Free Glitter by Kate Maryon Page A

moment, but you’re not the only one, you know. Just take a look around this school; there are plenty of people suffering. None of us have the things we want, let alone the things we need. And I won’t tell you again, remember, never say never, OK?”
    “I’m sorry,” I say, “it’s just today is really bad. It’s my birthday and I went and got this stupid idea in my headthat my dad was going to get me a violin. But he didn’t, he gave a set of stupid old books instead.”
    “Your birthday!” screeches Cali. “Why didn’t you say?” And then her and Dylan break out into a Bugsy Malone style version of ‘Happy Birthday’ which makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time.

Chapter 16
I’m so sorry Liberty…
    W hile Cali and Dylan are auditioning for Bugsy Malone I come up with a brilliant plan. Cali’s words are dancing in my head and she’s right, I’m not the only one with troubles around here and it’s about time I stop whinging and start taking some action. Just like Hanna with her Community Action Scheme. I follow the corridor away from the drama department. I don’t know why it hasn’t occurred to me before but obviously the best place to find a violin to play in Bugsy Malone is in the school music centre.
    The music centre is quiet and dark. A few keyboards line the wall and a dusty old piano sits quietly in thecorner. Mmmm…maybe this wasn’t such a great plan after all.
    “Can I help?” asks a lady with blonde hair, who I assume is one of the music teachers.
    “Well,” I whisper, “I was wondering about Bugsy Malone and if you had an orchestra playing for it?”
    She laughs. “An orchestra! At this school? I wish! You must be new around here. My name’s Mrs O, pleased to meet you.” She holds out her hand. I shake it and introduce myself. “Luckily, a local professional orchestra has offered to play for us. Why, were you interested?”
    “Yes,” I say. “I’d like to play the little violin part at the beginning, you know, like on the film version, when they’re eating in the Italian restaurant, just before the splurge attack? It’s only a small part I know, but I’d love to have it.”
    “Well,” she says, “you’re welcome to it. We were planning on having recorded music for that bit, but in fact it would be wonderful to have a real live player, what a lovely idea. Have you got a violin? How long have you been learning?”
    Then I feel completely stupid standing here asking to play, because I have to answer no to both of her questions.
    “Well,” I say, blushing, “I can play a bit, but I’d need some lessons to learn the piece properly. And I don’t have a violin, so I’d need to borrow something to play it on.”
    “I’m so sorry, Liberty,” she says, “but I can’t help. We’re so short of funding in this place that we don’t have any instruments for people to use, except those old keyboards. And to be honest most of the kids here aren’t interested in orchestral kind of music anyway. But look,” she says, picking up the Bugsy Malone music score and leading me to the photocopier, “take a copy of the music and I promise you; if you can get hold of an instrument and learn the piece, then the part is yours. OK?”
    Well, at least I tried, and even Cali will have to admit that there’s now, officially, no hope. I will never get to be able to play in Bugsy Malone . I’ll just get involved in some backstage stuff. It will be better anyway. There’ll be less chance of my dad finding out.
    “Woooooo hoooooo!” squeals Cali after school, punching the air with her fist.
    She’s completely over the moon and back again because, of course, she got the part of Blousey Brown andshe’s dancing down the road singing “I’m Feeling Fine” at the top of her voice.
    “You see,” she shrieks, “Blousey wants to get to Hollywood, just like me and we’re both gonna get there, I promise you, I just know it! I’m made for the part, I was born to go to