Too Hot! by Peter Lerangis

Author:Peter Lerangis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

In the den of the Scopetta house as the clock struck 10 P.M., seven candles glowed on the coffee table. A CD Charles had found in his dad’s collection, called Classical Vistas, was playing softly in the background. Around the table, sitting cross-legged and crowded, were the officers of the DC and major members of the cast: Brianna, Casey, Reese, Dashiell, Shara, Barry, Jenny, Chip, Hassan Baig, Vijay, Dino Testaverde, and Royce Reardon. Despite the fact that Charles had provided enough milk, ice cream, M&M’s, and chocolate-chunk cookies (baked with loving dedication by himself and his mom) to feed three Drama Clubs, everyone looked slightly uncomfortable.

“Welcome to the Charles Scopetta group therapy session, based on an idea by Dr. Eustis Fink,” Charles said.

“Dr. Fink told you to burn candles and serve cookies?” Hassan asked.

“And play terrible music?” Dino added.

“We are here to channel support and niceness, Dino dear,” Charles said. “The candles were my idea. For that mystical, magical something. Don’t worry. I’m not going to make you hold hands and sing ‘Kumbaya.’ I would simply like to talk about my favorite topic. Me.”

“And why you’re such a schmuck,” Vijay added.

“Thank you for that,” Charles said. “Okay, true confessions: this afternoon I kicked Harrison Michaels out of the show. He was being a real . . . oh, keep me from wicked words . . .”

“Putz?” said Vijay.

“Thank you, Vijay, I’m confident you will nail the Yiddish Insults AP exam,” Charles replied. “Now, we all know Harrison, Mr. Volcanic Moods, his good and bad points. And we all deal with him in our own way. So, I have been asking myself ever since—was I an idiot or was I justified?”

“Are we taking a vote?” Barry asked. “I say idiot.”

“Schlemazel,” Vijay interjected.

“Gesundheit,” Dino said.

“I say justified,” Jenny piped up.

“You were rough on him,” said Reese.

“He was rough on Charles,” Hassan pointed out.

Charles listened carefully as a spirited debate arose, definitely tilted in Harrison’s favor. “I will take this under advisement,” he said. “Question Number Two: Can we do this play without him?”

“No way,” said Jenny.

“Absolutely,” said Barry.

“Can we change the music?” Reese asked, looking slightly nauseated.

Dino threw an M&M at her.

Charles felt his head sinking downward, with the sinking realization that Dr. Fink should have his license taken away. They were all fidgety and giggling, like preschoolers. “Uh, people?” he called out, clapping his hands like Mrs. Cromarty at Ridgeport Montessori School.

A flying chocolate-chip cookie nearly hit his nose.

“Damn it, knock it off!” he shouted, rising to his feet. “Kids, I did not want to be director. I did not ask for it. I am making mistakes, big time. And when I make too many mistakes, I say, oops, Charlesie, you are in over your head. And I bail. Let me tell you, campers, I’m this close—and if I bail, the play is over.”

Quietly Dino began picking up cookie crumbs from the carpet. “Sorry,” he said.

The others shifted in uncomfortable silence as Casey calmly leaned forward. “Charles, I have a question. Did you really mean to kick Harrison out?”

“At the time, yes,” Charles said.

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