Broken Crew, Broken Promises

Penelope "Pen" Scott and her four best friends—Zayn, Xeno, York, and Dax—once ruled the underground London dance scene as the unbeatable Breakers. But growing up poor on a rough estate, their paths diverged: Pen clung to dance as her lifeline, while the boys slipped into crime. A devastating betrayal—one Pen believes was theirs, the boys believe was hers—fractures the group, leaving Pen alone and heartbroken. Three years later, Pen is determined to move on, but the past is about to catch up with her.

Academy Dreams, Old Ghosts

Pen wins a coveted scholarship to the elite Stardom Academy, hoping to escape her past and build a future in dance. But the academy's glossy halls are filled with privilege and competition, and Pen's street-tough attitude makes her an outsider. She finds an unlikely ally in Clancy, a quirky tap dancer with her own family drama. Just as Pen starts to believe she belongs, the Breakers reappear—enrolling at the academy, dredging up old wounds, and threatening her hard-won peace.

Audition Showdown, Unwanted Reunion

At the high-stakes audition, Pen's raw, passionate dance style stuns the judges, but she's blindsided when Zayn is called to perform. The years have changed him—he's harder, angrier, and his gaze is full of accusation. The chemistry and animosity between them is palpable, and Pen realizes that the past is not as buried as she hoped. The Breakers' presence at the academy is no coincidence, and forgiveness is a luxury none of them can afford.

Dance Battles and Old Wounds

Pen and the Breakers are forced into proximity—on the dance floor, in the dorms, and in the club where Pen works. Their shared history simmers beneath every interaction, erupting in explosive dance battles that are as much about emotional warfare as skill. The crew's dynamic is complicated by jealousy, unresolved feelings, and the scars of betrayal. Pen's anger and longing war within her, and the boys' own pain is revealed in every move.

The Breakers' Origin Story

Flashbacks reveal how the Breakers formed: five misfit kids, each escaping violence, neglect, or poverty, finding solace and belonging in dance. Their bond is deep, but so are their secrets. Pen's home life is abusive; Dax is battered by his father; York is the peacemaker; Zayn is the charismatic frontman; Xeno is the enigmatic leader. Together, they create a sanctuary—until outside forces and their own choices begin to tear them apart.

New Friendships, Old Scars

At the academy, Pen struggles to let anyone in, but Clancy's persistence breaks through her defenses. Clancy's own family is fractured, and the two girls bond over shared pain and ambition. Meanwhile, Pen's relationship with her little sister Lena is her anchor, but her mother's cruelty and her brother David's criminal ties threaten everything. Pen's past is never far behind, and new friendships are tested by old loyalties.

The Rules of Survival

Pen's survival instincts are honed by years of hardship. She's learned to fight—literally and figuratively—for her place in the world. The academy's privileged students look down on her, but Pen refuses to be intimidated. Her resilience is both her shield and her prison, making it hard to accept help or love. The Breakers' return forces her to confront the rules she's lived by and question whether she can ever truly escape her past.

Love, Loyalty, and Betrayal

The emotional knots between Pen and the Breakers tighten. Old crushes and new attractions surface, complicated by jealousy and the pain of betrayal. Pen's feelings for each boy are different—Dax is her protector, York her confidant, Zayn her first love, Xeno her forbidden desire. The boys' own rivalries and affections for Pen threaten to tear them apart. The line between love and hate blurs, and every touch, glance, and dance is charged with history.

The Choice Ultimatum

Xeno, unable to handle the tangled emotions, gives Pen an ultimatum: choose one of them as a lover and leave the crew, or stay friends and deny her feelings. The impossible choice hangs over them, poisoning every interaction. Pen's heart is split, and the boys' own insecurities and possessiveness make things worse. The crew's unity fractures, and the threat of losing everything—dance, friendship, love—becomes real.

Family Ties, Deadly Threats

Pen's older brother David, a violent criminal, becomes fixated on controlling her life. He threatens to kill their little sister Lena if Pen doesn't cut ties with the Breakers. Trapped between her love for her found family and her need to protect Lena, Pen is forced into an impossible position. The threat is real, and David's reach is long—even from afar, he can destroy everything Pen cares about.

The Price of Protection

Jeb, Zayn's uncle and the ruthless leader of the Skins gang, discovers Pen's secret and uses it to his advantage. He offers to protect Lena and send David away—if Pen agrees to work for him and sever all ties with the Breakers. The cost is her happiness, her love, and her future. Pen becomes Jeb's pawn, forced to betray the only people who ever truly cared for her, and to keep his secrets at all costs.

Dance as Salvation

Throughout the turmoil, dance remains Pen's salvation. On the floor, she can express the pain, rage, and longing she can't voice. Her style—a fusion of hip-hop and contemporary—becomes her signature, earning her respect and envy. Dance is the only place she feels free, the only way she can communicate with the Breakers when words fail. Every performance is a battle, every battle a plea for understanding.

The Breakers' Return

The Breakers' reappearance at the academy is no accident. Jeb has sent them on a mission, and their loyalty is torn between their criminal obligations and their feelings for Pen. The boys are changed—harder, more dangerous, but still bound to Pen by love and pain. Their interactions are fraught with tension, and the possibility of reconciliation is shadowed by secrets and lies.

Emotional Warfare

Pen and the Breakers wage war through dance, each performance a confrontation, each battle a reckoning. The academy's showcase becomes a crucible, forcing them to work together even as old wounds fester. Rivalries with other students, especially the privileged and cruel Tiffany, add fuel to the fire. The group's chemistry is undeniable, but trust is in short supply.

The Debt to Jeb

Jeb calls in his debt, forcing Pen to participate in a dangerous underground world of fight clubs and criminal dealings. The Breakers are revealed to be more than dancers—they're Jeb's enforcers, using their bodies for violence as well as art. Pen is drawn into their world, her safety and Lena's hanging in the balance. Every choice she makes is a gamble, and the stakes are life and death.

Masks, Fights, and Revelations

At a masked fight club, Pen is paraded as Jeb's prize, and the Breakers' true roles are revealed. Dax is a brutal fighter, Zayn a knife expert, York a boxer, Xeno a strategist. The violence shocks Pen, forcing her to confront the darkness in those she loves—and in herself. The lines between victim and survivor, love and hate, blur as the truth comes out.

The Truth That Destroys

Pen's secret deal with Jeb and David is exposed. The Breakers learn that Pen's betrayal was a desperate act to save Lena, not a rejection of their love. But the damage is done—the trust is broken, and the crew is left in ruins. Pen is forced to pay the price for her choices, and the Breakers must decide whether to forgive or seek revenge.

The Cliffhanger: Payment Due

As Jeb calls in his debt, Pen is forced into a humiliating, dangerous situation—paraded as a prize, her body and agency at risk. The Breakers are powerless to save her, and Pen's future hangs in the balance. The story ends on a devastating cliffhanger, with Pen's fate uncertain and the promise that the battle for love, freedom, and survival is far from over.

Characters

Penelope "Pen" Scott

Pen is the heart of the story—a tough, talented young woman shaped by poverty, abuse, and betrayal. Dance is her lifeline, her only escape from a brutal home life and the violence of her brother David. Pen's relationships with the Breakers are complex: she loves each of them differently, and her loyalty is both her strength and her curse. She is fiercely protective of her little sister Lena, willing to sacrifice her own happiness for Lena's safety. Pen's psychological landscape is marked by trauma, guilt, and longing for belonging. Her journey is one of self-discovery, learning to trust, and fighting for agency in a world determined to break her.

Zayn Bernard

Zayn is the magnetic center of the Breakers—confident, talented, and deeply scarred. His love for Pen is intense, but his loyalty to his uncle Jeb and the Skins gang pulls him into darkness. Zayn's anger masks vulnerability; he feels betrayed by Pen and struggles to forgive. His journey is one of grappling with guilt, reclaiming agency, and choosing between love and survival. Zayn's development is marked by his transformation from a carefree dancer to a hardened enforcer, and his struggle to reconcile the two sides of himself.

Xeno Tyson

Xeno is the Breakers' unofficial leader—aloof, intense, and fiercely protective. He is the architect of the crew's rules and the one who forces Pen to choose between love and friendship. Xeno's feelings for Pen are complicated by his sense of responsibility and his own emotional repression. As a dance teacher at the academy, he wields power but is haunted by regret. Xeno's psychological complexity lies in his need for control, his fear of vulnerability, and his struggle to admit his own desires.

York

York is the crew's heart—kind, sensitive, and the glue that holds the group together. He is Pen's confidant, the first to sense her pain, and the most willing to forgive. York's lightness masks his own trauma and capacity for violence when pushed. His development is a journey from caretaker to fighter, forced to confront the darkness within himself and those he loves. York's loyalty is unwavering, but his patience has limits.

Dax

Dax is the crew's muscle—physically imposing, emotionally wounded, and fiercely loyal to Pen. His home life is abusive, and he channels his pain into dance and, later, violence. Dax is the first to cross the line with Pen, offering her comfort and love, but his possessiveness and rage are dangerous. His journey is one of learning to control his anger, to love without hurting, and to find redemption in the face of brutality.

Clancy

Clancy is Pen's first real friend at the academy—a tap dancer with a complicated family and a big heart. She is persistent, supportive, and unafraid to stand up for Pen. Clancy's own struggles with her stepsister Tiffany and her outsider status mirror Pen's, and their friendship is a source of strength for both. Clancy's loyalty is tested by the drama surrounding the Breakers, but she remains a grounding force.

Tiffany

Tiffany is Clancy's stepsister and Pen's chief antagonist at the academy. Beautiful, talented, and cruel, Tiffany embodies the privilege and prejudice Pen fights against. Her animosity is rooted in insecurity and a need for control. Tiffany's development is less about redemption and more about the destructive power of envy and the ways privilege can mask vulnerability.

Lena

Lena is Pen's younger sister, the only family member she truly loves. Lena's safety is Pen's top priority, and her well-being is the lever David and Jeb use to control Pen. Lena's innocence and affection are a source of hope, but also a source of pain, as Pen is forced to make impossible choices to protect her.

David

David is Pen's older brother—a violent, controlling criminal whose obsession with Pen drives much of the plot's danger. His threats against Lena force Pen into a devil's bargain, and his presence looms over every decision she makes. David is a study in toxic masculinity, religious hypocrisy, and the cycle of abuse.

Jeb

Jeb is Zayn's uncle and the leader of the Skins gang. He is manipulative, sadistic, and wields power over everyone in his orbit. Jeb's protection comes at a steep price, and his interest in Pen is both personal and strategic. He is the architect of the story's central conflicts, using Pen and the Breakers as pawns in his criminal empire.

Plot Devices

Nonlinear Narrative and Flashbacks

The novel weaves together Pen's present-day struggles at the academy with flashbacks to her childhood and the formation of the Breakers. This structure allows the reader to gradually uncover the truth behind the crew's breakup, the depth of their bonds, and the nature of Pen's sacrifice. The nonlinear approach heightens suspense, deepens character development, and reveals the psychological scars that drive the characters' actions.

Dance as Metaphor and Battleground

Dance is more than a hobby—it is the language through which characters communicate love, rage, longing, and betrayal. Battles on the dance floor mirror emotional conflicts, and choreography becomes a form of psychological warfare. The fusion of hip-hop and contemporary styles symbolizes Pen's struggle to reconcile her past and present, her pain and hope.

The Ultimatum and Forced Choice

Xeno's demand that Pen choose between love and friendship, and David's threat against Lena, create a web of no-win scenarios. These plot devices force Pen to sacrifice her own happiness for others, driving the story's central tragedy. The tension between agency and coercion is a recurring theme, explored through the characters' choices and their consequences.

Masks, Secrets, and Identity

The use of literal and figurative masks—at fight clubs, in relationships, in dance—underscores the characters' struggles with identity and trust. Secrets are currency, and the revelation of hidden truths is both liberating and destructive. The motif of masks highlights the tension between who the characters are, who they pretend to be, and who they want to become.

Violence and Protection

The threat of violence—domestic, criminal, emotional—permeates the story. Characters fight to protect themselves and those they love, but violence often begets more violence. The transformation of the Breakers from dancers to enforcers is both a symptom and a cause of their downfall. The price of protection—what Pen must give up to keep Lena safe—is the story's central moral dilemma.

Analysis

Freestyle is a raw, emotionally charged exploration of trauma, loyalty, and the search for belonging. Through the lens of dance, Bea Paige crafts a story that is as much about survival as it is about art. The novel interrogates the ways poverty, abuse, and systemic injustice shape young lives, and how love can be both a refuge and a weapon. Pen's journey is a testament to resilience, but also a cautionary tale about the costs of sacrifice and the corrosive power of secrets. The Breakers' transformation from a found family to fractured enemies is a powerful commentary on how external pressures—crime, abuse, societal judgment—can destroy even the strongest bonds. Ultimately, Freestyle asks whether redemption is possible when the world is determined to break you, and whether art can save us when nothing else can. The cliffhanger ending underscores the story's central lesson: survival is never simple, and the fight for love and freedom is never truly over.

Last updated: May 7, 2025