Free Breaking Pointe by Samantha-Ellen Bound

Chapter One
    There were thirty seconds to spare when I ran into jazz class on Wednesday. I passed my best friends, Eleanor, Ashley and Paige, coming out of the dressing room just as I dashed in.
    â€˜What a surprise,’ said Jasmine, Silver Shoes’ resident ballerdiva.
    â€˜Get a life,’ I called out, as I tore off my school sweatshirt.
    â€˜Or find the one you lost,’ I heard Ellie add.
    I didn’t catch Jasmine’s reply. But I’m sure it wasn’t any good.
    Today was hot and I was already sweating a bit, so my jazz gear was extra hard to get on. After some harsh words with my leggings, I was finally ready. I pushed my school clothes under the bench, took a deep breath and walked out.
    Why the rush?
    Today was the St Vitus School Sports Carnival, one of my favourite days of the year. Not only was it fun and meant we didn’t have to go to regular classes (not that I hate school, but it’s nice to have a break from Mr Matheson droning out sums), but it also meant I got to hear my name, Riley Nason, read out as a winner.
    What did I win? In my age group, Under 12s, I’d won the 200-metre and 100-metresprints, and got two firsts in long jump and triple jump. Our house team (red) had also won the relay race.
    But that wasn’t the best news. The best news was that I’d earned a place on the school athletics team – I was going to the Inter-Schools Athletics Carnival in a few weeks!
    I can’t tell you how excited I was. I love my sports. Apart from dancing, I also play basketball.
    I have three big brothers – Fergus, Aidan and Heath – so maybe I caught my love of sport from them. Whatever sport I try, I seem to be pretty good at it.
    I don’t mean to brag. My nana (we’re from Fiji, and that’s how you say ‘mum’) calls it ‘natural ability’. And because I like being the best at everything, that means I want to do everything – and I can’t stand it when anyone beats me!
    So making it on the athletics team was a huge deal. I didn’t want to miss out on representing my school at the carnival. Unlike this girl, Mietta, who I felt sorry for.
    A bit.
    Mietta got fifth in the 100-metre sprint. She stumbled at the start, then tried to catch up to the rest of us but couldn’t. So she missed out on going to the carnival. I also beat her in the long jump and triple jump, so she didn’t make the team that way, either.
    It must have sucked for Mietta, because she did athletics on the weekend. Her dream was to make it to the Olympics. But now she didn’t even get to compete against other schools.
    â€˜Well done,’ Mietta said to me after the carnival, but she looked really sad and disappointed. I was going to say something nice to cheer her up, like my friend Paige would’vedone. But then I felt, like, too bad, that’s life, so I just smiled and walked away.
    I tried to walk into jazz class quietly so that Miss Caroline wouldn’t notice I was late once again. But she caught me straightaway.
    â€˜Welcome, Riley,’ she said.
    â€˜Thank you,’ I said, holding my head high.
    I didn’t want to seem embarrassed because I was late – it wasn’t like I was being tardy. I had a reason.
    Besides, I was one of the better dancers in class. And to show Miss Caroline how true that was, I made extra sure to elongate my lines while we were doing floor work.
    â€˜Beautiful,’ she said to me, as I pirouetted past her.
    Who says you can’t be an athlete and a dancer?

Chapter Two
    â€˜Haven’t you got your shoes on yet, Riley?’ said my coach, Stacey. ‘The first half is about to start and you’re doing the jump.’
    â€˜I know, I know,’ I said, massaging my toes. ‘It’ll take me five seconds to put on my shoes.’
    â€˜How about you bring some of that attitude to the court? Come on, lace them up.’
    I muttered something under my breath and