By my Side ~ Tom Felton fanfic

Chapter 46: Injury

'Put these on.' Paula tossed me a pair of pointe shoes, which were my size.

'Now?'

'When else do you expect?'

Biting my lips and my chest feeling right, I looked inside to see small pads inside each one.

'What're these?'

'Honestly, do you have any knowledge about these?'

'Like I said -'

'Oh whatever. You're probably just going to make excuses.' Paula rolled her eyes at me. At this point, I had this urge to punch her in the face.

But I kept that down as best as I could.

'Those are toe pads.' She said in a bored voice. 'Now put those on.'

Glaring at her back, I hastily put them on my feet.

'Hold on to that bar, get to first position and when I say "up", go up. On your toes yes.' Sh sighed the last words when she saw me open my mouth.

'You expect me to go straight up -'

'Oh don't you give me that attitude! Now do as I say!'

Forcing myself not to roll my eyes at her, I walked (or waddled) to the bar and held on to it with my right hand. As soon as I got into first position, Paula said, 'And up!'

I panicked from the sudden order, and without taking caution I went straight up on my toes, but going too far: both of my ankles bent forward, and I felt and heard both of them crack.

I fell to the ground and clutched both my feet, wincing.

'What was that? Get up! Do it again!'

'My feet -'

'That's nothing! Up! Now!'

Scrambling back up to my feet again but gasping from the pain, I clutched onto the bar with both hands.

'And up!'

I cried out in pain as soon as I went on my toes again; I immediately went back down to my feet. I was about to sit back down because of the pain but Paula stormed up to me and yanked me back up.

'Eight counts! And stop being a wuss! And up!'

Tears welling up in my eyes, I shakily obeyed. Paula then crouched down and, without warning, seized my ankles where it hurt the most and jerked it forwards, saying my feet were not straight enough.

I cried out louder this time and started to sob as I clung onto the bars with dear life as Paula forced my toes to stay on the ground.

After what seemed like a very long eight counts, she suddenly let go of my ankles. The force of landing back down sent up a huge wave of pain up my ankles. 'Argh!' I winced loudly, tears drenching my face.

'Stop crying like a baby!' Paula shrieked, her nostrils flaring.

She continued to force me to go up on my toes, and not just my ankles but my toes were screaming in agony; I felt like that.