The Callback by Maddie Ziegler

Author:Maddie Ziegler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin

CHAPTER

13

Guess what?” Lily said excitedly. “My dad hired someone for the store! Finally, one of my parents will be home, and I can have someone over. Can you come over this weekend and swim?”

We were standing in the dance studio hallway. I was heading into my private lesson with Vanessa to practice my solo. Megan was in with Vanessa now. Lily had finished hers before Megan, and we’d agreed to meet up to hang out. If ten minutes in a hallway could count as “hanging out.”

“Oh, that sounds so fun,” I said. I thought about how fun it was to go over to her house and swim. Back home, summer was totally over, but here, even though it was fall, it was still hot enough in Florida to swim. Lily had these mermaid tails we could wear and—wait! Mermaids!

“Actually, sorry, I can’t,” I groaned. “I have Little Mermaid rehearsal on both days. There’s only two weeks until the musical.”

“But aren’t you only in one dance?” Lily asked.

“Yeah.” I nodded. I didn’t have to be there for every rehearsal, but I’d found that when I didn’t go I felt left out. I really liked being a part of that. “But I’ve ended up helping with all of the dances. It feels like I can be helpful when I’m around. Even Mrs. Elliott asked me if I could come. How cool is that?”

“Cool,” Lily said.

“Plus,” I said, “it’s nice to be there, so it’s like I’m part of the whole thing. I really like them.”

“Ah,” Lily said. “Yeah, it would be nice to be part of that.”

“I have to tell Vanessa about it today,” I said. “I’m running out of time. I thought maybe we’d know who got the solo by now, you know?”

“But I feel like we have no time together at all. I feel like I never see you anymore,” Lily complained. “Just to hang out, not in dance class or without the team.”

“Trust me, I know,” I said.

“Okay, how about going to Sugar Plums?” she asked hopefully.

“I want to say yes, but”—I sighed—“along with play rehearsal, Megan has me booked on our partner trick both Saturday and Sunday with Vanessa or somebody. Ughhhh.”

“Ugh,” Lily said.

“I know, right?” I said. “I wish Megan had picked someone else for this. Be glad it wasn’t you.”

“Wellll,” Lily said flatly. “I don’t know about that.”

When Lily looked away, I realized I’d said something dumb.

“I mean, I’m happy for you that you’re getting all of these parts. You get to be in the school musical with no audition! Megan and Vanessa picked you to do the partner trick for our group dance. I know you’re stressing. It’s just, other people don’t get those opportunities,” Lily blurted.

She was right. And she was upset.

“I—” I wanted to explain, but the studio door opened.

“You’re up!” Megan said. “Harper, I love your leo.”

“Thanks!” I said. I was wearing a long-sleeved leotard for the first time. Even though the days were hot, Florida nights were starting to get a little chilly.

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