by Belle Payton
“Welcome, everyone, to the Ashland Middle School Variety Show!” she announced. For a small woman, she had a commanding voice, Alex had always thought. “This year’s theme is the Wild West, and I’m sure we’re all in for a wild time tonight. So sit back and enjoy the show!”
Ms. Farmen walked offstage as the curtain opened behind her. Jack and Spencer stood there with their backs to the audience. Then hip-hop music blared through the speakers and they came to life, launching into their dance. The audience went crazy.
Backstage, Chloe motioned to a girl in a sparkly blue dress.
“Number two, you’re up next!” she said. Then she nodded to Alex. “Let’s get number six in here.”
Alex ran to the music room to get the next act. Only five acts were backstage at a time. When one act went onstage, Alex would bring another group backstage to wait. The committee had planned out the show like a well-oiled machine, and she was loving it. Plus, she got to catch a glimpse of all the performances.
After Billy Scarbek balanced a chair, a broom, and a hockey stick on his nose, all to thunderous applause, it was the Dancing Divas’ turn. Alex had to admit that they all looked supercute, and the headbands just made them even more so.
Alex watched her friends as the music played on stage.
“. . . nothing hurts more than a broken heart . . .”
She still thought the act was a little silly, but she would never let her friends know that. They did move in perfect time and looked adorable besides. By the time they had traced their last heart shape in the air with their fingers, the crowd was in love with them.
Alex ran back to bring act number sixteen into the waiting area, and when she returned, she heard Chloe call her name.
“Alex! Max! You’re up next!”
Alex suddenly felt her palms get sweaty. Speaking in front of people didn’t normally make her nervous, but this was different. This was a magic act! What if it was terrible? What if she made a mistake?
“Come on,” Max said, pushing his cart of props onto the stage.
Alex followed him, squinting under the bright lights.
“Hello, everyone. I am Max the Magician, and this is my lovely assistant, Alex!”
Alex waved to the audience, as they had practiced, and was relieved to hear the crowd applaud.
“Alex, my hat, please,” Max said, and Alex’s nerves left her and they began their routine. Alex had gone over the moves so many times she knew them by heart.
Four minutes later, after Max had made a stuffed rabbit appear and disappear and pulled an impossibly long string of colorful scarves out of Ms. Farmen’s pocket, the act was over. Applause and cheers followed Max and Alex offstage.
“Wow, guys, that was so cool!” said Emily, who had stayed backstage with the Dancing Divas to watch the magic act.
“Yeah, and you were pretty funny, Max,” Charlotte added, and Max blushed.
Chloe handed Alex her clipboard. “Nice job. Can you get me number eighteen, please?”
Alex headed for the music room, relieved to be an organizer again instead of a magician’s assistant.
What did Corey think of that? she wondered, but that was a problem for another day.
Two country ballads, three jazz dancers, and one opera singer later, it was time for the final act: Toe the Line. The crowd roared when the dancers came out. Alex anxiously watched, hoping everything would go okay for Ava.
Onstage, Ava looked out at the crowd. There, in the front row with her leg sticking out, was Kylie.
“Go, Ava!” Kylie cheered, just as she had at Ava’s basketball game.
All right, Ava, you can do this! Ava told herself. For Kylie!
The music started, and Ava focused with all her might. Carly wouldn’t be calling out the steps during the performance. But that was okay, because she had practiced so much that the steps were burned in her memory.
Walk forward!
Grapevine right!
Grapevine left!
Step, tap!
Step, tap!
Pivot right!
The song was over before Ava knew it, and the crowd erupted in applause and cheers. The Toe the Line dancers bowed and then marched off the stage.
“Ava, you did it!” Alex cheered, running up to hug her sister.
“Yeah, I did,” Ava said, as if she didn’t quite believe it herself.
“Great job, everybody!” Kendall called out. “Some of you might know that we have a Variety Show tradition every year. Ice cream at Rookie’s!”
All the performers and crew let out a cheer.
“I think I sweat at least two gallons tonight,” Alex confided in her sister. “Some ice cream would hit the spot right now.”
Mrs. Sackett and Coach gave them big hugs as the girls came out from backstage, then dropped them off at Rookie’s, which was decorated to look like an old-fashioned ice cream parlor. There was a long counter with stools in front of it, and round metal tables with padded chairs.
Inside, the place was packed. Alex spotted the Dancing Divas crowded around a small table and waved. Then Ava tapped her.
“Come say hi to Kylie with me,” she said, pointing.
Kylie and Owen were sitting around a table with two empty chairs, and Kylie was motioning for them to come over.
“One of the benefits of a broken leg,” Kylie said, when they arrived. “It’s easy to get a table.”
“Why don’t you guys tell me what you want, and I’ll place the order,” Owen said.
“Chocolate shake, please,” said Ava.
“Vanilla shake, please,” said Alex at the same time.
Kylie laughed. “That’s so perfect. You guys are, like, the same but different. Both milk shakes, but different flavors.”
“Wow, that is deep, Kylie,” Ava teased.
“I think Kylie’s right,” Alex said thoughtfully. “We are alike in some ways, but in many ways we’re different.”
“Yeah, I guess so,” her sister agreed.
Owen came back. “They’ll bring the stuff to our table,” he said. Then he turned to Kylie. “Did you see that video I posted for you? It’s instructions for making a Stellar Warrior costume. Super cool.”
Kylie picked up her phone. “No way! I’ve got to see that.”
Soon the two of them were engrossed in the video. Ava turned to her sister.
“Do you think we’re more alike, or more different?” she asked.
Alex looked thoughtful. “Well, different, I guess, but alike in the more important ways.”
“Like what?” Ava asked.
“Like, we both tried new things tonight,” Alex said. “Would you have believed me if I told you a year ago that you were going to be onstage in a Texas Variety Show doing a traditional Texas dance, and killing it?”
Ava laughed and shook her head. “No way. I would have thought you were crazy.”
“And who would have ever thought I would be a magician’s assistant?” Alex said. “So we’re both brave. And that’s a pretty important way we’re alike.”
“And don’t forget talented,” Ava said. “I mean, who knew I could line dance or you could do magic?”
“Exactly,” said Ava. “I wonder what other hidden talents we’ll discover here in Texas?”
A server arrived and placed their ice cream orders on the table. Ava reached for her milk shake.
“How about a talent for drinking milk shakes really fast?” Ava asked.
Alex laughed as her sister slurped down her milk shake. Then she took a long, slow sip of her own.
Ready for more
ALEX AND AVA?
Don’t miss the next book in the It Takes Two series:
Belle Payton isn’t a twin herself, but she does have twin brothers! She spent much of her childhood in the bleachers reading–er, cheering them on–at their football games. Though she left the South long ago to become a children’s book editor in New York City, Belle still drinks approximately a gallon of sweet tea a week and loves treating h
er friends to her famous homemade mac-and-cheese. Belle is the author of many books for children and tweens, and is currently having a blast writing two sides to each It Takes Two story.
Look for more It Takes Two books at your favorite store!
Simon Spotlight
Simon & Schuster, New York
ItTakesTwoBooks.com
Visit us at
simonandschuster.com/kids
authors.simonandschuster.com/Belle-Payton
WE HOPE YOU LOVED READING THIS EBOOK!
We have SO many more books for kids in the in-beTWEEN age that we’d love to share with you! Sign up for our IN THE MIDDLE books newsletter and you’ll receive news about other great books, exclusive excerpts, games, author interviews, and more!
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
or visit us online to sign up at
eBookNews.SimonandSchuster.com/middle
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
SIMON SPOTLIGHT
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
This Simon Spotlight edition January 2016
Text by Tracey West
Jacket art by Anthony VanArsdale
© 2016 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
SIMON SPOTLIGHT and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or [email protected].
Designed by Ciara Gay
The text of this book was set in Garamond.
ISBN 978-1-4814-5264-9 (hc)
ISBN 978-1-4814-5263-2 (pbk)
ISBN 978-1-4814-5265-6 (eBook)
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 2015938113
