The National Reach for the Stars dance competition in Atlantic City, New Jersey, was never something Miss Toni took lightly. But this year she posted the date three months ahead of time on a huge hot-pink poster on the wall and outlined a schedule of rehearsals, costume fittings, and private lessons that made Scarlett’s head spin. To compete, a team needed to place first in at least one regional competition. Which made both Dance Divas and City Feet eligible.
“This is in our home state—so it’s even more important that we sweep every category,” Toni began. “People from all over are going to be coming to watch us. Do not embarrass me. But most important, don’t embarrass yourselves.”
She posted a list of solos, duos, trios, and three group routines. “You’ll learn all of these, and I’ll decide which ones are good enough to enter,” she continued. “I thought we’d try out a few of the dances this weekend at the Dance Divas Studio showcase.”
She turned to Gracie. “You’re getting your very own solo called ‘Watch Out, World—Here I Come!’”
Scarlett expected her sister to jump for joy. Instead, she looked like she was going to be sick.
“What’s wrong, Gracie?” she whispered.
“A solo means you have to be onstage all by yourself. What if I mess up? Everyone will see!”
“You have nothing to worry about,” Scarlett promised her. “We’ll all be in the audience.”
“I know. Not on the stage!” Gracie whined. “I like group numbers, not solos.”
The more Scarlett tried to calm her down, the more nervous Gracie got. By Saturday morning’s recital, she was a bundle of nerves.
“You look so cute!” her mom said, adjusting the bow tie around her neck. It was Toni’s idea to have her wear a black velvet leotard that looked like a tux. Even Scarlett had to admit she looked downright adorable in her pigtails and black fishnet stockings.
“Just remember not to rush the back walkover,” Scarlett reminded her. “And tuck your head when you do your rolls. Don’t pop it up like a turtle.”
Scarlett heard Miss Toni introducing her dance once, twice, then a third time. “Go on!” Scarlett whispered, giving her sister a little shove. Gracie slowly walked to the center of the stage. She looked out at the audience, filled with faces she recognized: her parents, her grandparents, and her friends from school, gymnastics, and the dance studio. There were also dozens of strangers—and everyone was looking at her. She stood frozen.
“Oh no . . . she has stage fright!” Bria said. “You have to do something, Scarlett. You’re her big sis.”
Scarlett remembered how Gracie’s cheers of “Go, Scoot!” after the disastrous “Cyberbully” number had made her feel better. “Go, Gracie!” she yelled from the wings. “You can do it!” The rest of the team joined in: “Go, Gracie! Go, Gracie!” and the audience began to clap.
But Gracie’s feet remained stuck to the stage. She didn’t do a handspring or a cartwheel or even a somersault. Instead, she slowly backed away from the front of the stage. Then she turned and made a run for it.
Toni dropped the curtain, and Scarlett caught Gracie in her arms. She was crying just like the time her favorite Barbie broke.
“Gracie, it’s okay.” Scarlett tried to comfort her. “You just got a little scared. It’s your first solo.”
Gracie shook her head. “No, I can’t do it by myself,” she said, sobbing. “I don’t want to.”
“Great. We have a Tiny Terror who’s terrified of being onstage by herself,” Liberty complained. “That’s a big help.”
“Leave her alone.” Scarlett defended her sister. There had been several times in the past when she had wanted to make a run for it, too—including the time she slipped onstage. “Gracie, we all get scared sometimes. But the more you dance, the more confident you get.”
Gracie wiped her runny nose on the back of her hand. “You think so?”
“I know so!” Scarlett said.
“Uh-oh,” Rochelle said. She’d spotted Miss Toni making a beeline for their group. Scarlett knew how Toni reacted when someone left the stage without completing her dance routine. It made her see red. She hoped Gracie wasn’t in for one of her lectures.
“Gracie?” Toni asked. “What happened out there?”
Gracie’s face was streaked with tears. “I got scared. I couldn’t remember the routine.”
Toni nodded. “That happens to even the best dancers sometimes. But you have to take a deep breath and focus. You have to fight your nerves. Clear?”
Gracie nodded her head, and, thankfully, Toni went back to the rest of the showcase. Though she hated how Gracie always got special treatment because she was younger, this was one time Scarlett was happy to see her get off easy.
Gracie, however, didn’t feel that way. “I’ll never be a Diva now,” she said with a sniffle.
“Of course you will,” Scarlett promised her.
She tried to think of what calmed her down before a performance. Everyone had a little ritual: Bria crossed her fingers and toes; Rochelle said the alphabet backward. Liberty kissed her reflection in the mirror. And she . . .
“Gracie, I think I know something that will help—stay here.” Scarlett ran back to the dressing room and took a sheet of tiny gold stickers out of her bag. They were the same ones she’d used to mark her Lucky Star ballet shoes.
“Gracie,” she said. “I hereby present you with my lucky stars.”
Gracie looked at the gold foil stars her sister was holding. “They’re just stickers.”
“No, they’re a lot more than that. If you put them in your shoes and make a wish, your wish will come true.”
Gracie wrinkled her nose. She wasn’t sure if Scarlett was pulling her leg.
Rochelle vouched for her. “It’s true. They’re Scarlett’s lucky charms.”
“You mean like ‘Star light, star bright . . . / Wish I may, wish I might’?” she asked.
“Exactly!” Scarlett answered. “Give me your shoe, and I’ll show you.” She peeled off a star and placed it inside the back heel. “Whenever you dance, you’ll know you have some extra star power on your side.”
Gracie nodded, then she hugged her big sister tight. “Love you to the moon, Scoot.”
Scarlett smiled back. “Love you to the stars!”