Evie gasps then covers her mouth, so I walk a bit taller as I pass her. I go down the stairs and then I’m in the passage that leads to the stage.
Kat catches up with me and puts her arm through mine. ‘What’s this all about, Pearl?’
‘What? The haircut?’
‘Everything,’ she says.
We get to the wings and I stop walking. Betty and Bea join us. ‘If I tell you, you’ll laugh,’ I say.
‘Laugh about what?’ says Betty.
‘“Cousin, I do love a woman.”’ I say it loud and clear, just like I’ve always said things.
They look at each other as students push past us towards the stage. In the distance I hear the sounds that make my heart beat faster: the orchestra tuning up, the murmur of the audience, seats banging up and down.
‘That’s one of Romeo’s lines from the play,’ says Bea.
‘But I mean it.’
‘Can I just clarify?’ says Betty. ‘Do you love women or a woman?’
‘Just the one.’
‘Now this doesn’t happen in High School Musical!’ she says, laughing. ‘Nice surprise, Pearl.’
I look at Bea and Kat. I have to know what they’re thinking.
‘I don’t know why it’s a surprise,’ says Bea. ‘I’ve known for ages that Pearl and Hoshi have a thing for each other.’
‘You did?’ I say.
‘Pearl and Hoshi?’ Kat sounds amazed. ‘They have a thing for each other?’
Chris looks up from the prompt desk. ‘Even I knew that,’ he says. ‘Now, keep your voices down.’
‘It’s more than a thing,’ I say, looking right at Kat.
A smile spreads across her face. ‘Well … Congratulations! She’s a fox, Pearl.’
Now I’m smiling too. The orchestra has fallen silent and so has the audience.
‘Group hug?’ asks Kat, stretching her arms wide.
‘No!’ hisses Chris. ‘No bloody hugs. Just get on stage!’
‘Ladybirds,’ says Betty, ‘shall we do this?’
They leave me and walk on to the stage and get into their opening positions. All across the stage there are last-minute whispers, deep breaths are taken and glances are exchanged. Then, on an unseen command, everyone freezes. Bea is standing stage left, facing me. She smiles, tucks her thumb in and does the wave I invented so many years ago. Then I see Betty and Kat are doing it too.
I tuck my thumb in and wiggle my fingers back, then their hands fall down.
Beyond the curtain, the auditorium is totally silent.
I take a step closer to Chris at the prompt corner. In the monitor I can see the audience staring up at the stage. I search for my mum, but the picture is too grainy. Chris flicks on the offstage mic. ‘For this evening’s performance,’ he says, his voice ringing out in the theatre, ‘the role of Tybalt will be played by Kunnali Kapoor and the role of Romeo will be played by Pearl Harris.’
The picture may be grainy, but I can still see Mrs P in the front row, her eyes wide with surprise.
With a burst of sound, the orchestra starts to play, the curtain lifts and the lighting gets brighter and brighter. Onstage, it’s the height of summer and tensions are simmering. With perfect timing, the cast swing to face the audience and break into ‘Capulet It Go’.
On the opposite side of the stage, I see Hoshi step into the wings, her dress bright in the shadows. She stares at me, frowning, so I wave and mouth, ‘It’s me.’
She smiles and puts her hands on her chest. ‘Sugoi,’ she mouths back. For a moment, we stare at each other as the cast slip in and out of our vision, fighting, dancing and singing.
‘Pearl,’ whispers Chris, beckoning me over. ‘I need to check your mic before you go on. Give me a few words.’
‘Sugoi,’ I say. ‘Sugoi, sugoi.’ He gives me the thumbs up then holds up two fingers, tapping at his watch. I stand ready in the wings. The street brawl is reaching its peak and the music is loud and frantic. The prince marches past me, yelling, ‘“Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace”!’
I shut my eyes and silently repeat my opening lines. Is the day so young? Ay me, sad hours seem long … again and again. When I look up, most of the cast are leaving the stage. Kat, Betty and Bea brush past me, patting my back, touching my arm. I force myself to breathe right down to the bottom of my stomach. I hope Mum is excited, staring up at the stage, waiting for me. Is the day so young? I repeat. Is the day so young?
Onstage, Benvolio says, ‘“See where she comes”,’ and looks in my direction.
I take another deep breath, then I step out of the shadows and walk to the centre of the stage.
There is silence.
Then I hear a voice asking, ‘“Is the day so young?”’
It’s my voice and it is clear and strong. I put my shoulders back and I feel the warmth of the lights on my skin, then I raise my bare face to the audience and I gaze out like an emperor.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Before Jenny started writing books about the Ladybirds (Bea, Betty, Kat and Pearl), she was an English teacher at a large secondary school. Although she loved teaching funny teenagers (and stealing the things they said and putting them in her books), she now gets to write about them full-time. When Jenny isn’t thinking about stories, writing stories or eating cake, she enjoys jiving and running around the South Downs. Jenny lives by the seaside with her husband and two small but fierce girls.
Twitter: @JennyMcLachlan1
Instagram: jennymclachlan_writer
www.jennymclachlan.com
Also by JENNY McLACHLAN
FLIRTY DANCING
LOVE BOMB
SUNKISSED
Bloomsbury Publishing, London, Oxford, New York, New Delhi and Sydney
First published in Great Britain in March 2016 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP
www.bloomsbury.com
BLOOMSBURY is a registered trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Copyright © Jenny McLachlan 2016
The moral rights of the author have been asserted
All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978 1 4088 5613 0
eISBN 978 1 4088 5614 7
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