Free Dream Chaser by Angie Stanton

coach, Ms. Klahn , and they both assure me you have an amazing work ethic and are one of the most dedicated kids they’ve worked with. We all believe you’re up to the challenge. So if you take the part, you’re going to spend a lot of time looking at my ugly mug.”
    Now that I could do. “May I ask you a question?”
    “Sure, always,” he replied.
    “What about Chloe and the other girls in the show? I can’t imagine they’ll be too happy to see me take over Jessica’s spot. Maybe it would be better if I were just in the chorus.” I really didn’t want to start with the cast hating me. That would be a big problem. Huge.
    “Listen, I realize this is a youth show, however, it is also a professional production. My baby. I am the director, writer, producer and anything else you can imagine. There are a lot of people who invested a great deal of money to make this project come to fruition. There is an expectation that this show make the theatrical world sit up and take notice. I will not allow anything to jeopardize this opportunity. You are hands down technically and artistically superior to any other girl in that show. In fact, it was a blessing in disguise that Jessica left. You outshine her on the stage and are a much better match for our leading man.”
    I swallowed down my shock. He thought I was better, no, superior to everyone else in the show? The cast consisted of the top kids from every dance school in the city. Was he out of his mind ?!
    “Oh.”
    “With that said, don’t expect to hear praise from me again. I’m a slave driver.”
    I couldn’t imagine Tyson being mean, but who knows. Ms. Klahn could be a real bitch, but she always got results.
    “So what do you think? Did I give you a good enough sell or do I have to beg?”
    “No, no begging necessary. If you think I can do it, I definitely want to.” My heart pumped a Latin beat. This was really happening!
    “Excellent. Then I’ll see you tomorrow after school. Be ready to work your tail off.”
    “Thank you. Thank you so much. I will.”
    Tyson clicked off, leaving me alone in the dark with a huge grin and the curly phone cord wrapped around my hand about five times. I stood, unwound the cord and opened the door to find Mom, Dad, Breezy, and Twinkie sitting on the floor. Mom stopped. She had been dabbing shaving cream on Breezy’s face.
    “So?” Mom asked with a blob of shaving cream on her nose. “What happened?”
    Grinning, I reached over them, knocked Breezy in the head with the cord as I hung up the phone and yelled, “He wants me to play the lead!”
    “What!” They jumped to their feet and we all screamed and cheered. My dad did his happy dance; he calls it “happy feet”.
    Breezy launched herself at me, wrapped her arms around my waist and pressed her foam covered face against my belly.
    “Breezy!” You just messed up my shirt!”
    Mom shook her head. “Breezy, you need to be more careful.” Then Mom took my face with her foamy hands, a sneaky look in her eye. “You know how much Willow hates getting messy.” She smoothed my hair down with her sloppy hands.
    “Mom!”
    “You got the lead!” she squealed like only a proud mom can do.
    Dad grinned, holding the can of shaving cream. He squeezed some into his hand and held it out. I swiped it. “Yes, I got the lead!” I grinned at mom, then smooshed the whole blob on top of her head and smeared it around. Twinkie jumped on us and barked.
    From there the celebration turned into a world-class, knock-out , drag-out Thomas family shaving cream fight. Afterward we sprawled on the kitchen floor looking like a shampoo commercial gone wrong. The empty shaving cream can rolled in the corner next to Twinkie. Thank god Tyson didn’t know about my odd family. He might think twice about giving me the lead.
    I had the lead! Yikes, how weird was that? I barely knew anything about the show.
    “I’m hungry,” Breezy said.
    Dad skimmed sloppy cream off Mom’s arm. “How about ice