“Do you think we actually beat them? Do you think we got second?” Lily whispered to me.

“In second place, the Groove Thangz!” The crowd cheers, and the team in dazzling gold jumpsuits who did a hip-hop routine happily accept their trophy.

That threw everything upside down. Number two is our usual spot. Did we not rank at all? Or . . . or . . . We all held our breaths. Say DanceStarz, say DanceStarz . . .

“And our number one group dance is . . . DanceStarz!”

Oh. My. Gosh. We did it! We did it!

WE WON!!

We screamed and jumped up and down all the way up to the stage. Megan took the trophy first, and then held it out so we could hoist it in the air together. I saw my mom, dad, and little sister, Hailey, in the crowd waving their homemade DANCESTARZ sign like crazy!

“THAT’S MY SISTER!” Hailey screamed, and I spotted her doing a high-five thing with Riley’s sister, Quinn. Maybe someday they’d be up on the stage too. Lily, Riley, Trina, Megan, and I gave each other a genuine group hug. We’d proven something to ourselves. And we’d proven we were ready to compete on a national stage. NATIONALS.

New York City, HERE WE COME!

CHAPTER

3

Free fro-yo for the number one dance team of all time!” said Lily’s father, beaming from behind the counter.

“Well, that’s a bit much.” Lily smiled at him.

“It won’t be!” Megan said. “After we go to New York City and win nationals!”

We all held up our yogurts and smoothies and did a “cheers.”

The four of us took a seat at the round table by the window. I dug into my cheesecake yogurt topped with blackberries and whipped cream. I looked across the palm-tree-lined plaza at the front façade of DanceStarz Academy. They’d already placed a banner out front: HOME OF THE DANCESTARZ SQUAD—REGIONAL CHAMPS. I smiled at that—and at the sight of the tiniest dancers milling into the studio for a peewee dance class. That was how young I was when I got started back home in Connecticut. I loved it from the start.

“This is the best celebration ever,” Trina said. “Also the best yogurt.”

“What even is on that?” Megan looked at Trina’s overflowing bowl.

“Candy corn, cinnamon cereal, brownie bites, kiwi, gummy fish, pretzels, marshmallows,” she replied. “Oh my gosh, I forgot to put yogurt in it.”

We all laughed as Trina stood up to go over to the yogurt handles in the wall.

“I cannot believe we are going to New York City,” Riley said. “I mean, I am going to live there someday. Right, Megan? We’re going to be roommates! I’m going to be a big fashion designer! Megan is going to be a famous dancer and a huge star! Everything is better and bigger in NYC!”

“Like the rats,” added Megan.

Lily made a face.

“I’m just saying,” said Megan. “Let’s be real. It’s a pretty tough city. We’ll see if you can handle it.”