The Callback

by Maddie Ziegler

  “YES!” We all jumped up and ran over to our costumes.

  Mine was even more gorgeous than it had been in the catalog. The orchid color was a light lavender with a little bit of shine. I ran into the dressing room with everyone, and we pulled on our costumes. I ran back into the dance studio and looked in the mirror before anyone else had gotten there.

  The mesh looked really nice against my now-tanned-from-Florida skin. I twirled my hips so the skirt could float around me. I loved it. I picked at my sleeves a bit. They were too long, but fortunately nothing that my mom couldn’t shorten.

  Lily came running in with hers on. The coppery color of her crop top and shorts reflected in the light, so she was literally shining.

  “You look awesome!” I told her.

  “Thanks!” she said. She did a roundoff back handspring in excitement.

  Trina and Riley came back into the studio. Trina struck a pose in her hot pink–and-black tap outfit, looking sharp. Riley shimmered in her multicolored costume, making it sparkle like a strobe light.

  “You guys look great!” Lily and I told them.

  “Where’s Megan?” Lily asked.

  “It’s taking her a minute. Hers is really complicated,” Riley said. She checked her phone. “Oh, she needs some help. Be right back.”

  “Harper,” Trina said once Riley had left. “How is your Mermaid cast doing with their dancing? My sister and I were just talking about how fun that was. Everyone was so nice.”

  “Aw,” I said. “They’re mostly good. Actually, the last rehearsal I was the one who messed up the dance.”

  “She ran into a giant fish and knocked over the bubble machine,” Lily said solemnly.

  “Oh, I love bubbles!” Trina clapped her hands happily. “That sounds fun! Maybe not the giant fish, though. That could be creepy. Possibly smelly, if it was out of the water.”

  “Not a real one!” I tried to hold back a laugh. “Flounder. He was in costume. Remember Flounder from when you rehearsed with us?”

  “Oh, he was the cute one, right?” Trina said. “He actually follows me now and likes my stories.”

  I hadn’t actually thought of him as “the cute one,” but . . . that was sweet! I was happy my friends could get along from both worlds.

  The door swung open, and Riley made an announcement: “Presenting . . . Megan! In her solo costume!” Inwardly, I rolled my eyes that Megan would make such an entrance.

  But when she walked in, I actually understood why.

  “Oh my gosh!” Trina and I both gasped in unison. Lily’s eyes went wide.

  Megan’s dress was unbelievable. It looked like something out of a royal wedding. You could barely see the white silk underneath all of the glittering crystals.

  “That’s crazy beautiful,” I said.

  “I know, right?” Megan preened. She walked slowly into the room and around in a circle so we could see the full view. “My mom paid extra and had them add four hundred sequins to the top.”

  “Whoa.” I shook my head. That was extravagant, but I had to admit it looked amazing.

  “That’s probably why her mom got to see the costume first,” Lily whispered to me. I nodded. Vanessa came in to the room and admired our outfits.

  “You all look fabulous,” she said. “You’re all going to represent DanceStarz very well in those costumes.”

  We thanked her.

  “Lily, Trina,” she said. “Looks like those fit perfectly. You may take them off. Trina, looks like you have a little issue with the jacket fit? And Harper, you’ll need to take up your sleeves. If your parents need a tailor, I can recommend one. Megan, that looks like it works. . . .”

  “Yup. Yup, it does. Can I take it off now?” Megan said. “I don’t want to get it icky.”

  “Yes, you all may,” Vanessa said. “When you get back, we’ll do drills. Hard-core today. The clock is ticking for competition.”

  We all groaned about drills. But we cheered ourselves up by taking selfies and pictures with one another in our costumes before we took them off.

  When I went back into the dressing room, I decided to live up to my promise to Lily. I went to stand next to Megan.

  “Why did you say that Vanessa told you that only one of us would get an outfit?”

  “Well, I never actually said that, but I honestly thought that’s what would happen,” Megan said. “And when my mom was talking to her about the sequins for my costume . . .”

  Her voice trailed off. That’s when I noticed her eyes were slightly red and puffy. It looked like she’d been crying.

  “Oh, you thought you already had the solo?” I said quietly.

  Megan didn’t say anything, but she didn’t have to. I knew that meant that she did. Maybe she’d thought Vanessa was announcing that today and had been just as shocked today as I’d been. But she would have been disappointed. Aw. I reached out and touched her arm sympathetically.

  “Don’t touch my costume,” Megan snapped. “Do you know how much four hundred extra sequins costs?”

  Oookay. I pulled my hand back. My moment of sympathy was gone pretty quickly.

  “I need it in pristine condition,” Megan said. She paused and then looked right into my eyes. “For my solo. And by ‘my solo,’ I mean . . . MY solo.”

  She flipped her hair and turned the other way. I’d been dismissed.

  We all went back into the studio. Vanessa stood in front of the room.

  “How do you like your costumes?” she asked, and we all cheered. “I was hoping this would be one more motivator. I’ve decided the time has arrived to choose the soloist.”

  We all froze.

  “Not today,” Vanessa said. “I’ve spent time with each of you and your dances, and you’re all performing very well. But really what it comes down to is how you perform onstage. Under pressure, alone, in front of people who are judging you. Each of you will perform your solo in front of an audience—here at DanceStarz.”

  She took out some papers from her bag and handed one to each of us. They were flyers.

  Come see the Squad perform their new solo dances!

  STUDIO A

  Sunday at seven p.m.

  Oh, that was both exciting and overwhelming! We’d get to show off our dances to everyone at the studio. But how we did would determine our chance to do the solo! I had to get ready and—

  That’s when it hit me. I raised my hand.

  “Sunday?” I asked. “This Sunday?”

  “Yes,” Vanessa said. “During your regular Squad rehearsal time.”

  I had my musical on Sunday. I calculated in my head. The musical was at three, and then I’d been planning to skip DanceStarz that night. I could pull it off. But it would be close. And I needed to tell Vanessa about the musical. It was time. This was going to be really difficult. I just hoped Vanessa wouldn’t get mad at me. I wouldn’t blame her. I was mad at myself for not telling her earlier.

  “I was going to tell you,” I said. “I just didn’t want you to question my commitment, especially with the solos coming up.”

  “Okay . . .”

  “I wasn’t planning on doing it, but my teacher asked me. I didn’t audition or anything, and it fell into my lap, honest,” I said.

  “Harper,” Vanessa started. But now that I had begun talking, I couldn’t stop.

  “It’s only one dance!” I said. “I learned the choreo really fast! And rehearsals were mostly during lunch! Except the one time Megan wanted us to do the partner routine so I’d get it.”

  Vanessa gave me a look. “Harper, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Slow down and explain to me what is going on.”

  “Oh,” I said. “Sorry, I’m so nervous. I’m in my school musical.”

  “Congratulations!” Vanessa said.

  Oh.

  “Thanks?” I said. “The thing is, I don’t want this to interfere with dancing. I’m one hundred percent committed to the competition.”

  “I’m happy to hear that,” Vanessa said.
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  “Does this”—I hesitated—“does this affect my chance to be in the competition?”

  She knew I meant a solo.

  “I’ll be honest and tell you I don’t know,” Vanessa said, and I slumped down. “There are many factors. Dedication is one of them. I don’t want you to spread yourself too thin. But being part of your school doesn’t mean you aren’t dedicated.”

  That sounded a little more promising.

  “It’s actually helping with my dancing,” I said tentatively. “I asked the actors to help me express emotions, like you wanted.”

  “Sounds like you’re making the most of it,” Vanessa said. “My brother played football, but he also took a ballet class with me because the dance skills helped him as an athlete. When is the musical?”

  “This weekend,” I said.

  “This weekend?” Vanessa said.

  “I know, it’s bad timing,” I said. “But the shows are just Friday and Saturday . . . and Sunday is a matinee. It will be over with before the solo competition!”

  “Well, it sounds like you’re very busy,” Vanessa said, “but working hard. Are you sure you’re going to be up for it? That’s a lot.”

  “YES!” I practically shouted at her. “Uh, sorry! I’m just . . . Yes! I will be.”

  Saturday night, the musical. Sunday afternoon, the musical—

  And Sunday night, solo auditions.

  ACK! That was a lot.

  Would I really be up for that?

  CHAPTER

  20

  I was so excited about my solo dance costume that when I got to dress rehearsal for The Little Mermaid, I almost forgot that I’d be getting another dress! I waited for the costume person to call my name for my turn.

  “Ta-da!” Zora came out in her costume, which was super dramatic as she swished her tentacles around.

  “You look amazing!” I said, and Zora curtsied. We were in the dressing room behind the middle school stage. Suddenly, it really felt like I was under the sea: Zora’s sea witch costume, the fish with their puffy felt costumes trying not to bump into each other. Seaweed, with tall reedy hats, waving around.

  “I can’t believe it’s already dress rehearsal!” Courtney said. “I’m freaking out!”

  “Where’s our Pearl?” the costume person called my name. I went into see mine. Because I’d been cast late, I hadn’t had any fittings yet, so it was the first time even seeing my costume.

  Ohhh. The costume person carried out an ivory-colored dress with a fitted tank top covered in pearls, and then a satin flowy skirt and held it up for me. It was so pretty. I would wear cream-colored ballet slippers with it.

  I pulled the costume on. I loved how it looked! It actually reminded me a little of Megan’s solo dress—a less elaborate version. I walked out onstage, feeling a little bit shy in my fancy dress surrounded by giant fish and crabs and seaweed costumes and humans.

  And, of course, my eye went right to Drew. His costume looked really simple but good on him. Jeans, a white shirt, and a red belt. Right when I looked up at him, he looked back at me. And he smiled. He was smiling at me!

  Hee!

  I gave him a thumbs-up.

  A thumbs-up? What was I doing?! I quickly put my hand behind my back. Then I gave him a weird smile. But he still smiled back. Then everyone turned their attention behind me.

  Ariel had walked out in her mermaid costume.

  “WOW,” people gasped.

  Ariel looked like the ultimate Little Mermaid, with a long red wig, a royal blue tank top, and—of course—her mermaid tail.

  “You look awesome,” I told her as she walked by.

  “Thanks. I think I need practice walking, though,” she said, laughing as she shuffled past me.

  And dress rehearsals began.

  Dress rehearsals are notorious for being the time when things tend to fall apart. And we were no exception. People forgot lines, people forgot dances, people even forgot people during some of the partner routines. But unlike last rehearsal, Mrs. Elliott didn’t seem to be stressed out. Defective bubble machines were not normal, but all of this preshow stuff seemed to be.

  “Bad dress rehearsal means good opening night!” Mrs. Elliott called out cheerfully after someone stumbled a little onstage.

  My own dress rehearsal at least went better than the whole falling-asleep-in-the-oyster-shell incident. I missed a step or two, but otherwise, it was fine.

  But I was more worried about what comes after dress rehearsal.

  THE REAL SHOW.

  CHAPTER

  21

  Showtime! I’m onstage, inside the shell, getting ready to start my number! I can hear the music for “Under the Sea” playing, and I jump out of the shell and started dancing. But “Under the Sea” stops playing . . . and my solo music for DanceStarz starts instead! I start to automatically do my own solo routine, but that means I run right into Flounder.

  Uh-oh.

  As I scramble back to try and get back into place, I accidentally run into Drew and knock him right off the stage into the pit! But instead of musicians being in the pit, he lands on a row of dance competition judges, who jump up and start to boo!

  Their scorecards all read big, fat, 0.

  “Harper!” Vanessa yells. “What happened out there?”

  “Everything was getting mixed up!” I cry.

  Then I see Mrs. Elliott stomp over.

  “Harper!”

  “Harper!”

  “Harper?”

  Oh no, not again. I opened my eyes hesitantly, and realized I had fallen asleep AGAIN in English class.

  “Sorry, sorry,” I said to Mrs. Elliott, who was standing in front of the class. Naturally, Riley was cracking up at me. I flushed beet red, hoping I wouldn’t get into trouble.

  “No worries,” Mrs. Elliott replied. “I was just taking attendance. I know you’re deep in thought to prepare for the school musical, which opens tonight. Let’s use Harper as an example of intensity for writing today. As Harper shows us, when you’re deep in thought you can tune out the outside world. This is a skill that we can actually learn while writing so you don’t get distracted.”

  And she winked at me!

  Riley and Naima stopped cracking up, and Riley scowled.

  Ha! Take that! Also, I needed to thank Mrs. Elliott for saving me.

  The rest of the school day went by in a blur. At lunch I sat with the cast, and everyone was unusually silent, except for occasional outbursts of “I’m so nervous!” and “I’m going to throw up!”

  I only had the one dance and I was nervous! I couldn’t imagine having so many lines and being one of the stars.

  That night, the dressing room was crazy! Everyone was getting their costumes and makeup on. One of the high school helpers offered to help me helped me put on stage makeup, but I was used to doing it myself for competition dance. Foundation, face powder, and extra dark makeup so the stage lights didn’t wash me out. I wound my hair up into a bun like Mrs. Elliott had asked me.

  When I was done, I looked in the mirror. I was ready before pretty much everyone! I was so used to getting ready quickly in the craziness of having one or more dances in a day.

  Everyone else was still racing around in a frenzy of bobby pins, hair spray, and mic packs.

  “Harper, your makeup looks great,” Mrs. Elliott commented. “Who helped you with that?”

  “Oh, I did it myself,” I told her. “I learned from dance.”

  “We’re running behind,” she said. “Would you mind helping the humans? They have pretty basic stage makeup.”

  “Okay!” I said. “Sure!”

  “HUMANS!” Mrs. Elliott yelled. “Anyone who still needs makeup help?”

  “I DO!” someone called out.

  Drew! As if I weren’t nervous enough! He was sitting in one of the folding chairs in his costume among the other humans.

  “Uh.” I went over to him and stood there. “Hi!”

  “Hi!” he said. “Hey! Hi! You look great.�
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  Oh! Ha! I could feel myself blushing from the compliment. We both stood there for a second before I realized he didn’t know why I was there.

  “I’m, um, supposed to help with makeup?” I said.

  “Oh!” he said. “You? Uh. Okay.”

  “I mean, I don’t have to,” I backtracked. “I know how to do stage makeup for dance, so I told Mrs. Elliott I could help.”

  “No, no, it’s cool,” he said. “Well, it’s a little weird. I don’t usually get makeup on. We don’t use it for baseball.”

  I took his stage makeup kit from him and dabbed some of the pancake onto the sponge.

  “You play baseball?” I asked him. “Also, close your eyes so I don’t blind you.”

  “Yeah, shortstop,” he said, closing his eyes. “But when Mrs. Elliott asked me to do this play, I thought it could be fun. Plus, my parents thought it would look good if I did more outside of sports. And it’s something different, I guess. Everything always seems the same around here, you know?”

  I took out the eyebrow pencil and began to darken his brows so people in the way back of the auditorium could see his expressions from the stage.

  “I kind of don’t know.” I laughed. “Everything has changed for me. New state, new school, new dance studio, now even this.”

  “You’re right,” said Drew. “Sorry, I was just thinking of me. I’ve lived here forever. Well, isn’t it kind of cool you get to have a fresh start? You can do whatever you want.”

  “That’s kind of true.” I nodded. “I still feel kind of the same, though. Except I used to know my place.”

  “Seems like you’re finding your place,” Drew said. “Everyone here likes you. You should try out for the spring play.”

  “Maybe,” I said, pleased. “I like it. But dance takes up pretty much my whole life, so adding anything like this to it is hard. You’re doing good for your first play.”

  I got out the powder and started putting it on his face.

  “I guess we’ll find out tonight,” he said. “I’ll probably screw up the dance steps and forget my lines and—Cough! Cough! Cough!”

  He spat out some powder, which I may have intentionally powdered into his mouth.

  “Did you do that on purpose?” He coughed.