Author´s note: Thank you for all the nice reviews! You can be sure that I appreciate them. So... here´s the new chapter. It´s a little longer than the last ones. Let me know if you like it!

5) Look out! Look out!

The next day started with a surprise. "Some of you may know that Nicole decided to leave us and join the corps de ballet at a different opera due to a certain event that took place a few weeks ago.", Mme.Giry told the ballet girls at the beginning of their lesson. A few of them looked concerned, but the majority was smiling, some even grinning openly. Nicole´s arrogance hadn´t exactly made her popular, and the image of her falling through the trapdoor was still vivid in their minds. Though it had been dangerous, it had looked very funny. Besides, most of them held her responsible for Meg´s failure at the performance after she had been given Nicole´s role.

Meg´s attention was drawn to the girl standing next to the ballet teacher. She was small and slim, but noticeably muscles on her legs told the experienced eyes about long hours of practice. Meg´s gaze wandered upwards, and she saw shiny auburn hair tied into a bun on top of her head and pretty blue-green eyes. She gave the new girl an tentative smile, and she returned it.

"That´s why I had to find a replacement for her quickly.", Mme.Giry went on. Indicating the girls she said: "This is Ariane Hérder. She used to dance at the opera in Marseille, where my sister works. She´s quite fond of her and her talent.". The teacher nodded at her, and Ariane seemed to relax slightly. Her fingers were no longer moving nervously. Now she held her arms gracefully. She almost looked as if she already stood in the first position. Seeing this behaviour Meg grew a little wary. She could sense competition.

By the end of the lesson she knew she had been right. Ariane was an excellent dancer. Her technique was impeccable. Still her movements were elegant and beautiful. Ariane seemed to be better than all of them. ´But is she also… better than me?´, Meg asked herself. The thought made her feel dizzy. She had always been the best dancer of the group. Of course there had been lessons in which other girls had received these brief smiles and nods that were Mme.Giry´s highest form of praise. But Meg had only regarded this as an incentive for working harder on herself. But what could she do against perfection?

"Are you all right?" A hand touched her shoulder gently. For a second Meg was startled. She looked around and realised that she had been so lost in thought that she hadn´t noticed the others had already left the stage. Even her mother was gone. Only one girl was still there. "Are you all right?", Ariane repeated. "You look a little pale." "I´m fine.", Meg answered shortly and starter walking away without another word. She really didn´t feel like talking at the moment, at least not to her.

Unfortunately the new girl couldn´t be shaken off that quickly. She kept pace with Meg effortlessly. "You are Meg, Mme.Giry´s daughter, aren´t you?", she asked. Meg nodded glumly. "I knew it right away. Such elegance, such beauty – it could only be you. Your aunt speak very highly of you. According to her you´re the best dancer in Paris." Her words, spoken so seriously, made Meg´s cheeks flush with embarrassment. Aunt Beatrice was a very warm and open person, and, unlike her sister, she had the tendency to praise rather than criticise. She loved her niece dearly, so it was logical that she had said something nice about her.

"Well… you are very good as well.", Meg muttered the first reply that came to her mind. "The way you danced the adagio was great." "Thank you.", Ariane said, beaming at her. "I work very much on my posture, you know. Every morning I do thirty minutes of-" "I´m sorry that I have to interrupt you, but that´s my dressing room. See you later!", Meg told her, glad that they had reached it before she had had to hear Ariane´s entire training programme. "It was very interesting to talk to you.", Ariane said while the other girl opened the door to her room and slipped inside.

Meg closed the door and leaned against it, as if she was afraid Ariane might come after her. She gave a frustrated sigh. Wasn´t it enough that the new girl was a good dancer? Why did she have to be friendly as well? Admittedly she had talked a little too much, but Meg could understand it. She wanted to make friends. Still pondering she sat down on the sofa and placed her aching feet on the table in a very un-ladylike way. If only Christine had been with her! But with the big role she got she was no longer obliged to attend all ballet lessons, and this one had taken place without her. At least they´d meet later. Meg needed her best friend.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Erik had watched the entire lesson from Box Five. He did this quite frequently, just to look at his Meg, to see her glide over the stage like a fairy. But this time something had distracted her, making her steps less self-confident, even in easy passages. Soon he had found the source of her distress: a new chorus girl. Although ballet wasn´t Erik´s special field, he couldn´t help noticing she had a lot of talent.

Judging by the glances she threw her, Mme.Giry shared his opinion. But she couldn´t seriously prefer her to her daughter, could she? Even now, as he made his way to Meg´s dressing room, he knew no reply to this question. All he knew was that if the teacher started treating Meg any differently, he´d have to do something about it. He loved his blond princess, and nobody was to hurt her. Nobody.