Star of Silver Spires (12 page)

“Let's go outside for a bit,” said Jess, “just while they count the votes.”

So we did and it was lovely and cool and quiet. Georgie linked her arm through mine and sighed. “It's such a shame it's nearly all over. The Star contest has been totally fab.”

“You've still got your play to come,” I pointed out.

“I know. And I'm loving working on it, but there won't be the same atmosphere as this when we perform it, even though it'll be in the theatre.”

“Why not?”

“I don't know. It's just not such a big thing as the Star contest. I mean, just think – whoever wins is going to get the chance to represent the school!”

I bit my lip.

“Are you nervous about the result, Mia?”

I shook my head. “No. I know Bella's going to win. I'm not thinking for a single second that it might be me.” I'd spoken firmly and I meant what I'd said. But it was true, I was very nervous. If Bella won, what would I do? Should I tell someone about my suspicions? Who would I dare to tell?

Georgie didn't reply to what I said, just gave me a quick hug and then we all went back inside.

A couple of minutes later the curtains opened, and I had to go onstage with the other acts from the final. We each had a particular place to stand on the stage, and then I
did
feel a bit nervous, like a little girl again, surrounded by cool, glam, older, taller students. All the teachers who'd been involved with organizing the contest were on the stage too. And so was Ms. Carmichael, the Head of the whole school. She stepped forward and began to speak about what a wonderful event the Silver Spires Star contest had turned out to be. She said she'd been really impressed with all the acts, and that she'd had no idea there was so much talent in the school.

“But there can be only one winner and we've counted up the votes very carefully. Very,
very
carefully, because I can tell you it was an extremely close-run thing. So, without further ado, I'm going to tell you which act is the Silver Spires Star act, who will go on to represent our school in the auditions for the biggest national singer/songwriter show ever to be staged in the United Kingdom for under-fifteens. Our wonderfully deserving winner is…Bella!”

“Yesss!” came the jubilant cry from the audience and I felt the blood leave my face as I turned to look at Bella. She threw her head back as though she was thanking God as the applause erupted and raced and roared round the auditorium. The girls in Demonstrate all crowded round to hug her, and I felt as though I was in the middle of a strange dream as I took my turn. I don't know how I managed to keep the smile on my face, but I tried my very hardest because I didn't want anyone thinking I was in a sulk because I hadn't won.

In no time at all, Bella's friends came hurtling down from their places onto the stage to give her more hugs and pats on the back, and the teachers congratulated her, and gradually the contestants and the audience muddled up more and more, and the whole theatre throbbed with excited chatter and squeals of happiness.

But it looked as though Miss York wanted silence to say something, as she had stepped to the front of the stage and raised both her hands. A few people noticed and shushed the people next to them, then big shushing noises spread out all over the place until eventually we were all quiet.

“Sorry to interrupt your happy celebrations, everyone. We can carry on in a moment, but first I think we'd all like to hear from Bella!”

After another wave of cheering, Miss York took the microphone from its stand and turned to Bella. “I know you've not had much time to think about it, but have you decided, by any chance, which song you think you'd like to sing at the audition for
Stars in the Wings
?”

I wanted to block my ears or run away – anything to stop myself having to hear what Bella was about to say.

She pursed her lips and stared right out to the back of the auditorium as though she was considering her answer really carefully, and after a few seconds she quietly announced her decision. “‘Is Anyone There?'”

“Yesss!” said a group of girls nearby, as though they'd been having a bet on it. As everyone laughed and Miss York thanked Bella and told us all to go back to our celebrations, my mind flooded with golden circles and dreams and the horrible question that wouldn't leave me alone, but that was so much more important to answer now that Bella would definitely be representing Silver Spires.

What if I found out for sure that she
had
cheated? What was I supposed to do?

On Monday morning I was first to wake up. Lemon sunlight was streaming into our dorm, because we hadn't shut the curtains when we'd gone to bed. I could see nothing but blue sky, and for about three seconds I felt completely happy, until I remembered that this was the day when Dad's CD would probably arrive in the post. Immediately I started to get into a state again. I looked at my watch. It was only six thirty. The others wouldn't be up for another half hour.

I decided to get dressed and do some practice on my Debussy before breakfast, so I went down to one of the little practice rooms and took out my music. I'd worked on it a lot the day before, and found that all the time I was playing it I couldn't think about anything except the music because I had to concentrate so hard. It was the best possible escape from the big worry that wouldn't leave me alone, so I didn't stop practising and practising. I loved the Debussy now, and really hoped Mrs. Roach would be pleased with me on Thursday.

This morning I was determined to get right to the end of the piece if I could, and as soon as I'd played the first few notes, the music filled every corner of my mind and cleared out my thoughts about Dad's CD.

The thoughts came sailing back during breakfast though, and I couldn't keep my anxiety hidden from Georgie and the others.

“Don't worry, Mia. There'll probably be another contest next year,” said Georgie.

The last thing I wanted was for my friends to think I was upset because I hadn't won the contest. That would be terrible. I just wanted to listen to Dad's CD and then I would know for sure one way or the other whether Bella had cheated. I was hoping and hoping that it would turn out that her tune had sometimes just sounded a bit like the one on the CD and that it was nothing more than that, so I could forget all about it and be happy for Bella. After all, she was easily the best performer and singer, so it would be good for Silver Spires if she auditioned for
Stars in the Wings
.

I don't know how I got through my first two lessons, but when the bell finally went for morning break I made an excuse about having to get my music and rushed back to Hazeldean. It felt so strange being in the boarding house at this time of morning during the week. The place was completely deserted, although I could hear a vacuum cleaner whirring away somewhere upstairs.

From the entrance hall, I crept round the corner to the corridor where our pigeonholes are. There were letters in several of them and, in mine, the dreaded parcel. I picked it up as though it was a bomb that might go off at any moment, and carried it carefully to the common room. Then, closing the door quietly behind me, I opened the parcel to find a Jed Jarrow CD and a little note from Dad.

Hi Mia,

I finally remembered what that song was you were singing to me. It's called “Circles” (track 3) and it is by Jed Jarrow. Turned out I'd not thrown it away after all. So here you are! Hope you enjoy it. Love Dad.

I took the CD out of its case with trembling fingers, put it in the CD player, pressed play on track three, and held my breath.

Immediately the room filled up with the music that I loved so much from our family days at home, but I didn't love it at that moment because an awful coldness was creeping around me. This was the exact music of Bella's song. She hadn't changed a single thing except the words. I stood there, feeling frozen and terrible. It wasn't as if the music was just a
bit
similar to hers, it was totally identical. There was no way she could represent Silver Spires in the
Stars in the Wings
auditions with this song. What if she got through? It would look as if the school had cheated. And that would be awful for Silver Spires. But what was I going to do? Who was I going to tell? How would I dare go to Miss York and say that I'd found Bella out? I didn't even want to tell Georgie. It would just seem like I was a nasty jealous person, who hated that Bella had won.

“Mia?”

I jumped with the shock of hearing the voice of our housemistress, Miss Carol, so close.

“Mia, what are you doing listening to music? Break time's over. You should be in lessons.”

I stared at her, feeling my face losing its colour. “I…I…was just…”

The song was still playing. Surely Miss Carol would recognize it in a moment. She'd definitely been at the concert both Saturdays. I stayed silent and watched her anxious face turn thoughtful. “Are you all right, Mia?”

“I…I'm not sure.” The music seemed too loud for the room. I looked at Miss Carol and suddenly saw her face change as she listened. She closed her eyes slowly, then opened them again and nodded. Just one small brisk nod, as though she was telling herself to do something. The track ended and I pressed stop abruptly. “I was listening to my dad's CD,” I managed to carry on. “He…sent it to me because I…remembered the music from when I was young and we used to sit round the fire at home…”

I knew I wasn't making any sense, but I was just babbling on because I couldn't quite make myself come to the truth. It felt like a betrayal.

“It's all right, Mia. We know.”

“You know…what?”

“Mia, come along to my flat. Bring the CD case with you. I was going to talk to you later, but I think now would be better. Let's go and have a cup of tea.”

Miss Carol sat opposite me in her living room. She'd made the tea while I'd been sitting on her settee, flipping through a pile of magazines and feeling for a few moments as though I was in a dentists' waiting room, about to have a nasty injection. She leaned forwards and looked at me carefully.

“I'll come straight to the point, Mia. Yesterday, we teachers had a meeting, because two or three members of staff had commented after the contest that they thought they recognized some of Bella's music…”

I swallowed. “You mean…the song she sang in the first round, and at the end?”

“Well actually it was the other song at first. It seems she took different bits from a couple of existing songs and stuck them together. But then Mrs. Harrison said that Mr. Wagstaffe had also recognized her
first
song. He'd not been at the first round of the contest, but he had a shock when he heard it at the final on Saturday, because it was clearly the same song as this one he knew, only with different words. So…you obviously recognized it too, Mia.”

I nodded, feeling so relieved that Bella had already been found out and that I didn't have to be the one to betray her.

“Well, since our meeting, Miss York has spoken to Bella, and Bella has admitted that she did indeed borrow the melodies of those other songs. She's truly sorry for what she did and accepts that she can't possibly audition for
Stars in the Wings
.”

I nodded again.

“And this is why I was going to speak to you, Mia. You see the person who came second in the final, with just three votes fewer than Bella, was you.”

I nearly spilled my tea, I got such a shock. “Me? Are you sure you counted properly?”

Miss Carol laughed. “Well I didn't count the votes personally, Mia, but Miss York tells me there was definitely no mistake.”

“Oh…right.” I didn't know what to say.

“So what Miss York and myself and all the teachers want to know is…would you be happy to audition for
Stars in the Wings
?”

Then I
did
spill my tea. The mug just tipped as I was trying to put it back on the table. “Oh sorry, I…”

Miss Carol grabbed a tissue and wiped up the tea in a second. “That's nothing, Mia. The important thing is, would you be prepared to do it?”

My whole body suddenly filled with the most excited buzz, but then, just as quickly as it had come, the buzz disappeared. “But so many people voted for Bella. I'll just be a big disappointment to them. I know I will.”

“No, I really don't think so, Mia. You see—”

There was a sudden knock at Miss Carol's door. “Sorry, Mia, I'll see if this is anything urgent…”

Miss Carol went to answer the door and I got a shock when she came back in with Georgie just behind her.

“Georgie was worried that you hadn't showed up for English,” said Miss Carol. “Come on, you may as well join the party, Georgie, now you're here. I'll pour out another cup of tea.”