Read Online Centre Stage: A Novel by Linda Chapman - Free Book Online Page A

beamed.
    ‘Oh, brilliant!’ I gasped. ‘Well done.’ Knowing I was Lucy too, I could feel genuinely pleased for her.
    ‘Were you going to get a drink?’ Justine asked.
    I nodded.
    ‘Let’s go together,’ Justine said. We set off towards the drinks table. It was weird how much things had changed since primary school. We had not got on at all then but now, well, now we seemed to be almost friends.
    ‘So, do you like our theatre?’ she asked.
    I nodded. ‘It’s cool.’
    ‘The stage is moveable so we can have it wherever we want,’ she told me. ‘Those doors through there lead to the dressing rooms. Upstairs there’s a smaller studio theatre and also the dance studios. I’ll show you around later.’
    It was strange having Justine know so much and me know so little. As we poured ourselves drinks, I wondered if loads of her friends from school were going to be in the cast. ‘Do you know many people who are in the play?’ I asked curiously.
    She shook her head. ‘Not really. From Year Seven there’s just me and two other girls. Everyone else is in Years Eight, Nine or Ten, and I only know them by sight.’
    Just then someone tapped me on the shoulder. I swung round. A girl who looked about fourteen was standing behind me. She was skinny with dark auburn hair tied in two low bunches. ‘Excuse me, but are you Sophie Tennison?’
    I nodded.
    The girl smiled. ‘Velda told me to come over. I’m Colette Masters. We’re in the same team. I’m playing Susan — Lucy’s older sister.’
    For a moment I hadn’t a clue what Colette was going on about but then my brain clicked into gear. Of course. There were going to be two teams of children. I was Lucy in one team and Justine was Lucy in the other.
    ‘Do you want to come and meet the boys who are playing Peter and Edmund in our team?’ Colette went on.
    ‘OK,’ I said eagerly. I looked at Justine.
    ‘I suppose I should go and meet my team too,’ she said. ‘See you later, Sophie.’
    Colette led me to where two boys were standing. One was tall with blond hair. He looked sporty — like he played rugby or something. The other was smaller with short dark hair and a nice smile. They both looked about the same age as Colette.
    ‘This is Sophie,’ Colette announced.
    The tall boy turned out to be called Jack; he was playing Peter — the older brother. The other boy was called Mark; he was playing Edmund — the younger brother. He and Colette were at school at Clawson’s. Jack was at a private school but he knew them both because they had all been part of the chorus in the Christmas show at the Palace Theatre the year before.
    ‘So you’ve been in a film, then?’ Jack said to me.
    ‘Yeah,’ I nodded.
    ‘And you had the lead. That is so cool!’ Colette said.
    ‘When’s it coming out?’ Mark asked.
    ‘Next summer I think,’ I replied, feeling a bit awkward. I was proud I’d been in the film but I didn’t want them to think I was making out I was some kind of famous film star. ‘I haven’t done any theatre shows before though.’
    ‘It doesn’t matter. It’s great that you’re in our team,’ Colette said. ‘It means we’re bound to be chosen for the first night.’
    The boys nodded.
    ‘First night?’ I echoed.
    ‘The director chooses the best team to perform on the first night,’ Colette explained. ‘It’s the performance to do. Everyone who’s important goes — agents, casting directors, the press. If you’re in a big show like this you just have to perform on the first night.’
    ‘It means we’ve got to really be good in rehearsals,’ Mark said. ‘You’ve got to do your absolute best all the time.’
    Just then Velda clapped her hands. ‘OK, everyone, gather round!’
    We all made our way over. Dizzy was standing by Velda. She was wearing a maroon all-in-one footless leotard and a bright-pink ballet top. A purple sweatshirt was tied round her waist.
    ‘Hello, everyone,’ she said as the chatter died down. ‘Welcome