I PEEK THROUGH the backstage curtains to look at the audience. Holy shit! The place is completely packed, including my parents, sister, and abuela along with my four crazy tias and my cousins in the front row. They flew out to see their baby compete in the finale. They haven’t seen me dance in years.

I’m gonna puke.

Twenty-one million people watched last week. Twenty-one million people have watched me gyrate half naked with my big booty hanging out. I even received two marriage proposals. They were from jail, but still.

Someone get me a bucket . . .

I jump up and down and shake my head and arms to loosen up. Dolla grabs my hands and gives me a kiss on the head.

“It’s ours, babe. Don’t you worry. Here, let’s say a prayer.”

“A prayer? You just said don’t worry.”

“Shut up and pray, girl.” We bow our heads and thank the Lord for all our blessings. “Amen,” Dolla says. “Okay, booty, let’s go show them how it’s done. Boo-YA!” Dolla gives me a high-five.

Behind us, Tony and Vika are kissing on the sofa. Tim is rummaging through Jenny’s purse trying to find her damn inhaler. That’s one job I’m happy to hand over.

A producer hustles into the room. “Everyone in the red room! We’re on in five minutes,” he says. I grab my ankle and stretch it to my butt. Vika props her leg on the couch and leans over into a split. Jenny takes a big puff on her inhaler as the guys start barking and chest-bumping each other like a bunch of high school jocks. Tony slaps Dolla playfully on the back of the head. Guys are weird.

I grab my other ankle and lean toward Jenny, who’s holding in the medicine. “We made it through the season. Can you believe we’re in the finale together?”

She nods, her eyes wide, and then finally exhales. “No, I can’t believe it. How we didn’t get eliminated that first week I’ll never know. No, wait, I do know—” she slaps me on the back of the head like Tony just did to Dolla, “you helped me.”

Jenny looks over at Tim, who is now squeezing his feet into his giant custom made dance shoes. “Thanks for making me do this show. You were right, we needed this. God help me, Sal, I love Tim. Who would have thought it? And I’m glad you’re back with Genya. You seem really happy.”

I give her a reluctant nod. Now’s not the time to go into my doubts about Genya. “You’re welcome,” I say. Then I thwack her head right back. “Now stop messin’ with my ‘do and get outta my way, I got a crystal-encrusted dance shoe trophy to claim, be-yotch.”

“We’re on in three, two, one,” the producer says.

Matt’s voice booms over the speakers. “In a season filled with triumph, scandal, and travesty . . . Now, the final three standing will prove to you why they should be the winners. Tonight, our finalists will come together for a Paso Doble Pow-Wow, and the always exciting freestyle. Tomorrow, we will crown a new champion. Twelve couples started and only three remain. Live, it’s the Dancing under the Stars finale!”

We all walk out when the intro music starts and take our places side by side on the stage, dressed in complementary black and red paso doble outfits. I notice my abuela holding hands with Vika’s baba. Those women are thick as Abuela’s mole poblano again.

We have to stand there while long clips roll of each of us babbling about which were our favorite dances of the season. Dolla and I picked our opening night mambo and our Viennese waltz. I watch our clip of the Viennese. I look so graceful, flying across the stage effortlessly. Dolla and I skate around the floor as if we’re walking on water. Tomorrow, the nine eliminated couples all come back to dance for the finale but tonight the producers fill up the air time by torturing the audience with these videos. By the time Tony and Vika, and Jenny and Tim’s clips air, we’ve been on stage for forty-five minutes. I have to pee, big time. We haven’t even set a toe on the dance floor and my feet are killing.

“Dancing together in our first ever Paso Doble Pow-Wow.” Matt waves his arm with a flourish. “Our finalists.”

The music rips through my body as I stand onstage with Vika on my left and Jenny on my right. The men start on their knees and rise in unison. They strut toward us. Our partners swing each of us around them before throwing us into splits. Jenny and Tim start their solo and Vika, Tony, Dolla and I slip off stage, where we’ll watch them from behind a curtain. Though Tim is six foot five, they look well matched. Jenny is five foot ten and in heels she’s six foot one. I used their height to their advantage in the choreography. Jenny is giving it her all and parades around Tim. His shoulders relax and he drops his head toward her and they prance around the stage. Her shiny black hair reflects off her satin red gown. Tim and her collapse on the floor, arms wrapped around each other. Their steps may have been perfect, but they were too reserved and never lost control. They sprint off stage and Tony and Vika start their solo. The mood is totally different—they’re on fire. The passion between them is electric and they move in unison. Tim and Jenny’s dance was right for them, but Vika and Tony—man, only two sex pots could pull that off. Tony taps his feet like a matador and Vika teases him with her dress. Totally playing the moment, Tony swaggers around Vika and then gives in, lowering to his knees. But even there, he stays in charge. Clutching her waist, he rolls her into his arms. Yeah, Vika took her solo to a totally different place than Jenny. Good job—but this audience has seen nothing yet. My turn!

Dolla and I rush on stage and stand alone on the floor. Two beats into our solo music, Dolla thrashes his cape around, his chest erect. I arch my back in defiance. The music starts cascading as he beckons me to him. I twirl into his arms and he seizes me as the music explodes to full beat. We charge across the floor, bodies perfectly in sync. I feel like I’m in a real bullfight, with my eye on the prize. Jenny and Tim were flawless, Tony and Vika were passionate, but Dolla and I are fierce competitors and we attack the floor. The bass rips through my body and Dolla throws me into a death drop. Spinning around, I land perfectly on my toes. This is my dance, my night, my life. And I’m alive.

The audience gives us a standing ovation. The camera pans to my parents and my abuela, all crying in the front row.

“Now what did the judges think?” Matt says. “Benjamin Brooks?”

Benny eyes my outfit like he’s scouting out a backup just in case it doesn’t work with Diana. Think again, old man. “Definitely the best Paso Doble we’ve ever seen on this show. Tim and Jennifer—of all the Latin dances, this is where you shined. Your height gave you both a strong presence. Tony, your feet dragged across the floor but at least your posture was strong. And Dolla and Salomé, bugger me dead! That was bloody amazing. You’re the team to beat.”

Dolla picks me up and swings me around. I can’t believe this is happening. The other judges basically repeat what Benny said. Even though it was a group dance, we get individually judged because of our solos. Tim and Jenny score straight eights. Tony and Vika get two nines and an eight from Benny.

It’s finally our turn, so Dolla and I head into the red room, which the other dancers have already vacated. Deborah interviews us. “Salomé, how does it feel to be in the finale on your first season of Dancing under the Stars?”

I look right into the camera and smile. “Well, it’s such a blessing to be here. And I’ve met the most wonderful people on this show. Dolla has been such an inspiration. He’s such a brilliant man and so successful.” Damn, sista, you’re getting this shit down.

“That’s wonderful. And the scores for Dolla and Salomé?”

I hold my breath.

“Ten,” Benny says.

Karen jumps out of her seat. “Ten!”

Steve holds up the number. “Ten.”

“A perfect thirty and in the finale,” Deborah says. She sticks the microphone in front of Dolla. “How do you feel?”

“I owe it all to my girl, Salomé. She’s the most talented dancer here, or anywhere. She’s a master of her craft.” Dolla winks at me.

“And Salomé, any final thoughts?”

How about, Could somebody pinch me? I can’t believe that twenty-one million people all have tuned in to see me. I finally get why everyone loves this show. I love this show. It’s changed my life. “All I can say, Deborah, is that this is the happiest night of my life.”

Jenny pops her head around the corner and shakes it slowly, my girl’s smile better than any trophy could ever be. Be-yotch, she mouths at me.

You know it, sista.