𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐓𝐓- 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝟏

A Sight At The Opera!

Me, Luke and Manny we're at school rehearsing for the play, "Okay, can I have everyone's attention please. Reuben? Hit me with a spot"! Uncle Cam announced, Rueben turned the bright spot light on, "That's a little harsh, throw a pink gel on that...that's great perfect" Uncle Cam smiled. Me and Luke we're painting the set, "Alright, I will be recording today's rehearsal, but don't let that make you feel self-conscious. I'm only using it to pinpoint your mistakes, secondly I have granted full set access to Maureen Shick who will be reviewing our show tonight" Uncle Cam announced. 

"Uh oh, she's viscous" Julie frowned, "Our last music teacher Mr. Namagachi, never recovered from her article, 'Everything Blows'" Manny explained, "But in fairness I saw that production, and the lead soprano was an absolute disaster...no offence Sophie. You've blossomed since then, sweetie" Uncle Cam smiled turning to me, "No batteries in her mic, okay"? Uncle Cam whispered I nodded my head as I jotted it down on the clipboard. 

"And lastly, Marcus Talbot...guys, he's feeling a little under the weather, fear not, he's home resting his instrument, and he will ready and be at the show tonight. But I will need a Phantom for this rehearsal, so anyone..." Uncle Cam questioned, I was going to volunteer myself but Manny beat me to it, "I guess I could help"? Manny shrugged. "But first a silent prayer for our fallen Captain Marcus. Godspeed, old friend" Manny ordered. 

"It's over now the music of the night" the whole cast sang, Manny's voice overpowering them all, "Okay, great job everyone" Uncle Cam nodded, "Thank you, but it was really everyone, give yourself a round" Manny chuckled, I just rolled my eyes, Uncle Cam's phone began to ring, "Oh, it's Marcus' mom, shh" Uncle Cam shushed, "Fingers crossed" I smiled. 

"Why is it taking you so long? How hard is it to paint a wall"? A boy asked walking over to me and Luke, "A lot harder than your so called singing" Luke smirked, "At least this is supposed to be flat" I laughed. "I once saw a monkey paint a wall" The boy stated, "Yeah" Luke nodded, "Did you say, 'Good Job Mom'" I smirked, "Boom" Luke hissed as we gave each other fist bumps. "I bet you can't sing"? The boy hissed looking at me, "Fine...I'll show you" I scoffed. "Stirs Imagination, silently the senses, abandon their defenses" I sang before I saw Uncle Cam look at me, I stopped quickly.

I looked over and saw Manny and Uncle Cam, arguing? I think anyway, a few moments later Manny walks over to me and Luke. "Hey there, Luke and Julie-Or should I say 'Phantom'"? Manny joke, "You wanna get to the point"? Luke asked, "We're kind of on a schedule and this paint keeps making me fall down" I added.

"Marcus is out and Cam wants you to take over" Manny sighed, "Really"? Luke questioned, "Well, I do know all the songs" I shrugged, "Stop trying to talk yourself out of it...you're doing it" Manny huffed ignoring me, "It's only for two nights"? Luke added looking at me. "You're doing it again, looking at the negatives, look at the bright side,  what if you screw up? humiliate yourself and get mocked forever" Manny rambled, "I'd get mocked"? I questioned, "Only by the cool kids, but who needs them...you're on of us now...the theatre geeks" Manny shrugged before walking off.

It was an hour or so before our first rehearsal, "Okay! Everyone! Look sharp the press is here! As I was saying Maureen, I was really at an advantage having seen the Broadway production. I was able to learn from their mistakes. For example, in my production, the Phantom's a girl and she appears in the first scene, because after all it's not called, Christine and Raoul Of The Opera" Uncle Cam rambled, "I have two sources that state your lead is home with chicken pox" Maureen stated, "Uh, mono" Uncle Cam frowned, "Make that, three sources" Maureen tutted, "Damn, your good. Permission to talk of record"? Uncle Cam asked.

"Denied" Maureen sighed looking up from her notepad, "Okay, fine, well then...see for yourself in just a moment, tonight, a star will be born" Uncle Cam huffed, "Uncle Cam"? I questioned, "Not now Julie, I'm birthing something, sometimes in the theatre, the real drama happen before the curtain rises, observe..." Uncle Cam began before walking over to me and Luke.

"Julie Pritchett, how would you like to star in Cameron Tucker's Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera"? Uncle Cam asked, "Nope" I shrugged, "Julie Pritchett, is it true you passed the role because of creative difference with an overbearing director"? Maureen asked me, "Say nothing to that jackal"! Uncle Cam ordered. 

"Manny what happened"? Uncle Cam whispered, "I tried my best, she started hyperventilating just thinking about it. I guess some people just aren't comfortable taking center stage" Manny sighed as the spotlight flashed onto him, "Okay, maybe we pump Marcus full of whatever they gave those bike riders-" Uncle Cam began, "He's too sick, but don't worry, you'll think of something...it's always darkness before-" Manny began, Rueben accidently flashed the spotlight in my eyes, "Reuben can you keep that thing still"! I yelled. "Okay, well, I guess we only have one option..." Uncle Cam tailed off, insinuating that it was his time to shine, "I'll do it" Manny nodded, "Hmm"? Uncle Cam hummed. 

It was an hour later, our last practice run before the big show, "The music of the night..." Manny sang out of key, which wasn't like him, "Okay, Manny, quick question. Did you forget the notes I gave you or just choose to ignore them? where are you going with that"? Uncle Cam questioned as I carried a chair to the front, "We need another one at the front, Mr. Namagachi decided to come" I smiled. 

"Oh, you mean the disgraced teacher, that I replaced suddenly has and interest in the production"? Uncle Cam scoffed, "He's parking his car, right now" I shrugged, "Wow, the vultures are officially circling, okay, Manny it's not secret that you were not my first choice for this or my second, but it's not to late for you to make this your very own phantom, so I want you to watch what Julie did, and copy that" Uncle Cam ordered as he put the headphones on Manny's ears. "Silently the senses...abandon their-" My voice crackled from the camera, "She was glorious" Manny gasped. 

It was time for the performance, I peered around the curtain, my heart dropped, Jay, Gloria, Claire, Phil, Alex and Phil's Dad was all sat in the audience. "I'm gonna be so bad at this" I frowned turning back to Luke and Manny, "No, did you not hear your voice...it was angelic" Manny smiled, "Luke did you have a nosebleed"? I asked spotting the trail of red under his nose, "I smelt the pain" Luke sighed, "Of course you did" I laughed as I passed him a tissue. 

Third Person POV

"Save a seat for your sister" Claire reminded as she tapped Alex on the shoulder, Phil and Claire both scooted down to where Gloria and Jay were sat, "Excuse me? I think this seat belongs to me" Phil's Dad laughed, "Dad! What are you doing here"? Phil gasped hugging his dad. "Are you kidding me? My grandson paint the sets for a play, and I'm not gonna drive in from Florida, hmm"? Phil's Dad chuckled. 

"Is this seat taken"? A boy asked Alex, "All yours" Alex shrugged, the boy scrambled over Alex and sat down in the seat next to her, "That sweat shirt..."? Alex questioned, "I'm on the tennis team, we're the Valley Science Knights" The boy stated, "The Knights"? Alex whispered. "Night time Sharpens heightens each sensations dark stirs and wakes imagination silently the senses abandon their defenses" Julie sang, shocking her family, "What"? Phil questioned, "That's Julie" Jay gasped, "No" Gloria smiled, and then she began to sob.

"That could of been you out there" A girl sighed looking at Manny, "No, It wouldn't have been right" Manny smiled, "I'm sure you would've gotten some of it right" The girl comforted, "That's not what I meant" Manny chuckled.  

Normal POV

My first major lead role, and it went pretty great, Claire cried, Phil whaled, Gloria cried, and as much as he doesn't' want to admit it, Jay cried.