fazed out—won’t happen again.” My face felt hot as she scrutinised me.
She smiled at me sympathetically while surreptitiously glancing at my wrists. I instantly pulled them behind me.
“Not to worry, Trice. It happens to the best of us.”
I gulped and turned back to the group, walking to the position that I was dancing in. Time to block out my day. This was my time. Forget about them. They can’t take this away. I looked forward and waited for the beat of the song to begin. This was my favourite part—the anticipation of beginning and of letting the music soothe me.
“Okay girls, let’s hit it. The gala isn’t too far away, so we need to nail these pieces today. Time yourselves and mind your body placement. Feel what this song is all about.”
I was feeling all right— hurry up and press play !
As the music began, my horrible day faded and I let the light in to cloak the darkness that had shrouded my heart.
Once the class was over, I was eager to step outside, so I hurriedly packed my bags. Alex and Robbie would be picking me up and I couldn’t wait to tell Alex about the gala. He had been my biggest supporter apart from my family; however, lately he had been busy with his new yet-to-be-met-by-me-girlfriend. I loved our playful banter about me dancing holes into the floor and I missed it. I hoped I could see him and talk about what we had been learning. It felt cathartic to let loose. As I jammed my water bottle into my duffel, Miss Ashton approached me.
“Trice, can I see you for a moment?” Oh, shit. My heart thudded as I followed her to the other side of the room.
“I’m sorry to say this to you, Trice, but I couldn’t help noticing your palms. I know if I ask if you’re okay that you will say that you’re fine.” I stared at her dance shoes.
“Trice, please look up at me—I won’t bite.”
I swallowed the bile that had risen in my throat. I didn’t want to talk about it.
“I’m sorry, Miss, it won’t happen again. I just tripped at school today, that’s all.” I gripped my sleeves, tears brimming in my eyes as I begged her to believe me so that I could go. The endorphins from the lesson were wearing off and my embarrassment was sinking in.
“Now, Trice,” she said, “if you think for one moment that I will buy that rubbish, you have another thing coming.” I stiffened, biting my lower lip and avoiding her gaze.
“Trice, I know what those girls do to you. I have friends on staff there who see it. I am furious that these girls haven’t been dealt with. Does your mother know?”
Fear crept up my spine. My mum must never find out.
“Please, Miss, you cannot tell my mum. She will come in and they’ll get worse. Look, I will just hang out in the library. My friends were there today, so if I had gone there straight away none of this would have happened,” I spluttered, hurriedly explaining my dire situation. “They leave soon, so I won’t have to do my senior years with them. Please, Miss. They will make fun of my mum, and I
can’t have that. I can deal with it. This,” I said, pointing to my wrists, “is nothing.”
The burning on my wrists reignited and I realised too late that my fingers were fisted into my palms and had caused the reopening of the shallow wounds. Ouch.
“Trice, those girls need to be stopped, but I will respect your wishes just this once. If it gets worse, I am telling your mother. You are a beautiful person, Trice. I know you don’t see it, but I do. Your beauty is radiant and those jealous cows know it.” She unfolded her arms across her chest, a smile forming on her face. “Anyway, remember that Mr Stevenson is coming to the gala. I’ve told him about you. He is looking for future candidates for senior school. This can launch you into a dancing career at his academy in Melbourne, Trice. Focus on this, and ignore those bitches.”
My mouth gaped. I couldn’t believe she’d spoken so highly to Mr Stevenson about me. A scout from
She smiled at me sympathetically while surreptitiously glancing at my wrists. I instantly pulled them behind me.
“Not to worry, Trice. It happens to the best of us.”
I gulped and turned back to the group, walking to the position that I was dancing in. Time to block out my day. This was my time. Forget about them. They can’t take this away. I looked forward and waited for the beat of the song to begin. This was my favourite part—the anticipation of beginning and of letting the music soothe me.
“Okay girls, let’s hit it. The gala isn’t too far away, so we need to nail these pieces today. Time yourselves and mind your body placement. Feel what this song is all about.”
I was feeling all right— hurry up and press play !
As the music began, my horrible day faded and I let the light in to cloak the darkness that had shrouded my heart.
Once the class was over, I was eager to step outside, so I hurriedly packed my bags. Alex and Robbie would be picking me up and I couldn’t wait to tell Alex about the gala. He had been my biggest supporter apart from my family; however, lately he had been busy with his new yet-to-be-met-by-me-girlfriend. I loved our playful banter about me dancing holes into the floor and I missed it. I hoped I could see him and talk about what we had been learning. It felt cathartic to let loose. As I jammed my water bottle into my duffel, Miss Ashton approached me.
“Trice, can I see you for a moment?” Oh, shit. My heart thudded as I followed her to the other side of the room.
“I’m sorry to say this to you, Trice, but I couldn’t help noticing your palms. I know if I ask if you’re okay that you will say that you’re fine.” I stared at her dance shoes.
“Trice, please look up at me—I won’t bite.”
I swallowed the bile that had risen in my throat. I didn’t want to talk about it.
“I’m sorry, Miss, it won’t happen again. I just tripped at school today, that’s all.” I gripped my sleeves, tears brimming in my eyes as I begged her to believe me so that I could go. The endorphins from the lesson were wearing off and my embarrassment was sinking in.
“Now, Trice,” she said, “if you think for one moment that I will buy that rubbish, you have another thing coming.” I stiffened, biting my lower lip and avoiding her gaze.
“Trice, I know what those girls do to you. I have friends on staff there who see it. I am furious that these girls haven’t been dealt with. Does your mother know?”
Fear crept up my spine. My mum must never find out.
“Please, Miss, you cannot tell my mum. She will come in and they’ll get worse. Look, I will just hang out in the library. My friends were there today, so if I had gone there straight away none of this would have happened,” I spluttered, hurriedly explaining my dire situation. “They leave soon, so I won’t have to do my senior years with them. Please, Miss. They will make fun of my mum, and I
can’t have that. I can deal with it. This,” I said, pointing to my wrists, “is nothing.”
The burning on my wrists reignited and I realised too late that my fingers were fisted into my palms and had caused the reopening of the shallow wounds. Ouch.
“Trice, those girls need to be stopped, but I will respect your wishes just this once. If it gets worse, I am telling your mother. You are a beautiful person, Trice. I know you don’t see it, but I do. Your beauty is radiant and those jealous cows know it.” She unfolded her arms across her chest, a smile forming on her face. “Anyway, remember that Mr Stevenson is coming to the gala. I’ve told him about you. He is looking for future candidates for senior school. This can launch you into a dancing career at his academy in Melbourne, Trice. Focus on this, and ignore those bitches.”
My mouth gaped. I couldn’t believe she’d spoken so highly to Mr Stevenson about me. A scout from
Similar Books
