Abigail: Nice Girls Finish Last by Bruno Bouchet Read Free Book Online

Vicious. So Tara’s reinstated, back at the Academy and still in the Prix. Fine, I’ll have to work even harder, that’s all.

CHAPTER 9
    The emotional freak show that is Sammy Lieberman continues. I thought no one could outdo Tara for torturous romantic entanglements, but here we are in the living room of the boarding house to prove that wrong. Sammy has assembled his ‘inner sanctum’ – Tara, Kat, Ben, Grace and myself to announce that he is ‘seeing’ Ollie, the second year who’s been coaching him for Prix de Fonteyn. Kat squeals with instant gay solidarity, Tara takes a while to process, Ben compliments himself on his ‘gaydar’. But I’ve no wish to stay for their Mardi Gras love fest.
    â€˜I can’t believe I wasted studio time for this,’ I say and leave. So my boyfriend who was gay and then wasn’t, is now gay again and he chooses to tell me via a public service announcement.
    The Sammy craziness doesn’t end there. We’re spending the weekend learning circus skills. Our teacher Zach says it’s to get over our mid semester ‘slump’. Personally I’m not having a slump but it’s on the weekend, doesn’t interfere with classes and could help develop my physical skills so I don’t mind. Everyone tries different circus acts: stilt walking, trapeze, tight rope walking. I enjoy the tissu , using a cloth hanging from the roof to perform acrobatics. It certainly helps build core strength. Sammy decides to prove his manhood by doing a twist on the tissu . He’s high up, wrapped in an impossible knot and clearly dreading it. We all know he doesn’t like heights, so why he picked this exercise to prove himself I don’t know. As he lets himself down, he screams. There’s no denying he shrieks like a girl.
    â€˜Apart from the lady screams, that was impressive.’ Ben calls it, but Sammy’s embarrassed, pushing past everyone saying, ‘just get away from me.’
    The next day I’m on the tissu , showing a lot more grace. Sammy’s idling on the edge of my safety mat.
    â€˜You’ve been quiet on the love front lately,’ he says. ‘Anyone in your sights?’
    â€˜Why?’ I snap. We haven’t done the heart to heart thing since last year. His dumping me wasn’t exactly easy.
    â€˜I broke up with Ollie last night. Just saying, we’re both available so …’
    â€˜What the hell is wrong with you at the moment?’
    â€˜Great, so you don’t see me as a contender now either. I go out with Ollie for half a second and suddenly I’m not of the guys. I’m “Sensitive Sammy”.’
    I’m not putting up with the self pity. ‘Wake up Lieberman. That’s who you’ve always been.’
    It was Sensitive Sammy that wouldn’t leave my side when I was sick last year. Sensitive Sammy that climbed up through my bedroom window and just watched a movie with me when I needed someone there. Sensitive Sammy that I fell for.
    â€˜I have?’ he says.
    â€˜Until you sat me down, your ex-girlfriend, in a room full of people to tell me you now have a boyfriend. Like without any consideration how that could affect me. Suddenly, not so sensitive.’
    Â 
    Sammy’s not the only guy giving me grief. Zach has replaced Saskia as our teacher for Prix de Fonteyn. We’re working on our solos. I’m doing Cupid from Don Quixote . It’s technically challenging, perfectfor demonstrating my skills, but my skills just aren’t showing through to Zach. He tells me to relax.
    â€˜Grim determination is not a good look on Cupid,’ he says. He’s more impressed with the way Tara and Grace are dancing. I’ll have to step it up.
    After class I’m walking down the corridor, mentally planning an increased practice schedule when someone calls my name. At first I don’t recognise him.
    â€˜Finn,’ he says.