Chapter 19 - One Clean Chance
The make-up audition was held in a public arts center three days later.
No Brightwood staff.
No Vivian.
No hidden scoring sheets.
No parents allowed behind the curtain.
Just Lily, three judges, a pianist, and one clean chance.
Emma stood in the hallway with Carla and Ava.
Lily bounced on her toes.
“Nervous?” Emma asked.
“I feel like I’m going to throw up.”
“Good.”
Lily stared at her.
“What?”
“That means you care.”
“You’re terrible at pep talks.”
“I know.”
Lily smiled.
Then her name was called.
Before she walked in, she grabbed Emma’s hand.
“If I mess up—”
“You keep dancing.”
“What if I fall?”
“You get up.”
“What if they don’t pick me?”
Emma looked directly at her.
“Then nobody gets to tell you that means you weren’t worth seeing.”
Lily nodded.
Then she went in.
The door closed.
Five minutes felt like an hour.
When Lily came out, she was crying.
Carla rushed forward.
“What happened?”
Lily laughed through the tears.
“I finished.”
That was all she knew.
Results would come the next morning.
That night, Emma received a call from an unknown number.
It was Vivian.
“I hope you’re proud of yourself.”
Emma nearly hung up.
Then Vivian said, “Brooke won’t speak to me.”
“That’s between you and Brooke.”
“You destroyed my family.”
“No. I stopped you from destroying other people’s kids.”
Silence.
Then Vivian said something softer.
“You think Lily will thank you in ten years when dance has broken her heart?”
Emma looked at the old regional medal on her dresser.
“Maybe not.”
“Then why do this?”
“Because she deserves to choose what breaks her heart.”
Emma ended the call.
At 7:02 the next morning, Carla screamed so loudly the neighbors came outside.
Lily had received the City Conservatory scholarship.
Full tuition.
Summer intensive.
Featured youth performance.
Ava tackled her onto the couch.
Carla cried.
Emma laughed until she cried too.
Then Lily’s phone buzzed with another email.
She read it.
Her smile faded.
“What?” Emma asked.
May you like
Lily looked up.
“They want me to perform at the investigation hearing.”
