You can't buy everything. Can you? / Emily Thomas

My heart skipped a beat. My mouth opened wide. I swear there were tears in my eyes. This all came about from a poster. The poster was advertising the 6^th and 7^th grade dance team. The team 5th grade girls were not allowed on, until now. The sign had informed us that they had one spot left and that if a fifth grade girl was talented enough she could get on the team.       

            “What you looking at, Tanya?” Carla called. I watched Carla’s thick dirty blond hair bounce as she walked towards me. Her big brown eyes starred straight into mine. She was so pretty and I was… well I was normal. I had normal blond hair and normal pale skin. The only feature I liked about myself was my blue and green eyes.

            “Look,” I said pointing at the sign. I knew right away she understood, but there was no way she would ever try out for the team. She didn’t dream about dancing the way I did. She doesn’t spend all of her allowance to pay for the dance classes her mother can’t afford. She doesn’t spend hours on her weekend practicing routines she made up hoping someday that people will dance them. She doesn’t commit to every free musical she’s ever heard of just in hope that she will get a dancing part. Carla doesn’t do those things.           

The day seemed to go almost slower than before. I knew that it was due to my excitement that it felt as though time slowed down. Tic Toc. Tic Toc. I hated waiting for the bell to ring. Every minute felt as though it was an hour. By the time lunch rolled around I felt like I had lived a lifetime. Everything seemed to be going according to plan until I saw Marcie Smith. Marcie Smith was the richest girl at Charlie hills middle school. She was very wealthy but she was even meaner. However the worst part is she was extremely mean to me. I am her prime target because my mother works as a maid at her house. So she and her friends refer to me as the mini maid. I knew I would get on the team before she did. I’d been to her house when my mother couldn’t get anyone and seen her. Once I by accidentally walked into her room, not to long while ago, when my mother had asked me to get the laundry and saw her dancing. Or at least what I thought was dancing. It looked more like she was just jumping around and playing music at the same time. Even if you call what she was doing jumping around, she didn’t look good.

            “Are you trying out for the team?” she smirks.

            “Actually I am, are you?” I ask.

            “I am, but your really trying out, I didn’t know they let garbage try out,” she makes her friends laugh.

            “They don’t, so I guess you and your friends can’t try out, what a bummer,” I retort.

            “Can you even afford a uniform,” she begins and my happiness falters, “Oh don’t worry, next year, if you make the team you can have my old uniform.”

            I turned around and began to walk away as I heard laughter fill the halls behind me. Then I heard Vanessa Messina, a girl who followed Marcie around, make a snappy remark about me and then a wave of laughter came roaring from behind me.

            I breathed loudly and stared at the doors waiting for them to open, though I knew I had to open them myself. The day had passed by so quickly after my encounter with Marcie. I took a deep breath and pushed open the doors. As I did my dancing and then some flips and summer salts I saw the 6^th and 7^th grade judges expressions, their blank expressions. None of them even smiled or frowned. We were required to perform a routine of our own choreography. Then they would tell us some dance terms. Once I finished my audition I looked up at the three girls to find them all smiling and clapping.

            “You are definitely the best we have seen all day,” the first judge on the right said.

            “Your chances of getting the spot are pretty good, considering that there is only one person left to tryout,” the person sitting next to him encouraged me.

            “Thank you for trying out,” the only one who hadn’t spoken smiled.

            I walked out the door only to find Marcie waiting on the other side. She looked at me with an evil eye.

            “I heard what they said, you’re the best, for now,” she said lifting her eyebrows.

            “I am the best, for now and forever,” I replied.

            “We’ll see,” she retorts walking through the doors to her tryout.

            When I got home I from school I was still smiling I couldn’t help it. I was the best or at least that’s what the 6^th and 7^th grade dance team judges had said. I could just imagine the look on Marcie’s face when I was on the dance team. I could just imagine Carla smiling face when she heard the news. I could almost see the yellow and green uniform waiting for me. I could almost feel it’s soft texture. I could almost taste the feeling of accomplishment. I could almost hear the screaming of the fans watching us perform. I could almost smell the sweat, the good kind of sweat. I could, almost.

            The next morning I watched as the team came out in their new uniforms. I didn’t think they could afford new uniforms with our school budget, but I still filled up with hope. Then I saw Marcie following behind them.

           “A gift from my mom,” she said obviously talking about the new uniforms. The girls who held tryouts kept looking down. My eyes stared coldly at the team and specifically Marcie. I understood now, I understood clearly now.