Star Time Read Free

could see them!
    The meat man at Stop & Shop would give her a slice of bologna.
    “The Afternoon Center is putting on a play,” she told Mr. Sarsaparilla.
    “Enchanting,” he said.
    Sometimes Mr. Sarsaparilla didn’t talk regular English.
    “Not one singer in the whole thing,” she said. “It’s about a bunch of robots, and bad guys, and crying aliens.”

    “Unfortunate,” said Mr. Sarsaparilla.
    Gina pointed to herself. “We could use some opera in there.”
    Mr. Sarsaparilla yanked on his mustache again. “I don’t think—” he began.
    “And drums,” she said. “Lots of nice banging drums.”
    Mr. Sarsaparilla yanked harder. “But I’m the only one who plays the drums.”
    “Yes,” Gina said. “It’s lucky. Peter and Mitchell are my friends. They might give you a good part.”
    He looked up at the ceiling. “Teaching music is not easy,” he whispered.
    Gina smiled. She was so glad she’d thought of this. Mr. Sarsaparilla might never have been a star in his whole life.
    She skipped out of the music room. She sang, “You can do almost anything, tra-la.”
    She sang it under her breath.
    Everyone didn’t have to know about it just yet.

CHAPTER 5
STILL MONDAY
    G ina went to find Mitchell. She sang all the way down the hall.
    She’d have to do something about her hair.
    How could she be a star with straight-as-a-string hair? If only she hadn’t used up all of Destiny’s Curls Galore gel.
    She thought of Grandma Maroni’s loopy pearls. It made her sad.
    But Grandma Maroni said she didn’t mind. “I have a drawerful of look-like-real jewels,” she said.
    Gina threw open the gym door.
    “ROBOTS-AND-SPACESHIPS-OH-MY,” she sang.
    Beebe stopped hopping on one foot. She stared at Gina.

    Sumiko stopped swinging on the gym rope. She slid to the floor.
    Charlie was on top of the bleachers. He looked surprised. He probably thought she was a star singer.
    Destiny was in the corner. She was waving her arms around. She was talking to herself. But now she stopped. Her mouth was open.
    Gina nodded. Everyone in the gym was staring at her. It was her singing, of course.
    Too bad about today’s shirt. It had a teeny-but-you-could-still-see-it noodle soup spot.
    Peter was leaning against the back of a chair. He had a notepad in his hand.
    Mitchell was lying on the floor. His legs were wiggling around in the air. He looked like a skinny spider. “What next?” he was saying.

    Gina thought of Mr. Sarsaparilla again.
    You can do almost anything
.
    She sank down next to them.
    She peered at the notepad.
    Cross-outs all over the place.
    “Erasers are helpful,” she said in a Ms. Katz voice.
    She said it kindly.
    “It’s our sloppy copy,” Peter said. “We have to add another bad guy. My brother, Trevor, wants a part.”
    “That’s just what I wanted to talk to you about,” Gina said. “I’m here to help.”
    “No thanks,” Peter and Mitchell said together.
    They might turn out to be difficult boys
, Gina thought.
    “Madam Ballantine might want a girl writer, too,” she said.
    Mitchell frowned. “I didn’t hear her say that.”
    “Me neither,” said Peter.
    “Really?” Gina said. It was the perfect answer. Not a lie.
    Mitchell filled his mouth with air. He puffed out one cheek. Then he puffed out the other. “We can ask her tomorrow.”
    “Maybe we shouldn’t bother her,” Gina said.
    Clifton, Trevor’s best friend, slid up to them. “How come I’m not in this play?” he asked.
    Mitchell stopped puffing. “We’ll add another bad guy.”
    “I want to be a robot,” Clifton said.
    Mitchell sighed. “We have a zillion robots.”
    “One more won’t hurt,” Gina said.
    “All right,” Mitchell said.
    She sat back. She was getting nicer by the minute. And helpful!
    Clifton slid away.
    “You don’t have any opera stars,” Gina said.
    “This is a space story.” Mitchell began to puff again.
    Gina frowned. “I bet you don’t have one crashing drummer.”
    “You think there