Free Pirouette by Robyn Bavati

nights.”
    â€œYou’re right, it does,” said Liam. “You sad, sad person. That’s really lame.”
    Tom put a hand on Hannah’s arm and waited till Sam and Liam had gone on ahead. “You know,” he said, leaning toward her, “there’s a reason I asked. I’d really like to get to know you.”
    â€œYou are getting to know me,” Hannah said.
    Tom shook his head. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you never talk about yourself.”
    â€œMaybe I’m not all that interesting,” Hannah said.
    â€œNo, that’s not it.” He paused, then added, “Come on, Simone. What are you hiding?”
    â€œNothing,” said Hannah.
    â€œProve it, then. Let’s go out tonight, and you can tell me everything I want to know.”
    You’ve got the wrong sister , Hannah thought.
    But it was the perfect opportunity to set him up with Simone.

    Engrossed in the story she was reading, Simone hardly noticed the sounds of splashing and laughter. For the first time in her life, she was having the kind of holiday she’d always wanted, spending hours at the local pool, sprawled on a deck chair in the shade of an elm tree with Hannah’s Kindle in one hand and a glass of fizzy water in the other. When she wasn’t reading, she gazed dreamily over the shining surface of the water or jumped in the pool.
    It was wonderful having no Harriet to report to at the end of each day, no one deciding what she ate and watching every mouthful, and, best of all, no one telling her to push her body harder and harder. For the first time in ages, Simone’s muscles didn’t ache from the minute she got up in the morning till the minute she went to bed at night. Her body felt loose and free.
    Finishing the chapter, she set the Kindle aside and re-read the DNA test results that had arrived that morning. She wondered when and how she and Hannah would tell their parents about each other’s existence, and imagined a thousand different scenarios. In most of these, the adults were thrilled by the news—after getting over their initial shock.
    Still, despite now having proof, Simone couldn’t be sure quite how their parents would feel. Would they truly be pleased? Or would they rather not know? When she grew tired of thinking about it, Simone closed her eyes and allowed her mind to wander. It wandered to Tom Delaney and those deep, dark eyes. A tiny half-smile played on her lips as she pictured him. The fact that she didn’t know him, and never would, somehow made him more desirable. Thinking about him was definitely preferable to being near him; it was far less threatening—not to mention less embarrassing. And as long as she didn’t actually know the guy, nothing could spoil her fantasy of him.
    Even so, a part of her wished she could get to know him …
    Simone snapped out of her reverie and jumped into the pool. She swam two laps, then climbed out and stood dripping onto the grass, allowing the sun to dry her. It was too hot to stay outside all day, so she headed back to the Candance campus.
    Lunchtime was over and the dancers were making their way back to class when Simone arrived. She ducked behind a tree and watched as they entered the building. Among the last to go inside were a couple deep in conversation—Hannah and Tom.
    Their heads were close together, as if they’d discovered a world of their own. Once again, Simone felt a stab of envy …

    Hannah didn’t come back to the room for another two hours, leaving Simone free to contemplate what she’d seen. Hannah had said she wasn’t interested in Tom, and Simone believed her … but somehow, it hadn’t looked that way. So she couldn’t help mentioning it the moment Hannah arrived back from class.
    â€œI saw you with Tom. Is something going on between you?”
    Hannah swiftly shook her head. “We hang out at lunchtime—Tom and Liam,