Free Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great by Judy Blume Page A

actress.
     
        Me and Mouse had to dress in blue and yellow so we would blend into the rest of the scenery in case either one of us shows through.
     
        Maryann Markman got there in plenty of time and she wasn't sneezing or coughing or acting sick. Libby looked stupid in her Captain Hook suit. But Russ was a perfect Peter Pan. It's too bad he can't really fly.
     
        Everybody did fine during the first act except Mouse coughed once, when Russ was singing. He stopped right in the middle of his song and waited for her to finish. Maryann's voice was low but very sweet. When she ran through the archway she almost knocked me over. But I hung on and the archway stayed up.
     
        Libby came on in the middle of the second act. Shesang her song very loud and when she was done the audience clapped for her. I guess sometimes it is better to sing loud and be heard than to sing very nicely like Maryann, who nobody could hear but me and Mouse. Hearing Libby sing so loud seemed to make Maryann forget her lines, because she just stood there and didn't say anything. Finally, I whispered her next line to help her remember. When she still didn't say anything I said her lines for her. I don't know if the audience noticed this or not, because Maryann did move her lips. I said her lines for her all during that act. Libby looked over at me once and made a terrible face, but Maryann needed me. What else could I do? Mouse was laughing all this time and neither one of us remembered about holding up the archway. So the next time Russ ran through, it fell to the side.
     
        But I don't think we ruined the play, like Libby says, because we managed to get it up again in just a few seconds. All in all I think it was a very successful show even though Libby says she is never speaking to me again.
     
     
     
Chapter Twelve
     
     
        I AM down to three swimming lessons a week. Marty says I am ready to learn to put my face in the water because there is nothing else he can teach me until I do. I told him, "I can't put my face in the water and there's a very good reason why I can't, which you don't even know about!"
     
        "I'm listening," Marty said. "What's your reason?"
     
        "Something very important that you probably never even considered."
     
        "Well. . . ."
     
        "You really want to know my reason?"
     
        "I'm waiting," Marty said.
     
        "Okay. I'll tell you. The reason I cannot possibly put my face in the water of this pool is that I am scared!"
     
        "Sheila!" Marty practically shouted. "I'm proud of you!"
     
        "You are?"
     
        "Yes. Do you realize this is the first time you've been honest with me?" Marty asked.
     
        "It is?"
     
        "Yes, it is. You've finally admitted it . . . you're scared. That's the first step in the right direction. From now on everything will be a snap!" Marty jumped into the pool. "Come on, Sheila. I want to show you something."
     
        I walked down the steps and stood next to him.
     
        "Watch this," Marty said, putting his face in the water. Big bubbles came to the surface. He turned his head to the side and took a breath. Then he stuck it back in and blew some more bubbles. He did that ten times. He made it look easy.
     
        When he was done I clapped my hands. "That was very good, Marty," I said.
     
        "Okay, wise guy. Now let's see you do it."
     
        "I can't," I said. "I'm too scared."
     
        "I'll hold your hand."
     
        I looked at Marty and thought about what my mother told me. That if I can't swim with my face in the water by the end of the summer Marty will give back all the money from my swimming lessons. I hate to think of Marty having a hard time because of me. But he never should have made such a silly deal with Mom.
     
        "Please, Sheila," Marty said. "Give it a try."
     
        "Oh, all right," I said, grabbing Marty's hand. I put my face down into the water. I nearly