I used Sunday morning to interrogate the NAD. Since Friday night, he’d been locked in his office. Now was the time to use my sure-fire tactics. I got up at 7 am and started cooking pancakes with the works — maple syrup, bananas, sugar, chocolate chips and strawberries. I didn’t turn on the fan so the smell was sure to drift into the NAD’s office.
‘Something smells good.’ Dad popped his head around the corner. ‘But I’ve got to get stuck into that brief —’
I flipped a golden pancake onto a plate.
‘Maybe I can stay for ten minutes.’ He settled himself at the table and buried himself in the weekend paper. Total avoidance tactic.
‘Pancakes coming through!’ I pushed his newspaper aside and placed a stack in front of him. ‘So, Dad, you haven’t told me much about Ms DeForest.’
Dad looked anxiously at the door, his only escape route.
I leisurely poured syrup over his pancakes. ‘How many dates have you been on?’
The NAD’s jaw tensed. I had him trapped. I grabbed my own stack and sat down in front of him, giving him my most attentive look.
‘Oh, you know, a few.’ He shrugged nonchalantly, then started shoving pancake into his mouth.
I cut my stack into little hearts, to put off having a full mouth and being unable to interrogate him.
‘So it’s serious?’
‘Well, it’s early days yet. Dana’s a very interesting woman.’
That was one way to put it.
‘We met at yoga, when we had to pair up for an exercise.’
Darn that friendly yoga environment.
‘It’s nice to be seeing someone again.’ A small smile spread over Dad’s face.
Great. Now if I said anything negative, it was going to seem like I wanted to sabotage his happiness. I played with a strawberry.
‘So, what are you up to today?’ Dad finished his last bite and took his plate up to the sink. ‘Are you and Hayden hanging out again?’
I choked on my pancake. Not only did Hayden have Dad convinced that he and I were a couple, but his kiss was still burning the inside of my palm. I had scrubbed and scrubbed and tried to block it from my mind, but I could still feel the sensation of his lips on my skin.
‘Chew carefully, honey.’ Dad kissed the top of my head and headed for the office.
I was not going to spend the day with Hayden. My time, as always, was going to be spent productively.
By the time I turned up for the rehearsal of Much Ado About Nothing on Monday afternoon, I’d read through the first half of the play.
‘Welcome to our very first rehearsal!’ Mr Peterman beamed at all of us seated in front of him. ‘I expect that everyone’s prepared to have a lot of fun.’
I looked at Jelena, Cassie, Sara and Lindsay. This was exactly what I needed to distract me from the NAD and Ms DeForest’s love affair. Good friends, good times and quality literature. Thank you, Shakespeare.
‘And to work hard.’ Mr Peterman’s voice turned serious. ‘We have just three weeks to stage one of the Bard’s most loved plays. I’m sure that all of you, like me, want it to be a production of quality.’
Scott and Alex popped into the seats just in front of us. Scott waved a rolled-up bundle of paper at Cassie and grinned. Presumably he’d managed to replicate the backdrop sketches.
Mr Peterman continued. ‘We’ll start with a short run-through of the first few scenes to make sure that everyone’s familiar with the play.’
‘Thank god Scott was able to redo the sketches,’ Cassie whispered, playing with the little yellow heart dangling from her necklace.
‘Everything’s running smoothly,’ I assured her. ‘Did you see the smile he gave you? It’s obvious that he’s not holding any grudges.’
Cassie didn’t look totally convinced. ‘Just as long as I don’t do anything worse. I hope working together on scenery wasn’t a bad idea.’
‘Cass, it was genius,’ I said. ‘There are so many advantages to working backstage together. Firstly, any event that gets people working together in a busy, exciting place for an extensive period is extremely conducive to romance.’ I smiled encouragingly at her. ‘By working together towards the successful completion of your goal, it will become obvious just how perfectly you’d work as a couple.’
‘And the best bit?’ Sara gave a cheeky smile. ‘You’ll be working in close contact — in the dark!’ She made kissy noises.
‘Sara is on the right track with her comment about working in dark spaces,’ I said. ‘In the dark, our pupils dilate, which is also what happens when we see something attractive. Humans are instinctively attracted to large pupils, so Scott will be pulled in without even knowing why!’
‘Is that why candlelight dinners are supposed to be so romantic?’ Cass asked.
‘Bingo,’ I replied, and grinned at her. ‘Darkness is highly effective in creating a romantic atmosphere.’
Here was another potential chapter for my book: ‘Do something right — go with candlelight’.
Except it didn’t apply to Hayden and me. Hiding in the dark backyard with him had only increased my dislike. But there was no need to share that with my readers, or my friends.
‘Hmm. Maybe I should consider doing that with Alex.’ Jelena’s eyes were thoughtful.
People were already being inspired by my ideas! New York Times bestseller list, here I come!
Sara laughed. ‘Don’t count on it working that well. When I invited Ben to a candlelight dinner, he asked me if there was something wrong with the electricity.’
‘Yeah, but that’s you,’ Jelena replied.
‘Excuse me?’ Sara shot daggers at Jelena.
Jelena examined her ice-blue manicure. ‘I’m just saying that your bad luck doesn’t have to apply to my circumstances.’
Sara shrugged. ‘You’re right. I wouldn’t worry about the lighting. It’ll be your insensitivity that sends Alex running. Good thing he’s an athlete. Fast exit guaranteed.’
I looked nervously at them. I hadn’t realised my theories could cause so much controversy. ‘Guys, maybe we should be listening to Mr Peterman.’
‘So I’ll stop my synopsis there,’ Mr Peterman said, lifting his eyes from his script. ‘Now, as we can see from this first part of the play, the attitudes in Shakespeare’s time were obviously very different from our own. Marriage had little to do with love and more to do with social betterment and preserving inheritance. A woman’s role was firstly to be a dutiful daughter, then to be an obedient wife.’
‘Mr Peterman, the play is totally sexist!’ Sara stood up.
Jelena rolled her eyes.
‘As I said, Sara, the play was written around five hundred years ago, so the ideas are naturally outdated. However, it is still a fabulous play —’
‘Yeah, sure.’ Sara slumped back in her seat.
‘— and because of those outdated beliefs, I’ve decided to set it in the 1950s.’
An excited murmur ran through the crowd at Mr Peterman’s announcement.
‘Instead of a Sicilian property, the play will take place at a fabulous estate in the south of the United States. Leonato is a governor, and Claudio has similar political aspirations. Hero is the typical obedient daughter, but Beatrice is a southern belle who rejects the traditional ideas of marriage. By setting Much Ado About Nothing in the fifties, we’ll show our audience just how far we’ve come since then, and also how far we’ve yet to go towards total equality.’
Sara looked pleased.
‘So, all backstage crew,’ Mr Peterman said, ‘I hope you’ve been listening carefully. All backdrops, costumes and props will be fifties in style.’
‘This is so cool,’ I whispered to Cassie. ‘You know what this means? Cocktail dresses and pump shoes —’
‘All backstage crew backstage, and all cast members up onstage, please!’ Mr Peterman called, pointing at the two areas.
I started to get nervous. The hard part was about to begin. I took a spot next to Sara as Mr Peterman began handing out scripts.
‘Can you believe Jelena?’ Sara blurted. ‘She was implying that I’m a failure at dating!’
I took a fat script from Mr Peterman. ‘I’m sure she didn’t mean it.’
‘Well, I hope she fails with Alex.’ Sara narrowed her eyes. ‘Then she’ll see how it feels.’
I could tell that Sara was really hurt. This was awful — our first rehearsal and already two of our group were divided. I needed to get Jelena to apologise.
‘I want you all to become familiar with the stage,’ Mr Peterman announced. ‘Characters don’t stay in one spot — they move and react like anyone in real life. If you know the performance space, you’ll feel more comfortable using it.’
I took a good look at the wings, and when Mr Peterman’s attention wasn’t on me, I skipped through them and backstage. Mr Peterman had said to get familiar with the stage. In my case, it was just BACKstage.
‘So we need this styrofoam shaped into drystone walls for the garden scenes,’ Jelena said, surrounded by half the crew members. She looked at her clipboard. ‘And we need some thick cardboard to construct graves for act three. Gaia, could you get me a coffee?’
As people struggled with huge slabs of styrofoam, and Gaia rushed off to the canteen, I had a vision of Jelena running a salt mine. I tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around, looking frustrated.
‘Don’t you think you were a bit harsh on Sara before?’ I asked cautiously.
‘Me?’ Jelena opened her eyes wide. ‘She was the one who said that Alex was going to run a mile once he got to know me.’
‘Jelena, she’s oversensitive by nature. Your comment made her say things she didn’t mean.’
‘Well, all I know is that she should stick to her area, and I’ll stick to mine.’ Jelena gestured at two boys from Year Seven. ‘Tony, Nick, am I going to get any help with the stereo system?’ She turned back to me. ‘Can you keep an eye on Alex? I don’t want any cute female cast members making eyes at him.’
‘Yeah, but what about Sara?’ I yelled over the sea of people swamping Jelena with questions.
She didn’t deign to reply. I sighed. I’d have to tackle her on this when we were alone.
I looked around for Cassie and Scott. There they were, tucked away in the corner with huge rolls of canvas spread out in front of them. Cassie had her head down, tracing a design on the material. Both were silent. Hmm.
‘Cassie?’ I called, stopping at the edge of the canvas.
Cassie and Scott both turned around with a look of relief. There’s nothing like prolonged silence to make people uncomfortable.
‘Aren’t you meant to be onstage?’ Scott asked, a pencil tucked behind his ear.
‘I have a message for Cassie from Mr Peterman,’ I fibbed.
Cassie set down her pencil and joined me.
‘What happened to FOMAH?’ I whispered.
‘I don’t want to seem like I’m interrogating him.’ Cassie played with the heart on her necklace again.
‘Cass, you’re the furthest thing from an interrogator. You’re asking him light-hearted questions. Ask if he has any pets! He can hardly accuse you of being nosy. And make sure you say his name.’ I fixed up a flyaway lock of her hair.
‘Do I get to hear any of this secret message?’ Scott asked, his blue eyes twinkling.
‘He so wants you to whisper in his ear!’ I said, struggling to keep my voice down in my excitement.
‘Aurora!’
‘I’m only joking,’ I reassured Cassie. ‘But say his name a lot. Not so much that it seems odd, but more than usual. It creates a feeling of intimacy.’
There was a roar from the stage. ‘Aurora!’
‘Eek! It’s Mr Peterman! Coming!’ I called as I raced back onto the stage. ‘Sorry, Mr Peterman. There was an urgent matter that required my attention backstage.’
‘The only urgent matter is the scene we’ve been trying to rehearse without our female lead,’ Mr Peterman replied. ‘With three weeks till opening night, there’s no time for fraternising.’
‘I assure you, Mr Peterman, it was a matter of critical importance.’
Cassie and Scott’s romance was at stake!
Mr Peterman sighed. ‘Let’s just start the scene. Beginning of the play, everyone.’
I took my place onstage with Claire Linden, who was playing Hero, and David Murray, who was Leonato. Claire gave me a shy smile. David was studying his script intently.
‘So, Leonato, Hero and Beatrice are all sitting in the orchard when a messenger comes to tell them that the prince and his friends are on their way,’ Mr Peterman said. ‘David, please begin.’
‘I learn in this letter that Don Pedro of Aragon comes this night to Messina,’ David said, his head still buried in the script.
My mind drifted. How was I going to play matchmaker to two couples if I was onstage all the time? I was going to have to go through the script and mark all the places where I could sneak backstage.
‘Aurora?’ Mr Peterman was looking expectantly at me.
‘It’s your line.’
‘Alas, he gets nothing by that,’ I read. ‘In our last conflict four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man governed with one …’
It was rather odd that my role was centred upon insulting Hayden, aka Benedick. At least I would sound authentic.
‘Don Pedro is approached!’ cried the messenger.
‘Okay, I want Don Pedro, Benedick, Claudio, Don John and Balthasar onstage,’ Mr Peterman instructed.
Alex, Hayden, Benjamin, Sara and a guy I didn’t know stepped onto the stage.
‘Good Signior Leonato, you are come to meet your trouble: the fashion of the world is to avoid cost, and you encounter it.’ Alex swaggered over to Claire, every square inch of him covered in sports logos. ‘I think this is your daughter.’ He took Claire’s hand and placed a kiss on it, giving her a wink. Claire pulled her hand away, blushing.
Oh my god. Alex was putting the moves on Claire while Jelena was backstage. I glared at him. Jelena was going to kill me. She’d already warned me to keep an eye on Alex.
‘Mr Peterman, what kind of lighting am I going to get?’ Benjamin slicked back his heavily gelled hair. ‘I was thinking that this scene calls for a spotlight on Claudio. He’s seeing Hero for the first time.’
‘Benjamin, this is a first read-through,’ Mr Peterman replied. ‘But I can assure you that no scene is going to be bright enough that you’ll require those sunglasses.’ He pulled Benjamin’s Armani shades off his eyes.
‘My agent told me they give me a brooding feel,’ Benjamin said, taking the glasses back. ‘I think that Claudio should be brooding. I mean, he’s a young man who’s just returned from the war —’
‘Could I have sunglasses too, Mr Peterman?’ I asked. ‘Beatrice is a rebel. Plus, I think they would make me feel much more comfortable in front of an audience —’
‘Continue the scene!’ Mr Peterman instructed. ‘With no sunglasses on anyone!’
Benjamin smiled at me. ‘Bummer.’
I smiled back, and saw Hayden frowning. What was his deal?
‘How come you feel uncomfortable in front of an audience?’ Benjamin asked. Without his shades, I could see that his eyes were an unusual crystal blue.
‘It’s the first time I’ve been onstage,’ I explained.
‘I could coach you if you want,’ he said. ‘I’ve been doing this for years. My agent says I’m a natural.’
‘Actually, I’m the one who should be helping her with her lines,’ Hayden cut in. ‘As we’re the ones who have all the scenes together.’
‘Only because of a serious error in casting.’ Benjamin squared his shoulders.
Hayden ignored the comment. ‘Aurora, I’ll be happy to give you any extra help you need.’
I didn’t answer. Last time he’d offered to help, he’d given the NAD a false idea of our encounter in his yard. For whatever twisted reason.
‘And so will I.’ Benjamin leapt in front of Hayden. They glared at each other.
Great. Now I was involved in some triangle of thespian rivalry between Hayden and Benjamin.
‘Just read the line, Aurora.’ Mr Peterman was rubbing his head wearily.
I felt slightly guilty about overstressing him, so I looked down at my next line.
‘I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior Benedick: nobody marks you,’ I read scornfully, tossing in a sarcastic laugh.
‘What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?’ Hayden replied, his usual grin spreading over his face. Why did my insults never have any effect?
‘Alive and kicking!’ I replied, shaking a fist for good measure.
‘Aurora, stick to the script,’ Mr Peterman said.
‘But it is certain I am loved of all ladies,’ Hayden said, ‘only you excepted —’
‘Mr Peterman, would Benedick really have been desired by all the ladies or is it just an example of his overactive ego?’ I interrupted.
‘If he looked anything like Hayden, he’d have been desired alright!’ came a yell from a female cast member in the audience. A few whistles echoed her words.
‘Looks like your question has been answered,’ Hayden said, and gave the audience a grateful bow. ‘Thanks, ladies.’
I gritted my teeth. ‘Well, Beatrice is the one girl smart enough not to fall for this commitment-phobic egotist.’
‘Good character analysis, Aurora.’ Mr Peterman gave me a smile. ‘It will be very interesting to see how you play Beatrice giving way to her feelings for Benedick.’
If it was up to me, Beatrice wasn’t going to budge an inch.
I got a sudden flash of inspiration. ‘I was thinking, Mr Peterman, as the play’s set in the fifties, maybe Beatrice shouldn’t fall for Benedick. Benedick could fall for her, but she rejects him in favour of a career in publishing. I mean, she has such a way with words — four of Benedick’s wits running off? Brilliant!’
‘That’s so clever, Aurora!’ Sara broke in. ‘She’s rejecting the female domestic slavery that accompanies the institution of marriage!’ She looked ready to leap in the air with excitement.
‘Sara, Aurora, the Beatrice–Benedick subplot is the backbone of the play,’ Mr Peterman said. ‘I can’t just strip away half of Shakespeare’s script.’
Sara paced the stage thoughtfully. ‘You could if you were forward-thinking. After all, if the play is set in the fifties, then the sixties are just around the corner. Everything then was about rebellion. Beatrice could be a hippy —’
‘I don’t know about the tie-dye factor,’ I broke in.
‘You could wear denim flares and platforms,’ Sara suggested.
‘Oh my god! Platforms! She could be taller than Benedick! Which would dispel the weaker sex thing.’ I gave Sara a high five.
‘Hey, Mr Peterman, that means Claudio could wear the sunglasses as a whole Rebel Without a Cause look.’ Benjamin placed the sunglasses back over his eyes. ‘And we could get a Harley-Davidson —’
‘Hey, my old man has a Harley!’ Jeffrey Clark piped up. ‘And if it’s rebellion in the sixties, let’s use guns instead of swords for the fights.’
‘Mr Peterman, could I have a red spotlight on me?’ Benjamin asked. ‘I think that would be very symbolic. And red is one of my best colours.’
‘No spotlight!’ yelled Mr Peterman. His pale complexion was marred by the two red circles of frustration that had formed on his cheeks. ‘And no guns, sunglasses, Harley-Davidson or denim flares! I appreciate your suggestions, but I’ve already settled on the fifties. The early fifties.’
‘You’re just playing it safe,’ grumbled Sara.
Mr Peterman popped two headache pills. ‘Can we please get back to the scene?’
‘And I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart; for, truly, I love none.’ Hayden looked at Mr Peterman. ‘Why does he love none?’
‘Perhaps he’s hyperaware of the dangers involved in dating,’ I said, repeating what Hayden had said to me after my fateful date with Bradley Scott. I sent him a triumphant glance. ‘Rather wimpish, in my opinion.’
Hayden returned my gaze unflinchingly. ‘Maybe he’s waiting for The One.’
Whoa. What was with the serious tone? Perhaps Hayden was hypersensitive about his failure to find love. The failure probably caused by (as I’d told him at our non-audition) his love for himself being too much for any girlfriend to compete with.
‘And what about Beatrice?’ Hayden continued. ‘Why is she so anti-amore? Did something happen in the past to scar her?’
What was with his pointed look at me at the end of that sentence? I was all for love. Love with a carefully investigated, sure-fire Potential Prince.
Mr Peterman looked excited. ‘We’ve come to an important point here. Is there a history between Benedick and Beatrice? Were they once a couple, but one rejected the other? Is that what’s causing their antagonism? Or are their verbal battles disguising an intense attraction?’
‘Ooh,’ Jeffrey piped up. ‘An intense attraction, hey?’
I scowled. ‘Love is love and hate is hate. There’s no in-between.’
‘Well, Aurora, I think there may be in this case.’ Mr Peterman placed an arm around Hayden’s and my shoulders. ‘My view on this is that Benedick and Beatrice are crazy about each other, but to admit so would make them creatures ruled by their hearts, not their heads. Both characters pride themselves on their logic and good sense. They are, at heart, fighting against their own feelings.’
‘But it’s unstoppable,’ Hayden said, and smiled at me. ‘Because yet again, true love wins the day.’
‘Thanks, Hayden, blow the ending,’ I replied.
They ended up together? From what I’d read of the play so far, they had slightly softened towards each other, but I’d been hoping for Beatrice to come to her senses and run many, many leagues away from Benedick.
Hayden looked surprised. ‘You haven’t read it all yet?’
‘As I told you on Friday,’ I folded my arms, ‘I’ve been busy.’
‘Friday, hey?’ Jeffrey yelled. ‘What happened on Friday?’
Even from half a room away I could tell he was eagerly rubbing his hands together at the idea of gossip.
‘My lips are sealed.’ Hayden pretended to zip them.
‘You’re meant to say, “Nothing”, not “My lips are sealed”,’ I hissed at Hayden. Trust him to start insinuating again.
Sara looked hurt. ‘You didn’t tell me about Friday.’
‘Nothing happened on Friday!’ I yelled, stamping my foot in frustration.
‘A kiss from me is nothing?’ Hayden whispered in my ear. ‘Ma chérie, I’m hurt.’
‘Hurt? You blatantly staged the whole thing to embarrass me in front of my dad.’
‘What?’ Hayden looked at me wide-eyed and stepped forward. ‘Are you insane?’
Now he was questioning my mental stability? I pushed him away.
‘Don’t play innocent with me, Hayden. I don’t want to hear any more about it.’
‘This is excellent!’ Mr Peterman beamed. He grabbed us by the shoulders, bringing us back together. ‘I love the improvisation. Now, let’s try the scene again. Aurora, you should be looking at Benedick in triumph — but with a hint of attraction.’
‘Why attraction?’ I wailed.
Mr Peterman sighed. ‘Aurora, it’s a play. You’re pretending to be attracted to each other. Work on it overnight. Next line, please.’
Pretending to be attracted to Hayden? This was going to be the longest three weeks in history.
Hayden and I spoke our last two insults, and Mr Peterman ordered everyone off the stage except Benedick and Claudio. I ran gratefully into the wings.
‘You’re so lucky,’ whispered Sara as she followed me. ‘All those scenes with Hayden!’
I glared. ‘Lucky is not the word for it. His voice alone infuriates me, let alone the fact that I have to pretend to be in love with him. I can’t believe I’m going to spend the next three weeks having him insult me in class, in my backyard, during break, all under the guise of practising.’
‘Aurora, he’s not going to do that,’ Sara said. Alex joined the scene onstage and her smile turned to a scowl. ‘I still can’t believe that Jelena was so harsh before. I’m going to give her a piece of my mind.’
‘Sara, no!’
Mr Peterman was so wrong about not needing a backstage hostilities negotiator. Look at the tension already and this was only the first day of rehearsals!
‘Quiet back there!’ yelled Mr Peterman.
‘I’m going,’ Sara said, and started to walk off.
I grabbed her by the jacket. ‘You’re not going anywhere!’
‘Aurora, this is a new jacket!’ she cried. ‘Do you know how long I had to search for it? I had to call the national stockist’s line and —’
‘Ladies, please!’ Mr Peterman called.
‘Can’t you discuss fashion backstage?’ Hayden asked, peering at us with amusement from his spot onstage.
‘Can’t you fall off the side of the earth?’ I cried, yanking at Sara’s jacket. He’d pushed me too far.
‘Anything for you, my love, but, regrettably, our planet has been discovered to be round,’ he replied.
Before I could shoot off a retort, Cassie came round the corner, fighting back tears.
‘Cass!’ I cried. I let go of Sara’s jacket and she crashed to the floor.
‘What is going on back there?’ Mr Peterman strode towards us.
‘Scott has a girlfriend,’ Cassie whispered.
