Toe to Toe (On Pointe Book 1) by Penelope Freed (comprehension books txt) 📗

he was saying to me. When he wasn’t talking directly to me, I was watching myself and practicing in the mirror, trying to fix all the things he said I was doing wrong. I didn’t stop for a second to see how he was treating anyone else, other than to assume everyone else was feeling as crippled as me.

“Really?” I ask. “I’m sorry you guys, I didn’t even notice.” And now I feel awful again for being such a bad friend.

Someone kicks my foot. Hard. “Ow!” I exclaim, even though it didn’t hurt. Looking up I see Olivia standing in front of me again, a little out of breath but grinning. “What?” I ask, suspicious. I know that grin. That’s Olivia’s “someone is in trouble but it isn’t me” grin.

“Dude, Ms. Parker is in the lobby ripping the organizers a new one!” Olivia squeals. “She is so pissed! I’ve NEVER seen her this mad before, ever!” she adds with a bounce. “Come on!”

We scramble to our feet and follow her, but stop short in the doorway of the theater lobby. Ms. Parker’s hair is coming out of it’s loose braid and her face is deadly cold.

“…fat! Didn’t you do any research at all? Anyone who knows anyone in this business knows that Jean-Paul Phillipe is a self-centered, self-aggrandizing, pompous ass who should never be left unsupervised around children! You know why he was available for your dates? Because no one else will hire him!”

An older woman is facing Ms. Parker, her eyes wide but steeled. Her silver streaked hair is pulled back into a low bun and she has the slightly gaunt look of a former dancer. She murmurs something to Ms. Parker but we’re too far away to hear it.

“No, I will not keep my voice down, these parents should know what their children are being subjected to, under your watch. I expect an apology, in person, to my students and if he is teaching any other class this weekend, I will pull my students from every class and tell every other teacher I know to pull theirs as well. He will not go near my students again. Ever.” Ms. Parker crosses her arms against her chest and stares at the woman, daring her to explain away the situation.

Wow. Ms. Parker is fierce. Part of me wants to hide and pretend that this isn’t all my fault, and part of me wants to shout “Amen!” and stick my tongue out at the woman facing my beloved teacher.

There are about ten other adults in the lobby standing frozen, shocked at the outburst between the two women. I recognize a couple of parents from our studio when they slowly move to flank Ms. Parker in her standoff. After a moment, all but one of the other adults in the lobby join them, creating a formidable wall around the event organizer. I almost feel sorry for her. Almost. She pinches her lips together and puffs up, like she’s about to argue. Ms. Parker leans in close, daring her to speak.

“The ballet world is a small one, and I’m not exactly a nobody. You wouldn’t want it to get out that your event sanctions and harbors abusive teaching staff. Now would you?”

Chapter 11 Olivia

Just before nine, I lead the way from our room, Hannah creeping along behind me. My stomach is stuffed full of the burger and fries I’d eaten at the hotel restaurant. I’d wanted to go to the diner on the end of the pier, but Hannah and Lisa were worried we’d be late getting back so I got out-voted. I texted the squad girls my irritation—the beach was right there and I’d really hoped to get my toes in the sand—but tucked my phone back in my pocket after getting a pointed glare from Katy’s mom for having my phone out while we were eating.

At nine o’clock on the dot, I knock on Ms. Parker’s door. I’m not waiting for Hannah to do it, she’s barely spoken since we left the theater. Katy and Lisa are walking down the hall towards us, coming from the room they’re sharing with Mrs. Quinn. All of us showered and in our pajamas, as instructed. I don’t know what Ms. Parker has planned, but it better be good if she wants to get these gloomy grumps to cheer up before tomorrow.

“Hi girls, come on in,” Ms. Parker opens the door, a smile on her face. “Feeling any better?”

I ignore the chorus of voices behind me. Damn. Ms. Parker went all out. Her laptop is plugged into the room’s tv, boxes of Red Vines, Gummy Bears, and M&M’s litter her bed and once I get inside the room, I can smell the freshly popped popcorn I spy in a tub on the table.

“Make yourselves comfortable,” Ms. Parker sweeps her arm around the room. I shake my head at the nervous looks on the other girls faces and flop onto the king-sized bed in the middle of the room.

“Ms. Parker, you know how to throw a pity party, that’s for sure!” I push aside the teeny bit of guilt I feel for having evaded the mind-games Jean-Paul put everyone else through and plaster an extra big smile on my face. I guess extra-perky Olivia is making an appearance tonight. Someone has to get these girls to cheer up and I have a feeling it’s going to take both Ms. Parker and I to make it happen. Something crunches underneath my hip. Curious, I reach down and pull a set of face masks out from under me. I wave them in the air, one eyebrow lifted.

Ms. Parker laughs at my exaggerated face. “Yes, those are for tonight. Pick one for yourself Olivia,” I take one then hand them over. “Here girls, you each take one.” After staring at her for a moment, Katy reaches out to take them, handing one to Lisa and another to Hannah. Finally, someone else is acting like it isn’t the end