usual. Be a good girl, everything will be all right. Don’t worry, work hard …”
“How nice of her.” Beth’s tone was sarcastic. “Just to make sure we keep paying her, I suppose.”
“I don’t think so, actually. You know how awkward she is about money. I don’t really understand her. I swear, it’s like Mr. and Mrs. Demidovski really like me every time they talk to me, and then casting comes up and I don’t know what happens.” Alexandra winced. “Ow! I need ice … and Tylenol.”
“Tylenol? I don’t like you taking it so often.”
“Mom, my ankle’s killing me.”
“Okay, but be sure. I don’t want you ODing on Tylenol.”
Alexandra started giggling. “I can totally see that in 24 Hours: ‘Ballet Dancer Teen Overdoses on Tylenol.’”
“Alexandra! It’s not funny.”
In her room, Alexandra heaved her bag onto the bed with a groan. She took her school books out; biology, Hamlet, history.… A paper fell out of her English binder. It was a letter from McKinley inviting any Super Achievers students to submit their accomplishments to be posted on the wall and in the student newsletter. Underneath was a reminder to register if you wanted to perform at the school assembly.
Alexandra sat down on her bed and stared at the paper, biting her lip as she considered. Bronze at the Genees might be considered good by the kids at the academy, but she knew that the others in the Super Achievers program would just want to know why not a gold. A girl in her class had made the gymnastics team for the Olympics, and one of the boys had just missed school because he had a special violin solo performance in New York. Katy had just got back from three months of modelling in Italy. And she hadn’t seen Josh or Emily in weeks because they were filming. And that’s just the things I know about, Alexandra thought, pushing her textbooks off the bed so that they fell to the floor with a crash.
“And as for the assembly performance? Forget it!” She said out loud to her history book. The rhythmic gymnasts would steal the show, like they did every year, and the Evergreen Arts dancers would embarrass themselves by performing, which they did every year and never seemed to realize. No, performing was not an option. Especially if Diana was going to perform. Diana was in the program for opera, and she was incredible. Alexandra groaned and lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. She clenched her hands into fists and punched the pillow. If I’d just gotten gold … but I still wouldn’t have performed, I guess. Ballet couldn’t compete for coolness with rhythmic gymnastics and opera, and she couldn’t risk the fallout if people didn’t think she was any good. She couldn’t endure the embarrassment.
“Alexandra! Dinnertime soon, come and set the table,” Beth called.
“Coming,” Alexandra yelled back. She sighed, feeling her jaw line and cheeks. It didn’t seem possible to just stop. She needed to. She would be perfectly fine, and then suddenly everything would seem too much, she would panic stuff food into her body as fast as she could. It didn’t have to be a lot, just fast. And then, she would have to throw it up. She couldn’t dance on a full stomach, it wasn’t possible. Throwing up made her feel so much better. It calmed her down, made her feel like she was succeeding, even if everything seemed out of control. She could walk out of the bathroom and not feel so inferior, and for a couple minutes nothing mattered so much. It was worth it, just for that feeling. But I have to stop doing it so often, Alexandra thought as she felt her face. What is the point if it makes my face bigger?
She sighed and turned on her laptop. Immediately a message from Jules popped up.
| Alexandra Dunstan |
|---|
| Julian Reese Hey |
| Alexandra Dunstan Hey, ‘sup? |
| Julian Reese Um, nothing. Do you have Leah’s number? |
| Alexandra Dunstan Ya …wait a sec |
| Alexandra Dunstan 778-448-2053 is her cell |
| Alexandra Dunstan She runs Movement Conspiracy, u can google them |
| Julian Reese Thx! |
| Alexandra Dunstan No prob |
| Alexandra Dunstan How was RAD? |
| Julian Reese Uh…rlly bad |
| Julian Reese Haha! Always |
| Julian Reese Was rehearsal good? |
| Alexandra Dunstan It was ok… |
| Alexandra Dunstan Gotta go for dinner, see u tmw |
| Julian Reese K, good night |
| Alexandra Dunstan ’night |
Alexandra smiled, looking at the blank screen. Jules is rather sweet …
Emma burst angrily into the room. “Mom said that you had to set the table. I did it yesterday; you have to do it today.” Alexandra ignored her.
“I’m not doing it!” whined Emma.
“Fine! Just be quiet and go away!”
Alexandra went downstairs and began setting the table.
Chapter Eight
Julian Reese
“I, I wish you could swim — Like the dolphins, like dolphins can swim — Though nothing, nothing will keep us together … We can beat them, forever and ever…!”
Julian woke up and reached to turn off his alarm clock. It wasn’t there. But it continued to beep. He realized that, somehow, he was facing the wrong way. He flipped, reached blearily for the alarm-off button, then flopped back down on the bed and closed his eyes with relief at the silence. He lay there for a second, psyching himself up, then managed to jolt himself out of bed. He yawned as he felt his legs clench. Too many classes. It was five o’clock, way too early to be conscious, but Mr. Yu was making him do school shows with the youth company because they needed another boy. So he was going to some random elementary school to perform. He yawned again and stumbled into his clothes.
Mrs. Yu had gotten up even earlier and made breakfast. Julian was confused. He had assumed that they would just eat cereal, like usual. He looked across at the girls, but they just shrugged. He sat down and took his plate, wondering what the mound of greasy, white, slightly burnt food was exactly. He prodded it with his fork, running a list of possibilities through his head: Fritter? Pancake? Dumpling? He tried a bit. All he tasted was oil, held together by flour. He spat it out in a napkin.
“Its last night’s dumplings,” Mrs. Yu said. “Mash, is pancake. You try.” Julian was horrified. He hadn’t liked the dumplings the first time around, and he was sure that he’d puke if he tried them a second time. The girls started giggling and handed their plates back to Mrs. Yu.
“What’s wrong? You don’t want breakfast?”
Julian handed back his plate, too. “It’s just kinda too early for breakfast.” His stomach growled, and he wondered if he had any energy bars in his room.
“Okay, okay. If you don’t want breakfast, tell me before I get up and make!”
Julian followed the girls out into the hall. “Do you guys have any food?”
Keiko giggled and said, “You should eat Mrs. Yu’s breakfast, if you’re so hungry.”
Mao nodded, grinning. “Then you grow very tall, and not get sick,” she imitated Mrs. Yu.
“Just gimme some food? Please?” Julian pleaded. They went into Mao’s room, and Keiko went to grab some of her stash too. They spread it out on the bed.
“Hurry
