“You must be starving, Polly,” she called back to me in the end. “Let’s stop and get a cup of tea and something to eat.”
We squeezed into a little cafe on the high street, cramming the pram past the other tables into a corner at the back. I’d never been out with Diane by myself and I felt like announcing to everyone that she wasn’t my mum. The last thing I wanted was for people to think we were related in some way.
She sat Jake in a highchair and gave him his big bunch of plastic keys to keep him happy, and then she ordered a cappuccino for herself, lemonade for me, and some toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches to share.
When the drinks arrived Jake went mad kicking his legs and banging the keys. He wanted the chocolaty froth off the top of Diane’s cappuccino and she gave him little tastes from the edge of her spoon until he had a sticky brown moustache all the way round his mouth.
Diane smiled. “I shouldn’t give it to him really,” she said, “but he’s just so irresistible.” She dabbed at his lips with her serviette. “What really happened at drama, Polly? Did someone upset you? You can talk to me, you know.”
I shrugged and looked down at my drink. “I just think it’s babyish. I’ve probably outgrown it or something.”
“Well, yes you are very mature for your age,” said Diane, sucking up as usual. “But why don’t you give it a couple more weeks before you decide to leave? Your dad said you were great in your last production and I was really looking forward to seeing you perform.”
“Yeah, and don’t tell me, Jakey was really looking forward to it too!”
Diane looked at me sharply. I knew she was itching to tell me not to be so sarcastic but she bent down to pick up Jake’s keys from the floor and when she sat up again she had a smile on her face. The same sort of false smile Mandy fixed on her face when Arthur came in to talk to her last week.
“I’ve got an idea,” she said. “I’ve been meaning to discuss it with you all week. I know your new room is really tiny – no bigger than a shoebox really, but why don’t we go to the DIY store this afternoon and pick out some new paint? Any colour you like. I really want you to feel at home while your mum’s away and it’s such an awful sludgy-brown colour at the moment.”
She started going on about how I could paint the walls purple with silver stars or pink with gold around the edges. “Let’s go right now,” she said, signalling to the waiter that we wanted to pay. “It’s Sunday tomorrow so we’ll have all day to get it sorted.”
I was dying to say, “What’s the point?” I mean, I was only going to be there for another week or two. But then I remembered the auditions and Monty B’s great performance and I knew he’d ruined my chance of getting a good enough part to stop Mum going to Spain. I’d have to go back to drama on Saturday after all. I’d have to go back and beg Mandy to give me another chance. If she let me read Marcia’s part with someone normal, like Sandeep or Adam, she might realize just how good I could be.
“You’re very quiet,” said Diane.
I stirred the straw round my lemonade. “I’m just trying to decide what colour paint I’d like,” I lied.
I wasn’t about to tell Diane about my big plan to keep Mum in England so I decided to go along with The Great Painting-My-Room Idea – if that was what made her happy.
As soon as we finished eating we hurried down to the nearest DIY shop and made our way over to the paint section. There were hundreds of different colours all lined up in neat rows. There were pearly-pinks and greeny-blues and at least four different shades of gold. I chose a bright green colour called Emerald City Green and Diane loaded the tins into our trolley, twittering on about how it was exactly the same shade as my eyes.
So in the end I didn’t ring Mandy to tell her I was quitting drama. I went back to Dad and Diane’s and we spent most of Sunday painting my room. And, when I got home from school on Monday, Diane had bought me some silky, green cushions and a green and gold sparkly bedspread. And I carried on practising my scene to show Mandy on Saturday and Mum carried on getting ready for Spain and poor old Cosmo carried on waiting for me every morning; sitting patiently on the wall outside number 25 until I appeared at the top of the road.
Phoebe called round for me on Saturday morning. We were going to get the bus to drama for the very first time and she was so excited, she arrived before we’d even had breakfast. Dad made a big thing of showing her my “Emerald City” room and Jake put on a special performance – rolling over on his blanket and then back again while Phoebe, Dad and Diane clapped and cheered. Phoebe made a massive fuss of him, pulling him up onto her lap and singing baby songs to him while she clapped his hands together.
“You were so right, Polly,” she said. “You have got the most gorgeous brother in the world. I’d swap him with Sara in a second!” Jake squealed and blew raspberries right in her face.
“Did you really say that, Polly?” said Diane, grinning from ear to ear. She lifted Jake off Phoebe’s lap and practically threw him up in the air. “Do you hear that, you little monkey…your big sister thinks you’re the most gorgeous baby in the world!”
“I wasn’t being serious,” I muttered, grabbing hold of Phoebe and dragging her out of the room.
“What did you have to go and say that for?” I hissed, as we left the house. “You know I didn’t mean it.”
“I’m sorry, Polly, it’s just that he’s so cute and everything, I forgot for a minute that you made all that stuff up. Anyway, I think Diane’s really nice and your room looks great.”
I shook my head and sighed. Sometimes I wondered if Phoebe understood at all what a nightmare it was being stuck at Dad’s with Diane and Jake.
“Anyway,” she went on. “Do you think we’ll find out our parts today? I know Monty B was messing about – but your audition was brilliant.”
“No it wasn’t!” I snapped. “It was rubbish.”
“All right, I was only saying.”
“I know, I know. Sorry.” The last thing I wanted was to fall out with Phoebe when we’d just started to get close. I linked my arm through hers. “Who do you want to be then?”
“I really want to be Rainbow. You know, from the scene I did for my audition. It’s not like a massive part or anything, but she sings a big solo – a whole song all by herself.”
“Well, I bet you’ll get it,” I said. “It sounds perfect for you.”
Ellie and Sam were hanging about outside when we arrived, so we all went up together. I was dying to ask Mandy straight away if I could re-audition, but she was standing by the piano talking to Arthur with that awful fixed smile on her face and it didn’t look like the best moment to interrupt. A minute later Arthur strode out and Mandy called us over to sit in a circle.
“I’m trying my best to stay calm,” she said. “But he doesn’t make it easy. I only have to see that man walk through the door and my stress levels go haywire. Anyway, the latest with Arthur, in case you were wondering, is that he’s somehow persuaded a local TV station to film his great ballroom dancing event.”
“You mean they’re going to be filming here? In this hall?” said Monty B. “But will it be on a Saturday?”
“Of course it will,” said Mandy, “this is Arthur we’re talking about. Any opportunity to disrupt our sessions! Anyway, I don’t want to think about it right now. We’ve got a show to be getting on with and the dance is not for weeks and weeks.”
Monty B was practically bouncing up and down in excitement. “But that means I’ve got loads of time to brush up on my ballroom skills. You never know who might be watching. I could be spotted! This could be my One Big Chance!”
“Oh my God!” snorted Neesha. “Your One Big Chance to be spotted by who exactly?”
“Well, for your information, I was dancing the waltz with my nan on holiday last summer and we won a medal for best pair on the dance floor.”
“Yeah, but how many other people were actually on the dance floor?”
Monty B opened his mouth to answer, but Mandy clap
ped her hand over it.
“Stop!” she laughed. “I don’t want to waste another second talking about Arthur and his blessed dance contest. We’re going to go over the opening song this morning. Now that I’ve cast the part of Marcia we can sing it all the way through.”
My head snapped up. “What do you mean?” I said. “What do you mean, Now that you’ve cast the part of Marcia?”
“Well I’m going to tell everyone their parts in a minute and then we’re going to set the beginning and sing though the opening number.”
“But Mandy, I really wanted to do my audition scene again. Can’t I show you one more time?”
“There’s no need, Polly. I’ve seen everyone audition and I’ve cast the show. We haven’t really got time to start auditioning again.”
I couldn’t believe it. “But it’s not fair! Monty B ruined my audition, leaping about like an idiot singing Scooby Doo. I wanted to have another go – with Adam or Sandeep.”
“Stop whinging, can’t you?” Sam muttered.
“Honestly, Polly, there’s no need,” said Mandy. “I know Monty B was messing about but it didn’t really affect my decision.”
“But look…” I picked up my script to show her the scene I’d been practising, but just at that moment Arthur came striding back into the hall.
“There was just one more thing, Mandy m’dear,” he said.
“Yes?” She fixed him with her fake smile.
“It’s just that my partner for the sponsored dance was supposed to be Mrs. Beagle. She’s marvellous you know – does a wonderful cha-cha-cha. But sadly – on her doctor’s advice – she’s had to bow out; gippy hip or something. So, finding myself without a partner, and knowing how talented you are, I was wondering if you might be bold enough to take her place.”
Mandy opened her mouth and closed it again. The smile slipped right off her face.
“It is for charity after all.”
“Go on, Mandy,” urged Monty B. “It could be your Big Chance. I can see it now. Arthur and Mandy – the new Bruce and Tess!”
Arthur did a few fancy steps and slid across the floor towards Mandy.
“What do you say, Tess?”
“Erm…I’ll have to think about it,” said Mandy. “I’ll let you know later on today. We were right in the middle of something.” She tried to put the smile back on her face but I could see the effort was nearly killing her.
Arthur slapped his own hand. “Naughty boy,” he said. “Interrupting again. Come and find me in my office at the end of the session. I’ll be waiting!”
We all looked at Mandy as Arthur danced out of the room.
“Oh, you have so got to do it,” squealed Neesha. “You’ll be on the telly and everything.”
“That’s exactly why I’m not going to do it,” said Mandy firmly. “Now let’s get on with casting the show. Following her fantastic audition…”
I closed my eyes.
“The part of Marcia goes to…”
I stopped breathing.
“Polly!”
I sat there in a daze. I couldn’t believe I’d heard right, but everyone was grinning at me and clapping; well, everyone except for Sam.
“You all did great auditions,” said Mandy, “but it was Polly who really brought her scene to life. You totally convinced me that you were trapped and frightened and far away from home, Polly, so well done.”
I was so chuffed I wanted to tell Mum right that second. I couldn’t wait to see her face when I told her that out of the whole, entire drama group, Mandy had chosen me to play the part of Marcia.
“And it wasn’t just Polly,” Mandy was saying. “You were pretty good as well, Monty B. There was a great chemistry between the two of you – well, until you decided to add your own individual twist to the scene.”
“Does that mean I’m Tarn then?” asked Monty B.
Mandy shook her head, grinning. “I’m sure I’ll live to regret this, but yes, I do want you to be Tarn. But listen, you’ve got to promise to take it seriously – for Polly’s sake as well as mine.”
Monty B leaped to his feet. “I swear on Elvis Presley’s life, Mandy. I’ll take it so seriously you won’t even recognize me. I’ll be so serious you’ll think I’ve been invaded by body snatchers or something.”
“I wish you would be invaded by body snatchers,” I muttered. I couldn’t believe Mandy was letting Monty B have such a big part. I thought Adam was going to be Tarn, or maybe Sandeep. I was really looking forward to acting with one of them – but instead I was going to be stuck with Monty B again!
“Don’t worry, Polly,” Monty B said, coming over and putting his arm round me. “We’ll be the dream team.”
“Nightmare, don’t you mean?” I said, ducking out of the way. But I couldn’t help laughing. I didn’t want to be with Monty B but it was worth it if it stopped Mum going to Spain.
Mandy read out the rest of the cast and it was brilliant because Phoebe got the part she really wanted as well. “You mean you actually trust me to sing that solo?” she said, her face turning crimson.
“Of course I trust you,” said Mandy. “You’ve got one of the most beautiful voices in the group and you’re so much more confident this time round than when we started the last show.”
Catharine and Adam were Marcia’s parents, and Sam was Cydore – the virus with the ability to replicate itself.
“Scary thought!” joked Monty B. “I’m not sure the world needs any more Sam Lesters.”
“Very funny,” snapped Sam, pulling a face.
Phoebe grabbed my hand, grinning. “Can you believe it?” she whispered. “I’m going to be singing a whole song by myself! How cool is that?”
“It’s really cool, Phoebs, but I knew you could do it.”
While Mandy was busy explaining to Sam why she couldn’t have one of the biggest parts every time, I sent a quick text to Mum asking her to come and meet me at one o’clock. I didn’t tell her why, I just said I wanted to spend the afternoon with her. When all the parts were sorted, we went over the opening scene and then we sang “Give Me Your Name – Give Me Your Number”. I got to sing Marcia’s part over everyone else and it was amazing.
“Try to learn the first five or six pages by next week, Polly,” said Mandy, at the end of the session. “You’ve got so many lines to learn, I want you to get on to it straight away.”
“Don’t worry, Mandy, I won’t let you down. I’m so excited, I’m going to start the second I get home.”
“Come over and practise at mine if you want,” said Phoebe.
“Oh I’d love to, but my mum’s coming to meet me straight from drama.”
I hugged my script to my chest. I still couldn’t believe that, out of everyone in the group, Mandy thought that I was the best.
“Well, I don’t even think Marcia’s such a great part, anyway,” Sam announced, just as we were packing up to go home. “And besides, there’s no way I’d want it now that I know Monty B is Tarn.”
“Hey!” said Monty B. “I am standing right here, you know. Even macho guys like me have feelings.”
Sam snorted. “Do you even know what macho means?”
“Of course I do. I wasn’t going to tell you but Macho is actually my middle name, if you must know.” He flexed his non-existent muscles and we all cracked up, even Sam.
“And this from the person who does the waltz with his nan,” said Neesha. “I’d love to see what you’re like when you’re not being macho.”
I left them arguing about how macho – or not – Monty B was, and waltzed downstairs to meet Mum. She was already there, leaning against the door, nattering to someone on her phone, but I didn’t tell her about being Marcia. Not straight away. I was going to wait for the perfect moment.
“Your dad seemed to think you were going straight home when I spoke to him this morning,” she said, as we walked to the bus stop. “You haven’t had a row or anything, have you?”
“No, of course not. I just wanted to see you. I�
�ve hardly seen you all week.”
The bus took ages and ages. While we were waiting, Mum tried out all her new Spanish phrases on me. “What do you think of my accent?” she said. “It’s getting so much better, isn’t it? Wait until I’ve been there for six months, I’ll be fluent. Hey, listen to this,” she giggled. “Tenga cuidado España – aqui vengo! That means, ‘Watch out Spain – here I come!’”
I didn’t know what to say. I hardly recognized Mum these days. She’d lost quite a bit of weight and had her hair cut and coloured and she did look better, but she was changing so fast I couldn’t keep up. I was dying to tell her about getting the part, but she was so caught up with her plans for going to Spain that I could barely get a word in edgeways.
“Here, why don’t you test me?” she said, when we were sitting on the bus. She pulled her Spanish phrase book out of her bag.
“I wish you’d stop going on about Spain all the time. Don’t you care about leaving me at all?”
She shoved the book back and put her arm round me. “Oh, sweetheart, of course I care. I’m sorry. It’s just that when I spoke to your dad this morning he said you were settling in so well and that you were getting really close to the baby. And you told me yourself that Diane has redecorated your room.”
“But that doesn’t mean anything!” I cried. I couldn’t believe it. “Just because my room’s a different colour doesn’t mean I suddenly love it there – and I’m not getting close to Jake. I can’t stand him, if you must know. He screams all the time and he keeps me awake and the way he eats is totally gross. I only said he was gorgeous for a sort of joke, I didn’t mean it. And anyway it doesn’t matter because I’ve got something to tell you.”
She narrowed her eyes at me, frowning. “What’s the matter?” she said. “You’re not in trouble or anything, are you? I’ve been so wrapped up with myself lately, getting ready for Spain.” She took a tissue out of her bag and dabbed her eyes. “I’ve been really selfish, haven’t I?” she sniffed. “Come on, silly. What’s going on? You can tell me.”
Polly Plays Her Part Page 5
