CHAPTER 6: Rehearsals

Every day after school that week, we went to the Y to rehearse. We had dance rehearsals on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Before each one, Jessi showed us some basic stretching exercises. She explained that if we didn't stretch, we could pull a muscle while we're dancing, and that's really painful.

We had singing rehearsals on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, which also happen to be BSC meeting days. Even though the music we were doing was before our time, we were able to get used to it.

One day, we found out that some of us would get to sing lead on some of the songs we were doing. Of course, we had to audition for the parts we wanted. The part I auditioned for was the high part in "I'll Be There" by the Jackson 5. Just as I'd expected, some of the other girls, including Pamela, tried out. In fact, while Pamela was singing, she had a really smug look on her face, which clearly said, "You don't have a ghost of a prayer in getting this part. I'm going to bury each and every one of you."

At the end of rehearsal, Jason stood up in front of the group to get our attention. Right away, I knew what he was about to tell us.

"All right," he began. "Before I tell you who got which parts, I'd just like to say that you were all excellent. Mr. Drubek and I have given this a lot of thought, and here's what we've decided."

Did I call that or what?

"First of all, on 'ABC', Andrew Brewer and David Michael Thomas."

Well, both my brothers were glad to hear this, and there was cheering and high-fiving all around.

"When you've quite finished," Jason told them, sounding exactly like Mary Poppins. (Stacey McGill, one of Kristy's friends, once told me that was one of her favorite movies.) I could tell he was happy for them, too, but he really needed them to quiet down so he could finish. They pulled themselves together and sat down.

"Okay," he continued, "on 'I'll Be There', Karen Brewer and Rick Torres."

I was really psyched to hear this. Rick and I smiled at each other, and I also smiled at Jason. I was so happy that I didn't notice Pamela giving me the finger. Jealous, perhaps?

"And last, but not least, on the piano is a list of songs that will be performed as solos. Those of you who are interested are welcome to sign up."

Well, needless to say, there was a mad dash for the piano. The only ones who weren't among that dash were my brothers, Nick, Nancy, Rick, and I.

"Way to go, Karen!" Andrew said excitedly as he hugged me.

"You, too," I smiled. "You guys are going to do a great job."

"Thanks, Professor," David Michael said, giving me a Kristy arm-punch.

"Oh, Nancy and I talked to Jason and Mr. Drubek about singing a duet," Nick said.

"Cool," I said. "What are you singing?"

"'Don't Go Breakin' My Heart'," Nancy answered. "Mom once told me that was one of the songs they'd played at her Bat Mitzvah."

"And when Elton John guest-starred on The Muppet Show, he sang that with Miss Piggy," Nick added.

"I'll have to watch that one again," I told him.

"We have the whole series on DVD, and that one's always been one of my favorites."

I was really looking forward to when we'd get to perform.