Emergency Princess (Under Editing)

Chapter 1 | Just Royalty

Chapter 1| Just Royalty

"Cut!" yelled our drama teacher, Mr Thompson. "Cut, cut, cut, cut!"

My sister, Rose, stopped midsentence, casting a surprised glance in his direction.

"Rose, that was amazing, as usual," he complimented her, and I rolled my eyes as she gave a cute little curtsey in acknowledgement.

"Dexter, try to show a little more emotion; show that you are infatuated. You are dancing with the love of your life!" The teenage boy playing Prince Charming nodded.

"Extras, try not to get in their way." Was it my imagination, or was he glaring daggers at me as he said this? He narrowed his eyes in my direction again. Nope, not my imagination, he was definitely looking at me.

"Yes, sir," was muttered several times as we all shuffled back into position to restart the scene.

My partner winced as I trod on his foot yet again as we waltzed across the stage.

"Sorry," I whispered.

"Stop talking Emily!" yelled Mr Thompson, singling me out though so many other people had been chatting on stage. I blushed as my fellow actors and actresses snickered.

"Start again!" he yelled. People groaned and grumbled, and more than a few shot me hate filled glares as we restarted. This had to be the hundredth time we had gone over this scene, and Mr Thompson still wasn't satisfied. My watch told me it was getting to five o'clock, and had I had it my way, I'd be reclined on my couch, watching TV.

Unfortunately for me, my mum had signed Rose and me up for this year's production: Cinderella. Rose had been delighted, but I had written it off as a waste of time. And the director, Mr Thompson, had written me off as a complete failure in the theatre. I was sure he was out to get me; he always picked on me.

"Okay, that's it for today, let's wrap it up!"

I sighed in relief as I moved down from the stage, ready to bolt from this place of torture.

"Please wait behind Emily," he said. I gulped, my palms starting to sweat.

I stood still as everyone filed us, leaving Mr Thompson and I alone.

"So, Mr Thompson, you wanted to talk to me about something?" I asked.

"Yes. Emily, I feel it would be in the best interests of the play if you dropped out." He spoke bluntly, not even looking me in the face as he packed his papers into his file.

"Drop out?" I squeaked.

"Yes, dropped out. You are messing up, even as an extra. Seems your sister inherited all the talent in the family." He added the last remark under his breath, but I still heard it and it cut me to the core. My vision blurred as my eyes filled with tears, and my lips wobbled as I turned away.

"Of course Mr Thompson. I know where I'm not wanted. If you'll excuse me, I'm going home-where I'm appreciated." I turned and walked away without waiting for a response from him. 

Rose was waiting for me at the gates of the school.

"What did he want?" she asked.

"Oh...stuff," I mumbled vaguely, and she seemed to sense that I was upset, so she dropped the topic. It wasn't that I was upset about indirectly being kicked out, at least I had my afternoons back to myself. It was the fact that yet again, I'd been compared to my sister and I'd fallen short.

We walked together in silence, at least until Rose decided to sing the song that she'd just been taught.

Nobody truly