LITMIR.BIZ

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younger. Her mum had said what an amazing teacher she was, but although Holly worked hard, she longed to be back with her mum, learning from her instead.

      “Into pairs,” Madame Za-Za called as she turned to change the music on the CD player.

      There was usually an even number of girls in the class so someone always had to go with Holly, but that day one of the girls was away and she was left on her own, the other girls pairing up quickly. Eventually there were just two of the newer girls left, Chloe and Alyssia. They raced past where Holly was standing in the middle to take each other’s hands. As they met up, they smiled in relief.

      Holly felt a pang. She didn’t want to make friends, but it was hard to be left out quite so obviously. Chloe happened to glance at her and looked suddenly guilty. “Holly, you could come with us … make a three,” she called impulsively.

      Holly heard the horror in Alyssia’s hiss. “Chloe!”

      “No thanks,” said Holly, folding her arms and turning away.

      Just then, Madame Za-Za looked round. “Ah, Holly, you haven’t got a partner. Why don’t you …”

      “I’ll dance on my own,” Holly interrupted. No one ever interrupted Madame Za-Za, who was quite strict, but Holly couldn’t bear the thought of being made to join a pair and watch the other two girls exchange looks. She knew she sounded haughty, but she didn’t care.

      Madame Za-Za raised an eyebrow. “Very well,” she said, her eyes sweeping back to the other girls. “Now everyone, I’d like you to listen to this piece of music and imagine you are two leaves on the branch of a tree in autumn, fluttering in the breeze, about to fall …”

      Holly danced on her own. I don’t care. I don’t care. She kept repeating the words in her head as she let the music flow over her, taking her away and making her feel like she was falling on the breeze, turning around, using her movements to express the feelings of wistfulness and sadness inside her.

      I don’t want to be friends with any of them anyway. I don’t need them, she thought and then she lost herself in the music and thought no more.

      “Very good expressive work, Holly,” Madame Za-Za praised at the end.

      Holly gave her a small, tight smile. Now that the dancing was over she wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. As soon as Madame Za-Za dismissed them, Holly hurried away.

      I’ll put Sleeping Beauty on again, she told herself as she changed out of her ballet shoes. Her muscles were aching from hard work, but she knew the one thing that would make her feel better was dancing.

      Cramming her stuff into her bag, she left the changing rooms.

      “Holly, wait!” she heard a voice call as she half-ran down the corridor.

      She turned round and saw Chloe, coming out of the changing rooms. “I’m sorry you had to dance on your own today,” she said. She hesitated. “Um, you could always come round to mine sometime. I don’t know many people here, either.”

      Holly was sure she saw pity in Chloe’s blue eyes. Unhappiness swept through her. How dare Chloe pity her! She’d travelled all over the world and met more ballet dancers than Chloe could even dream of.

      “Why don’t you ask your mum if you can come round for tea next week?” Chloe suggested.

      Holly’s temper exploded. “I’m hardly likely to ask my mum when she’s in America, am I? Anyway, I don’t want to be friends with you or with anyone here. Just leave me alone!”

      And, swinging round, Holly stormed out of the front door.

      

      Holly ran down the drive of the ballet school, her feet slipping slightly on the fallen leaves. It was October now and the sun was low in the sky.

      Her Uncle Ted was waiting in the car outside. “How was class?”

      “Fine,” Holly muttered, shutting the door hard.

      But as they drove home, Holly’s temper faded and Chloe’s hurt face refused to leave her mind. She started to feel guilty. Chloe hadn’t known about her mum being away. She had only been trying to be nice.

      When they reached the house she went straight up to her bedroom. It had been a horrible afternoon. All she wanted to do was dance and block everything out.

      As she put her ballet bag down on her desk, the back of her hand touched the red ballet shoes. She felt the familiar spark tingle her fingers and picked them up. She would wear them. Shrugging off her hooded top, she quickly pulled them on and put on the same music as before.

      Holly moved forward with slow graceful steps and as she danced, everything else faded away. But then, moving into an arabesque, she became aware that her feet were tingling.

      She looked down and gasped in astonishment. The red ballet shoes were glowing and sparkling!

      “Oh!” she exclaimed. Bright colours surrounded her and the next second she felt herself being lifted into the air and whisked away!

      Holly came to rest on a bed of fallen leaves. The bright colours faded and she looked around, her heart thudding. She was standing in the middle of a wood! Red, gold and brown leaves were lying thickly on the ground. A squirrel scampered up a nearby tree, pausing to give her a curious look.

      Holly’s mind was spinning. What had happened?

      It didn’t feel anything like a dream. She could hear birds chirruping, smell the damp woods. She bent down and touched the leaves on the ground. They were cool beneath her fingers …

      “Oh, my shimmering whiskers! It’s you! The girl with the red shoes!”

      Holly looked up and promptly fell over in shock as a huge white cat came dancing towards her. He was on two legs and slightly taller than her and he was wearing white ballet shoes, a black hat with a feather in and a gold waistcoat. He leaped through the air, one leg stretched behind and one in front, in a perfect grand jeté. Landing beside her, he pirouetted around, before grabbing both of her hands.

      “This is so brilliant!” he cried, looking completely delighted as he pulled her to her feet. Up close, she saw his eyes were a beautiful deep emerald green and his silvery whiskers sprang out at the side of his face. “We knew the shoes had a new owner and we have all been wondering when we would get to meet you. And now I have! Oh, how lucky I am! What’s your name?”

      “Holly,” she answered automatically.

      The cat bowed. “And I am the White Cat.”

      He jumped into the air, spinning round in excitement. “It’s amazing to meet you, Holly.”

      “Where … where am I?” Holly stammered.

      “In Enchantia, the land where all the characters from the ballets live,” the cat replied. His fluffy tail flicked over his shoulder and he pointed at her feet. “The ballet shoes you’re wearing were created with some of the strongest magic in Enchantia. Whenever we are in trouble, they bring their owner – a human girl – here to help fix things. Someone from Enchantia gets to meet them first and be their

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