Read Stagefright for Free Online Page A

rubbish.”
    “It’s famous.”
    “It’s crap!”
    Velvet had seen the stage production three times, and lost count of how many times she’d watched the DVD.
    “I suppose the fact that millions of people went to see it means nothing?”
    Velvet and Taleb were facing each other – Velvet with her hands on her hips, Taleb with his arms folded.
    “Just because you can play a couple of classical pieces on the piano doesn’t make you a musician.”
    “So you’re a musical maestro, are you? You don’t need to learn anything.”
    The others sat mesmerised, as if they were watching a play. Mr MacDonald came back with a mug of coffee, ignored the noise and sat down at his favourite desk at the back of the room.
    “I know I’m not a proper musician,” Velvet said. “But I passed my Grade 7 piano exam, and I was runner up in the Theodora Craddock Award for musical achievement at St Theresa’s last year!”
    “That means you know how to copy other people’s music.” One of the little fluorescent-pink rubber bands that hooked Taleb’s top braces to his bottom braces pinged off and hit Velvet on the cheek. “You don’t know anything about creating music.”
    “Those awful noises you make with your guitar aren’t music. Anybody could do that!” Velvet snatched back her phone. “If you’re so clever let’s hear what you’ve done over the holidays.”
    Taleb picked up his guitar. Instead of the purple electric one, he had an acoustic guitar. He sat on a desk and tuned it. Velvet glared at Mr MacDonald, who hadn’t done anything to support her. Taleb played an opening melody and then started to sing.
    “
Now winter turns to summer and the sun begins to shine
.
    Every face you see is smiling, every face that is but mine
.
    For I am not a pretty boy
.
    My face is not my pride
.
    When I smile at a woman
,
    She turns her head aside
.”
    Taleb didn’t have a great voice but it was a catchy melody and he sang in tune.
    “
Now the gruelling war is over, I should celebrate the peace
.
    But I can’t stop from wishing that the fighting didn’t cease
.
    For I am not a pretty boy
.
    My face is not my pride
.
    When I smile at a woman
,
    She turns her head aside
.”
    After the second verse he gained confidence and his voice seemed to brighten the dingy classroom.
    “
In the war I was a hero, everybody called my name
.
    But the battle cry has faded and with it went my fame
.”
    He sang the chorus again and finished with a plaintive guitar melody.
    Everyone sat in silence. Now that his anger had disappeared, Taleb was too uncomfortable to look at them.
    Mr MacDonald was paying attention again. “I think we have our musical director.”
    “That was beautiful, Taleb,” Hailie said.
    “Yeah,” Roula said, “like a proper song.”
    “I have to work on the riff a bit.” He twiddled the tuning pegs.
    Jesus punched him in the arm. “I didn’t know you could sing.”
    Taleb shrugged and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind his ear.
    “We’ve made a start.” Mr MacDonald sounded surprised.
    Everyone nodded.
    At home time the others were all out of the door before the bell had finished ringing, except for Taleb who was putting his guitar into its case. Velvet took her time collecting up her folder and pen.
    She swallowed her pride. “That was good, what you did.”
    Taleb looked up at her, pushing his glasses further up his nose.
    “What do you mean?”
    “You broke the ice. You were the first one to perform. The others didn’t say anything, but they were all terrified of acting or singing in front of everyone. Now you’ve done it and they won’t feel so uncomfortable when their turn comes.”
    Taleb did up the clasp on his guitar case. “I’m used to performing.”
    “You don’t get nervous?”
    “Yeah, I get nervous. I’m used to that too.”
    They walked towards the gate together. Taleb stopped at the bike rack, unlocked his bike and slung his guitar on his back. He turned to Velvet. She noticed that