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“Sam, great to see you again.” Now she gave Hannah a warm smile of recognition. “Ah, the lovely Simone.”
    Hannah took a deep breath and smiled back.

    Thanks to her training at Armadale Dance and her natural talent, Hannah held her own in class. She’d been learning jazz since she was eight years old, and it was a style that came easily to her. It didn’t require the restraint or strict discipline of classical ballet, and Hannah threw herself into it, confident that in this one style, at least, she was every bit as advanced as the others.
    After the warm-up exercises, performed to an old Michael Jackson number, the dancers learned the steps that would form part of the routine for the Candance concert. Hannah picked up the choreography quickly and easily.
    As she was leaving the studio, still buzzing from the fast routines, a boy with dark hair and an impish smile bumped into her. “Ah, the lovely Simone.”
    Hannah laughed at his impersonation of the teacher. “And you are?”
    â€œTom. Two roll calls and you still don’t know my name? I’m gutted.”
    â€œHe really is,” said the boy behind him. “You’re all he’s talked about the entire day.”
    â€œThanks, Liam,” said Tom, elbowing the taller boy in the ribs. “So,” he said, turning to Hannah, “where are you from?”

eight
    Simone returned to the dorm room happier and more relaxed. Hannah, now showered and dressed in a tank top and shorts, was pulling a wide-toothed comb through her long wet hair.
    Simone flashed her a complicit smile. “I still can’t believe you’re really here. After you left for class, I kept thinking that maybe I’d imagined you. But then I’d see your suitcase, and your clothes, and—”
    â€œImagine how I felt,” Hannah said. “I mean, this morning I didn’t even know you existed, and by this afternoon I was pretending to be you. And everyone just assumed I was you. It was really weird.”
    â€œSo, no one suspected?”
    Hannah shook her head as she slipped her feet into a pair of thongs.
    Simone perched on the end of her bed. “Were you tempted to tell?”
    â€œKind of, but unless you’d been standing right beside me, I’m not sure anyone would have believed it. Speaking of which, did you call home while I was gone? Did you tell your mum?”
    Simone shook her head. “I was going to, but at the last minute I changed my mind. I guess I wanted to … keep it to myself for a while.”
    Hannah grinned. “I know. Me too.” She flopped onto the bed beside Simone. “But there’s a part of me that wants to tell everyone.”
    â€œIt’s just so … huge ,” said Simone. “This sudden discovery that I’ve got a sister. And I’ve got this silly, superstitious sort of feeling that if I tell anyone, it will turn out not to be real, and you’ll suddenly vanish … ”
    Hannah laughed. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.”
    Simone smiled. “So how was the class?”
    â€œFabulous. By the way, there’s this guy who likes you.”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œDark-haired guy. Kind of cute. His name is Tom. Hey, you’re blushing.”
    â€œHe caught me staring at him,” said Simone.
    â€œDo you like him, then?”
    Simone gave a noncommittal shrug. “Do you?”
    â€œNot my type,” said Hannah. “But go for it. Apparently he’s had his eye on you all day … I bet he’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
    â€œGod, don’t mention tomorrow,” said Simone, her shoulders slumping. “It was so great not having to go to class this afternoon. I felt like I was really on holiday.”
    A look—part sympathy, part confusion—crossed Hannah’s
face. “You make it sound like such drudgery. Is that really how you think of dancing?”
    â€œI wish I