Stolen Luck Read Online Free

scowled at her, and she backed away, but not before she took note of his large key ring.
    She would bet her entire ballet career that the key to that case was on that ring. And the strange feeling of need came over Kayley. She wanted those shoes. More than anything else in the world.
    She stood straighter. What would it hurt to test the legend?

Chapter 6
    On her way back to her room, Kayley ran into Madeleine and Ophelia. They were whispering to each other and giggling. Kayley seethed with jealousy. Madeleine was taking everything away from her. Ophelia was supposed to be Kayley’s best friend.
    She tried to walk past them without saying anything, but Ophelia grabbed her sweater. “Hey. Where are you going?”
    â€œAre you all right?” Madeleine asked, putting a hand on Kayley’s shoulder.
    Kayley shrugged it off. “I’m fine. Just not feeling well, that’s all.”
    Ophelia stared hard at her. Kayley knew she wasn’t buying it. But Ophelia shrugged and said, “Whatever.”
    Madeleine said, “Do you want us to walk you to the nurse’s office?”
    The nurse’s office was perfect. Why hadn’t she thought of that? It was right near the staircase to the lower floor, where Bert’s office was. She would fake sick all day and use the time away from class to try to get the keys.
    Kayley shook her head. “Uh, no, I can get there myself. I’m just going to drop off my bag.” She looked down at the floor and started to walk away.
    â€œYou’re acting weird,” Ophelia said, but Kayley was walking away too fast to respond. She dismissed the other girls with a wave. She didn’t have time for this; she had an illness to fake.
    She dropped her bag off in her room, then grabbed a hooded sweatshirt with a pocket in the front. Then she practically sprinted to the nurse’s room.
    When she got there, she tried her hardest to look sick.
    The nurse was cleaning shelves off as Kayley walked in. She held her belly and groaned to get the nurse’s attention.
    He turned around.
    â€œMy stomach hurts.”
    Nurse John squinted at her. “Well, why don’t you lie here. Have you eaten today?”
    This was always his first question. Nurse John thought ballet dancers didn’t eat enough.
    She realized she hadn’t. She shook her head.
    He frowned and then walked to his desk and pulled out a granola bar. “Well, eat this. Then we’ll see how you feel.”
    Kayley nodded, opened up the wrapper, and ate the bar. Her stomach actually did start to feel better, but she waited for a bit and said, “I don’t think that helped.” She tried to look as pitiful as she could.
    Then she added, “I don’t think I can do classes or ballet practice today.”
    Now the nurse, Kayley knew, was used to ballet dancers trying to fake sick out of regular classes. But never did they try to fake their way out of ballet class. Never. Nurse John immediately nodded and said, “OK. I’ll give you a note to give to your teachers. Can you make it to your room all right?”
    Kayley nodded and watched as he scribbled something on a piece of paper. She could hardly believe how easy this was: all she had to do was show the note to Madame and her teachers tomorrow, and she’d be excused. She had to hide her smile when the nurse handed her the paper.
    She held her stomach and said, “Thank you,” and walked slowly out the door.
    As she turned the corner, she looked both ways down the hall to make sure no one would see her, then went down the stairs she knew led to the maintenance man’s room.
    Time to change things around. Time for the shoes.
    When Kayley hit the first stair, she almost turned back. She had forgotten how creepy the school could be. There was barely any light in the staircase. Canned laughter traveled to her from a TV far away, coming from the bottom of the stairs. The house creaked and groaned. Shadows