Read Online Everyone's a Critic by Rachel Wise - Free Book Online Page B

her.
    â€œJust as long as you don’t upstage me!” she said, and we laughed, but I think she might have only been half joking.
    I tried on the top two outfits again. Allie chose the green tunic and skinny jeans, but added my brown suede boots, silver hoops, and a silky gray scarf. She stood back.
    â€œWear your hair down,” she said. “And wait!” She ran out of the room and came back with a clear lip gloss and smoothed it on me. “Perfect!”
    â€œYou look awesome,” said Hailey.
    â€œThanks,” I said, suddenly feeling shy with both of them admiring me. I turned around to check myself out in the mirror. Not bad, Martone , I thought. Frazzled Reporter Cleans Up Nice.

Chapter 9
ARTS REPORTER HAS NERVOUS BREAKDOWN AT THEATER

    â€œSammy!” my mother called from the kitchen. “Let’s go. Don’t want you to be late for your big night!”
    I came out in my outfit, lip gloss shining and sticky on my mouth.
    â€œWow,” she said. “You look so cute!”
    I smiled and blushed a bit, but I was kind of hoping for more than “cute.” Oh well, she was my mom. We headed out to the car and drove once again to the high school auditorium.
    â€œSo, are you excited?” she asked me.
    â€œAbout the play?” I asked back.
    â€œNo, silly, about going to the play with Michael!”
    â€œPlease, Mom. It’s just something we have to do for the paper,” I said for the hundredth time. Maybe the more I said it, the more I’d believe it.
    â€œOh, okay,” she said, and didn’t say another word until we were almost there. I gazed down the long street that ran past the school and could see the crowds gathering in front of the auditorium entrance. It looked even more crowded than it had on opening night.
    â€œMom, can you just drop me off here?” I said in a rushed tone, feeling the nervousness take over my body. My hands felt shaky and my stomach started doing backflips.
    â€œReally, this far away?” she said.
    â€œIt’s okay, I don’t mind walking,” I said, smoothing my hair. Now I was starting to feel sweaty.
    She gave me a quick hug. “You look gorgeous,” she said. “Have a great time.”
    â€œThanks, Mom.” I know she meant it, too.
    I got out of the car, walked down the sidewalk toward the auditorium, and stood at the front doors, watching people greet each other and head inside.Should I wait out here? I wondered. Should I go in and wait there? Maybe I should find someone I knew to talk to so I didn’t look like I was actually waiting. But wasn’t that what I was supposed to be doing, waiting for Michael? Arts Reporter Has Nervous Breakdown at Theater. Stranger things have happened.
    Just as I was about to go inside, thinking that somehow I’d seem less awkward in the lobby, Michael came jogging up to me, smiling.
    â€œOkay, Take Two—the second time in one day!” he said cheerfully. He looked so good in khakis and a crisp white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up that I suddenly couldn’t move my mouth.
    â€œYou look great,” he said.
    A flash of warmth spread over me. “Thanks, so do you,” I said in a strange tiny voice. Sam, keep it together. This is a newspaper assignment, NOT a date , I tried to tell myself. “So, let’s get our seats!” I blurted out, and started walking.
    We both had our tickets and headed straight into the auditorium to sit down. I hadn’t rememberedthe seats being so close to one another. I crossed my legs, trying not to brush against Michael’s by accident. We chatted about the performances we had seen earlier, and then the lights went down. Suddenly I was sitting in the dark, four inches apart from Michael Lawrence. I could hear him breathing. I could even smell the Tide detergent scent on his clothes. It was almost too much.
    The opening act started, and Michael took out a little