�Better Than Best� Chapter 5: Practice Makes Perfect & CDs

Back at the house, we all went our separate directions to our rooms. I tried to concentrate on the concert and preparing myself for it, but my mind was on Dan. There was a knock at my open door.

�Do you want to go practice for the concert in the studio?� Ashley asked me.

�That would be great,� I followed Ash to the garage which we had transformed into a rehearsal studio.

He put in our CD and turned it on. �Liquid Dreams� came on and after a few minutes we were both into the dance routine. My mind was blank except for my next dance step. Ashley and I went through three songs before Trevor came in. He got right into it without messing up our routine. Jacob came in shortly after Trevor had joined us and for a while it was just the four of us. We were so into �All or Nothing� that none of us realized that Dan had walked in. He walked over to the stereo and turned it off. We all stopped abruptly.

�Sorry guys, but I have to talk to Jenna,� he said.

The guys understood and left. I turned and faced Dan. �Yeah Dan?�

�Jenna, I�m sorry that I was distant toward you at lunch,� he said.

�Is Cindy coming? Are you going there?� I got right to the point.

�I don�t think that I should. If she does or I do, it might jeopardize my feelings for you,� Dan looked into my eyes.

�So if you saw her, you might not love me anymore? Am I your second best? Am I the second prize?� I was furious with him but I was madder at myself for getting upset with him.

�No, Jenna, you would never be second place. You are always going to be my first place prize. And I will cherish you always.�

�Then I shouldn�t get in your way if you want to see Cindy,� I said.

Jacob came back in. �The Mikes are on the phone. We have to go back and get ready. It�s almost time to perform.�

I followed Jacob out the door. Dan caught up with us but didn�t stay for long. He ran up the stairs to get his stuff. Ash, Jacob, Trevor, and I were downstairs putting our stuff together.

�Are you going to be OK tonight with all this Dan stuff going on? Can you perform?� Ashley asked.

�Yeah. I think I�ll be OK. He said that I�ll always be his first place prize,� I smiled. �I hope he means it.�

�He does. He wouldn�t say something like that and not mean it,� Trevor said.

Dan came back downstairs and we took off for the Staples Center. When we got there we went to the dressing rooms and picked out awesome clothes for the performance. We got dressed quickly and met with Mike, Mike, and Cory. We went through the run down of how the show was going to be and then we were ready. We went backstage to warm-up. Soon enough it was 7:00 P.M. and time to perform. We ran onstage. The energy from the crowd was amazing. Everyone was screaming for us.

Take Me Under was our intro dance and we got right into it. �Orlando, make some noise!� Trevor said into his mic.

We performed it without a hitch. Every 6 Seconds was next and that went smoothly too. We came to Girl and the music skipped so far ahead that we were in the middle of the song. We had no idea where we were. We sung the chorus and tried to get into the dance when the music stopped. I was in a panic. Then the lights on stage shut off. We couldn�t see anything. Cory came onstage with a megaphone.

�I�m sorry everyone, but we are having some major technical difficulties and are not able to finish the show. You will all be given a full refund. Again, I apologize for any inconvenience and the show will be rescheduled. You may pick up your refund and autographed CDs starting tomorrow morning.�

We followed him off stage. �What the heck happened?� I asked.

�We have no idea. All we know is that it disappointed 20,000 fans and you have 20,000 CDs that you have to autograph by tomorrow,� Cory said.

We all stopped in our tracks. It hit us at the same time, 20,000 signatures by tomorrow morning. What was he thinking? We kept following him to a back room where he handed us each a box. Trevor peeked inside of his.

�CDs,� he said.

�You guys better get home and start signing,� Cory said. �It may be a long night. See you in the morning. Be here at 8:00 A.M. sharp with all the CDs completely signed.�

I let out a sigh. This day wasn�t going so good. We took our boxes out to the car and put them in the back. Mike Morin and Mike Cronin met us there just as we were about to pull away.

�CDs to sign, huh?� Cronin said.

�Yup,� I replied.

�Well you better get home and no partying tonight,� Morin said.

�Yes sir, may we be dismissed sir?� Jacob faked a drill sergeant voice.

�Yes, get out of here. I hope your hands don�t cramp easily,� Cronin said.

�Hilarious,� I said as we pulled away.

We weren�t even half a block away before a cell phone rang. We all grabbed for our phones.

�Not me,� Ash, Trev, Jake, and I said.

Dan answered his cell. �Hello?�

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