Fabulous Five 009 - The Boyfriend Dilemma (8 page)

Beth was panting when she caught up with Jana, Katie,
Christie, and Melanie on the way to Bumpers.
"I did it! I did it!"
she squealed, jumping up and down.

"What did you do?" asked Christie as they all bent
to help pick up the books she had dropped in her excitement.

"The play! Mr. Levine told me I get to try out for the
lead
role
in the play." She whirled around, billowing her long skirt and
looking as if she were a ballerina.

"And Mr. Levine said his friend, Mr. Stapleton, who's a
casting director from New York, will be here to help with the casting. Maybe he'll
like me. This will be the biggest part I've ever tried out for in my
whole
life.
This may be the start to my acting career.
"

"All
right
!
" shouted Melanie.

"Oh, I'm so glad," said Jana. "It's a great
chance for you." They crowded around Beth and hugged her, laughing and
chattering happily.

As they continued walking toward Bumpers, Katie looked at
Beth and asked cautiously, "Uh, who else is trying out?"

"Mr. Levine said Kaci Davis, Laura McCall, and Taffy
Sinclair have signed up, too."

Katie let out a low whistle. "That's pretty tough
competition."

"It sure is," said Melanie.

"I can do it, though. I know I can," Beth
responded, sticking out her chin. "I want it
so
badly, all I have
to do is try my hardest."

"We know you can," said Jana. "Is there
anything we can do to help?"

"Not really. I just have to learn my part and practice
like mad. And if I win, we'll have practice three nights a week until opening
night."

"And then you'll have homework the other nights,"
said Christie, "and cheerleading practice after school. I guess we won't
be seeing much of you for a while. Have you talked to Keith? How does he feel
about losing you for such a long time?"

"Keith and I have been going together since the sixth
grade. I know he'll understand. He won't care," she said confidently, but
she couldn't help remembering the odd look on his face when she had told him
about the play and how much time the practices would take.

"I don't know about that," said Melanie. "I
wouldn't want to take a chance on being out of circulation like that for that
long. I'm not sure Scott would understand."

"I
won't
be out of circulation," protested
Beth. "I'll see him at school, and Bumpers, and we can still date some."

"You remember what happened to me when I tried to do
too much," responded Melanie.
"Mono, the kissing disease,"
she said, making a monster face and holding her hands up as if they were claws.

"Won't your parents keep you from going out as much as
you have?" asked Jana. "They know what happened to Melanie."

"My mother would ground me if I were out every night
during the week," added Katie.

"Oh, you guys are just worrywarts," said Beth. "Everything
will be great between Keith and me." But she couldn't forget that look on
Keith's face, and a little spot of doubt formed deep inside of her mind and
started to grow.

Will everything be okay between Beth and Keith, or will Beth
have to make a choice between stardom and romance? Find out in the
The
Fabulous Five #10: PLAYING THE PART.

Betsy Haynes, the daughter of a former newswoman, began
scribbling poetry and short stories as soon as she learned to write. A serious
writing career, however, had to wait until after her marriage and the arrival
of her two children. But that early practice must have paid off, for within
three months Mrs. Haynes had sold her first story. In addition to a number of
magazine short stories and the Taffy Sinclair series, Mrs. Haynes is also the
author of
The Great Mom Swap
and its sequel,
The Great Boyfriend
Trap.
She lives in Colleyville, Texas, with her husband, who is also an author.