that Hannahâs not real .
âWhy waste money on a DNA test?â Hannah asked, when Simone suggested using Hannahâs credit card to make the payment. âI mean, isnât it obvious weâre identical twins?â She watched as Simone slid easily into the splits, her hips square, her posture perfect.
âTo us,â said Simone, raising one arm and bending over her outstretched leg with enviable elegance. âItâs obvious to us. But donât you think it will be easier to tell our parents if weâve got the proo f ?â
âI guess,â said Hannah. âYeah, okay.â
Simoneâs torso swept the floor as she changed direction, reminding Hannah of what had inspired her to dance in the first place. Simone really did move beautifully. Even a simple thing, like lifting an arm into fifth position, was transformed into an act of grace when Simone did it. She doesnât know, thought Hannah. She doesnât how amazing she looks, what a gift she has.
Simone flipped onto her stomach and pulled one foot up over her head, her back strong and superbly arched.
âYou wonât really give up dancing, will you?â Hannah asked. âI mean, look at you.â
âThis isnât dancing, itâs stretching,â said Simone. âTo me, stretchingâs like breathing.â
âIsnât dancing like breathing?â Hannah asked.
âNot anymore.â Simone stood up and came to sit beside Hannah on her bed.
Hannah couldnât let it go. âI get that dancingâs tiring. I get that you really need a break. And itâs your right not to dance, and I fully respect that ⦠but Sim, if I could dance as well as you, Iâd want to show the world ⦠â
âI used to feel like that,â Simone agreed. âItâs not that I donât like dancing. If I could do it just for myself ⦠if I could dance alone in a studio, that might be different. Iâd be dancing for me. When youâre on your own, thereâs a purity about dance. It becomes a kind of ⦠meditation. But as soon as someone else is watching, thereâs this weight of expectation. It ruins everything.â
The girls were quiet for a while, each wrapped up in private thoughts.
âYou didnât tell me what else you did today,â said Hannah at last, âbesides finding out about DNA. You werenât bored, were you?â
âBored?â Simone almost laughed at the question. âI felt free. For the first time in years.â
thirteen
âYou donât remember him, do you?â Sam said to Hannah while they were eating lunch on the lawn the following day.
Hannah frowned and shook her head. Though Sam was interesting and friendly and great company, she had an annoying habit of referring to events that Hannah knew nothing about. Now, for instance, she was talking about some guy whoâd been at Candance the year before. Hannah thought it best to simply admit she didnât remember. âWhat did you say he looked like again?â
âTall, curly hair ⦠you said he was cute.â
âDid I? Well, donât forget itâs been a year.â
âStill ⦠â said Sam, her tone accusing, âIâd never forget a guy who liked me. I mean, not that many of them do,â she added, blushing.
âIâm sure loads of them do,â Hannah jumped in, grateful for the chance to steer the conversation away from herself. âYouâre smart and gorgeous, and tall ⦠â
âToo tall,â said Sam.
âAnd a wonderful dancer ⦠â
âToo tall for a partner ⦠â
âIn a traditional ballet company, maybe. Still, donât you want to do more experimental stuf f ?â
âYeah, but itâd be nice to think I had a choice. What kind of dancing do you want to do?â
âEverything,â said Hannah. âI think Iâd get bored with just one
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