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“How do people lose their homes?” she asked.
    â€œA lot of different ways.” J. J. tried to explain. “Sometimes they lose their jobs and there’s no money coming in. Sometimes there’s a tragedy that causes them to lose their way.”
    Bria stared at the girl. She wondered what her story was. She looked like any girl she’d see inschool or at the Dance Divas Studio. She liked her pink sparkly sneakers. “I think I’ll go bring someone a piece of pie for dessert,” she said, taking a plate from Scarlett.
    â€œHi,” she said warmly, bringing the slice over. “I’m Bria.”
    The girl didn’t say anything. She didn’t even look up.
    â€œReese, where are your manners?” her mother said, scolding her. She put down her sewing and held out her hand. “Hello, there. I’m Genevieve—you can call me Jenny. And this quiet girl is Reese.”
    â€œI’m not hungry,” Reese insisted, pushing the plate of pie away. She turned her back, opened a book, and plugged in her earphones and iPod.
    â€œWhat are you listening to?” Bria continued. “I love all kinds of music.”
    Reese held up the screen.
    â€œOh, Sugar Dolls!” Bria exclaimed. “I love them! I’m going to meet them when I go to L.A.”
    Reese turned around. “Seriously? You’re going to meet them? You’re not making that up?”
    â€œCross my heart,” Bria said, making an X over her chest. “I’m on a dance team and we’re going to Hollywood to be their backup dancers.”
    â€œYou don’t need any extra girls, do you?” Reese asked. “I took a lot of dance classes—tap, hip-hop, jazz—before … well, you know, before we came here.”
    Bria sensed that Reese wanted to change the subject.
    â€œShow me what you can do,” she said, encouraging Reese. Then she took a seat on the floor and did her best Miss Toni impression. She pursed her lips and squinted her eyes so she looked totally focused. “Go on … Wow me!” she said with a wink.
    â€œHere? Now?” Reese replied. There were dozens of people in the room.
    â€œGood a time as any,” Bria said. “Unless you’re chicken?”
    Reese rolled up her sleeves. “No one calls me chicken,” she said, getting to her feet. She arched her back and held her leg up behind her in a perfect scorpion move.
    â€œNot bad,” Bria said, “but can you do this?” She stood up and did a time-step combination, tapping in her sneakers.
    â€œIn my sleep!” Reese copied her and finished it off with a “Shuffle Off to Buffalo.”
    â€œOkay, I’m impressed,” Bria said. “You’ve got moves.”
    â€œTold ya! Can I be in the Sugar Dolls’ video now?”
    Bria felt terrible; she hadn’t meant to mislead her. “I’m so sorry, Reese. There’s only room for five girls.”
    â€œSo you were just doing that … to make fun of me?”
    â€œWhat? No way!” Bria insisted. “You really
are
a good dancer. I just don’t make the decisions when it comes to our team.”
    â€œWell, who does?” Reese asked.
    Bria pointed to Toni, who was dishing out slices of pecan pie. “Our teacher.”
    â€œHer? I’ve seen her here a couple of times now. She’s a dance teacher?”
    â€œThe best—and the toughest,” Bria answered.“I’m sorry, but it’s really hard to get on our dance team.”
    â€œWell, maybe another time.” Reese tried to hide her disappointment. “I’m really busy anyway.” She went back to her seat and opened up a book.
    â€œCan I ask you a question?” Bria said softly.
    Reese sighed. “Sure.”
    â€œWhy did you give up dancing?”
    Reese bit her lip. Obviously, it was a sensitive subject. “There’s no money anymore for dance lessons. There was a fire