Step Up and Dance by Thalia Kalipsakis Page A

‘Can you stay after rehearsal? I don’t have time for this now.’
    I shrugged helplessly. ‘Maybe. My dad …’ I could feel the eyes of the rest of the troupe on me. Were they thinking I was too young to be here? She doesn’t even have her licence. She’s never even had sex.
    â€˜I’ll drive you home. We need to do the new time-outs now.’
    â€˜Okay, I’ll try.’ With my eyes down, I ran to my bag and pulled out my phone. This was going to be tricky. But I had a chance. When Dad knocks off each night, he keeps his work mobile on for emergencies. But he never answers it – just calls his driver back if he really thinks he needs to.
    Biting my bottom lip, I dialled the number. Just like always it rang two times then went to the message bank.
    â€˜Dad, ah …’ A guilty stammer. ‘It’s Saph. Just letting you know that Lesley’s going to drive me home tonight. She’s going to do some extra work with me, so I’m really lucky.’ I swallowed and took a breath. ‘So you have the night off! Ah . . . sweet dreams. I’ll see you in the morning!’
    Then I switched off my phone, feeling like I was sneaking off to work in a strip club.

    â€˜It’s all in here,’ said Lesley, touching both of her temples. She was standing directly in front of me, staring into my eyes.
    I stared at her, trying not to flinch and step back. She had dark eyeliner and intense eyes, but that wasn’t the only intense thing about her. Lesley was big – not just in a big-is-beautiful kind of way, but bold and strong and sure of herself. Her body seemed to command the space it was in. Around Lesley, I felt like a tiny schoolgirl.
    â€˜It’s all about how you feel.’ Lesley put her hands on my hips and started them swaying. ‘It’s all about enjoying the feel of your body.’
    I could hear traffic noise outside, but not much. It was pretty late. Most people were already snuggled behind closed curtains at home.
    Lesley took her hands from my hips. I kept swaying, holding the rhythm and the feel of the move.
    Lesley rubbed her chin and stepped to the side so I could see myself in the mirror.
    â€˜You’re still tight in here.’ She held one hand on my stomach and the other at the small of my back. Again, she guided my movement. ‘Let go, Saph. Enjoy how it feels.’
    But I was feeling weird. When I tried to laugh, it came out as a squeak. Then I put my hands behind my head and really let go. Va va va voom . . .
    â€˜No. Too much.’ Lesley was rubbing her chin and thinking. ‘Who were you flirting with on Saturday night?’
    My smile dropped. ‘Um . . . who, me?’
    â€˜Yes, Saph, I saw you. Just before you lost your timing. Remember?’ She raised her eyebrows in an I know everything, I see everything kind of way.
    Great. I felt a rush of red on my neck and stared down at my dance shoes. Then I gulped and looked up at Lesley. ‘Aw . . . just this guy. I’ve never even spoken to him. In my mind he goes to uni.’
    â€˜Fantasy? Good! Not the flirting part …’ Lesley pointed at me like she was telling me off. ‘But we can use this.’
    Again, she put her hands on my hips and started them swaying. ‘Shut your eyes and think of him.’
    I shut my eyes, trying to see those cute blue eyes and relive our moment together. The look, the recognition, the feel of it in my chest . . .
    But the uni guy was distant and shadowy in my mind. I opened my eyes. ‘I don’t really know him, though, Lesley.’
    â€˜My darling, he can be whatever you want him to be. That’s the beauty of all this, it’s about dreams . . . fantasies …’
    I shut my eyes again and tried to conjure up my dream man. Faintly, like an aroma drifting to me, I began to feel him looking at me. Soon I could see him – taller than me, strong arms, tanned skin, a smooth