Studio Showdown Read Free Page B

dance.
    Without me.
    I tiptoed round the side of the studio, which was the worst tiptoeing I’d ever done because I was still wearing my ballroom shoes. I felt like I was the one who was intruding – in my own class!
    â€˜Um, hi,’ I said. I pulled my leotard away from my sweaty body.
    â€˜Hi Paige!’ Ellie chirped, obviously in her element.
    Even in my confusion, I admired her. She had no fear about anything. ‘What’s, um, going on?’ I asked.
    â€˜I’m just teaching these guys the start of our dance,’ Ellie said. ‘It’s already looking so good. This class is full of superstars!’
    She flashed a huge smile at them, but in my head I was thinking, our dance? There was nothing me about any of it.
    â€˜Oh,’ I said. And then I stood there, feeling like a big nuffnuff.
    â€˜Come on, I’ll show you the start.’ Ellie rushed over to the sound system. ‘You’re going to love it, Paige.’
    I gave her a small smile and sat down to take off my ballroom shoes. The music started and Ellie hustled the Juniors into place, but I barely even took note of what they’d done.
    I was too busy trying to process my own feelings. And even at this early stage, I knew they weren’t good.
    It looked like we were heading for a studio showdown.

Chapter Six
    â€˜Ellie, can I talk to you for a minute?’ I asked.
    The class was having a drink and Ellie was by the sound system going over something, no doubt the next bit of choreography in what was supposed to be our dance.
    â€˜Sure, Paige,’ she said, not stopping. ‘What’s up?’
    â€˜Um, like, maybe outside?’ I suggested, crossing my arms over my chest like Icould ward off the argument I knew was coming.
    Ellie narrowed her eyes at me for a second but then she shrugged. ‘Sure,’ she said, grabbing her drink bottle. ‘Come on.’
    I followed her flouncy pink skirt out of the classroom.
    â€˜Hit me with it, kiddo,’ she said, as soon as we were out in the corridor. She uncapped her drink bottle and took a big gulp, waiting for me to speak.
    My silly tongue was all tied up in knots.
    â€˜Earth to Paige?’ Ellie teased, wiping her mouth.
    â€˜Okay, well,’ I began. I scratched at my bun nervously. It suddenly felt way too tight. ‘It’s just about the dance.’
    â€˜Isn’t it, like, the coolest thing we’ve ever done?’ Ellie enthused. ‘I just love this song.’
    â€˜The song is cool, I suppose,’ I said. ‘I just think, well … isn’t it meant to be both of us choreographing the dance?’
    I said the last bit so softly that Ellie leaned in towards me. ‘Pardon?’ she said.
    â€˜It’s meant to be both of us choreographing the routine,’ I said, louder. ‘Not just you.’
    â€˜Oh.’ Ellie took a step back and shook her water bottle, sizing me up.
    I did my best to hold my ground and not turn and run away, which is what I felt like doing. I loved Ellie, but you don’t ever want to get on her bad side.
    â€˜You don’t like what I’ve done?’ she asked.
    â€˜It’s not that I don’t like it,’ I said. ‘It’s just that you’ve kind of taken it over, and I haven’t had a chance to even give you my ideas, much less help make up the routine.’
    Ellie coughed and looked around. Then she took another step back. ‘Well, Paige, if youfelt like that, you should have made an effort to team up with me before the lesson and we could have gone over some choreography together.’
    â€˜You didn’t ask me,’ I said, gaining a bit of confidence. ‘You just decided what we would be doing and thought I would go along with it.’
    â€˜Well,’ said Ellie, her voice rising and the freckles on her nose starting to stand out like they always do when she gets upset, ‘I didn’t know you would hate