Free Rebecca's Rules by Anna Carey Page B

eyes. Jessie is good at doing this because she is long-sighted and her glasses make her eyes look slightly bigger than they actually are.
    ‘Well, this’ll be good,’ said Jessie.
    But it really was. As soon as Vanessa started to sing our jaws literally dropped open. Because she could sing. I mean
really
sing. And not in a bellowing, X-Factor sort of way. She had what my mum always calls a ‘pure’ voice – I mean she didn’t sound like she was showing off at all. It was just a lovely clear sound. It was SO not how I expected Vanessa to sing. When she finished I found myself clapping automatically. THAT’S how good she was.
    ‘Oh my God,’ said Jessie, who’d also clapped, withoutthinking, as had Alice. ‘I can’t believe we just applauded Vanessa. Voluntarily.’
    I was thinking the same thing, but I couldn’t say so because now Vanessa was acting a scene with Ms Byrne and she was really good at that too. She wasn’t annoying or smug at all, which just shows that she really is a good actress. She was all bright and brisk and Mary Poppins-ish. It was amazing. And very, very irritating. She was by far the best in the whole group. When everyone had had their audition Ms Byrne thanked us all and told us that what she called ‘a preliminary cast list’ would be posted on the noticeboard outside the library at the end of the school day. Ellie, Alice and I trudged out of the hall and off to SS2, where we were having geography. Vanessa strutted past us, looking even more pleased with herself than usual (which is saying something). She was with Karen and Alison. Karen was telling her how brilliant her voice was. That’s all we need, Karen and Vanessa teaming up.
    When we arrived at geography, Cass and Ellie were in great form.
    ‘I’m going to help Ms Dowling do the sets!’ said Cass.
    ‘And I’m working on the costumes,’ said Ellie. ‘But Mrs Limond wasn’t there, which was a bit disappointing. I want tosee if she really has purple hair. How was the audition?’
    So we told them about Vanessa.
    ‘She can’t have been that good,’ said Cass. ‘I just refuse to believe it.’
    ‘She was,’ I said. ‘I even clapped for her.’
    ‘So did I,’ said Jessie, ‘without thinking, of course.’
    ‘I hate to say this,’ said Alice, ‘but I think she’s going to get the lead. I mean, she was the best.’
    And as it turned out, Alice was right. When the list went up this morning, there she was at the top! Vanessa is Mary Poppins! And if that weren’t bad enough, Karen Rodgers is Michael, one of the children. And if THAT weren’t bad enough, I am her understudy. Yes, I am understudying Karen Rodgers to play a small boy. I am starting to think that this was not such a good idea after all. So much for my musical genes.
    On the (tiny) plus side, Jessie got a proper part, playing the cook. And Cass and Alice are all excited about the whole thing now, so part of my plan is working already − we have an exciting new project that has nothing to do with paperboys or me moping (not that I will admit to doing that) at all. So that’s something. Oh, and Susie Murray from 2:1 is playing Mrs Banks, the children’s mother. It turns out she is quite talented after all.
    So anyway, the first rehearsal is after school on Monday. We all had to gather in the hall at lunchtime today and Ms Byrne gave us each a CD of the songs along with a script and told us to study both of them carefully over the weekend so we’re familiar with the story and the songs. I just hope Karen and Vanessa aren’t too irritating at the first big rehearsal (though I am sure they will be).
    Still no mail from Paperboy. I am starting to get angry as well as sad.
SATURDAY
    I told Mum (and Dad) about just being in the chorus. They acted like this was a great thing.
    ‘Being in the chorus is lots of fun,’ said Dad. ‘You get the excitement of being in the show and none of the stress!’
    ‘He’s right,’ said Mum. ‘There were loads of times