Never Grow Up

is ‘Under the Sea,’ right? If you forget your moves, just swim around onstage.”
“Yeah.” Ashley nodded. “People will think that’s part of the show!”
Erin chuckled as well and rolled around the floor. “You could do this, like a sea urchin!”
Pretty soon they were all laughing. Then all of a sudden Brooke gasped. “You need a costume!”
Kari sat on the arm of the sofa. “Liza’s mom is making us green sequined tops.”
“I know!” Ashley jumped a few times. “Mermaid tails! That’s the perfect costume for ‘Under the Sea’!”
Brooke put her hands on her hips. “Ashley. Can you imagine dancing in a mermaid tail?”
“No one would know if they made a mistake.” Ashley grinned. Then she started to laugh. “I guess that wouldn’t work too good.”
“Too well.” Brooke sat back down and opened her book. “Grammar is important in middle school.”
“Yes, well.” Ashley dropped to the floor next to Erin. “I’m going to pass on middle school. Like Peter Pan.”
“I like that.” Kari loved her sisters. Never a dull moment. “Middle school does seem like a lot of learning.”
Brooke blew at a wisp of her hair. “You have no idea.”
“Ladies and gentlemen.” Luke came running down the stairs and into the living room.
Kari laughed. “Just ladies in here, Luke.”
“Fine.” He held his arms out to his sides. “Ladies and ladies… I present to you… Your dancing queens!” He flicked the lights off and pulled a flashlight from behind his back, which he aimed at Kari. “Doing their original performance of ‘Under the Sea’!”
“Luke, what are you doing?”
“Your group needs a name and an announcer.” He turned the lights on again and set the flashlight down. “I’d like to join your act!”
“Dancing Queens?” Kari nodded. “I like it. Dancing Queens under the sea!”
“Sounds famous.” Ashley looked at Luke. “When did you get so smart?”
“Mom said I was born that way.” Luke smiled big. “Actually, I have basketball practice that night, so I can’t do the show with you. But I really think you should be the Dancing Queens.”
With that, he ran off to the kitchen.
Liza and Mandy arrived then, and by dinnertime Kari was sure they had two things: a dance routine and a group name. But the Dancing Queens needed one more thing to pull off their audition.
Courage.
The next day after school Kari sat with Liza and Mandy in the auditorium watching the auditions. With every act that took the stage, Kari felt a little more nervous. Maybe they shouldn’t have signed up. They could’ve supported the other kids and just enjoyed the show. What if she tripped walking up there? What if she forgot the moves and fainted? What if—
Terrible possibilities did a different kind of dance in Kari’s brain.
Kari turned and saw Mom at the back of the auditorium. She waved and mouthed, You can do this! Kari’s nerves calmed down some. Having Mom here was a big help.
Miss Patty, the school’s music teacher, was in charge of the auditions. She held a clipboard in her hand and took lots of notes. Sometimes she sat, and other times she stood, or walked back and forth. A large pair of eyeglasses were perched on her head and she fidgeted with the string of beads that hung around her neck.
A boy named Mac was performing now. His act was called “Mac the Magician.” So far it wasn’t going so well. His face was red and he was trying another trick. “And out of thin air…” Mac tried to pull what looked like red flowers out of his sleeve. Only the flowers got caught and he yanked them too hard. Then with a loud ZZIPPP, his entire sleeve fell to the stage.
Mac stared at his sleeve. Then he gave Miss Patty a nervous smile. “No sleeve! And for my next trick…” He picked up a wand and a glass of water from his small table. He balanced the glass on the tip of his wand and held it straight in front of him.
The audience of people waiting to audition burst into applause. Which must’ve startled Mac, because at about the same time the water spilled toward him and soaked his T-shirt. He did a short laugh. He was still smiling.
Good for you, Kari wanted to tell him. Don’t give up, Mac!
Now he was trying to juggle oranges. Instead he sort of threw three oranges in the air and watched them crash to the floor. So instead of putting on an exciting magic show, Mac was drenched, with a missing sleeve, chasing oranges around the stage.
Kari thought that maybe he should’ve been a comedian.
Mac removed his top hat and took a bow. His routine was over.
“Well…” Miss Patty nodded a few times. “Maybe rethink some of these tricks, Mac. I would suggest no water glass. But good try.” She sighed and gave him a thumbs-up. “Next please.”
Mac collected his things and hurried offstage. Kari watched his friends high-five him and pat his back. Like he was the greatest magician of all time.
Relax, Kari told herself. Miss Patty is clearly an understanding judge.
Next came a perky girl named Darlene. She wore a bright red curly wig, a white dress and tap shoes. “Hello. I’m Darlene. I will perform a piece from the Broadway musical Annie.” She clicked her toes on the floor and did a little shuffle step. “The sun will come out, tomorrow… bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there’ll be sun!”
Darlene’s dance moves were impressive. Plus Kari liked the song. Although Darlene’s voice didn’t quite match the notes, Miss Patty seemed impressed. Darlene hit the last note and struck a pose, hands raised, nose in the air.
She was already a star!
“Great, Darlene.” Miss Patty clapped and then jotted something on her clipboard. “Thank you.”
The next act was the one right before Kari and the girls. A boy walked onstage with no props. No special shoes. No costume pieces. Just himself. He spoke with a monotone voice. Almost like he was half asleep. “Hi. I’m Tyson. And I am going to do some