Star of Silver Spires by Ann Bryant Page A

You could hear them all congratulating her as Miss York started to speak.
    â€œThank you, Chloe! It’s tough being first to perform and you made a great job of it. So now let’s have our second act…” Miss York peered into the auditorium. “I can’t see a thing, but can I have Danni Maloney and Sarah Shore next, please!”
    They were already approaching the stage and I knew them both, because they’re Year Sevens, though not from Hazeldean. Danni went to the piano and Sarah to the mike at the front of the stage. Mr. Ray zipped onto the stage from the front row, where he was sitting with Mam’zelle Clemence, and moved the stool out of the way because Sarah wanted to stand.
    â€œOur song was written by Danni,” she said, “and it’s called ‘Stick Together’.”
    Sarah’s voice was beautiful and she swayed as she sang, looking as though she was really getting into the music. I didn’t know how she could do that with so many people watching her.
    After Danni and Sarah, it was Eve’s turn. She walked quite briskly to the piano and adjusted the stool as she sat down. My heart started to thump as I craned my neck to see whether she was lowering it or raising it. I knew it was a silly thing to be worrying about, but the stool had been exactly the right height for me in the afternoon, and I didn’t want to have to adjust it before I played. It would just make me more nervous than ever with everyone watching. What if I turned the handles the wrong way and had to do it again, and everyone was fed up with waiting for me? Mr. Ray would probably jump up and start helping, and those Year Nine girls from the band might start sniggering.
    I’d got myself into such a state that my palms were sweating, so then I worried that my fingers might slide around on the keys and I’d play all the wrong notes and get booed off the stage. But next thing I knew everyone was clapping loudly, because Eve’s song had finished. I’d been in such a panic, I’d hardly heard any of it. The audience seemed to love it though. Loads of girls were whistling and whooping while Eve stood there bowing.
    Georgie squeezed my hand as the first band of the evening went down to the stage. “You’re better than Eve!” she said, grinning. Then she asked Naomi if she’d got a tissue, and a few seconds later I got one passed along to me from Katy. “There you go, Mamma Mia. To wipe away those nerves!”
    It was lovely that Georgie was looking after me so well and I wiped my hands hard.
    The band Demonstrate consisted of five girls – one on keyboards, one on drums, two guitarists and a singer. All of them had got crazy, frizzed-up hair and wore body glitter and funky bright, tight clothes. They looked amazing, and their song was so clever, with its different instruments blasting out loudly. Normally I would have loved it, but all I could do was shrink down into my seat and feel my throat getting tighter and tighter. There was no way I could sing after this. I’d sound ridiculous, like a little girl being allowed to recite a poem at a grown-ups’ party, especially as these were the girls who Mr. Ray sent out of the theatre when I was about to sing at the rehearsal.
    â€œYou’re just as good as Demonstrate, too,” said Georgie.
    I shivered. Now I knew for sure that she was only saying things to make me feel better, because there was no way I was anywhere near as good as the band. The main singer seemed to get more and more confident, throwing her voice out and really moving with the beat, just like a professional singer. Sometimes all five girls suddenly sang together, which was a brilliant effect, and as they got near the end of the song, it grew even louder and stronger and finally people started clapping in time with the music, until the crescendo hit one final note and the girl on drums whacked the cymbal with all her might.
    As the