Pirouette Read Online Free

headed over to the Caff for breakfast.
    Chatting eagerly among themselves, the other dance students were all looking forward to the day ahead: meeting the teachers, finding out what repertoires and routines they’d be performing in three weeks’ time, and most of all, doing what they liked best—dancing. Simone couldn’t help feeling like an outsider as snippets of their conversation reached her. The others all seemed so thrilled to be there. She alone wished she were elsewhere.
    She thought of her mother, who’d already rung to ask her whether she’d been placed in the correct level—the highest one—and who her teachers were. Harriet would expect a full report, no details spared. Simone sighed.
    She looked at the variety of breakfast foods her fellow students were tucking into. Though she had no appetite, she knew she’d need energy to get through the day. I must stop feeling sorry for myself , she thought. She forced herself to swallow a mouthful of toast, then made her way over to the studio for the compulsory warm-up.
    Several of the other dancers had arrived before her. Some were stretching, while others were chatting, making introductions or catching up with friends they hadn’t seen in nearly a year.
    Simone looked around to see if she recognized anyone from previous summers. A boy with a pale face and sandy hair looked familiar, but she couldn’t quite place him. Then she remembered—he lived in Canberra, and his name was Liam. He’d been a little on the short side last time she’d seen him, but he’d grown in the past eleven months. Now he towered over the rest of the class.
    Next to him was a guy Simone had never met, with dark wavy hair and large brown eyes. He had classic, sculpted features, and Simone found herself staring. He must have felt her eyes on his face, because suddenly he turned and looked straight at her. Simone blushed and looked away.
    â€œ Hey, Simone!” A striking girl with long, long legs and coal-black hair was calling her name. This was Sam, her friend from Sydney who came to Candance every year. They gave each other an affectionate hug. “How are you?” Sam started doing warm-up prances as she spoke and rushed on without waiting for an answer. “We’ve got Virginia Roth for warm-up and ballet. I’m so psyched I can’t wait to start.”
    â€œLooks like you don’t have to,” said Simone as the famed Miss Roth appeared in the doorway.
    â€œGreat to see you all,” the ex-principal dancer said with a smile. “I’ll just do a quick roll call before we begin. We’ll start with the boys. Mitchell Brock?”
    â€œHere.”
    â€œLiam Cousins?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œTom Delaney?”
    â€œThat’s me,” said the new guy, looking directly at Simone. She bit her lip and looked away, making a mental note to keep her eyes on the teacher for the rest of the lesson.

five
    â€œI think I should wait,” said Manfred. “What if they send you home again?”
    â€œThey won’t, Dad. What are the odds?”
    â€œEven so,” Manfred said, “I’d rather wait till you board the plane.”
    â€œDad, please. I’ll be okay. And Mum said you’ve got a meeting.” Hannah flung her arms around her father’s neck, then stepped away. “Go on. I’ll be fine.” But a moment later she was enfolded in one of his trademark bear hugs.
    â€œBye, Dad.” This time she gave him a firm push in the direction of the car park, and twenty minutes later, she was on the plane.
    Finally, the disappointment of the delayed departure was behind her and all her natural exuberance returned. It was all she could do to stop herself from bouncing up and down in her seat as she watched the suburbs of Melbourne grow smaller and more distant.
    It took just over an hour to reach Canberra, and it was a little after one o’clock when the taxi