Free Bring It On by Jasmine Beller

wasn’t going to find out. Not today. She spun around with the rest of the class. Swing kick left. Swing kick left. Elbow out. Fist up. The dance moved so fast. Devane wasn’t nearly ready for it to be over, but Emerson was already moving front and center for her solo. Getting her applause.
    Why does she get front-and- center time? Devane thought for the millionth time. She shoved the thought away. She needed to concentrate. She was almost up. She counted the beats, and there it was—her cue.
    Devane broke out from the back of the group and joined Emerson. They flashed through their moves, some in sync, some in opposition. The crowd gave it up for her, too. Her and Emerson. Devane tried to tell herself that more of it was for her. But there was no way to know. Because this wasn’t a solo.
    Then here came little Max. They all dropped low, doing some eggbeaters and slides, then using a kip up to get back on their feet just as Becca joined them, her red hair flying. More applause. For all of them. It felt good. But it would have felt better if Devane was sure it was for her.
    Look left. Follow your head around. Keep it low. Low is funky. Pump the arms, opposite hip action. Gina’s voice pounded through Devane’s head. But she didn’t need to hear it anymore. Her body had this mastered. She owned this.
    Becca moved out. Devane worked the moves. Right elbow up. Right fist up. Left elbow up. Left fist down. Switch it. She couldn’t see the audience. The lights were too bright. But she could hear them. And she could feel them. Max moved out. The crowd was sending out that same charge they’d been pumping to M.J. and ill papi.
    But this time all that energy was coming straight at Devane and Emerson.
    And in a few more beats Emerson would have it all to herself again. Devane wasn’t ready to give it up. Why should she? She was as good a dancer as Emerson. Forget that. She was better.
    Devane flashed on watching Sophie and Emerson that day Maddy had been observing the classes to choose new people for the Performance Group. Emerson had been goofing around, doing some ballet moves hip-hop style—almost like what she’d be doing for her solo at the end of the sequence. And Sophie had been clowning up the moves and tossing them back to her. Everyone had loved it. Maddy had loved it. Devane could still see the smile on her face.
    This crowd would love something like that, too. So when it was time for Devane to go out, she didn’t leave.
    Emerson launched right into her first solo move with no hesitation. Devane could tell she was a little freaked, but that was only ’cause Devane was up close. Wouldn’t matter as long as Emerson kept going.
    Devane crossed her arms and leaned way back and watched Emerson, the way Sophie had done. Then after a couple of beats, she launched into the pirouette Emerson was locking through but doing it up Devane style.
    The crowd hooted and hollered. And it was for Devane. All for Devane.
    Emerson got what Devane was doing, and she reacted just the way she had with Sophie. Getting into it, playful battle style. The crowd took it up a notch, loving the way Emerson gave it right back to Devane.
    They picked up the pace of the battle. And the audience went frantic. They were lovin’ the show. When Devane and Emerson slammed to a stop, some people actually jumped to their feet. Their feet.
    The applause was still ringing in Devane’s ears when she and Emerson rejoined the rest of the group and fell in with the steps of the finale.
    People don’t give it up like that for wallpaper.

    Emerson kept the smile on her face until she was completely offstage and she was sure that no one in the audience could see her. Then she dropped it.
    â€œAre you okay, Em?” Sophie called, rushing up to her. “I can’t believe Devane did that!”
    â€œI can,” Emerson said. “That is so totally, completely like her. All she cares about is