Dance Till you Drop by Samantha-Ellen Bound Page A

the hall.
    â€˜Benji?’ I whispered.
    He stepped out from behind an old wall heater. ‘What’s up?’ he asked. ‘I came round the back, like you said.’
    â€˜Thank you so much for doing this!’ I was so excited, I gave him a hug.
    â€˜Oh,’ he stammered. ‘Yeah … that’s cool. Yeah. It’ll be fun.’
    â€˜Really?’ I asked.
    â€˜Yep.’ He nodded. ‘No, really. I’m glad you asked me. It’ll be good practice for when we win that next ballroom comp, right?’
    â€˜Well, we have improved!’ I said. ‘I’m so glad my friends will get to see you dance. Everyone’s gonna want you to join Silver Shoes, now.’
    Benji shoved his hands in his pockets. ‘Yeah, I’m thinking about it,’ he said with a smile.
    I clapped my hands. ‘The program says we’re on near the end of the first act. So just hang around if you like. If anyone asks, say you’re helping out.’
    â€˜Cool,’ said Benji. He grinned. ‘Thanks, Paige.’
    The next hour passed so quickly. It was a blur of dancing on stage and changing costumes. First I was in Birdy’s ‘Skinny Love’ for my lyrical class. We wore these elaborate medieval-style velvet dresses and Miss Caroline’s idea for the dance was to ‘imagine we were butterflies, or a dying shooting star, and this was our last grasp at life’.
    Things cheered up when we did Pharrell Williams’ ‘Happy’ for jazz. Our costume was a bright glittery shift dress, and the dance was set in the 1960s motown era, with lots of claps, swinging and grooving. What a difference to be in the moment, enjoying myself, and knowing exactly what I had to do, instead of worrying about my waltz!
    Before I knew it, it was almost waltz time. I rushed into the costume room to get ready for my surprise ballroom performance with Benji.
    Gosh. I’d forgotten how beautiful the dress was. As soon as I pulled it on and was surrounded by all the layers of yellow and gold, and the little butterflies and beads, I felt like I was a part of something special and that the dress would become an extension of my movements.
    â€˜Wow,’ said a voice. ‘You look amazing.’
    I turned to see my tin soldier, Benji, waiting for me by the door.
    â€˜Thank you,’ I said. ‘You look very handsome.’
    This time he blushed!
    He gave a silly little bow and I took his arm and got ready to complete surprise number two.

Chapter Eighteen
    Dancing my waltz with Benji on the Silver Shoes stage, I realised it was probably the first time I actually really loved ballroom.
    And do you know why?
    It wasn’t just because all my friends and the people I loved were watching me.
    Or because there was no pressure to win anything.
    Or because, for once, I actually felt like I knew the routine I was performing.
    It was because I wanted to be there. I was excited to show off my dancing, and what I’d worked so hard learning.
    And because I was having fun.
    I remembered why dancing was such a magical thing.
    As soon as our waltz music, ‘Greensleeves’, began playing, a silence fell over the audience. I started my fouetté turns, and every time I went around I caught a sparkle from the butterflies in my hair.
    After I couldn’t fouetté anymore, and I had collapsed on the ground (acting, of course!), out came Benji as the tin soldier.
    He picked me up and we went into our closed hold. Just before he began to lead into our driving step, he did the biggest, cheekiest grin, like he was about to have the best time.
    My heart melted, or maybe it was the fairy ballerina’s. And we began to waltz.
    It really seemed like Benji and I were going round and round in a music box. Sometime during our dance I noticed Ellie, Riley and Ash had come to the side of the stage. They were huddled in the wings, watching us.
    Forget about box steps and underarm right turns,