Rose's big decision

ROSE'S BIG DECISION

Chapter One: Pulled in Two Directions

Hi! I’m Rose and I’m in a big hurry because I keep putting my leotard on the wrong way. First it was inside out and then back to front. This changing room should have a few more mirrors in it so people can see what they look like when they’re getting changed. Then they wouldn’t make mistakes. In fact, I think I might suggest that to Miss Coralie.

Actually, I know very well I won’t suggest it to Miss Coralie, because no one in this ballet school would ever dream of suggesting anything to Miss Coralie. You don’t talk to anyone during class and you definitely don’t talk to Miss Coralie. When I think back to when I first started ballet two terms ago, I feel quite embarrassed, because I didn’t realize about not talking and I just said anything I felt like saying. I didn’t even want to be at ballet back then. I absolutely hated it. But then I met Poppy and Jasmine and gradually, bit by bit, I found that I quite liked it after all.

I’m not very good at it, but Poppy and Jasmine are giving me extra lessons to try to make me better. Then I’ll be in the same class as them. Well, that’s what they think. Personally, I think there’s about as much chance of that happening as there is of the moon turning purple.

“You’d better hurry!” said one of the girls in my class, pushing open the changing-room door. “Miss Coralie’s going to call us in any minute now.”

I pulled my hair through a hairband and scooped it round into a bun. “Can you save me a place in the line?”

She nodded and went out while I rammed a few hairgrips though the bun, then rummaged round in my bag for my shoes. I don’t even know that girl’s name because, when you only meet up once a week and you’re not supposed to talk in class, you don’t get to know people very well.

The reason I got to know Poppy is because we’re in the same year at school. She was already friends with Jasmine but they kind of let me in, and now we’re all best friends together. I call us a triplegang.

I pushed my hairband on and rushed out of the changing room, taking a quick glance at myself in the mirror by the door. What a mess! I hate my leotard. It’s far too big for me and I look really silly in it. How come all my clothes are too big for me? Well, I know the answer to that. It’s because I always have to wear my big brothers’ old jeans and T-shirts when they grow out of them. I don’t mind that too much, but I feel stupid wearing a leotard that’s too big. I suppose it’s my fault really. I shouldn’t have refused to go with Mum to buy it. It’s just that I was feeling so mad about having to do ballet in the first place that I told Mum there was no need for me to try on the leotard. She could just get one that looked as though it would fit.

“Come in, class,” came Miss Coralie’s strict voice as I squashed into the line in front of the girl who’d saved me a place.

We all started to move forwards in silence. When you get to the door you’re supposed to run in on tiptoe to a place at the barre. I was all ready to do my best running when I happened to look down and notice that I hadn’t tucked the little drawstrings into one of my shoes properly, so I quickly bent down to do it.

Of course that made the girl behind fall into me, so I toppled forwards and didn’t make a very good entrance.

Luckily, Miss Coralie was watching the girls at the end of the barre so she didn’t notice me, but I think Mrs. Marsden, the pianist, did. I saw her frowning in my direction. I put my hand on the barre, then quickly took it off again because you’re not supposed to do that until the preparation, so I concentrated on getting my hands in exactly the right shape, with my little fingers near my legs. Then I stood up straight

in fifth position and said to myself what I always say to myself at the beginning of class. Please let today be the day that Miss Coralie says lovely to me. Twice I’ve had a Good, Rose, and three times I’ve had a nice, but they were all ages ago, and I’ve never had a lovely. Lovely is the very best word that Miss Coralie can say. It means she’s really really impressed. I’d be in heaven if I got a lovely, but these days I just seem to get corrected.

“Preparation and…” said Miss Coralie. The music started and we all prepared to second then began the plié exercise as Miss Coralie watched us with her eagle eyes. She was walking slowly round the room, saying the counts to the beat of the music, and other things too, in the same rhythm: “And one and two and lift up Becky and turn out Rose and seven and eight…"