Play It Again by Laura Dower

the items were crossed off her prop and costume list now. Was she finally mastering this stage manager thing?
    Sunday afternoon Madison couldn’t wait to tell Dad about all the props. She went over to his place, but they didn’t do as much talking as she’d hoped. Madison might be sailing along with work on the show, but she had gotten way behind in her homework. Once Dad found that out, he sat her down in his dining room to finish. Dad couldn’t believe that Mr. Gibbons would load up his students up with homework during rehearsals for The Wiz.
    But he had.
    She spent two whole hours reading Diary of Anne Frank and writing a short essay at Dad’s dining room table.
    When Monday morning rolled around, Madison was still working on her diary assignment. She’d just about finished when Mom asked her to help load the car to bring the yellow brick road tiles and other props to school.
    “I’m sooooo stressed out!” Madison said as they motored over to Far Hills. Rushing in the mornings usually meant rushing all day long, too. She would be a little late to Mrs. Wing’s first-period computer class.
    Luckily Mom had written an excuse note. Mrs. Wing was cool about the whole thing. Mrs. Wing was usually cool about everything.
Mrs. Wing
    My English essay is DONE! I feel so happy being in technology class now. Not just because I get my work done so much faster than everyone else and can go into my own files like now, but because of my teacher. Being around Mrs. Wing just makes me feel smarter.
    Great news! Mrs. Wing told me at the start of class that she would help me make the programs for The Wiz. I told her I wanted to design the cover. It’ll be like making a collage, and I love making collages. I never know when I start, what words and pictures will end up together. Mrs. Wing couldn’t believe it when I told her I kept all my files on and off the computer. She says if I make a collage she’ll scan it and use it as the play program cover!
    I told Mrs. Wing she should open a guest account on funkyfotostudio.com and post pictures online for everyone to see after the show ends. She thought that was a “stellar” idea, but she thinks we need to have The Wiz page on the seventh-grade Web site.
    So many projects for me!
    When rehearsals end, I’ll be working more and more on the Web pages in my free time. Principal Bernard told Mrs. Wing he wants Far Hills to be tech connected. (That’s what he calls it, anyway.) So next semester we’ll be doing even more “cybrarian” work, like logging information and making homework databases.
    Mrs. Wing had on the most excellent scarf with orange polka dots today, and she doesn’t even know that’s my favorite color! Mom would say that’s good karma. She believes that
    “What are you writing?” Egg asked.
    Madison clicked off her monitor. He was giving her the evil eye.
    “Nothing,” Madison said. “Nothing … except an e-mail to Rose saying you think she’s HOT.”
    “You what?” Egg said.
    “Shhh!” Madison warned. She didn’t want to get in trouble. Luckily Mrs. Wing hadn’t heard or seen them. “Egg, I was kidding. Relax.”
    “Tell me what you wrote NOW,” Egg said. He gave Madison an Indian sunburn by grabbing her forearm with both hands and twisting….
    “Owwwwch,” Madison squeaked. She looked down at her now beet-red forearm. “That hurt.”
    The bell rang and Drew walked over to Madison and Egg.
    “Are you singing today, Tin Boy?” Drew asked.
    “Hey, quit the Tin Boy jokes,” Egg said. “I’m working on dance steps with Aimee, I think.”
    “How’s Aimee doing with all that?” Madison asked. “I haven’t really seen much of her choreography.”
    “She’s wicked bossy,” Egg huffed.
    “She is not,” Madison defended her.
    “All girls are bossy,” Egg shot back.
    “I’m going to tell your sister you said that.” Madison pinched him.
    “Like she would even care,” Egg said, rolling his eyes.
    The boys hustled out of the computer