8 Ch8-The Play

Chapter 8 The Play For the next week, the second grade rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed the play. After school I went home and rehearsed my lines some more. I couldn't turn on the TV anyway, so it was good to have something to do. In school we rehearsed the whole play

from start to finish. It was fun torturing Andrea. "The only part we didn't rehearse was the kissing part. Mr. Hynde said we would save that for the real show on Friday night. Ryan and Michael couldn't believe that I was really going to kiss Andrea. I told them that Mr. Hynde said it wouldn't be so horrible if I pretended she was a dirt bike. "I wouldn't kiss a dirt bike," Ryan said. "Well, what would you kiss?" I asked. "I really like football," Ryan said. "I'd kiss a football." Ryan is weird. Finally the night of the big show

arrived. Everybody was dressed up in his or her costume. We peeked through the curtains in the multipurpose room and saw all the parents were there. I was ner- vous. Mr. Hynde told us everything was going to be fine. We were waiting for the curtain to open when Andrea pulled me aside. "A.J.," she said, "I want you to know that just because we have to kiss each other doesn't mean I like you." "I don't like you, either," I said. "Good," she said. "I'm glad we agree on something." "Kissing girls is gross," I told her. "Kissing boys is gross too," she said. "I

even went to Mr. Hynde and told him I didn't want to be in the play because I didn't want to kiss you." "So did I!" "He told me I should pretend that you're something I really like," Andrea said. "That's what he told me!" I said. "I'm going to pretend you're a dirt bike." "I'm going to pretend you're an ency- clopedia," Andrea said "Fine." So we did the play. I remembered all my lines, and locking Andrea in the dun- geon was fun. Everything was going great.

But the whole time, in the back of my mind, I was thinking that soon I would have to kiss Andrea. It was a horrible thought. We were a minute away from the big kissing part. The whole cast was up on the stage. Andrea was standing right next to me. I was really nervous. Michael leaned over and whispered in my ear. "Remember, she's a dirt bike," he said. Emily leaned over and whispered to Andrea. "Remember, he's an encyclope- dia," she said. And then, before I could catch my

breath, it was time. The big moment. The kiss. I leaned over toward Andrea. Andrea leaned over toward me. My heart was beating fast. I closed my eyes. Dirt bike. Dirt bike. Dirt bike. Dirt bike. I was trying really hard to pretend that Andrea was a dirt bike. And at that very moment, the most amazing thing in the