Chapter Nine

My first job for Miss Caroline was to print off the exam running sheets. That was what the examiners would use to mark us when they came to Silver Shoes. You see, the studio doesn’t use teachers from our own school to take the exams. I guess it’s because they might show favouritism, or because they already know us, so it’s hard to judge us based on just what they see in the exam.

Miss Caroline gave me a USB stick and told me to go into her office and print five copies each of the jazz, ballet, lyrical, tap and musical theatre sheets, on the official Silver Shoes paper. Then I was to bring some to Miss Caroline for her to use in our practice, and file the rest away in the ‘exam correspondence’ pigeonhole at the front desk.

I chanted the instructions in my head as I hobbled to her office. I knew Miss Caroline had given me a big responsibility, and it was a privilege – I didn’t want to stuff it up. She was being super kind to me and I was determined to be the best personal assistant she’d ever had. I was really grateful to her for giving me something to take my mind off not being able to dance for a while.

Miss Caroline’s office smelled like the lily-of-the-valley perfume she always wore. I couldn’t stop a little giggle as I made my way across the thick cream carpet and took my place at the chair behind her desk.

‘Why, yes, my dear, won’t you step into my office?’ I said out loud, then quickly peeped out the door in case anyone had heard me. I still felt like I was in an out-of-bounds area, doing something wrong. It was a funny, thrilling feeling. I was a bit giddy with it.

I logged onto her computer as ‘Guest’ and plugged the USB in. The computer whirred and blinked as it loaded the device. Then a folder came up with a bunch of files. There were icons for the five exams – jazz, ballet, lyrical, tap and musical theatre.

There were also two other icons. One said ‘Minutes and Stats from Audit Outcome’ (which sounded like the most boring thing in the universe). The other was a sub-folder that said ‘Notes for Exam Practice – Students by Alphabetical Order’.

I hovered the mouse over it for a second, wondering if I could just take a passing glance to see what it was.

But the title already made it pretty clear what was inside. And I also knew that they were Miss Caroline’s private files and none of my business.

A good personal assistant wasn’t a snoop.

I quickly clicked into the first exam icon, jazz, and opened it up. There were four pages listing the exam groups and then the criteria we were marked against – technique, style, alignment, memory, placement – with spaces to put notes, crosses and ticks.

I only hoped, when the time came, my injured ankle didn’t earn me more crosses than ticks.

I loaded the special Silver Shoes paper into the printer, taking great care to make sure they were all lined up exactly.

Then, while I waited for the next exam sheet to print, I carefully arranged and clipped everything together, taking note of the exam groups while I did so.

Exams were ordered alphabetically, with four people to a group. Because Ellie’s last name is Irvin and Ashley’s is Jenkyns, they were in the same group for all the classes they were in together. I knew they would be happy about that – it’s always nice to know you’ve got a friend with you.

In my exams – ballet, jazz and lyrical – I was with Paige, because our last names, Montreal and Nason, were close together. Usually I like being with Paige because she gets so nervous and I think having me there is comforting to her. But I knew I would be frazzled this time around, and I didn’t want to let her down. I couldn’t be strong for others if I couldn’t even be strong for myself.

I felt very official walking out of the office with the papers stacked under my arm. After I dropped off the extra copies to reception, I headed down to technique class, which was just starting.

‘Here you are, Miss Caroline,’ I whispered to her.

She looked down at me and stopped the girls in the middle of their tendu practice. ‘Thank you very much,’ she said to me before turning to the class. ‘Girls, for the next couple of weeks Riley is going to be my personal assistant.’

I held my head high and tried to stand very straight, which was a bit difficult while leaning on a crutch.

‘I’m sure you’ll all agree that there couldn’t be a better person for the job. And I know you won’t slack off with her either, or she’ll pass that information straight on to me, won’t you, Riley?’

‘Yes, I will,’ I said very seriously, as I looked out at the girls who were to be my sort-of students for the next few weeks.

Most of them seemed pretty unconcerned about it. A few even looked happy, like Paige, who gave me a big grin, and Ashley, who flashed me the thumbs-up.

Some looked unimpressed, though.

‘I’m not learning exams under some peg-legged pirate,’ I heard Jasmine whisper to Tove.

I gave her my coolest look. My new-found role was very important to me. If any girls thought they could make trouble, they’d better watch out.