Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Miss Luisa led Millie toward the wooden barre, and Millie joined the line of dancers. "First position, everyone," Miss Luisa said. She clapped her hands. First position! Millie had seen this on a video. Pushing back her shoulders, Millie stuck out her chin and planted her heels firmly on the floor before pointing her feet outward. "Watch how Will does it," Miss Luisa said. She pointed to the boy near Millie. "He'll show you."

第二章 路易莎小姐领着米莉走向木质把杆，米莉加入了舞者的队伍。 “各位，摆一位。”路易莎小姐说。 她拍了拍手。 一位！ 米莉以前在视频里见过这个动作。 米莉往后收了收肩膀，抬起下巴，脚跟稳稳踩在地上，接着双脚向外打开。 “看看威尔是怎么做的。”路易莎小姐说。 她指了指米莉旁边的男孩。 “他会示范给你看的。”

Millie looked down at her feet and then down at Will's. She couldn't see what she was doing wrong. They almost looked the same. "Come on, Millie," Miss Luisa said. The way Miss Luisa said Millie's name was no longer twinkly and melodious. Suddenly, the doors to the studio swung open and in ran a girl with a rainbow tutu and pink hair. "I'm sorry I'm late, Miss Luisa," the girl yelled. She ran to the barre, skidding across the floor and sliding to a stop on her knee.

米莉低头看看自己的脚，又低头看看威尔的脚。 她看不出自己哪里做错了。 两只脚看起来几乎一模一样啊。 “加油啊，米莉。”路易莎小姐说。 路易莎小姐念米莉名字的语气不再亮晶晶、柔乎乎的了。 忽然，舞蹈室的门被推开，一个穿彩虹 Tutu 裙、染着粉头发的女孩跑了进来。 “对不起我迟到了，路易莎小姐！”女孩大声说。 她朝着把杆跑过去，鞋底在地板上滑了一下，最后单膝跪地停住了。

Millie smiled as she watched the girl clamber to her feet and take a bow. "Find your place, Samira," Miss Luisa said. Samira grinned at Millie, but Amber pulled Samira close as soon as she noticed Millie looking their way. "Now bend into a plié, children," Miss Luisa said. What is a plié? Millie wondered. Millie watched the others rise up and down and tried to join in. "Very nice, Amber," Miss Luisa said. "Excellent job, Will."

米莉看着女孩爬起来还鞠了一躬，忍不住笑了。 “萨米拉，找你的位置站好。”路易莎小姐说。 萨米拉对着米莉咧嘴笑，可安柏一发现米莉在看她们，立刻把萨米拉拉到了自己身边。 “孩子们，现在屈膝做 plié。”路易莎小姐说。 plié 是什么呀？ 米莉纳闷极了。 米莉看着其他人一蹲一起，也试着跟着做。 “做得很好，安柏。”路易莎小姐说。 “做得太棒了，威尔。”

Millie copied Will and moved up and down in time with him. "Not exactly, Millie," said Miss Luisa. "Why don't you start again with first position?" Millie stopped. Her shoulders sagged forward as she turned out her feet. She sighed as she saw the others bob up and down without her. They held their arms high over their heads with their chins pointing out. They all looked like ballet dancers. Real ballet dancers. All of them except Millie. Millie was relieved when the class ended. She just wanted Mom. The others disappeared quickly. Soon, she was the last one waiting in the studio. Millie slumped down on the floor and started to rub her sore toes. Then she heard a tiny voice. She looked up. No one was there. "Hello?" Millie called out.

米莉学着威尔的样子，跟着他的节奏一蹲一起。 “动作不太对哦，米莉。”路易莎小姐说。 “你不如重新从一位站姿开始练吧？” 米莉停了下来。 她耷拉着肩膀，把双脚向外打开。 看着其他人不用等她，继续一蹲一起地练习，她叹了口气。 他们把胳膊高高举过头顶，下巴微微抬起。 他们看起来都像芭蕾舞演员。 真正的芭蕾舞演员。 所有人都像，只有米莉不像。 下课的时候米莉松了好大一口气。 她现在只想找妈妈。 其他人很快都走光了。 没过多久，她就成了最后一个待在舞蹈室里等的人。 米莉瘫坐在地上，开始揉自己发疼的脚趾。 这时她听见了一个细细小小的声音。 她抬起头。 那儿一个人也没有。 “有人吗？” 米莉出声喊道。

A tiny shadow darted toward a curtained stage at the end of the studio. "Hello?" Millie called again. There was no answer. Millie got to her feet. She dashed over to the stage, where she saw the shadow whiz past again. "Who's there?" she asked, grabbing the curtain and yanking it back. She gasped. "What is this?"

一个小小的影子飞快地窜向舞蹈室尽头挂着幕布的舞台。 “有人吗？” 米莉又喊了一声。 没有人回应。 米莉站了起来。 她冲到舞台边，看见那个影子又嗖地一下掠了过去。 “谁在那儿？” 她一边问，一边抓住幕布猛地往后一扯。 她倒抽了一口冷气。 “这是什么呀？”