The Cursed Ballet by Megan Atwood Page A

since Kayley was like a clairvoyant witch and knew it anytime Ophelia was hiding something.
    â€œAll right,” Ophelia said. “Here’s what happened. The other day, I heard Madame talking to that owner guy. And I swear—now, I could be wrong—but I swear I heard them talking about Giselle ! I think Dario Quincy might be putting on Giselle !”
    Madeleine looked thrilled and clapped her hands, but Sophie, Emma, and Kayley were silent.
    Ophelia exhaled in frustration. “Oh, come on, you guys. You don’t really believe in those rumors, do you? Like a bunch of idiots?”
    Kayley looked at Sophie and Emma. “What about the little ghost hunt you took us on a couple months ago? You know, for the ghost who was stealing our trinkets?”
    Ophelia waved her hand. Kayley could be such a stickler for facts sometimes. “Oh, that was ages ago. And anyway, I didn’t really believe it was a ghost. It was just something to do! Something less boring than sitting around in the dorms.”
    She reached in her bag for a hairpin, then wrapped the hair around her bun and stuck the pin in, scraping her head.
    â€œMadeleine held her hands out and shrugged. “OK, I’m lost. What’s going on?”
    Ophelia rolled her eyes again. “Oh, these yahoos think that performances of Giselle are cursed here at the academy. It’s been a rumor since before I came here. The school hasn’t put it on in years.” She stood up and threw her leg on the barre. Class would start any minute, and she wasn’t feeling the least bit limber.
    Kayley stood up too, then Sophie, Emma, and Madeleine.
    â€œThirty years to be exact, Ophelia,” Kayley said. “And I suppose you think you’ll get the role of Giselle?”
    Ophelia raised an eyebrow and worked to suppress a smile. Of course, she thought she’d get the role. She was the best dancer in the company, with maybe the exception of Madeleine. But she just had a feeling in her stomach that she would be Giselle. She’d wanted to play that part since she was ten, the first time she’d seen it done.
    Kayley went on: “Yeah, well, the last three times this company has put on Giselle —the only three times—the ballerina who played her died. Died , Ophelia. Do you want to die?”
    Ophelia twirled around and stared at her. “Of course, I don’t. But I won’t . It’s just a stupid rumor.”
    Emma shook her head. “I don’t know Ophelia. I mean, why now? Why are we putting it on now?”
    Just then, Madame Puant walked into the room with the piano player, Patrick. She knocked her cane on the ground three times, signifying the start of dance class. “Barre exercises, everyone!”
    Ophelia took a quick peek at Kayley and Madeleine, who were sharing a look. It didn’t matter. If they were going to do Giselle , Ophelia wanted the lead more than anything else. It didn’t matter what the other girls thought. She held onto the barre and followed Madame’s warm-up instructions: tendu, back-side-front, plié, then relevé.
    As they warmed up, Madame took a breath and then said, “All right, class. We have decided on our next ballet.”
    Ophelia could feel the whole class breathe in with anticipation. This was one of the best parts of being at the school—learning, rehearsing, and putting on a ballet. What every dancer at the school came for.
    â€œWe are going to perform Giselle .”
    The class erupted in talk and chatter. Speaking over everyone, Madame yelled, “And our Giselle will be none other than Ophelia.”
    Ophelia broke out in a huge grin. But the class had gone silent. Silent as a morgue.
    As if they were grieving for her already.

Chapter 2
    After class, Ophelia could hardly stop smiling. Kayley, Sophie, Emma, and Madeleine kept throwing worried glances her way, but she ignored them.
    Giselle. Her dream.
    As she walked out the door, Madame