Free Annabel's Starring Role by Holly Webb Page B

before?”
    â€œNot really. I’ve done more dancing than acting. How about you?”
    â€œYeah, I’ve done some acting. I go to a stage school on Saturdays. I’ve done a couple of commercials, you know, that kind of thing…” Josh looked away casually, but turned back quick enough to see if she was impressed.
    She was, very, but she was trying desperately to stay calm. “That sounds cool. Was it hard work?”
    â€œJosh!” An extremely icy voice spoke from behind them. It was Julianne, Josh’s girlfriend, and she didn’t look happy. She smiled in a polite but very unfriendly way at Annabel and Saima. “Are you coming? We’re all sitting over there.” She indicated their group of Year Eight mates.
    Annabel noticed that although she sounded bolshy, she was twisting her hands nervously behind her back, and her teeth were biting into her lower lip. Julianne was really nervous! She wondered why – it looked like Julianne wasn’t sure what Josh’s reaction was going to be.
    Josh scowled. “OK, OK, I’m coming. Are you my mum or something?” He turned back and aimed a high-power smile at Annabel.
    Julianne hovered for a moment longer, but Josh ignored her and she sheepishly slunk away, casting a look back at Josh that reminded Annabel of one of Becky’s cute puppy posters. She didn’t know whether to feel sorry for Julianne, or gratified that Josh would rather talk to her than his supposed girlfriend. Being gratified won.
    â€œSorry – she’s so clingy, she goes all weird if I talk to any other girls. It’s stupid, I mean, it’s not as if she’s got anything to be jealous of, is it?” Josh smiled at Annabel as he said this, in a way that suggested Julianne might actually have quite a lot to worry about.
    â€œNo,” said Annabel, smiling back. “We’re just talking, aren’t we?” she cooed.
    Unfortunately Miss Davies called Josh over to go and try on his costume just at that moment. Annabel watched him go, her mind racing. She wasn’t really sure what all that meant. She turned to Saima. “Do you think—?”
    â€œDon’t know. Really – I haven’t a clue.” Saima sounded intrigued, and possibly a little miffed, Annabel thought. Josh had completely ignored her, after all.
    Katie wandered over, carrying her prompt script. One of the dances had just gone completely pear-shaped and Ms Loftus was trying to sort it out, so she wasn’t needed. “What was Josh Matthews talking to you about?”
    â€œOh, just stuff.” Annabel was practically glowing.
    â€œHis girlfriend didn’t look happy.”
    Annabel reacted immediately to Katie’s tone of voice. “I didn’t make him talk to me, Katie! I can’t help it if she’s jealous – we were chatting about acting, that’s all.”
    â€œOK, OK! I was just saying. Hey, have you noticed Ms Loftus giving me funny looks today? I haven’t made any mistakes with the prompting, but she keeps giving me this kind of thoughtful stare – it’s really weird.”
    Annabel and Saima peered over Katie’s shoulder at Ms Loftus, who did only seem to have one eye on the dancing and the other on them.
    â€œShe’s coming over!” Saima squeaked. “What’ve you done, Katie?”
    Nothing, as it turned out. Ms Loftus was smiling hopefully, and she appeared to be a Drama teacher in the throes of a Big Idea.
    â€œKatie and Annabel!” Her smile got bigger, and she seemed to be savouring the names as she said them. “I’ve been wondering, Annabel, about how we are going to manage your transformation scene. I’d like it to look really good. Mr Hatton’s got some great ideas about dry ice and pyrotechnics – stage fireworks, you know – but it suddenly struck me when I saw you two together earlier on that we’ve got a brilliant opportunity