Sam in the Spotlight (11 page)

Mum's eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, you saw her yesterday? You didn't tell me? Where did you see her? I thought I made it clear that I don't want you going round to that flat of hers.”

“
Mum!
I didn't go to her flat. I don't even know where it is. What are you going to say next – that I'm not allowed to see my own sister? How long is this going to carry on?” I scraped my chair back and flounced out of the office. It was like living in the middle of a war zone, but Mum and Crystal were both so stubborn that there was no getting through to either of them.

Mum followed me out of the office. “Well, thanks for helping,” she said tightly. Her eyes were bright and I could tell she was trying not to cry. “You'd better get off now – I'm sure you've got lots of homework.”

I breathed in, clenching my fists. I felt like saying,
I have, I've got tons, but I'm not doing any of it until you and Crystal make up.
I know it was immature but, seriously, how did she think I was supposed to concentrate on my homework when all this other family stuff was going on? If my grades started to slip, it wouldn't be because I had a big part at drama.

I stomped off towards home, furious. Mum couldn't stop me seeing my own sister – and when was she going to admit how much she was missing Crystal herself? I was almost back when I saw Aunty Mags coming towards me from the opposite direction. She had Riley with her on the lead, wriggling and squirming all over the place.

“It's his first proper walk, Sam,” she called out, waving. “Why don't you come down to the park with us?”

Riley loved the park. There were so many new smells that he went crazy sniffing his way around the grass in a total frenzy, pulling Aunty Mags after him.

“As soon as he's old enough he's going straight to obedience classes,” she said. “He's already chewed half the house to bits!”

“I bet that's what Mum would like to do,” I said glumly, “send
me
to obedience classes.”

Aunty Mags burst out laughing. “Oh come on, Sam, it's not as bad as all that, is it?”

“I just wish she'd make up with Crystal – but even more than that, I wish she'd realize how important acting is to me. I've got one of the biggest parts in the show, but I can't even tell her. She's already warned me that if I have too many lines to learn she'll stop me going.”

“Oh Sam, I know she wants you to do well at school, but I'm sure she wouldn't go as far as that.”

“It's true, Aunty Mags. She's been on at me about it ever since Crystal left. She's even threatened to get me a tutor on Saturday mornings and I love going to Star Makers more than anything. Well, I did until I started
this
show. You wouldn't believe what happened this morning, it was a nightmare.” I told her all about rowing with Ellie – and Sara embarrassing me in front of everyone – and how difficult it was to act with Adam.

“The awful thing is I'm a bit like Sara myself,” I admitted. “Always shooting my mouth off and thinking I'm the bee's knees! I don't even know if I can face going back, to tell you the truth.”

“No, you must!” cried Aunty Mags. “And I'm going to come and watch you and I'll cheer so loud they'll hear me in the next town. You're nearly thirteen, Sam, you're going to get all sorts of crushes on boys. You can't give up your drama club just because you
like
someone. And anyway, I thought you were serious about being an actress?”

“Stop it! I am!”

The crazy thing was I quite liked it when Aunty Mags gave me advice. I don't know why, but it made me feel special. It was the way she listened to everything I said; I mean
really
listened. I don't remember anyone ever listening to me like that before. Certainly not Mum, Dad was always working, and Crystal was so full of her own news she didn't always have the patience to listen to mine.

“Look, let's sit down for a bit,” said Aunty Mags, pulling me towards a bench. “Riley looks as if he needs a rest.” She picked up Riley and plonked him on her lap. “Seriously, Sam, if you think your mum doesn't understand how strongly you feel about Star Makers, why don't you try talking to your dad about it?”

“He doesn't understand either,” I said. “He hardly ever sticks up for me when Mum's having a go. It's like he's scared of her or something.”

“Oh, I'm sure he understands much more than you realize. You'd be surprised. He had dreams too, you know.”

“What do you mean? Dad never talks about the past. He always says there's no point dwelling on what might have been.”

Aunty Mags stared off into the distance as if she was remembering something. “Let's just say that when Crystal came along your mum and dad had to grow up pretty quickly. Your mum was all set to go off to university, but she had to turn down her place. She was brilliant you know – top of her class in everything. I guess that's why she's always been so keen for you and Crystal to concentrate on your education. She doesn't want you to miss out – or to ever feel that way yourselves.”

“Yes, but what about Dad?” I said.

“Well, your dad's always felt terrible about your mum giving up her place at uni – for some reason he blamed himself – but he had to give up some pretty important plans of his own.”

I took Riley from Aunty Mags and cuddled him close. “What sort of plans? What do you mean?”

“You ask him one day,” she said, tapping her nose. “You ask him about Stevie and the Stingrays.”

I snorted into Riley. “Stevie and the
what?
”

“Just ask him, okay?”

I wanted to tell Aunty Mags about the wedding, ask her what she thought I should do, but I knew Crystal would kill me. Somehow, over the next few weeks, I had to get Mum to say sorry to Crystal – but I didn't even know what she was supposed to be saying sorry for.

“I'd better be getting back,” I said after a bit. “Can we walk Riley again tomorrow?”

“Definitely,” said Aunty Mags. “I'm going to hang around here for a bit longer but I'll call for you in the morning. And try not to get too down about Ellie. I'm sure you'll be friends again in no time.”

I ran across the grass feeling so much better. I was going to talk to Dad first chance I got and I was determined to sort things out with Ellie, no matter how hard she tried to push me away. I was almost at the park exit when I noticed someone sitting on the swings. Someone with a blue baseball cap pulled right down over his eyes. It was Eddie, and he had a girl perched on his lap.

I walked a bit closer, slipping behind a tree so he wouldn't see me. He said something and the girl looked up at him laughing.

She had dark hair like Ellie.

And she was pretty like Ellie.

She even laughed a bit like Ellie.

But she wasn't Ellie.

I stumbled home in shock. My head felt as if it was about to explode with secrets, but at least everything was going to come out into the open at last. Well, everything about Eddie anyway. He was a nasty two-timing cheat and the sooner Ellie found out the better. I forgot all about Stevie and the Stingrays and asking Dad about his past. All I could think about was proving to Ellie that I'd been right about Eddie all along.

When Aunty Mags called for me in the morning I said I had too much homework to walk Riley with her. I spent most of the day rehearsing what I was going to say to Ellie. I went over it so many times it was like learning my lines for a play. Mum thought I was busy doing my homework but I was actually pacing around my room having one imaginary conversation with Ellie after another.

I couldn't wait to get to school on Monday. I knew it would be awful telling her, but I just wanted to get it over with. I hung about outside the gates for ages scanning the crowds, ready to say my piece, but there was no sign of her. When the bell rang I traipsed inside, just in time to hear the secretary give our form teacher, Mr. Bayliss, a message that Ellie had flu and was going to be off all week. I couldn't believe it. How was I supposed to keep a secret as big as this for a
whole week?
It was bad enough keeping quiet about Crystal's wedding, but this was even worse.

I was so tempted to tell Phoebe and Polly just to see what they thought – but I knew I should speak to Ellie first. I did my best to stay out of their way as much as I could just in case I blurted it out by mistake, but it was practically impossible.

I spent the entire week ducking behind doors and disappearing into classrooms whenever I saw one of them coming. I felt like I was in the middle of some awful spy movie. On Thursday I was in the canteen getting my lunch when Polly called me over to sit with them.

“What's going on, Sam? You haven't been avoiding us, have you?” she said, budging up to make room for me.

“Of course not,” I fibbed. “I'm just trying to learn my lines before Saturday. I've got loads you know.”

“We'll test you if you want,” said Phoebe.

I backed away, pulling my script out of my bag. “It's okay, thanks. I'm way better at learning stuff by myself. I've always been like that.” I tried to say it lightly like it was no big deal but I could see they were hurt. “When's Ellie coming back, by the way? Do you know?”

Polly shook her head. “We're not sure – she's really ill, you know. Maybe you should call her? Sort things out before you push
all
your friends away.”

I walked off with my head in my script so they couldn't see how upset I was. I wasn't trying to push
anyone
away, but I just didn't see how I was supposed to sit there chatting away about other stuff when I had this big secret to tell about Eddie. It was easier to just keep to myself until Ellie knew the terrible truth.

I was half-hoping she wouldn't be back at drama on Saturday but I spotted her the second I walked in. She was standing right in the middle of the hall with Phoebe, Monty B and Adam and they were all laughing about something. I cleared my throat in a really exaggerated way to get her attention but when she turned round and saw it was me she turned straight back to the others and laughed even louder.

I went over to the stage to take off my jacket. The hall was boiling hot for some reason, as if someone had turned up the heating to its highest setting.

“Hi, Sam. How are you getting on with your lines?” said Mandy, coming over.

I dragged my eyes away from Ellie. “Pretty good, thanks. I know all of Act One already.”

Mandy grinned. “That's brilliant, I knew I could rely on you. Listen, you couldn't do me a quick favour could you? The heating seems to be on very high and it's far too warm in here. Could you just pop along to Arthur's office and ask him to turn it down.”

It was obvious she was trying to avoid Arthur, but I didn't mind – I was pleased for an excuse to get out. I wandered down the corridor, thinking about Ellie and how I was going to break the news. I kept telling myself she'd thank me in the end, but now that I'd actually seen her I wasn't so sure. Arthur's office is tucked around the corner by the toilets. I was just about to knock and go in when I heard him talking to Mrs. Beagle from the church fund-raising committee – or at least that's what I thought at first.

“
Mrs. Beagle,
” he was saying, “
we've worked together for all these years but recently…
No, no, that's no good… Let me see…
Mrs. Beagle, ever since your poor husband passed away…
Oh dear, that's not right either… My
dear Mrs. Beagle, or may I call you June? Ever since you came here to help raise money for the church, my feelings for you have deepened…
”

I put my hand up to my mouth to stop myself laughing. Mrs. Beagle wasn't in there at all. It was Arthur talking to himself and we'd obviously made a massive mistake. The love letter we found must have been for Mrs. Beagle, not Mandy, and it sounded as if he was planning to propose to her at any second. The hilarious thing was Mandy thought Arthur was in love with
her,
when he was actually madly in love with Mrs. Beagle!

I waited until I was sure I wasn't going to laugh and then I knocked on the door.

“Yes?” said Arthur, peering out.

I explained about the heating and he promised to turn it down.

“I don't know where my head is at the moment,” he sighed. “I actually put the kettle in the fridge and tried to boil the milk this morning. I suppose it must be my age.”

But it wasn't his age of course. It was
hormones!
And I knew all about that!

Back in the hall, Mandy had everyone round the piano.

“I'm so excited,” she was saying, “because my boyfriend Julian has agreed to compose some spooky music for the show. It's going to play out all through the opening number and then whenever the phantom face appears at the window.”