The Dance by Barbara Steiner Read Free Book Online Page A

think there could be a better mentor for you in all of New York. I couldn’t believe it when she sold out to Madame Leona. I was so angry with her, and I’m even more perturbed that she left without telling me. But now I realize it was a stroke of luck. Leona Turva is ten times the teacher Ilene was. Forgive me, Ilene, wherever you are. But it’s the truth. I’m so relieved that you get to study under her. Just don’t forget you have a mother here who cares about you, too.” Melanie’s mother reached for the necklace and looked at it more closely.
    â€œOh, Mom. I’m not going to forget you.” Was her mother going to be jealous of her now? If she lived to be a hundred, she’d never understand her mother. She said she wanted the best for Melanie, then she worried when Melanie achieved something. She begged Mel to do something—her mother had been bugging Melanie to give the exclusive troupe another try for some time—and now it seemed she was going to be jealous of Melanie’s time. Wouldn’t her mother flip out if she knew Melanie’s primary motivation for getting in the ballet troupe wasn’t to dance?
    Melanie unclasped the necklace and handed it to her mother so she could see it better. She curled tighter in the chair and let her mind wander through the day. Suddenly she felt very tired, drained of all energy. She hadn’t realized it until now.
    â€œI’m tired, Mom. It’s been a big day. I’m going up to bed.”
    â€œGo get some orange juice and take some vitamin C, Melanie. You can’t let yourself get run down. Dancing in the troupe may be too much if you don’t give up something else. You can give up show choir. You don’t need to do that. And in my opinion, you can give up that boy. Or at least not see him so much. He’ll understand. If he cares about you at all, he’ll want you to have your activities. I’ll bet he has his.”
    â€œHe does, Mother. He’s a wrestler, and he’s in show choir. He’s a very nice guy. I’m not going to give up going with him. Don’t ask me to.” Melanie made her voice firm as she stood and gathered enough energy to get to her room.
    Placing the medallion on her dresser, she stared at it. It almost seemed alive, with the grotesque circle of beasts grasping the stone. Why had she kept wearing the ugly thing? The stone, red now, seemed to glow. The ugly gargoyle faces stared at her.
    Almost in a trance, she stripped off her jeans and sweater, pulled on her nightgown, snuggled into the bed, and fell asleep instantly.

five
    And the demon Ramuel taunted her but she ignored his taunts and danced.
    W HETHER IT WAS the bug going around school or just dumb luck, Melanie felt terrible by Friday. Bryan had taken her home from school and deposited her on the sofa. Her throat was sore, she was coughing, and she felt hot, as if she had a fever.
    â€œStay right here,” Bryan had ordered. “Get some rest. I’ll cancel our reservations for tonight. And I know you don’t want my opinion on this, but forget tonight’s ballet class. They can dance without you for one rehearsal.”
    â€œYou’re probably right.” Melanie had taken the easy route, not wanting to argue with Bryan, but she knew she couldn’t miss rehearsal. Every minute she was at the studio there was the possibility of finding out something about Paulie.
    And there was so little time until the recital and the show. She couldn’t think of their shortened version of two ballets as a recital. This was a performance. She was sure Madame Leona was doing it to show off her star dancers and perhaps to lure more pupils to her school. So she wanted it perfect. And as long as Melanie was a part of the troupe, she wanted to dance well, too.
    Melanie sank back on the couch gratefully, glad her mother wasn’t home from work, then fell asleep. When she woke the light outside the