it, and then brought her arms up to her head and crunched downwards twice while she stepped forward again. She planted her left arm in front of her head, her right one creating an angle with it, and she moved downward and to the right and then to the left, making the angle bigger.
In slow motion
She quickly popped her legs out, shaking it to the right, and completed the move with a series of quick footwork. She locked this into a slow body roll as the music dropped again, rolling back over her hips. She then hit them with her fist twice, popping her leg and hip to the air once quickly, and then slowed it down on the second time, allowing her hips to do a full gyration before moving quickly again once the music picked up.
We can take, we can take, we can take our time, stay here
She ran her hands down her body sexily as she did a salsa step forward twice. She then threw her arms outward, her right leg following suit, and folding in half and dropping to the floor, flipping her hair downward, and body rolling back up. Another series of quick movements followed, setting her up for what she assumed was the ending.
In slow motion
She dropped her butt to the ground, her knees popping outward, as she ran her hands through her hair, and then body rolled back upward, one trailing down her cheek.
The look on his face was priceless.
She knew she had won.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Meg grinned to herself as she walked through the hotel lobby to the little convenience store. She had totally kicked Achilles's ass, according to both the audience and the judges, and thrown him off his rocker at the same time. Pride filled her; she had listened to their song for the first time in a year, had danced to it even with him standing right there, and she had no desire to run back to him.
She was long over that cheating bastard.
She smiled and looked down, watching her feet do a little skip step.
And then crashed full on into a person.
Meg toppled backwards, just to be caught by a strong arm around her waist. She looked up, catching a glimpse of familiar blue eyes, her mouth hanging open in surprise.
Hercules looked flustered at their closeness, "Oh, Meg, Hi!" His body was pressed against hers, her hands fallen on his chest.
Meg shook off her surprise, her classic 'sassy girl' routine washing over her. She raised an eyebrow at him and then glanced her eyes downward at their close bodies.
Hercules's eyebrows shot up in shock and he released her, stumbling backwards. "Oh, Meg, I'm sorry, I was just trying to… I didn't mean to…" he stuttered. "You were falling! And I didn't want you to… to fall," he finished lamely.
Meg bit back a chuckle, but didn't waste the opportunity to tease him, "Sure, Wonder Boy. I think it was just an excuse to get me back in your arms."
His eyes widened, "No no! I would never impose, it really was an accident. Though I really didn't mind," he looked up at her shyly, smiling.
Meg rolled her eyes in response. Not dealing with this again, even if he was sweet.
He cleared his throat, breaking the moment. "I just wanted to tell you that you did great tonight. You really deserved that win and it was amazing to watch you dance."
She raised an eyebrow at him. A Demigod, complimenting her on being the result of their demise? "Thanks, Demigod, but I don't think your leader would appreciate you saying that to me." She tilted her head toward the elevator door.
Where Achilles was stomping toward them.
I apologise for the lack of any other characters in this chapter, but as you can see, it is a lot of dance. It took me over five hours to write it all out! I just love you guys that much :D I'd say that there are maybe four more chapters left in this storyyyy~
To find the videos, go to youtube and search all the names of the songs with "Matt Steffanina" after it. Seriously, this guy is amazing and his fiance is the best dancer ever. EVER.
Song list:
Monster by Meek Mill
Get Ugly by Jason Derulo (I absolutly love his music to dance to, can you tell?)
I don't mind by Usher
Slow Motion by Trey Songz
If you didn't see, I have a tumblr now, under the same name (thesirenserenity). It's mostly fairytail right now, but go check it out :D
I love you all! Thank you for reviewing.
xoxoxoxo
Siren