Read Online One Perfect Pirouette by Sherryl Clark - Free Book Online Page A

of it, but what? Was it about money? About Tam? I shivered, wrapped my arms around myself and edged closer to the heater. Whatever it was, I wasn’t going to ask right now. I had to concentrate on ballet and on proving that all this upheaval was worth it. I couldn’t let the family down, I couldn’t. But Mum was right. It wasn’t really about them, even though I felt so guilty sometimes. It had to be my own fight, my own dedication, one hundred per cent. And I was going to make it into the ballet school if it killed me.
    But it came back to the same problem – where was I going to practise? If I sneaked into the hall again and got caught, I’d be in major trouble. I’d have to go for a walk and check out the neighbourhood. Then I remembered Tam getting bashed. Maybe Dad was right. I couldn’t go out walking whenever I felt like it. But who did Tam fight with? Why? Was I in danger? I followed her to the kitchen.
    â€˜Mum, what really happened to Tam? Why would those boys attack him for nothing?’
    The way she was stirring the mince was going to make a hole in the pot. ‘Tam won’t say what happened – he wants to blame everyone else. I think he provoked them, at least a bit. He’s angry with us and he paid out on someone else.’
    â€˜He attacked them?’
    â€˜No, I didn’t say that. But he didn’t walk away when he could have. Let’s leave it, shall we? No use going over it again. We can’t change it. Tam will be going back to Tony’s and that’ll make him happy.’
    I set the table for dinner, then headed for my tiny room out the back to unpack my school stuff. My mind buzzed with everything that had happened and I kept seeing Tam’s sullen face with the bruises and cuts. Well, he’d got what he wanted, so maybe it was a small price to pay.
    I hoped Orrin made it into his footy team and became a big star – then he’d be happy for sure. As for me, I kept hearing Mum’s words about needing to believe in myself.
    I wished it was something real, like a gold charm, that I could hold onto and feel in my hand, but I knew it wasn’t. Despite what Mum said, I was going to try out for that class and give it my total best. Maybe tomorrow I could find another dance space, along with a few flying pigs!

chapter 7
    At school the next morning, Lucy and Jade pounced on me just inside the gates. ‘Training after school tonight' Jade said. ‘You gonna be there?’
    I pulled my backpack off and pretended to adjust a strap, while my brain scrambled to find an answer. I’d pushed aside the netball team again, what with the fuss over Tam and getting into trouble myself.
    â€˜I forgot to ask Mum' I said. ‘Sorry.’
    â€˜You’re kidding.’ Jade scowled as she bounced the ball a couple of times. ‘What’s the matter with you?’
    â€˜Nothing. It was just that we –’ No way was I telling them about our family problems.
    Jade turned her back on me and walked away. Lucy shrugged. ‘She reckons you think you’re too good for her team,’ she said.
    â€˜I don’t think that. Why’s everyone getting in a snit about this?’
    â€˜We’re not in a snit!’ And she marched off to join Jade.
    So in two days I’d gone from having at least one friend to being frozen out. No wonder Tam lost his temper. Was everyone round here like this? Josie never treated me like I had a disease.
    After silent reading, we had maths and I tried hard to concentrate, but my brain churned round and round, worrying about Jade and Lucy and then zooming in again on the problem of where I could practise. I’d shoved my ballet shoes into my school bag – just in case – and it was as if they were sending me signals. We want to get out and dance.
    At recess I sat on my own and watched the other kids and knew that lunchtime would be more of the same. Nobody cared that I was