Читать книгу Geek Drama - Holly Smale, Холли Смейл - Страница 14

here’s a small fresh-water animal called a hydra that lives in ponds, lakes and streams.

The hydra can be torn completely into pieces, and it’ll still be OK. The bits of it will, cell by cell, creep and crawl towards each other and reassemble, forming a hydra again.

There’s just one condition: some of the brain cells have to remain unharmed throughout. The secret to the hydra’s survival is keeping its head.

Sadly, I am not a hydra.

As soon as I stand on the stage, my brain disintegrates. I know Juliet’s speech by heart – sometimes I recite it in the bath, just for fun – but I’m desperately scanning the script clutched in my sweaty hands because now I can’t remember a single word.

Every time I look at Nat, I know I have to try as hard as I can to get a part in the play. Every time I think about performing in front of the entire school, I know I have to try as hard as I can not to.

And every time I look at Alexa, sitting two metres away with a smug smile, all I want to do is run behind a curtain or down a hole in the floorboards somewhere.

Plus there’s my innate lack of acting talent to contend with. I love Shakespeare, but I appreciate it academically. My artistic abilities are, as ever, non-existent.

So I just have to get this over with as fast as possible before I’m ripped apart.

Sugar cookies. Sugar cookies sugar cookies sugar c—

“O Romeo, Romeo!” I blurt nervously, clutching hard at my chest as if I’m having a small coronary. “Wherefore art thou … umm …” I hold the paper in front of my face. “Sorry, I’ve lost my place.”

“She speaks!” Toby says from the side of the room where he’s edged closer. “Oh, speak again, bright angel!”

The whole room starts sniggering again.

Alexa raises her eyebrows and her smile gets a little cattier.

“Err …” I briefly consider curling up into a ball and rolling off the stage, and then glance at Nat and decide against it. “Deny thy father and refuse thy name; Or, if thou wilt not …”

Alexa rolls her eyes and yawns elaborately.

“… I’ll no longer be a Montague. No, sorry, a Capulet. I’m a Capulet.”

“Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?”

“I think you should probably be quiet, Toby,” Miss Hammond says firmly. “Or you’ll be asked to leave the room.”

“But Harriet is the sun,” Toby objects.

“That’s as maybe, but I suggest you enjoy her silently.”

Toby pulls a pretend zip across his mouth and winks at me from the corner of the stage. I’m going to kill him when I get out of here, and not a single jury in the country will convict me, due to the reasonable circumstances.

I take a deep breath.

Keep your head, Harriet.

“T­i­s­b­u­t­t­h­y­n­a­m­e­t­h­a­t­i­s­m­y­e­n­e­m­y­t­h­o­u­a­r­t­t­h­y­s­e­l­f­t­h­o­u­g­h­n­o­t­a­M­o­n­t­a­g­u­e­w­h­a­t­s­M­o­n­t­a­g­u­e­i­t­i­s­n­o­r­h­a­n­d­n­o­r­f­o­o­t­n­o­r­a­r­m­n­o­r­f­a­c­e­n­o­r­a­n­y­o­t­h­e­r­p­a­r­t­b­e­l­o­n­g­i­n­g­t­o­a­m­a­n­o­b­e­s­o­m­e­o­t­h­e­r­n­a­m­e­w­h­a­t­s­i­n­a­n­a­m­e­t­h­a­t­w­h­i­c­h­w­e­c­a­l­l­a­r­o­s­e­b­y­a­n­y­o­t­h­e­r­n­a­m­e­w­o­u­l­d­s­m­e­l­l­a­s­s­w­e­e­t­s­o­r­o­m­e­o­w­o­u­l­d­w­e­r­e­h­e­n­o­t­r­o­m­e­o­c­a­l­l­e­d­r­e­t­a­i­n­t­h­a­t­d­e­a­r­p­e­r­f­e­c­t­i­o­n—”

“OK,” Mr Bott says, holding up his hand. “I think that will do. Thank you, Harriet. That was … illuminating.”

Alexa starts a slow, sarcastic clap.

“And that will do too, Alexa Roberts,” Mr Bott adds sharply.

“What, sir?” Alexa says innocently. “I was simply showing my enthusiasm for Harriet’s profound and inspiring performance.”

“I find that hard to believe,” my English teacher says fairly. “So let’s move on as fast as possible, shall we? Next.”