Stage Fright

Chapter 3

I tried to calm down and think: Where would I leave a script?

I checked my school bag. Wasn't there. I checked the kitchen. It still wasn't there.

By now, I'd searched the entire house, but the script was nowhere to be seen. Maybe I could use art to try and find my script.

I laid out a blank piece of paper, and tried to draw out each room I've been in. I just realized, I've never checked Juliet's room. I was just about to, when I heard a knock on my bedroom door.

"Are you getting ready for bed." My mom opened the door a crack and took a peek to see what I was doing. I jumped on my bed and acted natural.

"Don't worry. I'll be asleep soon," I replied quickly.

"Ok. Good night sweetie."

"Good night," I said as my mom left the room. I need to find that script, I thought. I have a rehearsal in two days and I need to find it.

"Hey mom," I said in my best "sick" voice. "Is it ok if skip school today. I don't feel well."

When my mom said yes, I went back to my bedroom to get more sleep. I couldn't sleep last night without my script to use for practice. When my mom went to her room, I checked the living room and the kitchen, but it wasn't there. My mom seemed to be on the phone a lot, so I was able to sneak into Juliet's room. There is was. I could see the bottom of the yellow brick road from the cover of my script under Juliet's pillow.

What was my script doing under Juliet's pillow, I thought. I never did anything to make Juliet act this way. "What's up with her?" I wondered.

When Juliet came home from school, I greeted her and helped her unpack.

"What's up with you. Did your illness spread to your brain?"

"No. I just wanted to ask you about something," I replied, closing Juliet's bedroom door after she entered.

I went to sit on Juliet's bed beside her while she unpacked her bag. I tried to look under her pillow, but she pushed it down.

"Juliet. I know you took my script, and I don't appreciate you doing that," I said in my toughest voice.

Tears gathered in Juliet's eyes and rolled down her cheeks. "I.. I'm really sorry, J-Jennifer," she stuttered, sobbing.

"It's just that... ok well..." I waited for her to finish.

"So," I said, waiting.

"I-I was jealous," Juliet said, a waterfall of tears spilling out of her eyes. " I mean, you got a lead role in a play, and your responsible and you can do so much that I can't do, and I'm always the one who gets left out." I didn't know Juliet felt this way.

"Here's your script," Juliet said, taking the script out from under her pillow and leaving the room.

"...wait," I stuttered. Juliet turned around.

"I'm sorry I excluded you and got mad at you. I'm not always in the best mood," I said. Then it happened. One of the biggest hugs Juliet's ever given to me. This rarely happens, so I enjoyed the moment.

Wow, I thought. Letting out our feeling made me feel better.

"So," I began. "Do you want me to help you tidy your room?" I asked.

"I already did, but you can help me with my homework," Juliet said, pulling out her math textbook from her bag, and getting a pencil.

***

Even though we've gone bankrupt, I feel a lot happier than I did before.