Star Reporter
Page 10
Something thudded against my foot. I looked down to see Joshua half-wedged under the table, his chunky little legs waggling like flippers. Ever since the twins started crawling, Mum’s had her work cut out keeping them out of mischief. It’s like they’re eight-month-old criminal masterminds – one of them creates a distraction and the other commits the heist. Joshua’s crime of choice is stealing the biscuits from Rolo’s bowl. Actually, it is no wonder Rolo is eating my KNICKERS – he’s probably starving most of the time.
“I spoke to Miss Skelly, the principal of the drama academy today, about course fees,” Mum said as I rescued Joshua and swung him into my arms. He had a Cheerio stuck to his forehead, making him look like an extra from MONSTERS, INC.
“Okay,” I said, fending off his determined effort to thrust his fingers up my nostrils. This was it – make or break time for my summer, and quite possibly my entire future. “And?”
Mum took a deep breath. My heart sank. It couldn’t be good news, not when her face looked like a gloomy black cloud. “Apparently, they have a bursary for students who can’t afford the full fee. We had a chat about our family circumstances and it seems we qualify. They want a reference from St Jude’s so I gave them Mr Bearman’s name.”
“Oh,” I said, and my last hope vanished like a snowflake on a barbecue. Of all the teachers at St Jude’s, Mr Bearman is my favourite, but I can’t help thinking I’ve been a bit of a disappointment to him so far. First there was the time when the school thought I was a genius and I turned out not to be, and second there was the whole mess with the school magazine, where EVERYONE thought I was a gossip queen when I totally wasn’t. So although Mr Bearman is really nice (for a teacher), I don’t think he’s likely to recommend me for a drama school bursary. Not when he thinks I am a DISASTER ON LEGS.
Mum jiggled Ethel around on one hip. “I’m sorry we can’t pay for all of it like Molly and Shenice’s parents. It’s just that money’s a bit—”
“Tight at the moment,” I finished for her, trying hard not to picture a summer where the highlight of the holidays was a treasure hunt around Happy Sands with their mascot, Captain Pigeon. “Yeah, I know.”
“Well, don’t lose hope,” Mum said, sniffing at Ethel’s bottom. “Sorry, Rolo, I thought that smell was you. Back in a minute.”
She disappeared upstairs, carrying my stinky little sister with her. I sat down with Joshua and looked into his big, round eyes. “Peekaboo,” I said glumly.
“Bah!” he said, before letting rip with the loudest burp I have ever heard in my life. I swear the windows rattled a bit. Looking ridiculously pleased with himself, he gurgled happily and threw up, covering my shirt with half-digested dog biscuits.
“MUM!” I bellowed, turning Joshua around in case he did it again. “YOUR SON IS THE MOST DISGUSTING CREATURE KNOWN TO HUMANITY!”
“Which one?” she shouted back.
I hesitated because even though Liam has never been sick on me, there are a hundred tiny ways he is worse than Joshua and Joshua is only a baby so can’t be held totally responsible for his actions. “Both!” I yelled.
And then Rolo obviously decided he was going to get in on the DISGUSTINGNESS action because he started trying to lick the baby sick/biscuit combo off my shirt.
Singing! Dancing! Acting! You name it, I’ll do it…or at least try, as I’ve got just four weeks at DANCE AND DRAMA ACADEMY to perfect a SHOW-STOPPING performance!
I love rehearsing with my SUPER-TALENTED BFFs and I hope I can SPARKLE in the spotlight. But with my wobbly warbling, two left feet and STAGE FRIGHT, I might be a dramatic disaster…
Catch up with Completely Cassidy’s first fun-filled escapades!
Check out the latest gossip at www.completelycassidy.co.uk
Meet Tamsyn Murray
Tamsyn’s special talent is writing and she is the author of many books for young readers.
Tamsyn’s family is only slightly less crazy than Cassidy’s. She lives with her daughter, son, five rabbits, one dog, one cat and one husband.
Tamsyn’s fave foods are fish-finger sandwiches and cookie-dough ice cream.
Multitalented Tamsyn can lick her own elbow!
www.tamsynmurray.co.uk
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This ebook edition first published in 2015 by Usborne Publishing Ltd., Usborne House, 83-85 Saffron Hill, London EC1N 8RT, England. www.usborne.com
Copyright © Tamsyn Murray, 2015
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Cover and inside illustrations by Antonia Miller. Title lettering by Stephen Raw.
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This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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ePub ISBN 9781409579540
Batch no. 02955-02