Free Dancer at Silver Spires by Ann Bryant Page A

“But, you see, I don’t really want to dance with the seniors when I’m not even in the junior ballet club…”
    â€œYes, but you should be. I don’t get why Miss Morgan hasn’t mentioned you to us lot when she’s seen you dance.” Kate looked at me carefully. “What did she actually say when she saw you?”
    I looked down, trying to block out the awful memory. But I had to explain to Kate or she’d make me come to the theatre the next day and that would be unbearable. “She asked me if I wanted to have another go, but I didn’t want to.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œShe…didn’t think I was very good.” My mind swung back to the Royal Ballet audition and I suddenly had to end this conversation. “I’d better go. Sorry…”
    As I was walking away, Kate called after me, “Are you sure you won’t just come along, Izzy?”
    I turned round, but only for a second. “Yes, I’m sure. Sorry.”
    At lunchtime the next day, I saw Kate sitting down at a table just beside where Sasha and I were queuing. I didn’t want her to notice me, because I was scared she might try to persuade me to go to the theatre again. Then Sasha would ask what we were talking about and she’d get to hear the whole story and she’d be sure to try and persuade me to do what Kate suggested.
    I deliberately pointed out a picture to Sasha that was on the far wall of the hall, so we could turn right away from Kate.
    â€œThat’s been there for ages, Izzy!” said Sasha, looking confused. “Have you only just noticed it?”
    â€œNo…but I’ve only just noticed how good it is.”
    We were shuffling along in the queue as we stared at the picture, and any minute now we’d be past Kate, thank goodness. But then Sasha suddenly swung round the other way and pointed across the hall. “Look, that picture’s even better. I love the colours, don’t you?”
    I had to look, and I could feel that Kate’s eyes were on me.
    â€œHi, Izzy.”
    I swallowed and pretended I’d only just seen her. “Oh, hi!”
    But then she was back into the conversation that was going on at her table and I relaxed. It was incredible. She hadn’t said anything at all about dancing or ballet or rehearsals.
    As I sat down at a table with the rest of my dorm and ate the delicious chicken chasseur, with my eyes on Kate across the room, a new wave of relief flooded over me. I’d never imagined she’d let the subject of me dancing go, just like that. But she must have had second thoughts and decided it was simply too late for me to join in the senior’s dance now, when there was only a week and a bit left to go. Or maybe Abi’s leg was better. Whatever it was, I was off the hook.
    But I was still left with a mixed-up feeling inside my head. I suddenly realized I didn’t mind the thought of watching the dance show any more. I knew I’d feel emotional when it came to the ballet dance, but not in the kind of unbearable way I would have felt a few days ago. Something had changed. It wasn’t so urgently important to keep my past completely shut out now. It was…weird.
    All my friends were buzzing with chatter about how great the show was going to be, what with dressing up and being entertained all evening, and all the different sorts of dancing. Some Year Eights at the next table chimed in that whenever there’s an event at Silver Spires for the whole school, it’s always really exciting and buzzy, simply because of everyone being there. One girl said it was like suddenly having your whole family – with all your cousins and aunties and uncles and grandparents – for Christmas when you’d not seen them for ages. At first that thought gave me a little stab of sadness, as I remembered that Claire wouldn’t be around over the Christmas holidays. But once I got over