pause?’
She shrugged as she started putting away all her equipment. ‘Nobody’s perfect.’
Terrified she’d made me look crazy, I rushed to the mirror. But it was fine. I looked
just like me, with a bit of make-up on. Even my hair wasn’t much different to normal.
‘I figured you’d be a bit freaked out if I went for the whole shebang,’ said Jean,
looking over my shoulder.
I smiled. ‘Thanks.’
‘Relax. You look so nervous. You don’t even have to go on stage!’
‘I know, I know. I can’t help it – I’m still so jittery.’
‘God, I remember that feeling,’
she said.
I stared at her, surprised. ‘But you were always the star of the show!’
‘Yeah, but I would always get super nervous. It got to the point where I wasn’t having
fun anymore – I was too stressed. That’s why I dropped out of drama class,’ she said.
‘Really?’ I couldn’t believe it. Jean never seemed nervous. I was so relieved to
finally hear that she hadn’t quit because of me.
‘Yeah. But I miss it. I’m thinking of going back next year. Maybe we both could?’
she said quietly.
‘I’d love that,’ I said, really pleased that Jean and I were finally getting along
again.
‘Well, I’ll see you at the show. Hope the set stays up,’ she said with a laugh.
I groaned. Trust Jean to pinpoint my greatest fear.
Everyone I knew was coming tonight. My parents were bringing Tess and Jean, and they’d
managed to score front-row seats – which would only make it worse if the sets fell
down. Mum offered to drive me, but I’d decided to ride my bike. I felt like a dose
of normal before all the madness started. As I rode towards the school, I could see
some of the other kids arriving. I was so happy to be part of it, but also relieved
that my part was almost done.
I found Jackson pacing back and forth outside the theatre. He was half in costume,
and he looked terrible. ‘Are you okay?’ I asked him.
‘Nope. What if?’ he managed to say, before blinking wildly.
I touched his arm. ‘I know. But it won’t. It’ll be great. You’ll be great.’
He started nodding as if he was taking it in. ‘Really? Do you think?’
‘I don’t think. I know. You’ll be the star.’
He breathed in deeply and gave me a huge smile. Then he leant over and kissed me on the lips. Just like that. Right outside the theatre, where
everyone could see.
‘A good luck kiss. Thanks, Edie,’ he said quietly.
‘I didn’t kiss … you did … it wasn’t … it …’ was all I got out.
He laughed. ‘You’re right. Sorry. I kissed you. I didn’t mean to. I just …’
I started laughing too. ‘It’s fine.’
Jackson pulled a face. ‘Are you calling my kiss fine ?’
Shaking my head, I added,‘No, not fine – nice.’
‘That’s better.’ He grabbed my hand and bowed down to kiss it. ‘Good luck, my lady.
I’ll see you after the show.’
‘Break a leg,’ I said, as he disappeared into the theatre.
I knew I was blushing like mad. I wondered if anyone had seen. Then I decided I didn’t
care. It was nice and fine. I liked him. And it was a good start to opening night.
Argh! Opening night. The thought made me hurry. I still needed to check that the props
had all been set up.
There were people everywhere backstage. It looked so crazy, it was hard to believe
we’d be putting on a play anytime soon, let alone tonight! Angus was running down
the corridor in half his costume. I jumped out of the way as he hurried past.
‘Sorry, Edie,’ he called. ‘I’ve lost my top!’
‘Try the boys’ dressing room!’ I called back.
I squeezed past a couple of cast members who were huddled together, nervously running
lines.
‘Break a leg,’ I said as I passed them.
As I made it to the stage area I saw Freddy and Zoe in the wings, warming up their
voices and giggling. They were already in costume and they both looked incredible.
I started to walk past them, then stopped and headed back.
‘You two look amazing,’
She shrugged as she started putting away all her equipment. ‘Nobody’s perfect.’
Terrified she’d made me look crazy, I rushed to the mirror. But it was fine. I looked
just like me, with a bit of make-up on. Even my hair wasn’t much different to normal.
‘I figured you’d be a bit freaked out if I went for the whole shebang,’ said Jean,
looking over my shoulder.
I smiled. ‘Thanks.’
‘Relax. You look so nervous. You don’t even have to go on stage!’
‘I know, I know. I can’t help it – I’m still so jittery.’
‘God, I remember that feeling,’
she said.
I stared at her, surprised. ‘But you were always the star of the show!’
‘Yeah, but I would always get super nervous. It got to the point where I wasn’t having
fun anymore – I was too stressed. That’s why I dropped out of drama class,’ she said.
‘Really?’ I couldn’t believe it. Jean never seemed nervous. I was so relieved to
finally hear that she hadn’t quit because of me.
‘Yeah. But I miss it. I’m thinking of going back next year. Maybe we both could?’
she said quietly.
‘I’d love that,’ I said, really pleased that Jean and I were finally getting along
again.
‘Well, I’ll see you at the show. Hope the set stays up,’ she said with a laugh.
I groaned. Trust Jean to pinpoint my greatest fear.
Everyone I knew was coming tonight. My parents were bringing Tess and Jean, and they’d
managed to score front-row seats – which would only make it worse if the sets fell
down. Mum offered to drive me, but I’d decided to ride my bike. I felt like a dose
of normal before all the madness started. As I rode towards the school, I could see
some of the other kids arriving. I was so happy to be part of it, but also relieved
that my part was almost done.
I found Jackson pacing back and forth outside the theatre. He was half in costume,
and he looked terrible. ‘Are you okay?’ I asked him.
‘Nope. What if?’ he managed to say, before blinking wildly.
I touched his arm. ‘I know. But it won’t. It’ll be great. You’ll be great.’
He started nodding as if he was taking it in. ‘Really? Do you think?’
‘I don’t think. I know. You’ll be the star.’
He breathed in deeply and gave me a huge smile. Then he leant over and kissed me on the lips. Just like that. Right outside the theatre, where
everyone could see.
‘A good luck kiss. Thanks, Edie,’ he said quietly.
‘I didn’t kiss … you did … it wasn’t … it …’ was all I got out.
He laughed. ‘You’re right. Sorry. I kissed you. I didn’t mean to. I just …’
I started laughing too. ‘It’s fine.’
Jackson pulled a face. ‘Are you calling my kiss fine ?’
Shaking my head, I added,‘No, not fine – nice.’
‘That’s better.’ He grabbed my hand and bowed down to kiss it. ‘Good luck, my lady.
I’ll see you after the show.’
‘Break a leg,’ I said, as he disappeared into the theatre.
I knew I was blushing like mad. I wondered if anyone had seen. Then I decided I didn’t
care. It was nice and fine. I liked him. And it was a good start to opening night.
Argh! Opening night. The thought made me hurry. I still needed to check that the props
had all been set up.
There were people everywhere backstage. It looked so crazy, it was hard to believe
we’d be putting on a play anytime soon, let alone tonight! Angus was running down
the corridor in half his costume. I jumped out of the way as he hurried past.
‘Sorry, Edie,’ he called. ‘I’ve lost my top!’
‘Try the boys’ dressing room!’ I called back.
I squeezed past a couple of cast members who were huddled together, nervously running
lines.
‘Break a leg,’ I said as I passed them.
As I made it to the stage area I saw Freddy and Zoe in the wings, warming up their
voices and giggling. They were already in costume and they both looked incredible.
I started to walk past them, then stopped and headed back.
‘You two look amazing,’
Similar Books
