Sam in the Spotlight (2 page)

“Eddie,” said Ellie, blushing even more. “And before you say anything, I know it sounds ridiculous,
Eddie and Ellie,
but you should see him. Honestly, I can't stop thinking about him.”

“Well, I hope you're not going to forget all about
us
now you've got a boyfriend,” I teased. “It's
Friends First,
remember?”

Ellie laughed, her eyes shining. “Of course I remember, silly. And for the hundredth time he is NOT my boyfriend!”

We grabbed some snacks from the kitchen and went upstairs. Polly told us all about staying with her mum in Spain and Phoebe had us in fits describing how awful it was sharing a tent with her little sister Sara on their camping holiday. And Ellie just went on and on about Eddie. I
was
pleased for her, but for some reason I always thought
I'd
be the first one to have a proper boyfriend. Not that Mum would ever let me. I could just imagine her face if I came home and said I had a date. She'd probably call the police and have him arrested!

“Did you all get a letter from Mandy about starting back at Star Makers?” I said, trying to change the subject just for a second. Star Makers is the drama club we go to on Saturday mornings. It's run by our drama teacher from school, Mandy, and it's totally brilliant.

“Mine was here waiting for me when we got back from the airport,” said Ellie. “It had some weird poem in it.”

“I reckon it's a clue about the new show. It must be a murder mystery or something,” said Phoebe.

Ellie pulled a face. “I didn't understand a word. You know what I'm like, I don't even understand
normal
English half the time.”

She picked up her letter, which was lying on top of a pile of clothes, and read the poem out to us.

“I think it sounds really exciting,” said Phoebe. “I've been trying to work out what it means all week.”

“Maybe it's about a vampire,” I said, jumping on top of Ellie and pinning her down on the bed. “Maybe the face in the night is a vampire come to suck your blood.”

“Or
maybe
it's Eddie!” said Polly, jumping on top of me.

“Get off!” cried Ellie. “I can't breathe!”

“Yes, maybe it's Eddie,” I said, “and he's after your blood! But don't worry, Ellie, we'll protect you.”

“Get them off me, Phoebe,” Ellie spluttered. But Phoebe jumped on too and knocked us all flying off the bed. We sat in a heap on the floor, laughing.

“I don't really care what show we do,” said Polly. “I just can't wait to go back.”

“Me neither,” I agreed. “I know it's only been six weeks since we broke up but it feels more like six years.”

I walked back home feeling so much happier. The new show would be brilliant whatever it was – and it was the perfect opportunity to show Mum, once and for all, how serious I was about acting.

I didn't have much time to worry about Mum over the next few days. School started back on Tuesday and from the second we arrived it was non-stop. There were new teachers to meet and a new timetable and a whole set of new rules and regulations now we were in Year Eight.

We stood about in the hallways, watching all the frightened Year Sevens scurrying around, trying to find their way from class to class, and it felt as if we'd been at Woodville Secondary for ever.

“Please don't tell me we were ever that small,” said Polly.

“Hey, what do you mean?” groaned Phoebe. “I still
am
that small. I swear I didn't grow a single millimetre over the summer.”

“Don't stand next to me then,” I said. “I've grown loads in the last couple of months.”

Ellie was rummaging through her bag, throwing things up in the air. “I can't find my timetable anywhere and I'm sure I'm supposed to be somewhere really important right this second.”

“Have you seen
Eddie
since you got back?” I asked, retrieving her timetable from the pile of stuff she'd thrown on the floor. “We're all dying to meet him, you know.”

“Well, I haven't seen him yet, but he has called me a few times.”

“Are you sure he actually exists?” I teased. “He's not just one of your mad dreams, is he?”

“Shut up,” said Ellie. “Of course he exists.” She looked round at all of us. “I wasn't even going to tell you, but he's coming to meet me straight from drama on Saturday.”

“No way!” squealed Phoebe and Polly, clutching hold of each other as if they'd never seen a boy before in their lives.

“But we usually go back to yours after drama,” I said. “We've always done that. Can't you meet up with him on another day?”

Ellie stuffed the rest of her books and things back in her bag. “That was the only day he was free. He plays football on Sundays. Why don't you come over to mine on Sunday instead?”

“I'm busy on Sunday,” I muttered, feeling a bit hurt. I wasn't about to arrange my weekend around Ellie and her new boyfriend.

“Hello, girls,” said Mandy, rushing past. “All set for Saturday?”

“Can't wait!” said Phoebe.

“Hey, what's happened to your hair?” I called out. “It's
so
long!”

“Extensions,” she called back. “It's my new look! What do you think?”

“Amazing,” I said, and the others all nodded, agreeing.

She stopped suddenly, as if something had just occurred to her, and walked back to us. “Erm…Ellie, aren't you supposed to be showing the new Year Sevens where they have lunch right about now?”

“Oh no!” wailed Ellie. “I told you I was supposed to be somewhere important!” And she flew off down the corridor, tripping over the straps from her bag.

“It's nice to see some things never change,” said Mandy, grinning. “See you on Saturday, girls.”

I
love
the first day back at Star Makers – it's always so exciting to see everyone after the holidays. I'd arranged to meet Ellie outside, but she texted me to say she was running late so I went up without her. Most of the group were already there. Mandy was over at the piano with Phoebe's little sister Sara, and Phoebe and Polly were standing in the middle of the hall talking to two of the boys, Adam and Monty B. I dumped my bag on the front of the stage and went over to join them.

“Hey, Sam,” said Polly. “Where's Ellie?”

“She's running late. Probably lost her shoes or something. What's going on? Why is your sister here, Phoebe?”

“It's a nightmare,” groaned Phoebe. “I don't even want to talk about it. For some bizarre reason, Mandy has agreed to let Sara join Star Makers even though she won't be ten until the end of the year. Something to do with her being
grown up for her age,
which is like the biggest joke.”

“She looks really cute,” said Adam. “Kind of like a puppy.”

“
Cute!
” spluttered Phoebe. “You won't be saying she's cute when you get to know her.”

I looked across at Adam and then did a double-take and looked again. Something had changed. I mean, he's always been cute and I've always been like,
Hey, you're cute – big deal,
but suddenly my heart did a strange little flip and I could feel myself start to blush. Me, blush. I'm sorry but I. DO. NOT. BLUSH. I peered a bit closer. What was it? Was he taller? Was it because he was in Year Ten now? Was it…?

“Hi, Sam. How was your summer?” OMG, he was speaking to me. Staring straight into my eyes.

I smiled brightly. “Oh, you know, it was great. Non-stop fun and games!”

I looked away, blushing even more.
Non-stop fun and games?
What was I
talking
about? We all joke about fancying Adam, but this wasn't funny. Luckily, at that moment Mandy finished talking to Sara and called us over.

“Hello, you guys…welcome back and welcome to Phoebe's sister, Sara, who's joined today.” We all waved hi to Sara, who looked as if she was about to burst with excitement. “It's so fantastic to see you all, I've missed you like mad!” Mandy went on. “Now, we're actually going to start off this morning with a game called Murder Handshake.”

“Oh, I
love
this game,” I shouted out. “Can I be the detective, Mandy,
please?
”

“Yes, okay, Sam,” said Mandy, laughing. “Go and wait outside while I choose the murderer.”

We've played this game before in our drama lessons at school. One person is secretly chosen to be the murderer and then everyone walks round the hall shaking hands. When the murderer shakes your hand they tickle your palm and then you have to shake three more hands before you die.

A few minutes later Mandy called me back in and I walked around the hall trying to guess who the murderer was while the others began to fall to the floor.

“I'm too young to die!” shouted Monty B, the big joker of the group. He clutched hold of his chest, moaning and groaning as he sank to his knees.

“Do us all a favour and just die already,” said Neesha, and then she dropped dead herself.

I was allowed three guesses but I got it first time. I could see straight away that Sara was the murderer. It was so obvious. She was grinning from ear to ear, and every time someone died she did a little hop and a skip.

We played a few more times and then Mandy called us over to sit in a circle.

“Sorry to start with such a gruesome game but our new show is all about a mysterious disappearance, a detective, and a lot of suspicious characters – so I thought it would be a good way to get us in the mood.”

“Is that why you sent us that poem?” said Phoebe.

Mandy nodded. “You see, in the holidays I stayed in this really creepy castle in Scotland and there were all these rumours about it being haunted. I was so inspired, I decided to base our show on one of the rumours. It was about a missing girl called April and a mysterious butler who somehow managed to be in two places at once. I've called it
The Phantom Face.
”

“I actually saw a real ghost once,” said Monty B. “It was in my nan's attic and I swear it was staring right at me.”

“Oh my God, yeah,” said Neesha. “It probably took one look at you and dropped dead with fright.”

“Erm, it was a
ghost,
Neesha, so I expect it was dead already.”

Just then Ellie came bursting through the doors. I could see straight away why she was late; she'd obviously spent ages getting ready for Eddie. She was wearing a new top and loads of make-up and she'd done something different with her hair.

“Sorry, sorry,” she said, out of breath and flustered. She squashed in next to me and gave me a hug. “Have I missed anything?”

“Not really. Mandy's just about to tell us about the new show – it's called
The Phantom Face.
Monty B saw a ghost but he scared it half to death. And Phoebe's sister Sara's joined.”

“Hello, Ellie,” said Mandy. “Lovely top!”

“Thanks, Mandy. Sorry I'm late. Have you explained about that weird poem yet?”

“That weird poem, as you put it, is actually the opening number and I was just about to play it for you.” She got up to go across to the piano.

“Oh, can't you talk about the characters a bit first?” I said. “I really,
really
want a main part this time, Mandy.”

“You always really
really
want a main part,” said Monty B.

I was just about to tell him to take a flying leap but Mandy gave me a look and carried on.

“Well, basically it's about this big family who are staying in an ancient castle for a wedding. Two of the guests, Laura and her older brother Ben, keep noticing a face at the window and it turns out to be a girl called April who disappeared four years earlier. Laura and Ben decide to try and solve the mystery of the missing girl themselves, but the more questions they ask, the more trouble they find themselves in.”

“It sounds quite serious,” said Tara, peering at Mandy through her little round glasses.

“I suppose it is in a way, but there are some funny characters as well, like Mr. Biscuit the detective. He doesn't have a clue about how to do his buttons up straight, let alone how to solve a crime. Anyway, I had great fun writing it, so I hope you'll have fun performing it.”