Bring It On by Jasmine Beller Read Free Book Online Page B

breath. It had been a hell day. She’d thought a couple of coats of her Cha-Ching Cherry, the polish she usually saved for extreme special occasions, would cheer her up. But even with her nails the fabulous deep pink, she still felt as low as she had when she left class this afternoon. Gina had pulled her aside right before she got to the door and reminded her that the Performance Group was all about teamwork, and when Devane tried to draw attention to herself by changing the choreography, she wasn’t being a team player.
    That’s why you came up with the plan, Devane reminded herself. There was more than one way to get Gina to pay attention to Devane—and for Devane to get herself moved to the front row for the Disney World show. At the next class, Devane was going to have herself one bangin’ outfit. Everyone would be looking at her. And when Gina was looking at her, she’d see that Devane was the best dancer in the room, even if Devane wasn’t allowed to do her perfections like the cross-legged flare.
    Best dancers got the front row. Her plan was a lock. By the end of the next class, it was front-row city for Devane. So there was no reason for her to still be feeling in the basement.
    â€œI know ugly when I see it,” Tamal said.
    Yeah, every time you look in a mirror, she wanted to tell him. But her plan didn’t involve getting into a battle with her brother. “Look! Tamal! It’s almost time for The Simpsons, ” she cried with mock excitement.
    And he was gone. Problem solved.
    Devane picked the scissors back up and started to cut. Her back-row problem was going to be solved just as easily. Uh-huh.

    Everybody stared at Devane as she strolled into dance class two days later. Good. Being looked at was step one of today’s plan. Slowly she walked to her spot in the back-left corner. Very slowly. So everyone could get a real good look.
    Miss Emerson’s blue eyes seemed like they were about to land on the floor. They’d have Ky and ill papi’s eyes for company. Devane smiled at the image of all those eyeballs rolling around.
    â€œDevane, what are you wearing?” Gina exclaimed.
    Whoa. She hadn’t expected Gina to say anything about the outfit in front of the whole group.
    â€œI made it myself,” Devane answered, running her hands down the tight, deep orange top. She didn’t think she needed to add that she’d started with an old dress of her mama’s. “It’s a good color for me, don’t you think?”
    The shirt had a mandarin collar and short sleeves. But the real oh-yeah of it was piece she’d cut out between the neck and the top of her chest. It didn’t show cleavage or anything. That wasn’t the kind of attention she was going for. But the neat triangle—well, a triangle with the pointy top cut off—of skin contrasting with the orange material was poppin’.
    â€œWhat I think is that you need to put on a T-shirt or a sweatshirt,” Gina told her.
    â€œWh-what?” Devane stammered. She hadn’t planned on this.
    â€œRemember what I told all of you last class?” Gina asked the group. “We have rules about what is appropriate to wear in here. And even though I’m impressed that you made that top—I can hardly sew on a button—it’s too revealing. You need to put something over it.”
    Devane stared at her. “I don’t have anything.” It was summer. In Florida. In the afternoon. Only a crazy person would be walking around with an extra shirt. Forget about a sweatshirt. People went grocery shopping in bikinis in this weather. Devane had seen them.
    â€œI’m sorry, Devane, but you won’t be able to stay in class today,” Gina told her. “The rules are very important. That’s why I printed them all out and sent copies home for your parents.”
    â€œI didn’t know it wasn’t okay. The rule sheet said no leotards. This