We jumped up and down and squealed, not caring how cheesy we were acting. We scored another victory when we crowded out our chaperones and nabbed an elevator all to ourselves. We all were silly dancing when the elevator doors opened. And Isabella was inside. Ack!

“Looks like the cool quotient of New York City just went down a few notches,” Isabella said in a fake-playful way the moment the elevator doors closed us in together. “JK. Gee whiz, that was some cheerful arrival.”

“Oh, Isabella. I didn’t know you were staying at the same hotel,” Megan said, obviously mortified but trying to hide it.

“Most of the dance teams are staying in this hotel, because the nationals are held in the grand ballroom downstairs. But you just got here, so how could you have known?” She talked like she’d been here weeks or months longer than we had. “I’ve been bumping into newcomers like you from lots of dance studios.”

“It’s not all of our first time visiting New York,” Megan says, reaching for me and nudging me forward. “We’ve got a local girl ready to show us around.”

That was not at all what I’d expected, so I got a bit tongue-tied now that I was put on the spot.

“Oh, really?” she said. “That’s handy—you know, we were just wondering what subway stops are by here. We’ve been taking car service, but I might go underground in order to go to downtown for something different. So, subway? I’m sure you know that off the top of your head.”

Had I just stepped into some elevator quiz reality show? I looked up at the cameras and wondered if there was a live studio audience watching somewhere.

“But if you don’t know—” challenged Isabella.

“Oh, she knows,” Megan insisted.

Oh, I didn’t know.

But maybe I was off the hook. Ding! We’d reached our floor, but everyone was still staring, waiting, hoping for me to get it right or wrong.

“Our floor,” I said quickly, and exited first. I swallowed hard, hoping the Squad followed me off, leaving Isabella on the elevator. I took a few paces onto our floor and breathed easier knowing the pressure was off.

I turned around to chat with the Squad. “Whew, that was . . .”

Isabella standing there. On our floor. Waiting. On my answer!

Seriously?

“What a coincidence.” She crossed her arms. “We happen to be staying on the same floor. So, subway station? Miss Know Everything About New York City.”

Megan and Riley looked like they wanted to Google the answer telepathically. Lily and I exchanged a look that confirmed we both thought this was bonkers.

I’ve been to New York plenty of times, but never on my own. I mean, who really knows all the subway stations? I came in from Connecticut! I was always following my parents, some other older relative, or a chaperone. That’s when it popped into my head: the lyrics to the jazzy song I danced to at my old studio last year. Nothing betta/Than Rockefeller/Here’s what to do/Take the B, D, F, M, and Q . . .