Read Online Acting Friends by Sophie McKenzie - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sophie McKenzie
Ads: Link
said in a silky voice.
She was really turning it on, but I could tell it was all for effect. Emmi liked to know that she could Acting Friends CS5.indd 83
21/12/2011 11:48
have any boy she wanted, but I’d never seen her bothered about any of them. Any other girl would have been labelled a slag, but Emmi somehow got away with it.
Poor James Molloy’s face was now the colour of a tomato.
‘Er . . . no,’ he stammered. ‘That is, not until the second round. Mr Nichols asked for people with main parts to stay after school to read with some of the girls when he’s heard you all.’
‘Ah . . .’ Emmi said knowingly.
God, that meant having to do bits of the play with boys later. I glanced at Emmi. How come she wasn’t in the slightest bit nervous about that?
‘So the boys’ parts are already cast?’ Grace asked timidly.
Grace is my other really good friend. She’s completely different from Emmi: shy and quiet . . .
and she’s been going out with the same guy for, like, forever.
James nodded, then led us along a series of chilly, rather rundown corridors, into a common room, complete with a pool table, a row of lockers and some bright red sofas.
‘Please take off your coats and make yourselves comfortable.’ Mr Nichols’ booming voice resonated around its bare walls
Acting Friends CS5.indd 84
21/12/2011 11:48
‘Sixth form common room,’ James announced unnecessarily, staring at a patch of skin a few centimetres to the left of Emmi’s nose.
Emmi nodded vaguely and wandered across the room. I turned to James.
‘What part are you playing?’ I said.
‘Mercutio.’ He blushed. ‘Romeo’s best friend.
Which is cool, because the guy playing Romeo is my best friend.’
His eyes drifted sideways to where Emmi was self-consciously twisting her long hair in her hand. I watched his gaze flickering over Emmi’s tall, slim body. She always seemed to manage to have her skirt a few centimetres higher than everyone else.
She also wore her sweater tighter and her blouse unbuttoned further. When she walked she wiggled her bum and flashed off legs that went up to her armpits.
My heart sank. No way was I getting the part of Juliet instead of her. Not unless the guy playing Romeo was really short and Mr Nichols was practically blind.
I knew I should have been pleased for Emmi, but I wanted this so badly and I didn’t stand a chance.
‘Emmi’s my best friend,’ I said confidingly.
James Molloy looked down at me. For a second I Acting Friends CS5.indd 85
21/12/2011 11:48
saw myself through his eyes: I was short. I was dumpy. I was – God , I was like him. Squishy and comfortable.
At that point two other girls skittered over in fits of giggles and asked James to show them where the toilets were.
They all disappeared and I went to find Emmi and Grace.
‘I’m so nervous,’ Grace squeaked.
‘For God’s sake, Grace,’ Emmi drawled. ‘All you’re doing is reciting a short poem. The worst that can happen is you’ll end up a townsperson of Verona.’
Grace looked a little deflated. I don’t think Emmi means it, but sometimes she can sound a bit harsh.
After all, Grace was mostly here to support me and Emmi. Sure, she was doing drama GCSE, but performing wasn’t really her thing.
I smiled at her. ‘You’ll be fine,’ I said. ‘You look really pretty.’
Grace smiled gratefully back at me. ‘You look lovely too, Riv. I wish I had a figure like yours.’ She sighed, then ran her fingers through her soft, strawberry blonde waves. ‘And your hair really works the way you’ve got it tied back like that.
You’re so lucky it’s so thick.’
Yeah, right. She was just being polite. Did I mention Acting Friends CS5.indd 86
21/12/2011 11:48
I have horrible frizzy hair and as for my body . . .
well, maybe I’d look okay if I could lose half a stone . . . but however hard I tried, the weight never came off.
‘Er . . . thanks, Grace.’
Emmi yawned. ‘I don’t know what you’re
She was really turning it on, but I could tell it was all for effect. Emmi liked to know that she could Acting Friends CS5.indd 83
21/12/2011 11:48
have any boy she wanted, but I’d never seen her bothered about any of them. Any other girl would have been labelled a slag, but Emmi somehow got away with it.
Poor James Molloy’s face was now the colour of a tomato.
‘Er . . . no,’ he stammered. ‘That is, not until the second round. Mr Nichols asked for people with main parts to stay after school to read with some of the girls when he’s heard you all.’
‘Ah . . .’ Emmi said knowingly.
God, that meant having to do bits of the play with boys later. I glanced at Emmi. How come she wasn’t in the slightest bit nervous about that?
‘So the boys’ parts are already cast?’ Grace asked timidly.
Grace is my other really good friend. She’s completely different from Emmi: shy and quiet . . .
and she’s been going out with the same guy for, like, forever.
James nodded, then led us along a series of chilly, rather rundown corridors, into a common room, complete with a pool table, a row of lockers and some bright red sofas.
‘Please take off your coats and make yourselves comfortable.’ Mr Nichols’ booming voice resonated around its bare walls
Acting Friends CS5.indd 84
21/12/2011 11:48
‘Sixth form common room,’ James announced unnecessarily, staring at a patch of skin a few centimetres to the left of Emmi’s nose.
Emmi nodded vaguely and wandered across the room. I turned to James.
‘What part are you playing?’ I said.
‘Mercutio.’ He blushed. ‘Romeo’s best friend.
Which is cool, because the guy playing Romeo is my best friend.’
His eyes drifted sideways to where Emmi was self-consciously twisting her long hair in her hand. I watched his gaze flickering over Emmi’s tall, slim body. She always seemed to manage to have her skirt a few centimetres higher than everyone else.
She also wore her sweater tighter and her blouse unbuttoned further. When she walked she wiggled her bum and flashed off legs that went up to her armpits.
My heart sank. No way was I getting the part of Juliet instead of her. Not unless the guy playing Romeo was really short and Mr Nichols was practically blind.
I knew I should have been pleased for Emmi, but I wanted this so badly and I didn’t stand a chance.
‘Emmi’s my best friend,’ I said confidingly.
James Molloy looked down at me. For a second I Acting Friends CS5.indd 85
21/12/2011 11:48
saw myself through his eyes: I was short. I was dumpy. I was – God , I was like him. Squishy and comfortable.
At that point two other girls skittered over in fits of giggles and asked James to show them where the toilets were.
They all disappeared and I went to find Emmi and Grace.
‘I’m so nervous,’ Grace squeaked.
‘For God’s sake, Grace,’ Emmi drawled. ‘All you’re doing is reciting a short poem. The worst that can happen is you’ll end up a townsperson of Verona.’
Grace looked a little deflated. I don’t think Emmi means it, but sometimes she can sound a bit harsh.
After all, Grace was mostly here to support me and Emmi. Sure, she was doing drama GCSE, but performing wasn’t really her thing.
I smiled at her. ‘You’ll be fine,’ I said. ‘You look really pretty.’
Grace smiled gratefully back at me. ‘You look lovely too, Riv. I wish I had a figure like yours.’ She sighed, then ran her fingers through her soft, strawberry blonde waves. ‘And your hair really works the way you’ve got it tied back like that.
You’re so lucky it’s so thick.’
Yeah, right. She was just being polite. Did I mention Acting Friends CS5.indd 86
21/12/2011 11:48
I have horrible frizzy hair and as for my body . . .
well, maybe I’d look okay if I could lose half a stone . . . but however hard I tried, the weight never came off.
‘Er . . . thanks, Grace.’
Emmi yawned. ‘I don’t know what you’re
Similar Books
