Polly Plays Her Part (20 page)

“The toilet!” Ellie cried, and she dashed off in the direction of the loos.

“I've been to the loo about fifty times,” moaned Rachel. “I'm so nervous I swear I'm going to throw up any minute now.”

“You'll be okay, Rachel,” I said. “Everyone gets nervous when it's their first show.”

“Except for me,” said Monty B.

“I meant normal people actually,” I said, “and I'm warning you – don't start adding any lines or doing anything stupid.”

“Me? Do something stupid?” he said. Then he grabbed hold of me and started waltzing me round the tiny changing room.

Mandy popped her head round the door. “Not now, you guys,” she said.

“Sorry, Mandy, Polly can't help herself,” said Monty B. “She just finds me totally irresistible.”

“In your dreams,” I said, but I couldn't help grinning like an idiot.

There was just about enough time for one final run-through before the matinee was due to start. We were supposed to be practising Cydore's big scene,
with
the smoke machine, but Mandy couldn't find the right lead to hook it up.

“Can you actually believe it?” she said. “They've delivered the machine with three different leads and not one of them fits! Anyway, don't worry, Sam, Julian's sorting it out so we'll definitely have it in time for the first performance at three o'clock. It's not ideal, I know, but as long as no one starts coughing it'll be fine.”

Tara started to cough and we all laughed.

“Just the thought of the stage filled with smoke makes me feel wheezy,” she moaned.

“Tara, it's not real smoke,” said Mandy. “Trust me.”

We were just coming on to practise the bows when Arthur turned up with the programmes.

“Here they are, Mandy, and so sorry for the delay. I'll lay them out on the chairs, shall I? I can see how busy you are.”

“Oh, that would be great! Thanks so much, Arthur.”

“I'll give you a hand,” said Catharine, jumping down off the stage.

Arthur clutched the programmes to his chest. “No, no, no,” he spluttered, stepping back. “Stay right where you are. You carry on with your rehearsal and leave this to me.”

“It's okay,” said Mandy. “We've more or less finished anyway.”

Catharine tried to take a pile of programmes out of Arthur's hands, but he held on to them as if his life depended on it. He was so desperate to keep them away from her that he didn't notice one single programme flutter down to the floor.

“Oh my God, yeah,” said Neesha, leaping off the stage and picking it up. “You know what you said about how things were going too well, Mandy?”

“Yes,” said Mandy, not even trying to smile.

“Well, Star Makers Drama Club is putting on a show called
TRASH!
”

“Now, Mandy, let me explain,” said Arthur, trying to back out of the room.

“
What do you mean, explain?
” hissed Mandy, her face turning a deep red. “You have called my show
Trash!
The audience will be here in about fifteen minutes' time and they're going to think I'm putting on a show about computers called
Trash!
What are you going to explain exactly?”

Arthur took another step back. “It's just that Mrs. Beagle was off with a cold, but she very kindly offered to do the programmes at home. I read the details out to her over the phone but unfortunately the cold must have caused her ears to become a little blocked and it seems she misheard me.”

“Mrs. Beagle
again
,” said Mandy, faintly.

“It's easily done,” said Arthur, stroking his beard. A big lump of something like cheese fell to the floor. “You see ‘C' does sound like ‘T' if your ears are blocked. You try it.” He motioned for Mandy to put her fingers in her ears and we all started to giggle.

“Block your ears up like this and I'll say ‘C' and you see how easy it is to mistake it for a ‘T'.”

“I'll tell you what the mistake was,” cried Mandy. “The mistake was asking
you
to help in the first place. I mean
Trash!
You've called my show
Trash!
”

“Don't worry, Mandy,” said Monty B. “I'll have a quick word with the audience. I'll explain all about Mrs. Beagle's blocked ears. I'll say ‘T' is the new ‘C'. I'll even sing a song if you want…” He trailed off and Arthur took the opportunity to bolt out of the door.

“
Trash!
” Mandy shouted after him. “It was all going so well and now my show is called
Trash!
” She shook her head. “How on earth am I going to sort this out before the audience arrives?”

She shooed us backstage and the minute the door closed behind us we all burst out laughing. I think it must've been nerves.

“I told her not to trust him,” spluttered Catharine. “The programmes were looking so good and now they're ruined.”

“Did you see?” said Adam. “He actually thought Mandy was going to put her fingers in her ears while he said ‘C' and ‘T'.”

Ellie groaned. “Don't,” she said. “I won't be able to stop laughing and we're going on in a sec.”

We were still talking about it when Mandy popped back to say the audience were coming in.

“Okay, calm down and get yourselves together. I'll go out and explain about the programmes but you guys really need to focus on your performance. Are you ready, Polly? I want you to stand in the wings with everyone else and as soon as I give you the signal, walk onto the stage and sit at Marcia's desk. Got that?”

I nodded. I didn't feel scared at all any more; I was just dying to show Mandy how well I could do.

“Good luck, Polly,” said Sam.

“Yes, good luck, Princess Polly,” said Monty B.

“You'll be brilliant,” said Phoebe.

“I can't find my mask,” wailed Ellie, and we all burst out laughing again.

The matinee went really well. It was noisy and chaotic, with heaps of children in the audience, but I didn't fluff any of my lines and Monty B didn't do anything stupid and we got a massive cheer for our dance. I loved being Marcia. It was so exciting to have such a big part and I couldn't wait to do it all over again in the evening.

The scene where Cydore replicates herself was incredible. Julian had managed to find the right lead for the smoke machine and when Sam started her eerie chant the stage filled with a thick, swirly white mist. It was so creepy the way the smoke seemed to fill the entire hall as the viruses appeared one after the other, all identical to Sam, and all chanting “
ONE AND THEN ANOTHER, WE COPY EACH OTHER”
, over and over. The smoke kept pouring out until Phoebe came on to sing her solo – as if her goodness had literally cleared away the mist.

“Well done, everyone,” cried Mandy afterwards, when she came backstage. “Especially you, Tara, for not coughing in Sam's big scene – which was amazing by the way.”

“I actually held my breath all the way through,” said Tara. “I thought I was going to die!”

“Well at least if you were dead, yeah, you wouldn't be able to cough,” said Neesha.

Mandy came over and gave me a hug. “I'm so proud of you, Polly, you were fantastic. And Phoebe, oh my goodness, the hairs were standing up on the back of my neck – your song was incredible.”

“Hey, what about me?” said Monty B. “Have I turned invisible or something?”

“Sadly not,” said Adam. “But keep trying.”

In the break between performances I went out for a snack with Phoebe and her family. Sara went on and on about the show – going through each character one by one. “You were the best, Polly,” she said. “And Sam was really creepy. And I can see why you're all so crazy about that new boy Sandeep. He actually winked at me at one point.”

“In your dreams,” said Phoebe.

“Oh and your song was quite good as well, Phoebs,” Sara went on. “You weren't actually singing in tune or anything, but at least you managed to get the words out this time.”

“Just ignore her,” I said to Phoebe, grinning. “I thought your song was amazing.”

“And I'll tell you the weirdest thing of all,” said Sara. “Last term you said you couldn't
stand
Polly and now you're like
best friends.
”

Phoebe and I looked at each other and burst out laughing. She
was
my best friend. She was the best friend I'd ever had in my life.

Back at the hall, Mandy was going through each programme one at a time trying to turn the “T”s into “C”s. “Just remind me next term,
please,
never,
ever
to ask that man to do anything for me again.”

We gave her a hand with the programmes and then went backstage to get ready.

Ellie was there frantically looking for her mask. “I don't know what's going on,” she wailed. “I had it. I definitely had it. It's like I'm cursed or something!”

“Erm…Ellie… It's
on
your face!” said Phoebe.

“
What?
”

“
You're wearing it!
”

We all collapsed laughing as Ellie put her hand up to her face and then slumped against the wall in relief.

“My dad totally loved the set,” said Sam, checking her make-up was okay in the mirror. “He thought the circuit boards were so realistic.”

“What about your mum?” I said. “Is she coming tonight?”

“No, she can't. She's working. Well, that's what she said anyway.”

“My mum's not coming either,” I said, and I gave her a quick hug.

We chatted about our mums for a bit and then Mandy popped her head round the door to let us know that we only had ten minutes. The hall soon filled up and the atmosphere was electric. Julian had found this eerie computer music and it was playing through the speakers as the audience came in.

Just before we were due to go on I peeked through the curtain to see if Dad and Diane and Jake had arrived. I'd managed to get the last two tickets. Mandy had saved them for me just in case I changed my mind. I couldn't see them at first; there were so many people and the lights were dimmed, but then I spotted them – right in the middle, near the front. They were reading the programme, laughing at the front cover.

I stood there watching them for a bit. It still felt weird to see my dad sitting with Diane instead of with Mum, but not in a bad way. At one point Diane looked up and when she saw me peeking she waved like mad and mouthed
good luck.

“Is your brother here?” said Monty B, coming up behind me. “Because I hope he realizes he can't be the centre of attention
every
time!”

Of course the second the curtain opened and Jake spotted me sitting at the desk, he started to squeal and bounce about, trying to get down from Diane's lap, but I didn't mind at all. I couldn't smile at him or wave or anything because I was supposed to be really sad and lonely – but I was smiling inside.

It was a brilliant performance, perfect really; I didn't want it to end. The audience went crazy, clapping and cheering when we came on for our bows, and I could see Diane holding Jake up while he clapped along with everyone else, his podgy little legs kicking like mad. Mandy made a lovely speech about how hard we'd worked and what a fantastic group we were. We sang “CRASH!” one more time and then it was all over.

It was chaos backstage. Everyone was trying to get changed and take photos of each other and get their programmes signed. Ellie couldn't find any of her stuff anywhere and was chucking things all over the place.

“Well done, guys!” cried Mandy, coming backstage. “You really did me proud. It's been the most amazing day. Go home for a well-deserved rest and next week we'll have a massive party to celebrate.”

“Three cheers for Mandy!” Monty B shouted suddenly. And I cheered and cheered until I was hoarse.

“Polly Carter!” said Dad, when I came back out into the hall. “You were fantastic!” He wrapped his arms round me and squeezed me tight. “And I've got some wonderful news, princess,” he said. “Your mum called again just before we left and she's managed to get next weekend off to fly back and see you. She was so gutted about not being here tonight.”

“That's okay,” I said, blushing a bit. I looked over at Diane and Jake and took a deep, shaky breath. “I've got the rest of my family here and they're just as important.”

Diane's eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, Polly,” she said. “I'm so proud of you.”

“So am I,” said Dad. “So proud I could burst.”

Mandy was right. We do waste an awful lot of energy wishing our lives were different, or searching for something, instead of enjoying what's right in front of us.

“Can I have a cuddle with my gorgeous brother then?” I said to Jake, holding my hands out to take him from Diane. And Jake flung his arms round my neck and blew the biggest raspberry ever.