The Thirteenth Year of Emily John-May

Alright, so I had to leave everything that happened to me behind and move on, because the play is this month! Well, actually, tomorrow to be exact. The actuality of being the lead in a school musical hasn't hit me until now. Huh, that's odd. Maybe because I have had so much going on! Oh my gosh, play rehearsals have been so stressful! I mean, Mrs. Morris is just freaking out! She thinks that we won't be ready, which that statement is subject to disagree. I am Belle, and I feel perfectly ready! As a matter of fact, all that I have been singing lately is these stupid musical songs, I even have solos! Who would have thought that me, Emily John, would have solos! And don't even get me started about my lines because they have been going through my mind constantly too. As a matter of fact, yesterday, me and Layla had gone out for pizza and she asked me a question and I replied with, "I didn't escape Papa, he let me go!" Then I realized how that sounded because everyone in the pizza parlor turned to look at me and Layla. She grabbed my wrist and we ran out of the parlor (and I didn't even get to finish my pizza!). I don't think they'll ever want us to go back there again. 
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I'm backstage, and someone's mother is putting the finishing touches on my makeup. Layla (who has the role of Mrs. Potts) comes waddling back to me and says, "Emily, there are a lot of people out there. You know, I admire you for being able to go out there and not be nervous at all!"
Ha! She isn't in my mind right now, because I keep thinking, what if Beast steps on my dress while dancing, and, are they using real fire in the scene where everyone chases after Beast?! Holy cow! What if the school burns down! Well, that last line apparently slipped out of my lips, and Bubba's mother looked at me. I forced a smile and leaned back in my chair, close to hyperventilating. I listened as the school filed in to the auditorium. Man, and I had always thought that we had a small school.
"Finished. You look gorgeous, if I do say so myself," said Bubba's mother. I looked in the mirror, and I did. I really did. If only Greg could see me right now...
"Um, is Mrs. Morris back here?" a voice that was all too familiar to me asked. I turn around and Greg is there, holding a clipboard and wearing a headset. He is looking around for Mrs. Morris. Holy cow, that's right! He is in charge of stage crew. 
"Why do you need her?" asks Bubba's mother.
"Well, the spotlight that goes on Belle isn't working. Oh, um, hey Emily. You look, wow. Really good," he manages to sputter out. 
I bite my lip.
"Thanks Greg, er, you do too?" I say, then turn bright red and turn around. Wow, talk about epic fail. Mrs. Morris comes walking in right at that moment. 
"Oh dear oh dear. I am in a predicament. Paul slipped on someones banana peel and he can't play the role of Beast. And, our understudy is in Montana. What am I going to do?!" she cried. I looked over at Layla, and she turned bright red, immediately swallowing the rest of her banana. 
"Does anyone else know the lines for Beast?!" she yells, and everyone freezes. 
"Mrs. Morris, I think I do," says Greg.
"Oh Greg, really?" Mrs. Morris asks, with a hint of hopefulness in her voice. 
"Yea, I was at all of the rehearsals and I pretty much memorized Paul's lines, and I wouldn't mind," Greg says.
"Greg, you are my lifesaver. Get Hailey in here, she is in charge of stage crew. Go find the costume labeled Beast 1 and put it on, then take a quick run through the script and get familiar, we are on in half an hour people!" she yells, then walks out of this wing of backstage. 
Thanks a lot Layla.
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Ten minutes. I really should go to Greg and try to practice lines with him, but I just can't bring myself to do so. My face is buried in my copy of the script. Holy cow, I am supposed to kiss Beast at the end. Layla comes and peeks over my shoulder.
"Man, you are in luck sister! You get to kiss your man!" she says, whispering the last part. 
I glance up at Greg and see him smiling at me. I bite my lip and turn away. 
"Layla, I am going to hurt you so badly when this is over," I say, glaring at her.
"Hey, sweetie, be happy that I am helping you. I could just laugh and roll my eyes at you," she says.
"Yea, I'd rather you do that then help me. This isn't help Layla!" I cry.
"Em, you are just stressed. I'm sure it will all work out in the end," she says, then pulls me into a hug.
"You are the best and most beautiful Belle that I have ever known, and your acting and singing will make the crowd stand on their chairs!" she says to me.
Mrs. Morris walks in and calls us all together for scene one. Layla squeezes my hand and smiles as I walk out, ready for anything.
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The play is almost over, and I've got to say, the audience is loving me! We are lining up for the last scene, it is after the crowd has come to bang down the doors. Surprisingly, they didn't use real fire! The stars are on my side tonight. But I spoke too soon.
Greg and I are dancing, and I just can't look him in the eyes. My stomach starts to churn as the rest of the cast gets their last lines out. I glance over Greg's shoulder and see Mrs. Morris on the side of the stage, smiling. Chip says his line, and then Greg cups my face with his hand. I take a deep breath. It will all be OK because he is supposed to kiss his thumb, not me. Ha. I watch as he leans in, closer, and closer. And then I feel his lips on mine. I hear Adam and Tyler cheering the loudest. He tightens his arm around my waist, then releases me. 
"Em, I'm so sorry, could you please forgive me?" he asks, still holding on to me.
"JERK!" I scream, smacking his face and running off the stage. As I open the side door which exits down to the basement, the first of my tears come, and I let them come, running down the stairs and leaving everyone else behind me, including Greg.
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I hope that you guys enjoyed this posting. I really liked writing it! The year is ending for Emily, she is 12 and three quarters, almost 13! Please keep reading and commenting and following, it will keep getting better!
Megan

The Thirteenth Year of Emily John-April

You know, that trip down to Florida turned out to be a total bust. Probably the worst fun time of my life. The Gators did win, obviously by a lot, but I still got hit in the head by a basketball (that was probably ten times the size of a normal one. You know, I'll bet the future elves probably came and replaced the normal basketball with a larger one because they knew I was going to get hit with one) and ended up with a concussion that the doctors thought they could fix with a bandage. So, I had to stay in Florida for longer, which wasn't all that bad. But when I came back, I had all this school work to make up and that wasn't fun. 

Oh, but I'll bet you are wondering what happened with Greg. Well, haha, funny you should ask. Apparently there was a Spanish project in Spanish class and we were all assigned a partner. So, Greg was assigned to be my partner by Senora Rodriguez (thank you!) and he called to see when I was coming back to school so we could get started on our project! Talk about rude?!?!?! Or maybe he called because he misses me.........

So, the Greg thing isn't going too well. But I am determined to tell him that I like him before school gets out, in three months. Can you believe that I only have three months to find a time to tell my best friend that, "Hey, I'm sorry I turned you down when you asked me out. I was a total jerk. But, I like you now and that's what counts, right? So, how about we go to see a movie together babe?" No, it doesn't work like that. My first problem is how am I going to tell Greg that I like him? How will I find the perfect moment? God, can you hear me? And second, how will I tell him? "Yo babe, I think you're hot" isn't going to work!

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So, I have been back in school for a while now, and everyone is pointing and laughing because apparently, ESPN decided to post the video on their website, and on YouTube. Yay-NOT! So, besides being laughed at, its been going good. Me and Layla have been going up to the library at lunch because Greg and Tom have taken over our lunch table. Gosh, will Greg ever give it up? Will he ever give me a chance to explain myself? Well, be careful what you wish for. 

I am standing at my locker, trying to figure out what else I will need for the rest of the day, when I feel someone bump into me. I turn around, and its Greg.

"Oh, well looky here," says Adam, probably one of the most obnoxious friends of Greg's. 
"What," chimes in Tyler, not to high on my "I like him" scale either. 
"It's little Miss Fall Down and come back up hoping her little boyfriend will be there for her," Adam says.
"That's not nice," I say, glaring at the three of them.
"Well, life's not nice sometimes, but we all learn to deal with it. Well, at least most of us." Tyler snickers. 
"Emily, aren't you going to say hi to your boyfriend?" asks Adam, pushing Greg towards me. 
"Guys, come on," Greg says, moving farther away from me. I roll my eyes and turn back to my locker. I give it a once over, then close it. I turn around to hear Tyler making kissey noises.
The boys laugh, and I try to push myself through them. But, some people have decided to be a little stubborn towards me. I look at my watch and realize I'm going to be late for drama class, which is getting very intense since the musical isn't too far away. But, no matter which way I go, Adam and Tyler are blocking me.
"Come on guys, let her through," says Greg, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. 
"Why, so she can go and run into your arms and cry and hope you'll make it all better?" asks Adam, and the boys start laughing.
I stomp my foot and say, "Please let me through," but that does it. 
Adam reaches out and knocks all my books down to the ground. As I bend to pick them up, Tyler kicks them all across the hall. And just guess what came flying out of my pencil case? Yep, a personal product. My face turns bright red as I grab it and shove it in the pocket of my jeans. When I turn around to grab the rest of my stuff, Adam is fingering through my assignments book, reading every single thing out loud.
"Well, whats this? I HEART GREG!!!! Sincerely, Emily John!" Adam says, fairly loudly too. 
Well, that was it. Everyone started cracking up, including Greg. The three of them walked away, still laughing and replaying the moment, without a single glance back. 
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Sorry its so short! The next few months will definitely be longer, I promise. Feedback, become a follower, tell your friends, spread the word about my blog!!!! Thanks, hope the sun comes soon!
Megan