Sam in the Spotlight by Anne-Marie Conway

watch you and I’ll cheer so loud they’ll hear me in the next town. You’re nearly thirteen, Sam, you’re going to get all sorts of crushes on boys. You can’t give up your drama club just because you like someone. And anyway, I thought you were serious about being an actress?”
    â€œStop it! I am!”
    The crazy thing was I quite liked it when Aunty Mags gave me advice. I don’t know why, but it made me feel special. It was the way she listened to everything I said; I mean really listened. I don’t remember anyone ever listening to me like that before. Certainly not Mum, Dad was always working, and Crystal was so full of her own news she didn’t always have the patience to listen to mine.
    â€œLook, let’s sit down for a bit,” said Aunty Mags, pulling me towards a bench. “Riley looks as if he needs a rest.” She picked up Riley and plonked him on her lap. “Seriously, Sam, if you think your mum doesn’t understand how strongly you feel about Star Makers, why don’t you try talking to your dad about it?”
    â€œHe doesn’t understand either,” I said. “He hardly ever sticks up for me when Mum’s having a go. It’s like he’s scared of her or something.”
    â€œOh, I’m sure he understands much more than you realize. You’d be surprised. He had dreams too, you know.”
    â€œWhat do you mean? Dad never talks about the past. He always says there’s no point dwelling on what might have been.”
    Aunty Mags stared off into the distance as if she was remembering something. “Let’s just say that when Crystal came along your mum and dad had to grow up pretty quickly. Your mum was all set to go off to university, but she had to turn down her place. She was brilliant you know – top of her class in everything. I guess that’s why she’s always been so keen for you and Crystal to concentrate on your education. She doesn’t want you to miss out – or to ever feel that way yourselves.”
    â€œYes, but what about Dad?” I said.
    â€œWell, your dad’s always felt terrible about your mum giving up her place at uni – for some reason he blamed himself – but he had to give up some pretty important plans of his own.”
    I took Riley from Aunty Mags and cuddled him close. “What sort of plans? What do you mean?”
    â€œYou ask him one day,” she said, tapping her nose. “You ask him about Stevie and the Stingrays.”
    I snorted into Riley. “Stevie and the what? ”
    â€œJust ask him, okay?”
    I wanted to tell Aunty Mags about the wedding, ask her what she thought I should do, but I knew Crystal would kill me. Somehow, over the next few weeks, I had to get Mum to say sorry to Crystal – but I didn’t even know what she was supposed to be saying sorry for.
    â€œI’d better be getting back,” I said after a bit. “Can we walk Riley again tomorrow?”
    â€œDefinitely,” said Aunty Mags. “I’m going to hang around here for a bit longer but I’ll call for you in the morning. And try not to get too down about Ellie. I’m sure you’ll be friends again in no time.”
    I ran across the grass feeling so much better. I was going to talk to Dad first chance I got and I was determined to sort things out with Ellie, no matter how hard she tried to push me away. I was almost at the park exit when I noticed someone sitting on the swings. Someone with a blue baseball cap pulled right down over his eyes. It was Eddie, and he had a girl perched on his lap.
    I walked a bit closer, slipping behind a tree so he wouldn’t see me. He said something and the girl looked up at him laughing.
    She had dark hair like Ellie.
    And she was pretty like Ellie.
    She even laughed a bit like Ellie.
    But she wasn’t Ellie.

I stumbled home in shock. My head felt as if it was about to explode with secrets, but