Free Take Two by Julia DeVillers Page B

Aren’t you supposed to be in the dungeon?” Sydney slid into the seat in the front row right in front of us.
    â€œPayton doesn’t have to today!” Tess said, now off her phone call and turning back around.
    â€œOh, so your torture is to wait and hear everyone’s name being called but yours.” Sydney sighed dramatically to me. “So harsh.”
    â€œIt is,” Tess agreed.
    Tess was too nice to see that Sydney was rubbing it in on purpose. Sydney was too good at faking being nice.
    â€œExcuse me, who are you?” Sydney asked Tess.
    â€œI’m Tess,” Tess said, smiling.
    â€œTess is the one who did that great audition as Auntie Em,” I said. “With that boy Reilly. Remember?”
    â€œVaguely.” Sydney shrugged. Then she perked up. “Ooh! Look who’s here! Our leading man!”
    I looked over to see Reilly walking down the aisle. Tess and I both went, sigh . He was seriously cute.
    â€œHe’s so hot.” Sydney sighed.
    Yup.
    Sydney took a pom-pom and waved it over her head to catch Reilly’s attention.
    â€œOoh!” she said. “He’s coming over!”
    Reilly sat down a few seats from Sydney next to some other boys.
    â€œReilly! Reilly! Are you dying to know what part you’ll get?” Sydney called over to him.
    â€œSure. Dying,” he said. Then he wrapped his hands around his neck and acted out a dramatic death scene, collapsing on his chair. His friend next to him cracked up.
    â€œYou’re such a good actor!” Sydney squealed. “I wish I could have tried out for a lead. But I can’t, because I’m also a cheerleader .”
    Sydney shook her pom-pom.
    â€œMrs. Burkle said she’d let me try out for a smaller role, though.” She smiled at him.
    â€œCool.” He turned back to talk to his friend.
    Sydney looked annoyed about losing his attention.
    â€œAt least I got to try out, though, right, Payton?” she said, aiming her annoyedness right at me.
    â€œYou may not realize this, but Payton is already sad aboutthat,” Tess said to Sydney. “You may not want to rub it in.”
    Oh, Sydney realized it all right.
    â€œOh, look!” I interrupted loudly. “Mrs. Burkle is onstage with the cast list!”
    Everyone turned their attention to the teacher onstage. She was carrying a clipboard. Suddenly the room—including Sydney—fell quiet.
    â€œI’m happy to share the cast list with you,” Mrs. Burkle said. “This was a tough decision and remember that all of you are fabulous! Simply superb!”
    I reached over and squeezed Tess’s hand as Mrs. Burkle started announcing the cast. She read off Munchkins and Flying Monkeys.
    â€œGlinda, the Good Witch will be played by Sydney Fish,” she said.
    â€œEeee!” Sydney squealed and clapped. “I’m so thrilled and honored!”
    Mrs. Burkle read out a bunch of names, and other people clapped and screamed.
    â€œAnd The Scarecrow will be Reilly,” she said.
    Reilly stood up and bowed as we applauded.
    â€œAnd Dorothy will be . . . Tess Hartwick,” she announced.
    â€œOh my gosh!” Tess said. “Oh!”
    â€œCongratulations!” I said, along with a bunch of other kids. Tess got the lead!
    â€œYou’re going to be a great Dorothy,” I told her.
    â€œIf you didn’t get a part and would like to join Nick ontech crew, let me know,” Mrs. Burkle said. “Cast, please pick up your scripts on the way out so you can memorize your lines.”
    Then she told us we had to leave the auditorium because the janitor was spraying it. She said we could go to the library or cafeteria until the late buses.
    â€œWe got killed with math homework, didn’t we, Nick?” Tess asked. “I should probably go to the library.”
    â€œDuh, we should go to the cafeteria! You have to be quiet in the library,” Sydney said.
    Sydney was