Everything I Didn't Say

t w e l v e

TWELVE

"WE'RE DRAWIN' THE line so keep your noses hidden, we're hangin' a sign, say's 'visitors forbidden' and we ain't kiddin'!"

"Here come the Jets, yeah and we're gonna beat every last buggin' gang on the whole buggin' street – on the whole ever mother lovin' street!"

As soon as Link and the rest of the boys finished singing and dancing, the cast waiting in the wings burst into applause and 'whoops'. I clapped my hands together, smiling to myself.

Link panted, blowing his fringe upwards off his sweaty face. He and the rest of the Jets looked to Mr Bellamy where he was sat in the auditorium, observing the stage.

"That was very good boys, very good indeed. Link lovely ending note – maybe add a fist-punch next time? Hmm, yes, I think a fist-punch would look very nice indeed. Now ..." I heard papers being shuffled. "Perhaps we should call it a day here. Same time rehearsal tomorrow of the second act so you better be ready. And Jeremy! Next time, you kiss Miss West make sure you don't just stand there like a limp piece of lettuce! You're supposed to be in love for Christ's sake." I could practically picture him in my head rolling his eyes.

I had to smother my giggle with a cough at his last remark. Jeremy was stood in the opposite wings and shrank behind one of the curtains, his face turning beetroot red and truly mortified. The boy who was playing Bernardo nudged him and began laughing raucously.

Link and the Jets filed off to the different sides of the stage, Link heading straight for me. As soon as he reached me, he wrapped me into a hug which made two girls behind me coo adoringly.

"Ugh, you're all sweaty" I complained playfully, pushing him away.

He let me go and smelled his shirt. "You're right. But I can't help it!" he held up his hands. "Bellamy made us go through that scene seven times and those stage lights are hot" he said.

"Yeah? Think how Jeremy and I feel when we have to kiss under them a million times" I responded evenly.

"Gross, I don't want to think about my girlfriend kissing anyone than me but ... you don't enjoy it do you?" he raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"What? No way! You heard what Mr Bellamy said about him being like a limp lettuce" I answered, pretending to be outraged.

He chuckled, putting his arm around my shoulders. "Come on, let's go home. I'm so bored of this auditorium" he said, leading me out into the back corridor behind stage.

I managed to steer him away while I got changed out of my costume and back into my woolly turtle-neck and jeans. When I re-entered the corridor, I found him chatting to two girls from the ensemble.

I waited patiently for them, texting Jared to meet me outside the lobby. When he was finished with his conversation, he met up with me again and we continued walking out of school. Once we'd passed through the empty lobby, I opened the doors and was greeted by a sight I wasn't expected to see.

Jared, talking to some girl.

Automatically, I sized her up. I wasn't looking to compare myself to her or anything; I just wanted to study her, see what she was like.

She had cute curly brown hair – much more exuberant than my own colour. Her skin was flawless, no spots or freckles dotted her cheeks or nose. In fact, her whole physic screamed 'pristine'. She was wearing a snow-white coat (which looked like it was cashmere, the real kind) and knee-high black boots with kitten heels.

I noticed she was also tall, incredibly tall. Possibly even a little bit taller than Jared – but it could have been the extra inch given to her by those heels. And through her coat, I could distinctly see the outlines of her curves. She had curves in all the right places, the curves guys loved to check out.