But, getting back to the girls in my class, I never quite felt I belonged in their group. I tried not to mind. After all, I had my friends at school and in the BSC. (That's what we call the Baby-sitters Club.) I even have a great best friend, Mallory Pike. I told myself I didn't need any more friends, but the truth was I sometimes felt a little lonely at my ballet school.

    When class ended, we applauded Mme Noelle and then went to the dressing room.

    "That was nice of you to volunteer," Carrie Steinfeld said to me as we walked down the hall. "I would have but I can't afford the time away from lessons." Carrie is the oldest girl in class. I know she's nervous these days. She's about to graduate but she's never had a leading role in a production. Because of that it's going to be hard for her to get into a school for older students or to be invited to a professional dance company. It's a shame, because she's a good dancer. But in ballet, being good isn't always enough. You have to be great.

    I didn't want Carrie to feel bad, so I made light of volunteering. "It's a good excuse to goof off a little," I joked. "And it sounded like fun." "No way," Katie Beth disagreed, wrinkling her nose. "You wouldn't catch me teaching a bunch of screaming brats." "I'm sure they're not all brats," said Mary. "I think it's generous of the school to offer the program. Helping out is the least I can do." I suddenly had the feeling I was going to like working with her.

    In the dressing room everyone changed quickly. It's interesting to see how ten girls can go from looking all alike, with black leotards, pink tights, toe shoes, and hair pulled back off our faces, to looking very, very different once we're dressed. Katie Beth, for example wears tight leggings and big bold tops, while Lisa dresses in nothing but jeans and sweaters.

    "I just can't get high enough on the pas de chat," I heard Mary complain as she sat on the bench and pulled off her toe shoes. She was talking to a tall, thin girl named Mindy Howard.