On Pointe Read Online Free PDF

could be average for all I know!
    Rosella stuffs everything under a chair
    and grabs her shoes. “Come on!”
    Dia can’t find a place
    at the barre.
    No one wants to be next to her.
    Like her freakishness
    could rub off onto them
    or something.
    â€œHere,
    Dia.
    Here’s a space,” I say,
    and make room.
    She almost smiles.
    â€œThanks, Clare.”
    I start to smile back
    until Rosella gives me a look.
    â€œWhat?” I mouth.
    She shakes her head
    and looks away.
    Some days
    barre work
    flies past
    fast
    with hardly any pain.
    And then
    other days
    it’s one long pain.
    Today it’s fast.
    My mind
    is thinking of Saturday’s audition,
    and my body exercises
    itself.
    The boys are as psyched
    as the girls.
    Everyone is pouring sweat.
    Tommy is completely focused for once.
    Elton tremors to keep his leg raised high.
    I try to meet his extension
    and almost do.
    The guys are going to be fighting just as hard
    as the girls for spots in City Ballet.
    I give it my all to lift my leg a bit more . . .
    and I do!
    Look out. I’m fighting too.
    â€œDia, I’d like to
    speak to you privately
    before floor exercises begin,”
    says Madame. “Continue to stretch, class.”
    We all stop moving.
    Only our sweat
    plops to the floor.
    We watch
    Madame and Dia
    go into the office.
    One of the ladies
    from the adult class dashes back in.
    It’s the red-headed one
    from my dream.
    â€œForgot my towel.”
    She giggles.
    â€œHave a good dance,” she calls to us and leaves.
    â€œLike, who was she talking to?”
    Rosella humphs.
    The office door opens.
    Madame glides to the front of the room.
    She clicks out a combination.
    During fouettés,
    while I spin
    round and round on pointe,
    I see Dia rush out.
    She is a blur.
    But I see her go.
    I’m sure
    it’s for good.
    The rumors are already
    buzzing.
    â€œI heard her crying!” says Ellen.
    â€œMadame told her she was too fat!”
    Michaela adds.
    â€œShe said, ‘Don’t ever come back!’ ” Devin says.
    I shove my stuff
    into my bag.
    I bang the stall door
    and raise my voice over Rosella’s stupid retching.
    â€œBye.”
    â€œWait, Clare—”
    But I don’t.
    I hurry away
    from their fascination
    of someone’s dream dying.
    It’s like it fills them up,
    or maybe it’s their relief
    bubbling out
    that they haven’t been cut too.
    I run out of the conservatory,
    away from my fear
    of becoming Dia.
    Today Grandpa’s hedge
    seems to reach out and smother me.
    I hurry through the gate
    and toss my bag in the house.
    I grab a diet soda from the fridge
    and sneak out to the backyard deck
    without running into Grandpa.
    How will Dia
    stop ballet lessons?
    Ten years of training
    wasted.
    What will she tell her parents?
    The soda can sweats
    in my hand.
    What do you do
    if they don’t let you
    learn to dance?
    Grandpa comes around the house
    with his wheelbarrow.
    â€œHow was dancing today?”
    he asks without looking at me.
    â€œFine,” I answer.
    â€œGood.” He dumps everything
    into the recycle bin.
    â€œThey posted the audition
    for City Ballet,” I say,
    and pull a splinter
    out of the deck step.
    Grandpa stretches his back.
    â€œThat’s nice.”
    â€œIt’s on Saturday,” I add.
    â€œSo you’ll be auditioning?”
    He turns and looks at me.
    An image of Dia
    rushing out
    goes through my mind.
    â€œOf course, Grandpa.
    I want to become a dancer.”
    â€œClare . . . ”
    A waxwing bird
    swoops down into the bath,
    ruffles his feathers,
    and flies off.
    â€œI wish you could believe me,” he says quietly.
    â€œYou already are a dancer.
    You have the same passion
    your grandmother had
    when she stepped out onto the floor.
    You feel the music.
    I’ve sat in on plenty of your classes
    over the years
    to see your dancing spirit.
    You have to dance
    when the