Olivia Flies High Read Online Free Page A

I bet they didn’t tell you that Tom said Romeo and Juliet is just a rubbishy circus act, did they?”
    Eel looked shocked. “Oh, Livy, there must be some mistake. I’m sure he doesn’t believe that. Tom loves the tightrope almost as much as you do.”
    “Look, Eel, it’s none of your business, so just buzz off. Stay away from them and stay away from me, too. You’ll just make everything worse with your babyish meddling.”
    Eel flinched. Olivia had never spoken to her so harshly before. She ran back into the living room where Alicia was on the phone to someone in Hollywood.
    Remembering that conversation now, Olivia slumped against the wall. She’d been unforgivably horrible to her beloved little sister. The list of people she needed to apologise to just kept getting longer and longer. She muttered furiously to herself: “You’re a complete idiot, Olivia Marvell, and your own worst enemy.”
    “Yes, and you’re cutting off your toes to spite your feet.”
    Olivia spun around. It was Pablo.
    “You shouldn’t listen in when peopleare talking to themselves, it’s rude,” she said, embarrassed. “And it’s nose and face, not toes and feet.”
    Pablo shrugged, his eyes sparkling. “It’s the same thing,” he said. “The only person who feels the pain is you.” He pretended to stab himself through the heart and rolled his eyes dramatically. “How’s the wire-walking coming along?” he asked. “Have you been practising the new routine you and Jack were working on before he left?”
    Olivia sighed. “It’s not the same without Tom. It was fun being a double act.”
    “There’s no reason why the two of you shouldn’t be a double act again. You must make up with him. He’s not going to be in The Sound of Music for ever, and once the rehearsals are over he’ll be able to practise with you again.”
    “He won’t want to,” said Olivia, gloomily.
    “He won’t if you keep cutting off the toes,” said Pablo seriously, pushing back his dark curls. “Listen, Miss Alicia sent me to get you. She’s got a surprise for you.”
    “Nice or nasty?” asked Olivia nervously.
    “Magnificent, of course!” grinned Pablo. “Not that Miss Grumpy deserves a surprise.But come and see. We must not keep Miss Alicia waiting. She is very scary if you do that.”
    “How do you know?”
    “I was a day late for my interview. I got my Wednesdays mixed up with my Thursdays. I felt like a very naughty boy.” Pablo grinned. “But I still got the job, and I like the Duck Academy and all the little ducklings very much.”
    Olivia smiled. She knew Pablo was trying to cheer her up and she felt grateful.
     
    Alicia was waiting for them just outside the school hall. She didn’t look at all impatient. In fact, she looked unusually nervous, but she smiled when she saw Olivia.
    “This isn’t my idea, Olivia,” she said. “It’s your dad’s. He rang me late last night. I wasn’t at all sure about it. But I discussed it with Pablo – he’s the expert after all – and he was all for it.”
    “Dad rang you?” cried Olivia. “Last night?”
    Alicia nodded.
    Olivia suddenly felt a lightening of her heart. He couldn’t have turned against her completely then! “What is it?” she asked eagerly.
    Alicia opened the door and the othersfollowed her through. Hanging from the high rafters, fully rigged, was a swinging trapeze.
    Olivia gasped. “For me?”
    Alicia nodded. “And Pablo, and maybe some of the others in the school if any of them show any real aptitude.” She gave a little shudder. “Although I’m not sure I really want them to. All this circus business seems so risky. Nobody ever got hurt doing a plié .”
    “Miss Alicia, I’ve explained before it is not about risk, it is about managing risk. I will look after your little ducklings; I will not let them fall,” said Pablo soothingly.
    He turned to Olivia. “Jack said that you’d done much static and swinging trapeze work the summer before last when you