why are you snivelling?’
Lexie prodded Shell. ‘Don’t speak to her like that.’
Shell looked puzzled. ‘I’m only trying to find out what’s the matter.’
‘Let Lexie try’ Cassie pulled Shell back.
The sand sprite wiped her eyes. ‘I’m Gentianella. Everyone calls me Ella for short, and I’m really happy to be here, but every time I think about home I start to
cry!’
Lexie smiled. ‘You need to know about the Present Rule. My mother taught it to me. It’s very useful at times like this.’
Ella wiped away a tear and looked up.
Lexie continued. ‘You have to focus on being in the present. You have a place at the Sandringham Dance School. How exciting is that? Then you have to close your eyes and imagine that
everyone at home is here with you sharing in your excitement.’
Ella closed her eyes and after a while wiped away a tear. ‘I do feel a bit better.’
Lexie stood up and, reaching out a hand, helped Ella on to her feet. ‘These are my friends Cassie and Shell. We’ll look out for you.’
‘But you’re all so grown-up. I am only eight.’ Ella frowned.
‘Not so grown-up that we can’t invite you to have a friendship squeeze.’ Cassie opened her arms and they all hugged.
‘Thank you,’ Ella said. ‘I feel so much better.’
Shell smiled. ‘Now off you go and don’t forget this.’ She handed Ella her exercises book. ‘You’re going to need all the help you can get.’
Ella’s face crumpled again as she began to wail. ‘I’ll never be able to remember all the steps.’
‘Great job,’ Cassie hissed to Shell.
‘What did I do?’ Shell said, bemused.
Lexie and Cassie both laughed.
‘I hope your dancing is better than your social graces!’ Cassie said, smiling.
Chapter Nine
‘Never let your thoughts drift
in a sandstorm.’
The Sands of Time
When Cassie woke the next morning she smiled to herself as she remembered where she was. Her first day at dance school!
She got out of bed and stretched her arms and legs. Then she washed and dressed carefully. Her fingers trembled as she plaited her hair. In less than an hour she would be taking part in her
first dance class. Her tummy began to wobble with nerves. Would she be good enough? Would everyone else be much better than her?
She splashed cold water on her face and gave herself a good talking to.
‘Come on, Cassie. Stop worrying. Don’t think too much. You’ll be fine,’ she said as she gazed at her expression in the mirror. She still looked a bit scared. She tried to
smile, but that only made her look fierce.
The practice outfit fitted her perfectly. How clever Euphorbia was to make it without even measuring her, she thought. When she looked in the mirror again the dress had transformed her. It made
her stand straight and she didn’t look quite so afraid. She hoped her aunt was right when she’d said the more perfect the dress the more perfect the steps. She suddenly felt a lot
better.
She walked over to the peephole, opened it and looked out at the view over Dreamy Dune and beyond. Despite her obvious intent to make her miserable, Calluna had done her a favour by allocating
her this room. She could always escape down the rope ladder when she felt things were getting on top of her.
She smiled to herself as she made her way out of her room, down the stepladder and along the corridor to Shell’s room.
She tugged on the curtain and popped her head through to see Shell still curled up in bed. ‘Hurry up! You’ve got exactly six and a half minutes to be up and dressed and ready for
breakfast.’
‘Lexie told me I’d be late for breakfast too. I think she’s already gone down. Let’s skip eating and be early for class instead of late for breakfast.’ Shell
yawned. ‘Your dress looks amazing. It’s nearly as nice as mine. Would you pass it to me? It’s hanging by the wall.’
When Cassie saw Shell’s dress she let out a long whistle. ‘This looks like real gold thread.’
Shell
Lexie prodded Shell. ‘Don’t speak to her like that.’
Shell looked puzzled. ‘I’m only trying to find out what’s the matter.’
‘Let Lexie try’ Cassie pulled Shell back.
The sand sprite wiped her eyes. ‘I’m Gentianella. Everyone calls me Ella for short, and I’m really happy to be here, but every time I think about home I start to
cry!’
Lexie smiled. ‘You need to know about the Present Rule. My mother taught it to me. It’s very useful at times like this.’
Ella wiped away a tear and looked up.
Lexie continued. ‘You have to focus on being in the present. You have a place at the Sandringham Dance School. How exciting is that? Then you have to close your eyes and imagine that
everyone at home is here with you sharing in your excitement.’
Ella closed her eyes and after a while wiped away a tear. ‘I do feel a bit better.’
Lexie stood up and, reaching out a hand, helped Ella on to her feet. ‘These are my friends Cassie and Shell. We’ll look out for you.’
‘But you’re all so grown-up. I am only eight.’ Ella frowned.
‘Not so grown-up that we can’t invite you to have a friendship squeeze.’ Cassie opened her arms and they all hugged.
‘Thank you,’ Ella said. ‘I feel so much better.’
Shell smiled. ‘Now off you go and don’t forget this.’ She handed Ella her exercises book. ‘You’re going to need all the help you can get.’
Ella’s face crumpled again as she began to wail. ‘I’ll never be able to remember all the steps.’
‘Great job,’ Cassie hissed to Shell.
‘What did I do?’ Shell said, bemused.
Lexie and Cassie both laughed.
‘I hope your dancing is better than your social graces!’ Cassie said, smiling.
Chapter Nine
‘Never let your thoughts drift
in a sandstorm.’
The Sands of Time
When Cassie woke the next morning she smiled to herself as she remembered where she was. Her first day at dance school!
She got out of bed and stretched her arms and legs. Then she washed and dressed carefully. Her fingers trembled as she plaited her hair. In less than an hour she would be taking part in her
first dance class. Her tummy began to wobble with nerves. Would she be good enough? Would everyone else be much better than her?
She splashed cold water on her face and gave herself a good talking to.
‘Come on, Cassie. Stop worrying. Don’t think too much. You’ll be fine,’ she said as she gazed at her expression in the mirror. She still looked a bit scared. She tried to
smile, but that only made her look fierce.
The practice outfit fitted her perfectly. How clever Euphorbia was to make it without even measuring her, she thought. When she looked in the mirror again the dress had transformed her. It made
her stand straight and she didn’t look quite so afraid. She hoped her aunt was right when she’d said the more perfect the dress the more perfect the steps. She suddenly felt a lot
better.
She walked over to the peephole, opened it and looked out at the view over Dreamy Dune and beyond. Despite her obvious intent to make her miserable, Calluna had done her a favour by allocating
her this room. She could always escape down the rope ladder when she felt things were getting on top of her.
She smiled to herself as she made her way out of her room, down the stepladder and along the corridor to Shell’s room.
She tugged on the curtain and popped her head through to see Shell still curled up in bed. ‘Hurry up! You’ve got exactly six and a half minutes to be up and dressed and ready for
breakfast.’
‘Lexie told me I’d be late for breakfast too. I think she’s already gone down. Let’s skip eating and be early for class instead of late for breakfast.’ Shell
yawned. ‘Your dress looks amazing. It’s nearly as nice as mine. Would you pass it to me? It’s hanging by the wall.’
When Cassie saw Shell’s dress she let out a long whistle. ‘This looks like real gold thread.’
Shell
Similar Books
