The Royal Treatment Read Online Free Page A

Kylee is coming. She plays the clarinet. And, like, every instrument. And she’s really fun and cute.”
    Reed slipped the sign-up sheet under his arm. “Sorry, so is she your audition buddy? I don’t want to break a sacred circle here.”
    “No, I mean, save two seats—one for me, and one for Kylee. I’m going to go over this monologue for a minute.”
    “Cool.” Reed leaned against the door and pushed it open with his back. “Oh, and make sure you say your name right when you’re on the stage. Mrs. Olman said you might as well quit now if you can’t do that.”
    “Thanks for the added pressure.”
    “Any time.”
    The door slammed shut, the sound echoing through the theater lobby. Terrified —that word wasn’t big enough. If I psyched myself out any more, my heart was going to jump out of my chest and start quoting Shakespeare. I read through the monologues four or five times, deciding on the Helena part, then slipped into the theater.
    It took a moment for my eyes to adjust and find Reed in the back right corner.
    “Did I miss anything?” I asked.
    “They already started,” Reed whispered. “She’s doing it alphabetically. What’s your last name?”
    “Desi Bascomb?” Mrs. Olman’s voice rang out across the auditorium.
    “Uh, here?” I waved.
    “Yes, well, we’d like you there .” She pointed to the stage.
    So much for having some time to calm down. I hurried down the aisle, noticing Celeste sitting in the second row with my former crush, Hayden. Hayden stared at me blankly, which I didn’t take personally since I was beginning to realize that blank was his specialty.
    Celeste had undoubtedly wrangled Hayden into auditioning with her. If any eighth grader was going to get a part, it would be her—she’d always made the school and community plays in the past. No, I couldn’t let her get to me. Five minutes of quality. This was my chance.
    I avoided making eye contact, instead focusing my full attention on not tripping up the stairs. Once I’d conquered the steps, I paused and squinted at the crowd. The lights were too bright to see faces.
    I was supposed to say my name first, then walk to center stage. I opened my mouth and…
    My name.
    My…name?
    Um…
    Wait, don’t say um. Uh…
    “We’re ready when you are, Miss Bascomb.”
    Bascomb. That’s right. And my first name is…Desi! Huzzah!
    “My name is Desi Bascomb.” I projected my voice as I strode to center stage. Then…I froze again. Come on, I thought. I’ve had harder acting jobs than this. These are high school students, not royalty. I fanned myself with my sheet. If I got through without passing out or flooding the stage with sweat, I could probably make Tree Number Two.
    “I’m an eighth grader,” I continued. “My favorite color is teal and I like gummy bears.” I cleared my throat and looked down at my sheet, trying my best to ignore the fact that it was shaking. Or the fact that I’d had three Mountain Dews before this audition, and you can guess what I had to do. Or Dew.
    I raised my hand to my heart and stared straight into the spotlight. After clearing my throat, I dove into the monologue.
    “Call me fair? That fair again unsay.
    Demetrius loves your fair: O happy fair!”
    My voice came out squeaky, definitely not theatrical or Shakespearean. I wrapped my arms around my middle and looked away. I thought of the meaning behind the words. Helena liked the guy who was in love with her best friend. Here she was saying that she’d give anything to have Demetrius feel that love for her instead.
    I knew that ache. There’d been my stupid crush on Hayden, and then the whole Karl-Elsa thing, which could be a Shakespearean play all by itself. If only there was a guy out there who liked me as Just Desi. Someone who appreciated me in my own world.
    I stared back into the spotlight. My whole body throbbed with Helena’s angst. I tingled all over with emotion, almost to the point that I was Helena. It was the same