Centre Stage: A Novel

said to me, her eyes appraising. ‘Dizzy just didn’t see.’
    Colette was standing to my left. ‘Shut up, Samantha. You don’t know what you’re talking about.’
    ‘Don’t I?’ Samantha raised her eyebrows. ‘Look, why don’t you just accept it, Colette? Our team’s going to be much better than yours. At least we can all dance.’
    Colette’s eyes flashed. ‘And at least we can all act, or had you conveniently forgotten how important that is? It wouldn’t surprise me. After all, acting’s never been your strong point, has it, Samantha?’
    Two spots of bright colour jumped into Samantha’s cheeks. ‘I can act!’
    ‘Quieten down over there,’ Dizzy called and, glaring at each other, Colette and Samantha shut up.
    Colette walked off and I edged over to Justine. ‘Hi,’ I said tentatively. I hadn’t spoken to her that morning and I had the distinct impression that she was still avoiding me.
    ‘Oh, hi,’ she said shortly.
    I wanted to make friends again. ‘Look…’
    ‘Justine,’ Samantha interrupted me. ‘Let’s go and get a drink.’ She looked witheringly at me. ‘Go and join your own team, Sophie. We don’t want you hanging around with us.’
    I felt like she’d slapped me. ‘What?’ I stammered.
    Samantha stepped closer and glared at me. ‘Listen, it’s our team against your team, which means you’re not wanted here.’ She looked at Justine. ‘Isn’t that right, Justine?’
    ‘Well… er…’ Justine looked uncomfortable. ‘Umm…’
    I stared at her. Was she really not going to stand up to Samantha?
    ‘See?’ Samantha said to me.
    ‘Fine,’ I retorted. ‘I’m going!’
    Feeling very annoyed with Justine, I marched away, my head held high. So high that I didn’t happen to see the bag on the floor in front of me.
    ‘Oof!’ I gasped, as I tripped flat on my face.
    Samantha hooted with laughter and Justine giggled.
    You know when you just want the ground to open and swallow you up? Right then I just wanted to die .
    ‘Great work, everyone. We’ll break for lunch now,’ Dizzy eventually announced. ‘Sophie and Justine, I want you ready to start again at one thirty to go through your ballet solo.’
    As I sat down with Colette, I noticed Samantha looking across at me and saying something to her team, a grin on her face. I had a feeling they were talking about the ballet solo.
    I tried to ignore them but I couldn’t. I glanced over again. Samantha was now whispering intently, a gleam in her eyes. I saw Justine start to shake her head and protest but Samantha quickly interrupted her.
    ‘What do you think they’re talking about?’ I said uneasily, as I saw the boys look in my direction and grin.
    ‘Who cares?’ Colette said, glancing briefly at them. ‘Just ignore them.’
    After lunch I went to warm up. To my surprise, Justine came over to me. ‘Hi,’ she said tentatively.
    ‘Hello,’ I replied shortly, wondering what she wanted.
    ‘You know you’ve been slipping on the jumps in the ballet,’ she said.
    I nodded.
    ‘Well, maybe these will help.’ She held out two socks made out of tights material. ‘They’re called dance socks and they’re really good at stopping you slipping. We use them all the time in dance classes. Here, take them,’ she offered.
    I looked at her suspiciously. I couldn’t forget how she’d been that morning. ‘Why are you letting me use them?’
    Justine shrugged. ‘I… I just feel bad about earlier. Samantha shouldn’t have told you to go away like that.’ She blushed. ‘I want to be friends.’
    My bad mood lifted. OK, so maybe she wasn’t so bad after all.
    ‘Thanks,’ I smiled, taking the socks. They were the same colour as my skin. I put them on and stood up. You could hardly see them on my feet but they made me feel like a proper dancer. I pointed my toe experimentally. The floor seemed to glide beneath it.
    ‘Sophie!’ Dizzy called from the CD player. ‘Are you ready?’
    I nodded and walked over.
    ‘Let’s take it from the top,’ she instructed.
    I could see the other principals all gathering to watch what I was doing. Here goes , I thought, taking up the starting position. And into fifth position , I thought, my feet sliding easily across the floor in the dance socks, arms up and spring …
    My feet slipped from underneath me and I landed in a heap on the floor. ‘Ow!’ I gasped.
    I heard a few muffled giggles and turned. Samantha and the rest of the red team were grinning in delight. Even