Sam in the Spotlight (21 page)

They stopped talking as soon as they saw me coming towards them. It was impossible to tell from Mum's face what she was thinking, but Mandy was grinning from ear to ear.

“I've just been telling your mum how proud she should be,” said Mandy. “I still can't get over what you did. You'd maybe expect an experienced actress to react so quickly in a situation like that, but not a twelve year old.”

“Almost thirteen,” I said, thrilled that Mandy had said something so nice – and in front of Mum.

“Yes, well, twelve or thirteen, it was extraordinary.”

“I'll tell you what else is extraordinary,” said Mum, with a twinkle in her eye. “The fact that you had so many lines. That has to be the
biggest
small part in the history of the theatre. Anyway, Mandy's just been telling me all about her plans for next term's show.”

“Does that mean you're going to let me carry on?” I squealed.

“Of course I am,” said Mum. “How could I stop you after that performance? Honestly, it was so good I've told Dad we're coming to watch you again tomorrow night.”

I literally threw my arms round her neck, saying “Thank you” over and over. “I'll work so hard, you won't believe it. I'll get As in all my subjects. I'll be top at
everything
!”

“And modest too,” said Mandy, laughing.

The next day, Crystal, Tyler, Aunty Mags and Riley all came round to ours for Sunday lunch. Dad opened a bottle of champagne and Mum made Crystal's favourite meal. It was a bit weird and awkward to start with; Tyler looked horribly uncomfortable, and Crystal was still a bit funny around Mum. But then, after lunch, Dad got his Stevie and the Stingrays scrapbooks out and he went through all his cuttings with Tyler. He told Tyler loads of great stories about when he first started out with the band and they even arranged to have some sort of jamming session with their guitars.

Mum and Crystal sat in the kitchen and they talked and talked. About
Crystal's Crystals
and Sophia Malone's wedding and how weird it was that they'd both ended up there – like it was fate or something. They've always been like that – either the best of friends or at each other's throats, arguing.

I escaped into the garden with Aunty Mags and Riley. She showed me all the tricks he'd learned at his first obedience classes. He could sit and lie and walk right next to your heels.

“Isn't he good?” said Aunty Mags. “Except he's still a terrible chewer.”

“Don't remind me!” I laughed, thinking about Adam and my ruined bra and that day at drama. “I certainly won't be leaving my underwear on the floor when he's around.”

Just before Crystal and Tyler had to go, Crystal said she had an important announcement to make. I saw Mum give Dad a quick look. She probably thought Crystal was going to say she was having a baby or something.

“Tyler and I have decided to wait for a year before we get married – and it's not just because the band's doing so well,” she went on before Mum could say anything. “It's also because I'm going to be far too busy over the next few months myself.”

“Far too busy doing what exactly?” said Mum, frowning.

“Erm…working with you, of course!” She stopped for a second, grinning. “I mean, now that we're going to be business partners.”

“
Business partners?
” said Mum weakly. “Me and you?”

“Come on, Mum, you said yourself that you'd like to sell some of my candleholders in the shop. Well, just think how much we could achieve if we worked together.
Crystal's Crystals
and
Everything's Rosy.
How could it fail?”

Mum went rosy then. I don't know if it was the champagne or the fact that Crystal was back and they were friends again. But whatever the reason, it was brilliant.

“This calls for a song,” cried Dad, grabbing his guitar.

He strummed away, making up more and more verses as he went along, until we were all joining in – even Tyler and Mum. We had “
Rosy my wife, she's simply my life…
” and “
Tyler's band, the best in the land…
” and “
Aunty Mags and Riley, they make me feel so smiley…
”

I couldn't stop smiling either. It was easily the best weekend of my life. Mum and Crystal going into business together, Dad playing the guitar again, and – most important of all – my performance at Star Makers. I'd had my special moment in the spotlight and I couldn't
wait
to go back for more.

Hi guys,

I grew up dreaming about being on the stage. I joined a drama club and spent every spare moment singing and dancing – convinced I was going to be a star.

But at secondary school I began to feel shy about performing. I lost a lot of confidence and for the first time I wasn't sure if my dream to be on stage would come true.

Years later I started up my own drama club, Full Circle. I guess it was a way of keeping my dream alive. I found that running a drama club was as brilliant as performing myself – all the same nerves and excitement!

One day I started to scribble down some ideas for a book about a group of characters who join a drama club. I called it Star Makers. There was Phoebe who was very shy but could sing like an angel and Polly who just wanted everything to stay the same, Sam the big show-off who was desperate to be a serious actress, and Monty B who liked to clown around. I'd created a special place where everyone is different but everyone has their moment to shine.

This is Sam's story. Sam has always been loud and sure of herself – on the outside – but on the inside she's not feeling quite as confident as usual. Some help from her friends and a special performace at Star Makers soon have her smiling again.

I still have BIG dreams – but these days they're much more about writing than about singing and dancing.

Dreams are so important…I hope all of yours come true!

Anne-Marie x

Look out for more sparkly stories from the Star Makers Club

Why won't Phoebe's annoying neighbour, Monty B, leave her alone? Can she get her dippy dad and over-worked mum back together again? Will class mean-girl, Polly Carter, just get off her case for once? And most important of all – will she overcome her stage fright in time to sing her musical solo?

“
A warm, wise and wonderfully witty read
” – Cathy Cassidy

ePub ISBN 9781409531975

Why has Polly's mum left her to go and live in Spain? When will her new stepmum stop trying to be so nice all the time? What happens when she ignores Dad and goes on the friend2friend website? And, most importantly, can she learn her lines in time for Star Makers' fab new production?

ePub ISBN 9781409532002

For more Usborne fiction and ebooks, check out
www.usborne.com/fiction

This ebook edition first published in 2011 by Usborne Publishing Ltd., Usborne House, 83-85 Saffron Hill, London EC1N 8RT, England.
www.usborne.com

Copyright © Anne-Marie Conway, 2011

The right of Anne-Marie Conway to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

Illustration copyright © Usborne Publishing Ltd., 2011

The name Usborne and the devices
are Trade Marks of Usborne Publishing Ltd.

All rights reserved. This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or used in any way except as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or loaned or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author's and publisher's rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this ebook is available from the British Library.

ePub ISBN 9781409537496

Batch no. 02152-03