Free Play It Again by Laura Dower Page A

you need to go finish getting dressed,” Madison said.
    Ivy kept looking through the pages.
    Madison moaned. “Why don’t you go look at your own script. Ivy? We’re starting in a few minutes and I need to—”
    “Look, I don’t come on for a few songs, so I have plenty of time to get in costume,” Ivy said. “And I need to look at this script now. I left mine in my locker.”
    Madison shook her head. “No.” She grabbed the script. “Get dressed.”
    Ivy looked steamed. Had Madison really said that?
    Rose and Joan walked over. They’d heard everything.
    “You can use my script, Ivy,” Rose said. “I’m not stingy, like some people around here.”
    The three enemies skulked away. “How do I look?” Lindsay asked. She modeled her braid-in pigtails and gingham jumper. She was carrying Chocolate in her arms. He was still shaking from the curtain incident.
    “You’re the perfect Dorothy,” Madison said. “That’s a great costume.”
    “Thanks,” Lindsay said.
    “Do you have everything else you need?” Madison asked.
    Lindsay nodded. She stuck out her pinkie.
    “What’s that for?” Madison asked.
    Lindsay smiled. “For luck. I’m very superstitious, aren’t you?”
    “Hey, Madison.” Mariah poked her head out of the dressing room. “I have to help the Munchkins lace up their green shoes, so I’ll be back here. Are you okay by yourself?”
    Madison smiled. “I think so.”
    “She’s totally in control,” Lindsay said as she walked to the other side of the stage for her entrance. “Thanks again, Maddie.”
    Madison wasn’t exactly in total control, even though she wished she were. Frantic cast members had her surrounded. There were other teachers and crew people around, but everyone seemed to need Madison to help.
    Help!
    Tommy’s scarecrow stuffing was coming undone. Madison stuffed it in and tied a new knot in his costume to make it all better.
    Dan’s lion suit was a little too big and he kept stumbling around, bumping into people and things backstage. Madison unzipped his paws and rolled up his leg fur.
    “We’ll figure it out after rehearsal,” she told him. “This will work for now.”
    “My wand is missing!” Ivy screeched. She practically spit the words into Madison’s face. “Aren’t you supposed to keep track of the props, Madison?” She said Madison’s name like it tasted bad.
    “Yes, but you wanted to be in charge of your own props, remember?” Madison reminded Ivy that she was the one who didn’t want anyone near any part of her costume. She’d made that perfectly clear during rehearsals, so Mr. Gibbons told her she could keep her stuff separate from the rest of the cast’s as long as she kept track of it.
    “But you’re the prop person and you’re supposed to know what to do, right?” Ivy snarled.
    “I do know what to do,” Madison said. She walked away, leaving Ivy there alone in her Glinda outfit with an expression of utter disbelief.
    “I’m going to tell Mr. Gibbons,” Ivy threatened.
    Madison didn’t care. “Have you seen Aimee?” she asked Mariah.
    Five Munchkins looked up at Madison and pointed toward the backstage bathroom.
    “Aimee?” Madison called out. “Are you in there?”
    A muffled voice from behind the door squeaked, “Yes.”
    It was Aimee, but she didn’t sound like herself.
    “Aimee? Are you okay?” Madison rattled the knob. “Can I come in?”
    The door unlatched and Madison walked inside. Aimee was leaning up against the sink.
    “Aimee, what’s the matter?” Madison asked. They were looking at each other in the mirror reflection.
    Aimee shook her head. “I have cramps. Bad ones.”
    Madison rubbed her back. “Did you eat something weird for lunch?”
    “Not those kind of cramps.” Aimee lowered her voice so Madison could barely hear. “I have my period.”
    Madison didn’t know what to say. She and Aimee had never really talked about this. Madison hadn’t gotten hers yet.
    “What should I do?” Aimee