Kevin and his classmates were sitting in a circle on the floor of the drama studio, all wearing socks without shoes and looking at Mr Fearnhead, who was allowing himself to sit on a chair and poring over a piece of paper.

'I've worked this out very, very carefully,' he said. 'I've organised you into groups, and no one can change. Understood?'

They all looked at him blankly.

'Good,' said Mr Fearnhead. 'Lucy, Michael, Kevin, Jandro and Ella, you'll be delighted to know that I've put you five together, and your play is Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge. One of you come and take your copy of the play and synopsis, then find a space and start working on it.'

Lucy stood up and went to Mr Fearnhead, while the other four mooched off into a corner by the retractable benches that were currently pushed into the wall. Lucy joined them as Mr Fearnhead was saying, 'Catherine, Stephanie, Jack and Mark, you'll be doing Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie...'

'So what are we supposed to do?' asked Michael, as Lucy handed him his copy of the play.

'Weren't you listening?' asked Lucy.

'Kind of,' said Michael.

'We have to condense this whole thing into ten minutes,' said Kevin, 'and then perform it to the rest of the group.'

'What,' said Michael, 'today?'

'No,' said Kevin. 'It has to be ready for the last drama class in a few weeks.'

'This is way too much to ask,' said Ella, scowling at the sheaf of papers in her hands. 'It seems like a lot of work to study this whole play, and figure out how to cut it down to ten minutes, and perform it!'

'Especially since there's way more than five characters in it,' said Jandro, flicking through his copy.

'Well,' said Kevin, 'maybe you only need five for the ten-minute version. Let's read through the synopsis first.' He rifled through his pieces of paper, found the one he wanted and began to read aloud. 'New York. Eddie and Beatrice Carbone are raising their orphaned niece Catherine, for whom Eddie harbours a growing passion as she approaches her eighteenth birthday. He discourages her from taking a job and expresses dislike for the way she dresses, and the interest she takes in men. The family houses Beatrice's cousins, two illegal immigrants named Marco and Rodolpho. Marco intends to return to Italy where he has a wife and children, while Catherine and Rodolpho enter a passionate relationship and decide to marry. Eddie tries to prove that Rodolpho is gay and marrying Catherine for citizenship, but cannot persuade the law to intervene. He then calls immigration services and Marco and Rodolpho are arrested. They are later released. Rodolpho is allowed to stay in the USA and marry Catherine but Marco must return home to Italy. Marco confronts Eddie with a knife, and Eddie is killed in the ensuing scuffle.'

'Then what happened?' asked Michael.

'That's it,' said Kevin.

'But what happens to Marco in the end?' Michael persisted. 'Does he go home or go down for murder or what?'

'I don't know,' said Kevin.

'It doesn't matter,' said Lucy. 'Let's just get organised. There may be more than five characters in the play, but it seems like only five are important enough to make it into the synopsis.'

'It looks like this cop dude is kind of important,' said Jandro, who was still flicking through the full version of the play. 'Maybe someone can double up as him. Or her. He'd... she'd probably have to have scenes with all the male characters, so it would have to be one of you girls.'

'That's a great idea,' said Ella, 'giving a role like that to a woman. It'd be like Alien. Did you know the part of Ripley was originally written for a man? And then they cast Sigourney Weaver, and that's the only way male writers can come up with genuinely strong female characters.'

'What's all this about trying to prove Rodolpho is gay?' asked Kevin, flicking through his own copy of the play. 'What is this play trying to say about homosexuality in New York in... whatever time period this is?'

'Let's cast the parts first,' said Lucy. 'Kevin and Jandro, you can be the two brothers.'

'Makes sense,' said Michael. 'They look more like brothers than you girls look like aunt and niece... but I don't know if they exactly look Italian.'

Lucy frowned slightly. 'That doesn't matter, Michael – it's just representative. I mean, from what I know about The Glass Menagerie, Catherine and Stephanie are going to have to play a mother and daughter, and one of those stupid guys has to be their son-slash-brother.'

'In that case,' said Michael, 'Jandro and Kev don't have to play the brothers.'

'Do you want to play one?' asked Lucy.

'No,' said Michael. 'I'll be Eddie if you want.'

'Then I'll be Eddie's wife,' said Ella, linking her arm through his.

'Great,' said Lucy. 'So I must be Catherine. That's all fixed, then.'

'No it's not,' said Jandro. 'Me and Kev don't know which of the brothers we're playing.'

'Oh, right,' said Lucy. 'Hold on – let's see if this thing describes the characters. Maybe one of them is buff and one of them is wiry or something.'

'I bet they're not,' said Michael.

'Right,' said Jandro, who was still looking at his copy of the play, and now his cheeks were turning red. 'I, um... I think I should be Marco.'

'No,' said Lucy, also looking at her script, 'Kevin should be Marco.'

'Why?' asked Kevin.

'Because he's supposed to be really strong,' said Lucy, 'and you look like the Incredible Hulk, Kev!'

'Oh, I do not!' Kevin tittered.

'See,' said Lucy, 'I've found this scene where Marco indirectly threatens Eddie by challenging him to hold a chair steady above his head by one leg, and he can't do it, and then Marco does it himself.'

'We'll have to leave that part out,' said Kevin. 'I can't do that!'

'I think we should put it in,' said Lucy. 'It'd really put across what we're trying to convey. We can probably find some kind of prop you could lift, Kev. Oh, and Jandro needs a blond wig.'

'Why does that matter?' asked Michael. 'You said it was just representative.'

'Well,' said Lucy, 'I guess we could do without, but there's a conversation about Rodolpho being blond that epitomises Catherine's interest in him.'

'Are you sure about all this, Luce?' asked Ella. 'I mean, you've only just flicked through it.'

'Yeah, I guess you're right,' said Lucy. 'Let's all read the play right now, mark the parts we think should go into our performance, finish tonight for homework, compare notes in homeroom tomorrow and... well, things will go on from there, really.'

After school, Jandro and Kevin began walking home together.

'So how much of the play did you manage to read in class?' asked Jandro.

'Not much,' said Kevin. 'I mean, we didn't have that long.'

'I guess not. I got to the end of Act One, though.'

Kevin looked at him. 'You don't sound very happy about that, dude.'

'Yeah, well, I'm still not too happy about playing Rodolpho. Do you think maybe we could persuade the others to let us switch?'

'Why?'

'Because Marco's wife is in another country for the whole play,' said Jandro. 'He doesn't have to... well, you know...'

'What – have a romance with Lucy's character?'

'Exactly. I just don't feel comfortable with that kind of thing.'

'Well,' said Kevin, 'what makes you think I do?'

'You already played her boyfriend in A Christmas Carol in seventh grade.'

'Yeah, but I felt uncomfortable about having to kiss her – so much that she changed the whole scene for me!'

'Well then,' said Jandro, 'you know how I feel. Anyway, Catherine and Rodolpho don't even just kiss – they have sex!'

Kevin grinned. 'What, onstage?'

'No, but they kiss and go off into a bedroom, and then they come out with their clothes half off.'

'Well, we don't have to have that in our version.'

'I bet we do,' said Jandro. 'I bet Lucy says it epitomises their relationship or something.'

'But it's not only up to Lucy,' said Kevin. 'This is supposed to be a team effort. But listen, dude, you should just do what I did with A Christmas Carol and tell her how you feel.'

'Yeah, maybe,' said Jandro. 'Anyway, here's where we separate.'

'See you tomorrow,' said Kevin.

'Yeah... bye.'

Jandro went mooching off down the street to the right, watched for a few moments by Kevin, who then carried on straight ahead. He soon reached his front door, opened it and went inside, where immediately the sound of a party blower filled the air and then streamers were thrown onto his head. He blinked in surprise, and found himself looking at Beth, Eduardo and Kylie.

'Oh,' said Kylie, 'it's only Kevin.'

'Sorry, honey,' said Beth. 'We thought you were your father.'

'You did?' said Kevin, frowning in confusion as he brushed the streamers out of his hair.

'Don't you remember, Kev?' said Eduardo. 'He qualified as a detective today.'

'Oh yeah,' said Kevin, then grinned as he added, 'And you're here to celebrate! That's great!'

'Well,' said Eduardo, 'it's better to keep the peace.'

'We even brought him a present,' said Kylie, and from behind her back she produced a dark blue coffee mug bearing the emblem of a gold NYPD detective shield.

'Hey, that's pretty nice,' said Kevin. 'Too bad you didn't bring a blond wig.'

Eduardo and Kylie exchanged awkward glances, then Kylie said guardedly, 'Why would you think either of us had a blond wig?'

'I don't,' said Kevin. 'It's just that Lucy wants Jandro to wear one for our drama project.'

'Oh,' said Kylie. 'Well, in that case, I might have an old one you guys could borrow. I, er... went as Buffy for Halloween once. So it might be too feminine, I guess.'

'Oh, that's okay,' said Kevin. 'Michael's character thinks Jandro's character has girly hair. We could take a look, anyway, if you wouldn't mind lending it.'

'No problem,' said Kylie. 'I'll bring it over tomorrow on my way to work.'

'Thanks,' said Kevin. 'That's really nice of you.'

'What character are you playing, honey?' asked Beth.

'Jandro's brother,' said Kevin, 'who isn't blond, but he is supposed to lift a chair above his head by one leg without it wobbling.'

'Well,' said Kylie, 'I don't think I can help you there.'

'No one can,' said Kevin, as the door opened behind him. 'I don't think we'll really be able to include that part, even though Lucy wants to.'

'Why are you all standing around in the hallway?' asked Carl.

'Oh!' said Beth, and she blew her blower in his face, while Eduardo threw another handful of streamers and Kylie thrust the blue mug past Kevin's head and into Carl's hands.

'Congratulations, Carl,' she said. 'Here's a small token of Eduardo's and my esteem.'

'Oh,' said Carl, blinking in bewilderment at the mug. 'Well... thank you.'

'You can have some coffee in it right now, hon,' said Beth, taking his arm and dragging him towards the kitchen. 'I baked a cake too. Come on, all of you!'

Kylie scurried into the kitchen after them, while Eduardo hung back and said, 'You got time for cake, Kev? I feel like I hardly ever get to see you these days.'

'Well,' said Kevin, 'you're the one who moved out.'

'I can't argue with that,' said Eduardo. 'But you'll spend some time with me now I'm here, won't you?'

'Of course I will, but it can't go on all evening. Lucy wants me to finish reading this play tonight.'

'Lucy's very demanding all of a sudden.'

'I think she just wants to do well on this drama project. So do I, really.'

'Yeah?' said Eduardo. 'I never made much effort in drama – couldn't see the point.'

'Really?' said Kevin, with a grin. 'Are you sure it's not just because you don't like putting yourself out there?'

'Acting isn't putting yourself out there,' said Eduardo. 'It's hiding behind a fake persona.'

'That depends on how you look at it,' Kevin said meaningfully.

Eduardo raised his eyebrows. 'Something bothering you, Kev?'

'Not me,' said Kevin. 'Jandro.'

'Oh. Well, maybe he'll feel better when he's wearing the Buffy wig.'

When Lucy walked into homeroom the next morning, she saw that Michael and Kevin were laughing at Jandro as he paraded around their desks in a long blond wig. Ella walked in just behind her, tittered and said, 'What are those guys doing?'

'Just being stupid,' said Lucy. 'Come on.'

The two girls walked over to the three boys and gave them a look. Jandro took off the wig and sank into his seat, smiling sheepishly.

'Okay,' said Lucy, whipping out a large notepad, 'what's everybody done for the play?'

There was a silence. It lasted until Lucy began to look really peeved, at which point Kevin said, 'I found that wig for Jandro.'

'That's it?' said Lucy, looking round at her four friends. 'That's all any of you have done?'

'Sorry, Luce,' said Kevin. 'There was this family celebration going on last night, you see, and in the end I only had time to do one homework and that math assignment is due –'

'We all know when that math assignment is due,' said Lucy, frowning.

'Yeah,' said Michael, 'and I haven't done that either.'

'I spent last night doing it,' said Ella, 'and before that I had to watch my sister playing soccer.'

Lucy looked at Jandro. 'What's your excuse?'

'I read the play,' said Jandro. 'I just couldn't figure out... well, what should and shouldn't go in.'

'Well,' said Lucy, 'in that case, I think you all have to accept what I've done and not argue about anything you don't want to do!'

'Sounds fair,' said Michael.

'What if more than one of us think something's a bad idea?' asked Ella.

'Then we can take a vote,' said Lucy. 'Majority wins – no arguments. Agreed?'

'Agreed,' said everyone, and at last Lucy smiled as she set down her notebook on Kevin's desk.

'I've organised the whole story into five two-minute scenes,' she said. 'Scene one, the five main characters are introduced and we make it clear who has the hots for who and all the bad feeling and everything. Scene two, Eddie takes out his frustrations by making Rodolpho box with him, and then Marco threatens him with the chair lifting thing.'

'Objection!' said Kevin. 'I can't lift a chair above my head by one leg, Luce.'

'I'm sure you can,' said Lucy, 'if it's the right chair. It would only have to be a little one – it's just representative.'

'Well then, why can't we change it?' said Kevin. 'Make it something lighter... or maybe I could lift the chair over my head by the seat.'

'What's the good of that?' said Lucy. 'If it was a small enough chair, I could lift it over my head by the seat!'

'I thought we were supposed to take a vote if this happened,' said Ella.

'That was if more than one person objected,' said Michael. 'Does anyone else think Kev shouldn't have to lift the chair? I think it's a really cool idea.'

'Me too,' said Ella.

'The ayes have it, then,' said Lucy, triumphantly, as Kevin shot Jandro a dirty look. 'Okay, scene three, Rodolpho and Catherine talk and end up having sex. Scene four –'

'Wait a minute,' said Jandro. 'How's everyone gonna know we've... I mean, Rodolpho and Catherine have... well, you know...?'

'We can figure that out later,' said Lucy. 'Scene four, Eddie finds Rodolpho and Catherine and learns they're planning on marrying, and he tries to prove Rodolpho is gay. And in that part...' She took a deep breath, then finished in a rush, 'Eddie has to kiss Rodolpho.'

Michael started giggling. 'What?'

'Do you object, Michael?' Lucy asked pointedly.

'Um,' said Michael, still giggling. 'I don't know.'

Lucy looked at Jandro. 'Jandro?'

'I don't mind Michael kissing me for the play,' he said, 'as long as he doesn't use his tongue.'

'Don't worry,' said Michael. 'I won't.'

'I object,' said Ella.

'You do?' said Michael. 'Babe, it's only acting.'

'I know,' said Ella. 'I don't care about that. I'm objecting because my character's name hasn't been mentioned once.'

'Well,' said Lucy, 'you're in the opening scene – we can have you telling me not to walk around in my underwear in front of Michael and stuff, to establish those kinds of themes... and you're there at the end when your husband is dead, and you're kind of in the background when Kevin holds the chair above his head.'

'Lucy, I can't do that!' said Kevin.

'Kevin, it's happening!' said Lucy.

'Maybe Ella would rather play Catherine,' Jandro said brightly.

'I don't think that would work,' said Ella. 'Lucy looks sort of, well... less mature than me, doesn't she? So I can't be her niece. But look, am I going to be this cop character too?'

'Yes,' said Lucy. 'His – no – her name is Alfieri, and Michael's going to tell you about the kiss with Rodolpho to finish scene four. Scene five will be Eddie calling immigration, then Marco and Rodolpho coming back after a time skip, and the death of Eddie. Then we're done.'

Later that day, Kevin found Oscar in the library, peering at the spines of a row of books in the physics section.

'Hi, dude,' said Kevin.

'Hey,' said Oscar. 'Do you think any of these books will have anything on alternative fuels? I'm supposed to do this project on them.'

'I don't know,' said Kevin. 'I think most of the books in here are at least twenty years old, and no one was worrying about fuel back then.'

'This is so unfair,' said Oscar. 'Mrs Lloyd said we had to use books as well as the internet. That's just setting us up to fail! Hey, wait – didn't you do this project last year?'

'No,' said Kevin. 'I guess the science department only started caring about alternative fuels this year. Look, why don't we go to the computer section and start by using Google?'

'Yeah, okay,' said Oscar, and he went mooching off towards the computers with Kevin at his heels. 'So how's your morning been?'

'Not great,' said Kevin. 'My friends are pressuring me to lift a chair above my head by one leg without it wobbling.'

Oscar gave him a look as he sat down at one of the computers. 'Weird what kids are pressuring each other into these days.'

'It's a drama project,' said Kevin, taking his seat beside Oscar.

'I'm doing one of those as well,' said Oscar, as he typed 00venkmano into the computer, and then his password. 'It's real funny, actually. Danny lies down behind a screen, and I do this alien autopsy thing where I throw out all this stuff that I'm pretending to pull out of him.'

'Sounds like fun,' said Kevin. 'But it seems when you get to the end of junior high, you're supposed to take your drama project seriously.'

'Is that all that's worrying you – lifting up this chair?'

'Yeah... I think so. I don't seem to have much else to do, apart from kill Michael in a struggle at the end, but I can do that.'

'You can lift a chair above your head as well, dude,' said Oscar. 'I know you can.'

'Well,' said Kevin, 'I guess if I can't do it, and I show the others that I can't, we'll have to take it out.'

'But you can do it!' said Oscar. 'I mean, maybe not like a big heavy dining chair or something...'

'Of course not!'

'But a little light one should be okay.'

'It's not just the weight of the chair,' said Kevin. 'It's holding it by one leg. It's going to be really hard to hold it so it won't topple over.'

'You can do that easily,' said Oscar, typing small light chair into Google. 'Look, you could use one of these light plastic folding chairs... or one of these little kids' chairs.'

'Look, man,' said Kevin, 'do you think you could hold one of those above your head by one leg without it wobbling?'

'No,' said Oscar, 'but I think you could.'

Kevin scowled. 'Why isn't anybody on my side here?'

'Because we all know you can do it, dude,' said Oscar.

Kevin was about to reply when suddenly a voice said behind him, 'Oscar, there you are! I've found the funniest thing for you to pull out of me in the autopsy!'

They both turned and saw Danny Hart standing behind them with a large stripy sausage-shaped object in his hand. Oscar burst out laughing.

'You guys are gonna get us kicked out,' said Kevin. 'Maybe you should calm down and work on your science project.'

'Oh, that,' said Danny, his face falling. 'Alternative fuel is actually really important – turning it into a school project just cheapens it.'

'Hey, Danny,' said Oscar, 'do you think Kevin could lift a chair above his head by one leg without it wobbling?'

Danny glanced at Kevin, and said, 'Yes.'

When school had finished, Jandro had to run to catch up with Kevin as he began walking home.

'What's with you, dude?' Jandro asked. 'Are you mad at me or something?'

'I don't know,' said Kevin. 'Maybe a little... but it sounds so petty!'

'What is it?' said Jandro. 'Come on, Kev – you can be honest with me about your feelings.'

'Well, it's just... I hoped you'd back me up about the chair thing. I don't think you really care either way, but you know I do, so you could've said something.'

'There was no point,' said Jandro. 'It had three votes.'

'You could have argued my case. Maybe somebody would've changed their mind.'

'But we all agreed to abide by the majority vote thing and not argue. I'm sorry, Kev... I didn't know you felt that strongly about it.'

'Oh, it's okay,' said Kevin. 'You're right – we did agree to go with the majority vote.'

'I'll help you figure out how to lift the chair,' said Jandro. 'I'll even buy you a special chair out of my allowance.'

Kevin smiled slightly. 'In exchange for me helping you not to have to kiss Lucy?'

'Well,' said Jandro, 'if you do happen to think of anything...'

'But you're okay with kissing Michael?'

'I'm not kissing Michael – Michael's kissing me. And yes, I'm fine with it, because... well, it's only acting. It doesn't mean anything.'

'Oh,' said Kevin, 'I see.'

'You do?' said Jandro.

'Yeah, I think I do. Look, there's one very obvious way of doing the scene the way you want, and that's to write it yourself.'

'But Arthur Miller's already written it.'

'No he hasn't – he only wrote the original. We're doing an adaptation. Look, if you write it and show it to Lucy next time we have drama, she'll just be happy that someone else has done some work on the damn thing.'

'Maybe not,' said Jandro. 'Maybe she won't like it.'

'Well,' said Kevin, 'let's cross that bridge if and when we come to it.'