Rhythm and Blues by Samantha-Ellen Bound Page A

Why was everyone picking on me! All I ever did was try to help!
    â€˜Well then, you should have checked with me,’ Miss Caroline said, a little kinder. ‘Never just guess. Always be sure.’
    Shaking my head, I bit my lip, crossed my arms and looked away.
    Miss Caroline put a friendly hand on my arm. ‘Why don’t you go and help Billie with the tinies,’ she said. ‘She’s not feeling very well today. And it might be a bit of fun for you.’
    Great. So now I’d been dumped down to helping out with the tinies. The unfairness of everything was building up and up in my chest. The flames were roaring now. I didn’t even thank Miss Caroline. I just turned on my heel and stomped as best I could into the studio next door.
    I couldn’t do anything right.

Chapter Seventeen
    When I stepped through the door, I was greeted with angelic faces and cute little tutus. But the fire in my chest was burning away all the nice feelings I had, so I couldn’t even smile. I must have seemed like the wicked witch of the west to the tinies.
    â€˜Riley! My saviour.’ Billie stumbled over to me, coughing and covering her nose with about ten tissues. She really didn’t look well,even her brightly coloured hair seemed to have faded. ‘Can you take the tinies for a bit?’ she gasped. ‘It’s beginner’s ballet. I just need to go and get … something … for this head.’
    â€˜Um …’ Taking the tinies was the last thing I felt like doing right now.
    â€˜Girls,’ rasped Billie, ‘this is Riley. She’ll do all the positions and some twirls with you. Be nice to her. I’ll be back to check on my ballerinas in a bit.’ She pushed her way out of the studio. ‘Thanks, Riley,’ she added.
    I blinked at the door as it swung shut. Then I turned around to see all these faces looking up at me, waiting for me to teach them how to hold their arms and place their legs, when I couldn’t even control the feelings whirling around inside my body.
    I didn’t know what to say or do. It felt like an impossible task, so I just stared at them.
    â€˜Hello,’ said one little girl with blonde pigtails. ‘My name’s Jessie.’
    I gaped at her.
    â€˜With Miss Billie we’re doing first and second positions … and all the others,’ she told me helpfully.
    Fantastic. Now four-year-olds had to tell me what to do.
    â€˜Yes. All right,’ I said.
    â€˜The music is ready to go,’ she added. ‘You just have to press play.’
    I did just that and some carousel-sounding soundtrack came on. The little girls started jumping about. They looked so happy and I was so miserable. The flames in my chest leapt higher and made my throat all dry and parched.
    â€˜Okay.’ I cleared my throat. The tinies kept jumping about. ‘Okay, girls,’ I said, a little louder, trying to keep the wobble out of my voice. ‘First position. Who remembers?’
    They all looked at me expectantly. Gosh. I was meant to show them. What was first position? For the life of me I couldn’t think what it even meant.
    Feet turned out. Arms in front. I forced my body into the sloppiest version of first position I’d ever done.
    Focus, Riley, focus. But I couldn’t. I just had to get out, and away.
    I heard the door to the studio crack open. Thank God. Billie was back.
    But it wasn’t Billie. Instead, Paige’s sweet, friendly face was looking at me, worry in her blue eyes.
    â€˜Hi girls,’ she sang to the tinies. ‘Lovely first positions!’ They all beamed at her.
    Paige hurried over to me. ‘Are you okay?’ she asked. ‘Miss Caroline sent me to quickly check on you.’
    I looked at her, and I knew I was aboutto cry. Someone actually being nice to me was the hardest thing of all. I was going to bawl and I had to leave the studio.
    â€˜Please help me, Paige,’ I