Chapter 7

Since we all dance together at first, we start by rehearsing together. After we learn the opening section of the dance, we split up. Ms. Debbé takes the other girls into another room to learn their parts.

Mr. Lester and I stay behind so he can teach me my role.

“Pirouettes across the stage—right; then you take Linc’s hand.” He holds out his hand and I take it. “Spin, spin, spin—that’s right.”

Pretty soon I have the basics down.

“Good work, Epatha,” he says. “So, the key emotion here is joy. You’re hanging out with your friends. It’s a beautiful day. You’re having a good time dancing with them, and then with this new fellow.”

Joy. I can definitely do joy, especially if Linc Simmons is involved.

After a few more run-throughs, we work on putting the dance to the music, which makes it even more fun. As I do a jeté, I wave my arms in what I think is a very joyful fashion.

“Epatha,” Mr. Lester says firmly, “that’s not in the dance.”

“Sorry,” I say. It should be, I think.

Near the end of the session, Terrel comes in.

“We’re done,” she says to Mr. Lester. “Ms. Debbé told me I should come in so I can learn this part, too.”

“Absolutely,” he says. “Why don’t you watch Epatha go through her dance once; then we’ll do it again and you can dance along with her.”

I like the part where we’re showing Terrel the dance. I especially like dancing with Mr. Lester, because I’m already imagining what it’ll be like to dance with Linc.

I am not so crazy about the part where we do the dance again and Terrel’s right behind me. I can almost feel her breathing down my neck.

“Very good, Terrel,” Mr. Lester says, sounding impressed. “You’re picking things up really fast. Let me just show you that middle section again.”

I watch as he takes her hand, spins her around, and then shows her the sequence of steps that follow.

“Want to try the whole thing?” he asks. She nods.

Okay, I have to admit it: she’s good. She stumbles a little at the start, because she forgets which way to turn, but she learns the dance a lot faster than I did. However, when they run through it a second time, I notice that it looks exactly the same. Exactly! When she does the big jump at the end, she even lands on the exact same spot on the floor. What kind of dancing is that?

“Terrific,” Mr. Lester says. “You both did a great job today. But keep practicing at home, please. You need to have the dance down cold. That way your bodies will do what they’re supposed to do even if you get nervous. Or,” he adds, “a little starstruck by a certain Mr. Simmons.”

Terrel and I walk downstairs together. “How was the other rehearsal?” I ask her.

“Good,” she says. “Everyone learned the dance quickly.”

We walk in silence for minute. Then I say, “Linc Simmons!”

She grins. “I know. Crazy, huh? And you get to hold his hand.”

“You’ll probably get to practice with him, too,” I say.

Terrel stops, right in the middle of the stairs. “Really?”

I nod.

I’ve never seen Terrel look freaked out before. I guess there’s a first time for everything.