Elly and Sarah started to scream and clap their hands. Dance Baby, Dance was THE coolest televised dance competition in the country. It featured a mix of professional dancers with celebrity guest appearances. “I thought this show was only taped in Los Angeles?” Elly said, nibbling on her vegetable kabob. Bent grinned. “I know a guy. He’s sponsoring. So this season’s show is being taped here in New York City.”Kurl was wolfing down all the food around him. He’d polished off his appetizers and had indicated to Javier that he was ready for his main course. Bent ordered Halibut, while Kurl requested the filet mignon. Sarah decided the Halibut sounded good, too. Elly, who did, in fact, look very full, asked for the clam chowder with extra crackers. Sarah tried not to laugh at the way she said extra crackers. When they finished their meal, Javier promptly removed all of the dishes. The lights around the room dimmed. The announcer’s voice boomed over the speaker. “Since this is a taped recording, we ask that our LIVE audience please rise and give a LOUD, CHEERING welcome to our professional dance team!” Kurl grabbed Sarah’s arm and dragged her out of her chair. He cupped his hands over his mouth and started whistling loudly. The yells and clapping hands from the crowd around them, mixed with the explosion of music from the speakers, seemed to cause the entire room to shudder and shake. “This is AMAZING!” Sarah said. She felt her eyes begin to tear again. She quickly wiped them away with a napkin before Kurl noticed. He would most certainly start to tease her about it. She stuffed the napkin into her clutch. When she looked up, Bent, who stood beside her, watched her curiously. He reached out to touch her face, but changed his mind. He handed her a clean napkin. “For that new tear,” he said, pointing to her eye.Sarah took the napkin and dabbed her eye again. “Thanks,” she mumbled. “I’ve never been to a pre-recorded television show before.” She stared around the room, taking in the laughing faces of the crowd. “And even if I did go to one, I most definitely wouldn’t be sitting in a VIP section.” Bent looked down at his hands. They were clenched into fists. “I know a lot of people. That’s usually how it works,” he said. She had to lean in to hear him over the noise around them. You have to know the RIGHT people, clearly, Sarah thought. No way could she ever score seats in this section. Her parents’ clients probably wouldn’t want to pay for this lounge. As Sarah scanned the other balconies around theirs, she realized no one else had a counter for food. When she looked harder — it was tricky to see with the flashing strobe lights — it didn’t seem like anyone else even had couches. She was about to ask Bent, when Elly called out from his opposite side. “I’m SO glad we get the option to sit OR stand!” she yelled. She’d fixed her make up and looked as lovely as ever. “It seems everyone else has to stand the ENTIRE time! In these heels, I’d die!” Before Sarah could reply, the group of flashy dancers on the stage started their routine. And the crowd went WILD!