Read Online Dancer at Silver Spires by Ann Bryant - Free Book Online Page B

just need to make sure you give it enough rest,” Miss Morgan replied. “I shouldn’t have let you dance today. It’s my fault.”
    As their voices disappeared into the distance, I knew I should be going too, but I couldn’t quite tear myself away. In my head I was working out a different choreography with fewer extensions, so Abi’s leg wouldn’t be under such a strain. I needed to keep my eyes on the chalked-out stage and imagine all the girls dancing, or I couldn’t do it properly. I stood there for ages, working out steps in my head and wishing I could write down all my ideas so I wouldn’t forget them. After a while, as there was no one around, I went into Mrs. Truman’s office and quickly grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil from her desk. Then I hurried back to my place around the corner and, once I’d had a final look at the imaginary stage, I started to write down what I’d worked out, as best I could.
    The trouble was, I couldn’t hear the music well enough in my head and I didn’t dare go into the sports hall to play the CD, in case anyone came in and wondered what on earth I was doing. In the end, I waited till the whole block had been deserted for a good ten minutes. I knew I could be sure by then that no one would disturb me, because it was half past six and it wouldn’t be worth anyone coming into the sports hall before supper.
    So in I crept.

Chapter Seven

    At first when I pressed play on the CD player and the music blared out, I went into a big panic and quickly turned it down, as it seemed far too loud for the hall. I guessed that was because I was all alone in such a vast room, so the background of silence was deeper than when there’d been loads of people in here.
    I set the volume just loud enough to hear the music, then kicked off my shoes and took up my position on the pretend stage. I had to imagine I was en pointe like Abi, because I’d never done any pointe work, but it didn’t matter. All that seemed to matter at that moment was feeling the dance that I’d just created for Abi coming alive. It was brilliant. There were no mirrors, no piano, no rosin box, no barres, no one judging me. I was back in my secret, private world, free to dance just for myself. I soon came to the end of the steps I’d worked out, and just carried on, making up more steps as I went along, dancing and dancing away without stopping.
    And when the track finished, I put it on again, only this time I found myself dancing some of the steps of the original main part that I’d seen Olivia and Abi do. Then as the music came to a close, I did a big finish in the balance position that poor Abi hadn’t been able to manage with her injured leg. My supporting leg felt strong and I held the position even after the last note had faded, because I was desperate to hold on to this moment for as long as possible. I don’t know how long I would have stood there if the sound of clapping hadn’t startled me and made me lose my balance.
    Heart hammering, I turned to see Kate standing in the doorway. She came rushing over to me, crinkling with smiles. “I don’t know your name, but whoever you are, that was a-may-zing !”
    My mouth felt dry. It was lovely of her to give me such a compliment, but I was still totally embarrassed and upset at being discovered in the middle of my private world.
    â€œTh…thank you.”
    â€œSo what’s your name?”
    â€œIzzy.”
    â€œIzzy! Wow!” Kate laughed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean, Wow, Izzy, what a name! I meant wow to the incredible dancing. Does Miss Morgan know about you? Does anyone know about you? I mean, why hasn’t Miss Morgan ever mentioned you? She often talks about girls in the junior ballet club.”
    â€œI…I’m not in the ballet club.”
    â€œNot in the club! Why not? I’ll tell Miss Morgan! In fact I’ll tell her right