Her sister had been crushing on ill papi since the second she saw him. The weird thing was, ill papi seemed oblivious. No, he actually seemed uninterested. And that was completely against the laws of science. The big ones, like gravity. Boys were always turning up at the apartment with lame excuses. Hitting Sophie up for Sammi’s phone number. Trying to contort themselves into Sammi’s perfect guy.
“Okay, guys! Opening spots,” Gina called, clapping.
“We’re performing at Disney World! Can you believe it?” Sophie cried as she lined up behind Chloe. “Or wait. Is this place too wholesome for you?” Chloe went for the whole multiple-piercing, dyed-black-hair, vampire-pale skin, lots-of-black-clothes look. But Gina made her keep it down to one pair of earrings during performances.
“Are you kidding? I love it!” Chloe answered. “I know everything about it. Did you know that there are hidden Mickey heads all over the park? Like in the treasure room in the Pirates of the Caribbean, there are three gold plates that make Mickey’s head and ears. And there’s this one lamppost in Tomorrowland, where we are now, that makes a Mickey head shadow, but only at a certain time of day. No one knows exactly how many total Mickey heads there are, but—”
The Kanye track started up. Ill papi and M.J. kicked things off, moving onto the stage from opposite sides. Sophie bobbed her head, counting. She couldn’t wait to get out there.
And here it came. Her cue. Well, hers and the rest of the group’s.
Colored lights above. Florida sunlight out front. Pure dazzlement. Sophie felt like she was shining inside as she worked the moves. Somehow time had sped up. It was going too fast. She wanted to remember every juicy second.
The group spun to face the back of the stage as Sophie and Chloe moved forward and into side-by-side handstands. They moved into baby suicides—handsprings where they landed on their backs.
The crowd let out whoops as Sophie and Chloe immediately launched into backspins, then hit their feet with pop outs.
Now feet wide, lean left, roll head, and follow it around, Sophie coached herself. The rest of the group faced forward along with her and Chloe. For one moment, one beautiful moment, Sophie caught sight of her parents and Sammi clapping their hands off.
For Sophie. For Sophie’s sort-of solo.
She grinned as another pair of hands caught her attention. Giant hands. Four fingers on each. White gloves.
Even Mickey Mouse was giving it up for the Sophstress!
Hey, when the Mouse applauds you, you know you’re a superstar, Sophie thought. And for that moment, she felt like one. A full-out, tabloid-headlines-getting, red-carpet-walking, flashbulbs-popping superstar.
And it felt goood.
CHAPTER 2
“All right, who’s going again?” ill papi asked.
“Me!” Sophie yelped as she climbed out of her Space Mountain rocket ship. She, ill papi, Sammi, and Becca—the Performance Group’s other big girl, not that Sophie was counting, but it was nice not to be the only one—had already gone on Space Mountain three times. Sophie couldn’t believe Sammi hadn’t puked yet. She hated roller coasters. They made her sick.
“Ride three was the best so far. I gotta see how four will feel,” Sophie added. Even though nothing could beat the feeling of dancing on the Galaxy stage with her parents and Sammi—and Mickey—applauding.
“No way am I giving up my Fastpass for the Pirates of the Caribbean,” Becca answered. “It’s just going to be me and Orlando in the dark.”
“That’s one step above riding the pony in front of the grocery store,” ill papi said. “And you can do that for a quarter anytime.”
“Plus I don’t think Orlando Bloom actually comes with the Fastpass,” Sammi added.
“This is supposed to be the happiest place on earth,” Becca said. “If that’s true, he’ll be there.” She giggled as she smoothed her long red hair. “Y’all got Fastpasses for it, too. We’ve got to boogie or we won’t be able to use them. They’re only good for an hour.”
Ill papi handed over his Fastpass for Pirates. “I need my Mountain.”
Sophie handed her pass to Becca, too. “Maybe you’ll make it through a couple of times.” She looked over at her sister. What was Sammi going to do?
“I’m going with Becca,” Sammi announced as they stepped back out into the bright sunlight.
Maybe she’s afraid she’ll puke on ill papi if she keeps as close as she wants to, Sophie thought, trying not to smile. Because it wasn’t funny. Not at all.
“Guess we’ll see you over at the Haunted Mansion,” Becca said. The whole group had agreed to meet up there at eight thirty.
“Let’s get back in line, Soph,” ill papi urged.
“Bye, guys,” Sophie called over her shoulder as she and ill papi took off for the other side of Space Mountain, where the twisty, turny line started again.
“Forty-five-minute wait time,” ill papi complained, checking the clock on the sign posted at the front of the line.
“Worth it?” Sophie asked.
Ill papi smiled, deepening the dimple he had on one side of his mouth. “Worth it.”
“Okay. So. Would you rather be able to fly or breathe underwater?”
Ill papi stared at her.
“It’s the ‘would you rather’ game,” Sophie explained. “Would you rather be able to fly or breathe underwater?”
“That’s not how you play. It has to be, like, would you rather swim in a pool of snot or drink a glass of diarrhea?”
“That’s disgusting.”
“Right. That’s how you play.”
Sophie thought for a second. “Okay. Would you rather wear a dirty diaper on your head or go to school without pants?”
“See? Now you come correct,” ill papi said.
“So now you gotta answer,” Sophie shot back. Ill papi was the steamiest guy at Hip Hop Kidz. Probably three-fourths of the girls who took classes there would want to be standing in Sophie’s black-and-white-checkered Vans right now.
But what those girls didn’t get was that Sophie and ill papi were buds. Sophie’d always had a lot of boy friends. She’d just never had an actual boyfriend.
“Guess I’d go with the diaper,” ill papi decided.
They were still playing the game as they walked across the park at eight fifteen to meet up with the rest of the group.
“Mud wrestling in vomit or taking a shower under a sewage pipe?” ill papi threw out.
“Huh. Wait. In the wrestling, is the vomit mixed with mud or—”
“All vomit. With chunks,” ill papi told her.
“And who am I wrestling?” Sophie asked.
“It matters?”
“Of course it matters,” Sophie exclaimed. “There are some people I would gladly—”
“Over here!” Sammi called. She waved from a spot near some big tombstones in front of the Haunted Mansion. Ky, Devane, Max, and the twins were already there with her and Becca.
Sophie noticed that her sister’s lip gloss looked fresh, and she’d added a streak of charcoal eyeliner over each eye. Ooh, look out, ill papi, Sophie thought. Sammi’s ready to make another play.
Has she ever lost at anything? Sophie wondered, doing a quick review of the various Sammi pursuits over the years. She came in second in that spelling bee that time. But she had the flu. So she’ll get ill papi, Sophie figured. And pretty soon she’ll have the Hip Hop Kidz Performance Group, too.
Does she have to have everything I want? When she already has so much?
Wait. Back up. Whoa.
Sophie stumbled on the smooth pavement, shocked by what had gone through her own brain. Does she have to have everything I want? That’s what Sophie had been thinking. So did that mean—that couldn’t mean—
That had to mean that Sophie wanted ill papi as a boyfriend. Not just a boy friend.
Huh-uh. No. Just no, Sophie told herself. He doesn’t think of you like that, and he’s not gonna. You’re about to start sixth. He’s about to start ninth—like S
ammi. And guess what—you probably weigh as much as he does.
Do not enter the LIKE zone. You’ll only get hurt.
“Your sister is whack,” ill papi told Sammi. But he said it in a way that made it clear that he thought Sophie was cool. And funny. Sophie could pretty much make anyone laugh. Their parents. Teachers. Little kids. Friends. Strangers.
“Yeah. Always has been,” Sammi said, wrapping one arm around her sister’s shoulders. Sophie’s muscles felt tight. “You okay?” Sammi asked her softly.
“Sure. More than. Hey, we’re at Disney World,” Sophie answered, moving away slightly. “It’s not the okay-est place on earth.”
“So what—” Allan began.
“Are we doing now?” his twin, Adam, finished for him.
Sophie and Sammi used to be able to finish each other’s thoughts. But lately, like in the last month or so, there was just something off between them.
“Splash Mountain,” Max suggested. She used a curlicue in the black iron fence around the fake cemetery as a step so she could be taller than everyone.
Sammi automatically looked over at ill papi to see what he’d say. Can you please try not to act like a ten-year-old? she begged herself. She hated being so obvious. She usually had no problem managing herself around guys she liked. But with ill papi . . . Maybe it was because he was the first boy she’d crushed on who didn’t crush back.
“Well, Sammi promised to take me on the Peter Pan ride, so that’s what we’ll be doing,” Ky announced. “We’ll see you guys back at the bus.”
“What?” Sammi burst out.
“Oh, come on,” Ky told her, his dark eyes bright with amusement. “You know.”
“Peter Pan? Green tights, never-grow-up, flying Peter Pan, Peter Pan?” Devane asked, hands on her hips.
“I hear about this at school, and I hunt you down,” Ky told her. “But yeah. See, I had a very scary experience on that ride when I was four. Sammi promised to go on it with me, help me get over my phobia. In the very dark Peter Pan ride.” He grabbed Sammi by the hand. “Let’s go before I chicken out.”
Ky started walking, tugging Sammi along with him. She followed—because his bizarre behavior had made her brain shut down. For a few moments. She stopped dead before they got anywhere near Fantasyland.
“What’s going on?” she asked, pulling her hand away.
“I’m helping you out,” Ky said, giving her this I-know-everything smile.
Sammi flicked her hair out of her face. “I don’t need any help.”
“Yeah, you do. You want ill papi to notice you. Maybe he will if he sees some other guy’s interested. Especially a guy like me. Tall. Good-looking. Athletic.” Ky started walking again.
Sammi stared after him. She looked over her shoulder. The group was out of her sight. Was Ky right? Sammi didn’t play little games like that with boys. But maybe ill papi did need a little extra . . . motivation.
“Ky, wait up.” He didn’t turn around, but he did slow down. Sammi still had to jog to catch up to him. He had long legs. “So are we really going on the Peter Pan ride?”
He gave a laugh-snort. “I don’t care. It was the first thing that slammed into my brain.”
“It made you look kinda weak,” Sammi told him.
“Yeah. I wanted to get a hot girl alone in a dark ride. I doubt the guys were thinkin’ I was weak.” Ky smiled at her.
“So it just slammed into your brain. Huh.” They headed toward the entrance to Cinderella’s Castle. “Just slammed in there,” Sammi repeated, widening her eyes as she looked up at Ky.
“Okay. Okay. I did get scared on that ride when I was little,” Ky admitted, sounding a little less cocky. “Captain Hook jumps out at you. And a crocodile. And it’s loud.”
“We’re definitely going on,” Sammi told him as they walked out of the sun into the dimness of the castle. “So, uh, is it that completely obvious that I . . .” She couldn’t make herself say it. Why had she even started?
“That you looove ill papi?” Ky joked.
Sammi punched him on the shoulder and realized she was having a Sophie moment. She was doing the boy-as-friend thing. “I don’t love him. But is it obvious?”
“I’ve seen enough girls look at me that way. That’s how I knew,” Ky bragged. Sammi punched him again, and he laughed. “I doubt ill papi’s locked on it. He’s fifteen, same as me, but, I don’t know, he’s not a playa.”
“And you are?” Sammi teased. They walked into Fantasyland together.
“Sure,” Ky said. “I mean, I’ve had a girlfriend before.”
“Once?” Sammi pressured.
“Once,” Ky admitted. “Almost once,” he added.
Now it was Sammi’s turn to snort-laugh. Hanging with Ky was actually a little more fun than hanging near ill papi.
Well, sort of.
“Your plan was brilliant,” Sammi whispered to Ky on the bus back to the Hip Hop Kidz dance studio. “Ill papi is about to explode from jealousy.” She could see him clearly. Three rows ahead. Opposite side of the aisle. Sitting next to her sister. Both of them laughing, looking like they were having the time of their lives.
“Some plans take more than a day,” Ky answered.
“He hasn’t even looked at me since we got to the bus,” Sammi pointed out. He’s been too busy enjoying the Sophie show, she thought.
But why shouldn’t he? Sammi asked herself. Sophie is fun.
She had to stop thinking about ill papi. She was making herself insane.
Ill papi laughing. At everything Sophie said.
This just felt . . . wrong. Sammi was the older sister. And truthfully, she was the prettier sister. Sophie was the cute one. Even though she was a little overweight. But everyone said Sammi was beautiful. They just did.
“What are you thinking?” Ky asked. He shook his head, following her gaze. “As if I didn’t know.”
Sammi was glad he really couldn’t read her mind. She didn’t like what she was thinking. But she couldn’t stop herself.
It should be me over there with ill papi. Sophie was completely great. But Sammi was, well, Sammi.
CHAPTER 3
You are here to represent, Devane told herself as she walked into the dance studio. You are here to show Gina that you are the perfect Hip Hop Kid. You are here to get off probation.
That was the only step in her three-year plan to world domination right now. Nothing mattered except being able to perform with the group again. At least in time for the nationals and the world championship.
If Gina and Maddy are even going to let us perform in any of the competitions, a little voice in Devane’s head whispered. Devane ignored it. Getting off probation. That was all she was going to allow herself to think about right now.
“Yo!” Fridge called from over by the sound system. Ill papi stood next to him.
“I got my pictures back from Mouse World,” Max exclaimed. Devane hadn’t realized she was in the room. The Fridge’s body had totally blocked the tiny girl from sight. “Come look.”
“Show me in the locker room after class,” Devane answered. She set her water bottle down against the wall across from the other three and stepped into a lunge. Gina liked them to do individual stretching before class. It wasn’t a rule or anything. But what Gina liked, Devane was going to give her.
“You look at them, Fridge,” Max insisted. “I have a great one of you after you got soaked on Splash Mountain.”
“Later,” Fridge said. “Right now we need to deal with the Southeast regionals. Do we just flat out ask Gina?”
“Ask, maybe. But don’t tell her and Maddy how to run things.” Devane knew from experience that didn’t fly.
“It’s not fair how she and Maddy don’t act like it’s our decision, too,” Max said as she put her pictures in the pocket of her warm-up jacket. “We know if we’re ready to compete. And we’re ready to compete!”
“If we were in a street crew, like the one J-Bang used to roll with, we’d be deciding for ourse
lves,” ill papi agreed.
“M.J. was sayin’ you had some sweet new moves from your pops. Maybe if you were working on them when Gina came in, she’d realize we are more than ready to bring it to the Southeast—even without Devane,” Fridge said. “If that’s even the reason, you know, that they haven’t said anything about us going to the regionals.” He shot her a “sorry” look.
“You should do it, ill papi,” Devane urged, without interrupting her stretching.
Emerson, Sophie, and Sammi came into the room together. “Do what?” Sammi asked. Of course she wanted to know. It had to do with ill papi.
“We thought if ills was showing off some of his new moves —straight from the J-Bang—it might get Gina thinking we’re ready for the regionals,” Max explained.
“Better hurry. Gina’s going to be here in a few,” Devane warned.
“The moves aren’t new. J-Bang just helped me get them to perfection,” ill papi explained. “Check it.”
Ill papi launched into a basic top rock, the footwork most b-boys used when they hit the floor, just to get going. Then he dropped to the ground and into a jackhammer.
Talk about your zero to sixty, Devane thought. Hopping around in a circle on one hand in the hand glide position, where your body was pretty much parallel to the floor, wasn’t easy. Devane had the hand glide, and she had the cricket, where you were in the jackhammer position but used your free hand and your legs to help you hop up and down. Hard as she worked, though, even she couldn’t even make one full circle doing the jackhammer. And ill papi was still going. Dang.
Then ill papi went into a freeze. A planche. No. In a planche—basically a handstand with your body horizontal instead of vertical—you used both hands. And that was killa. Ill papi was using one hand. One. And holding it. And holding it. And holding it. Dang again.
A flick of movement caught Devane’s eye, and she realized Gina was standing outside the classroom, looking in through the observation window.
Devane switched over to ankle circles. Notice what I’m doing here, Gina.
Bust a Move Page 2