Authors: Nancy Krulik

No Biz Like Show Biz (2 page)

BOOK: No Biz Like Show Biz

2.2Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

ads

“
That
hard,” Suzanne told him smugly. “See you all tomorrow.”

“She always has to leave right when it’s time to clean up,” Jeremy complained.

Miriam Chan turned on the water in the sink and began to wash out a mixing bowl. Then suddenly she began singing a Bayside Boys song as she scraped the batter away. “I dream of you when I’m awake. I hope that doesn’t sound too fake . . .”

“Wow, you have a great voice!” Katie exclaimed. She smiled broadly. The Bayside Boys were her favorite band, and “Dreams” was one of their best songs.

Miriam blushed. “I didn’t even realize I was singing out loud,” she said, looking very embarrassed. “I like to sing when I do chores. It’s something my mom taught me to do. It makes the work go faster.”

“Miriam, you should
totally
try out for the solo in the holiday show,” Katie suggested.

“Yeah. You’d be so much better than Suzanne,” George told her. He lifted his head up and pretended to sing like Suzanne. “Moo! Moo!”

“Arooo!” Katie’s chocolate-brown-and-white cocker spaniel, Pepper, howled and buried his ears in his paws.

“Oh, I could never sing in front of people,” Miriam said. She pulled nervously at her straight black hair.

“Sure you could,” Emma W. told her. “You just sang in front of us.”

“That’s different,” Miriam explained, blushing. “I could never get up on a stage and sing.”

“Why not?” George asked her. “It’s just singing in a different place.”

“All those people staring at me . . .” Miriam made a face.

“My big brother, Ian, had a part in the middle school play last month,” Kevin said. “He was
really
nervous. But my dad told him to imagine all the people in the audience in their underwear. Then he wasn’t scared anymore.”

George started laughing. “Imagine Mrs.
Jerk
man in her underwear. Oooo.”

Katie, Jeremy, and Kevin all started to giggle, imagining Mrs. Derkman, who had been their strict third-grade teacher—and also happened to be Katie’s next-door neighbor—in her underwear.

Miriam laughed a little, too.

“See,” Kevin told her. “It works.”

“I guess,” Miriam said slowly. “But I can’t just get up and audition. I haven’t rehearsed anything. And the tryouts are tomorrow!”

“You could practice at my house right now,” Kevin suggested. “We have the music for lots of songs in our piano bench. My mom could play the piano while you sing.”

“I don’t know,” Miriam said nervously.

“We’ll go to Kevin’s with you,” Katie assured her. “We’ll be your practice audience.”

“Just don’t imagine me in my underwear,” George warned.

“I promise, George. I won’t,” Miriam vowed, giggling.

Chapter 4

“I hope Miriam tries out,” Jeremy said as he and Katie walked to school together the next morning.

“Me too,” Katie agreed.

“I can’t believe we never heard her sing before. I mean, we’ve known her our whole lives . . .” Jeremy began. He stopped suddenly when they reached the playground. “Oh, man. Check out Suzanne.”

Katie turned and spotted Suzanne strolling toward them. She was wearing the weirdest outfit—shimmery purple and silver pants; a shiny silver jacket; long, glittery earrings; and lots and lots of silver beads.

“What’s that about?” Katie wondered out loud.

Jeremy shrugged. “You’re asking
me
? She’s your friend, not mine.”

“Wow!” Jessica Haynes exclaimed as she ran over to Suzanne. “You look like a rock star.”

Suzanne beamed. “Well, I
am
about to become a star,” she told Jessica. “At the tryouts, Mr. Guthrie will know I’m a real singer the minute he sees me.”

By now a whole crowd of kids, including Miriam, had gathered around Suzanne.

“And he’ll realize you’re
not
a real singer the minute you open your mouth,” George told Suzanne. “Besides, Miriam’s going to be the Snow Fairy.”

“Miriam?” Suzanne asked, surprised. She turned around and stared at her. “I didn’t know
you
were trying out.”

“Well, I-I might,” Miriam stammered nervously. “I haven’t actually decided if—”

“She’s got a beautiful voice,” Emma W. told Suzanne.

Suzanne grabbed Katie by the arm and started to pull her toward the school building. “Miriam will never get the solo,” Suzanne whispered. “Look at her. She’s wearing blue jeans and sneakers. She doesn’t look anything like a singer.”

“Suzanne, it’s not about the clothes,” Katie tried to explain.

But Suzanne didn’t care what Katie had to say. Instead, she went running over to Jessica. “Oooh, Jess, I want you to put my hair in a French braid,” she said.

As Suzanne and Jessica walked away, George shook his head. “French braid?” he said. “She could wear French
bread
on her head and she still wouldn’t get that part.”

That afternoon while the other kids were on the playground for recess, Katie had to stay inside and do math. That was because instead of finishing her math work that morning, Katie had drawn pictures all over the paper.

“I’m sorry, Mr. G.,” Katie apologized as she stared at the half-finished work sheet.

Mr. G. looked down at Katie’s white sneakers. She had used a blue pen to draw lots of hearts and flowers all over them. “Did you doodle on those, too?” he asked.

Katie nodded. “My mom was kind of mad.”

“I’ll bet she was,” Mr. G. replied. He smiled at Katie. “You’re a very good artist.”

“Thanks,” Katie said. She liked it when her teacher complimented her.

“But you have to learn when and where to draw,” Mr. G. continued. “Math class is not the right time. And your work sheet is not the right place. Neither are your sneakers.”

“I know,” Katie said quietly.

“I think I know a place where you can put your talent to good use,” he assured her. “Katie, would you like to design the scenery for the play?”

Would she ever!

When it was time to go home, Katie passed by the auditorium. There was a line of kids standing in the hall. They were waiting their turns to audition for parts in
Wacky Winter Wonderland
.

Suzanne was at the front of the line, of course. Her hair was in a French braid, and she was practicing her singing. “Ma mi mooooooooooo,” she howled.

George was in line also. So was Kadeem. Mandy Banks was trying out for the chorus along with Zoe Canter. Jeremy and Kevin were sitting at the end of the line, playing cards while they waited their turns.

“Are you trying out for the show?” Jeremy asked Katie.

Katie shook her head. “I’m working on the scenery. I’m going to design some of the backdrops and paint.”

“Cool,” Jeremy told her. “You’re good at art.”

“It was Mr. G.’s idea,” Katie admitted. “He thought it would be better if I drew scenery instead of doodling all over my math.”

“Why is this taking so long?” Kevin groaned. “I hate waiting.”

Katie looked at the long line of kids. There was someone missing. “Where’s Miriam?” she asked nervously. “Didn’t she show up?”

“Not yet,” Jeremy said.

“I hope she hasn’t chickened out,” Katie replied. “She’s got such a great voice.”

“I didn’t chicken out,” Miriam said, walking up behind Katie.

“Oops, sorry, Miriam,” Katie said apologetically. “I wasn’t calling you a chicken. I just was worried you got scared.”

“I almost
did
chicken out,” Miriam admitted. “But I figured I kind of owed you guys. I mean, you spent so much time listening to me sing and everything.”

Just then the auditorium door swung open. Mr. G. poked his head out. “Okay, dudes,” he said. “Let’s get this started. Suzanne, you’re up first.”

“Okay,” Suzanne told him. “Just let me warm up my voice.” She cleared her throat. “Ma mo me mo. Ta to te to.”

Jeremy made a pained face. George stuck his fingers in his ears.

But Katie would never do anything mean like that. “Good luck, Suzanne,” she called to her.

BOOK: No Biz Like Show Biz

2.2Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

Read Book Download Book

ads