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having much time to test me.”
    Annabel brightened up. Saima was right. “I bet Katie and Becky will help you too. And I will – we’ve got one scene we can practise together, anyway.” She grinned happily at Saima – this was going to be so cool! Then her smile deepened – Josh Matthews was heading in her direction – was he coming to talk to them?
    â€œHi! You had a look through the script?”
    â€œMmm. It’s good, isn’t it?” Annabel stammered slightly from nervousness – he was so good-looking!
    â€œDid you notice page thirty-six?”
    â€œEr, no, I don’t think so.” Annabel riffled through the script. The ballroom scene – she smiled to herself, imagining the gorgeous dress she’d be wearing. Oh! She’d just noticed the stage directions – the prince was supposed to kiss Cinderella! Annabel blushed very pink and looked up at Josh. “Oh yes…” she murmured rather lamely. Well, what was she supposed to say when she found out that a boy she really, really liked was going to be kissing her in front of half the school?
    Josh grinned, and turned to go. “Well, see you!”
    â€œUm, yeah,” Annabel muttered, and gazed after him with a slightly glazed look in her eyes.
    â€œAn-na-bel! Wake up!” Saima was giggling. “Stop it, you look as though you’re about to fall at his feet. You have to be a little bit hard to get!”
    Annabel jumped. “Sorry! I just hadn’t realized – I suppose it’s obvious that the prince kisses Cinderella, but I didn’t think about it. Wow.” She hugged the script to herself tightly – this play was just getting better and better!
    Â 
    Ms Loftus had given them a quick rundown of this version of Cinderella at the audition, so she was eager to get straight on with the play now. It started with an introductory scene set several years before the rest of the play, when Cinderella was a baby. Annabel kept half an eye on what was happening onstage while she read carefully through her first scene – she didn’t want to be like the people up there now. The two Year Nines had had no chance to see what they were saying before they had to say it, and they were stumbling and giggling in embarrassment. The next scene was at the palace, with Amy as the queen. She was good – Annabel had to admit it, grudgingly. She told herself that Amy’s stuck-up manners suited the part.
    â€œVery nice, Amy!” Ms Loftus sounded really pleased at the end of the scene, and Amy smiled at her sweetly.
    The smile changed to a grimace as she came offstage and headed straight for Annabel. “You see? That’s proper acting, Annabel. Ms Loftus is going to be really sorry she picked you for Cinderella. Just try not to ruin the whole thing, OK?” She flounced off before Annabel could think of anything suitably nasty to say back.
    â€œJust ignore her,” said Saima. “You’ll be brilliant, she’ll see,” she added loyally. Annabel tried to smile – she had been feeling really confident, but Amy had a way of getting to people. It was such a huge part – could she really do it? There was no more time to worry about it, though, her first scene was now. She went up onstage, and tried very hard to concentrate on Saima and Ms Loftus beaming at her, and not see Amy’s carefully pitying expression.
    Cinderella was meant to be sweeping the kitchen on her own – there wasn’t even anyone to keep her company onstage! Annabel gulped, and started off nervously – remember to project her voice, not stare at the ground, put feeling into the words – there was so much to think about! And she had to cope with Ms Loftus calling directions for “blocking”, where she wanted Annabel to move. But by the time two Year Nine boys came on as the Ugly Sisters to bully her, Annabel was starting to get into it. Joe and Pete were