Could be a Star

Chapter 19

I've been working hard on tap recently. Seeing the show last week has definitely made me want to get good at it, so I've been practising in the kitchen every morning before school and every night after school. Some mornings, dad comes to make his coffee and just stands watching me for a while.

'What do you think, dad?' I say

'I think its very impressive,' he replies 'But don't go over doing it,'

'Or under doing it,' I add

I've been looking forward to this rehearsal a lot. It's Tuesday night, and Max and I are staying back for Expressing Yourself. Andy-maybe-Anderson says that he's left it a bit late so that I could get some tap skills down before working on the routine with Max. He says he thinks I'm ready now, and is impressed how I've come along.

'Okay,' he says 'I've come us with this routine especially for you two! Its based on the dances recorded from West End Live and the likes, but its not exactly the same,'

'Cool,' says Max and I nod.

'Now, what I though would be good is to get you two into character, so I've brought these!' Andy-maybe-Anderson goes into his bag and holds up two dresses, one pink one purple.

I can't help but crack up. I glace over to Max who's looking very serious.

'Wait,' he says 'Are you serious?'

'Of course I am!' Mr Anderson tells him enthusiastically.

Max rolls his eyes but also grins.

'Come on then,' he sighs 'Let's get on with it,' He looks at me and laughs.

'I want the pink one!' I say, snatching it away from Mr Anderson.

'Oh damn it!,' complains Max, reluctantly taking the purple dress and pulling it over his uniform.

When we both have our dresses on, Mr Andy Anderson pulls out a Polaroid camera and tells us to say cheese, taking a picture before we can tell him not to.

The picture develops and I see me and Max standing in dresses over the top of school uniform, our heads turned and pulling confused faces. It makes us both laugh.

'Seems as you got the prettier dress, I think I'll be taking this!' says Max, taking the picture and carefully putting it into his top pocket.

We begin to learn the dance, prancing around in out dresses and laughing. Andy says we need to concentrate because we haven't got long, but he jokes around too, telling us how gorgeous we both look.

When he decides we've done enough, we give him back the dresses. I didn't mind wearing it too much, but I'm still nervous for having to wear a dress in front of the whole audience.

Max and I leave through the school gates to walk home together. We're just about to turn left when we hear shouting.

'Wait!'

We turn to see a girl with black hair running towards us, her back pack jumping up and down behind her.

As she approaches us, I see that she has these really big green eyes and milky pale skin. I recognise her from rehearsals as one of the ballet girls, but I don't know her name.

'Jack, Max,' she says between breaths 'I'm... I'm,' she hold up her hand as she breaths in and out.

'Breath!' says Max, resting a hand on her back.

'Thanks,' she she says with a toothy grin 'I'm okay, I'm okay,'

She looks at us.

'Well I'm glad it is you two!' says the girl 'Would have been really awkward if you we're two randomers!'

'Haha, it would,' I say, a little uncomfortably.

'So anyway, the reason I was chasing after you,'

'I was hoping we'd get to that!' says Max, holding his hand out in front of him.

'Yeah, so basically,' she says 'We just had a rehearsal for the ballet dance in Shine, which you totally need to catch up on Jack, and Hayley completely hasn't learned the dance when the rest of us had and Mr Sharp got really angry with her then she was all like, 'Do you know what? I don't even care about your stupid play!' and she walked out chewing her gum and wiggling her hips!'

I stare at the girl. I'm not surprised as such but it takes a few seconds to process.

'Wow,' says Max 'Thank God!'

'Max!' I elbow him 'That's not very nice! Although, to be fair, yay,'

'I know,' says the girl ' That's what I said, especially when Mr Sharp said that I could be Debbie!'

'You're the new Debbie?' I say, titling my head and smiling.

'Yeah,' she says with a grin 'I'm Isabel,'

'Cool!' says Max

'And do you know what else,' says Isabel 'I was taking to Alexandra Green after rehearsal and she said that apparently, Hayley is always late to rehearsal because she's hanging round with that big group of boys, you know, Zack Kingston and everyone?'

I gulp and Max shuffles his feet.

'And Alexandra says she saw her kissing one of them outside the P.E block,'

'Who?' I ask without thinking about it

'I think she said his name was Ricky,'

The wind blows through my hair and my legs. They feel like they might give way at any moment. I feel Max's eyes on me, concerned.

'Well,' I say with a deep breath 'At least we don't have to worry about her anymore! Can't wait to start rehearsals with you, Isabel!'

'Yeah, me neither,' she grins 'See you!'

Isabel walks off in the other direction.

I don't feel like I can move. Max puts his hand on my shoulder, but I shove it off.

'It might not be the same Ricky,' he says.

'Maybe not,' I whisper although I know it must be. Ricky never told me who he was hanging out with while I was at rehearsals, now I know why.  Maybe he felt bad about it and that's why he started being nice to me again. He must know about all the horrible things that group do, mustn't he? Does he agree with it? I knew his was normal but I didn't think he was normal enough to be mean.

'Come on, let's just go home,' I say.

***

That night, in my dream, the joggers in the park show their identity. I see Alex and Zack's faces running next to Ricky's and thumping him on the back in a friendly kind of way. He's one of them.

Ricky and I are not alone in the swimming pool. There's a girl there too and they're both chewing bright pink gum with their mouths open. I scream at Ricky, asking him what the hell he thinks he's doing. He just laughs and chews his gum and holds the girl's hand and they jump into the pool together.