Upstaged by Patricia McCowan

Author:Patricia McCowan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: JUV031060, JUV031020, JUV039140
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 2016-03-01T05:00:00+00:00

Ten

Gregor, Shantel and I grab three seats in a café near the rehearsal hall. The cozy place buzzes with people laughing, chatting, sharing stuff on their phones. Spoons clink against cups. The espresso machine hisses.

I texted Gregor after Friday’s script soaking to see if he and Shantel could meet up before today’s rehearsal. I’m hoping for advice on how to handle Marissa.

“We should put a Schooled poster up here.” Shantel sets down her chai tea and muffin and shrugs out of her yellow puffer jacket.

I shift my chair closer to the low table. “The only place in my hometown this busy on a Sunday morning is the hockey arena.”

Gregor grimaces. “Please never take me to your hometown.”

I laugh. “Deal.”

He lowers himself into the armchair, groaning. “My thighs are literally screaming from Friday’s rehearsal. Camilla’s trying to kill me.”

“That’s just called dancing, you big baby.” Shantel whacks his leg.

“Ow!” Gregor rubs his thigh, pouting in my direction. “She’s so heartless.”

I settle in with my latté. I could watch Gregor and Shantel like a show.

Shantel, feet up on the table, points her cup toward me. “You don’t hear Ellie whining. Camilla had her and Marissa jumping around like a couple of gymnasts before you and the other dudes showed up Friday.”

“She did,” I confirm.

“Easy enough for Marissa.” Gregor blows on his coffee. “She was a wannabe gymnast before she converted to the wonderful world of musical theater.”

“She was?”

Gregor nods. “She told me she was this total balance-beam babe till she was about twelve.”

I can picture Marissa whipping through a routine. Finishing up with her arms and head flung back, laser-beam smile set to slay. Just her sort of thing. Too bad, for my sake, she’s not still doing it. “Why’d she quit?”

Gregor shrugs. “Wearing those tight buns hurt her head? The scary-competitive gymnasts made her insecure? They’d make me insecure.”

“Ha!” Shantel says. “Gregor insecure. As if.” She checks her phone. “Rehearsal starts in fifteen. I can’t wait to get going on ‘Wearing the Colors.’ That tune is outstanding.”

“You and Claire are gonna shi-ine,” Gregor says in a singsong voice.

“It’s Ilona’s turn at Headmistress today,” Shantel corrects.

“Okay, Ilona’s not as great as Claire, but you are still gonna shi-ine.” Gregor clinks his cup with Shantel’s.

“Like silver,” she agrees, then takes a big swig of chai.

“Do you think some of that scary-gymnast attitude is still stuck to Marissa?” I lean back with my latté, try to sound casual.

“I guess she can be kind of intense,” Shantel says. She turns to Gregor with a smile. “Remember in Oliver?”

“Oh yeah.” Gregor laughs. “Toughest street urchin in the ensemble. Made Fagin looked like this total wimp. Marissa should have been Fagin. You know,” he says to Shantel, “I’m still mad I didn’t get to be the Artful Dodger.”

She nods. “So right.”

“Jonah was more like the Fartful Codger,” Gregor grumbles.

“Burn!” Shantel laughs.

I plunk down my cup. “I’m just asking because I find Marissa kind of harsh. Like, she deliberately tripped Rachel at the rehearsal on Friday.”

“What?” Shantel frowns. “I don’t remember that.

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