The Rapunzel Dilemma Read online

  Lily looked across at Phoebe and tried to imagine her as a fairy. Phoebe smiled encouragingly and said: ‘Are you not he?’

  Lily tried not to let the Dane’s words affect her but she’d never felt less like a knavish sprite. She fluttered her hands a little and said:

  ‘Thou speak’st aright:

  I am that merry wanderer of the night.

  I jest to –’

  ‘Enough!’ snapped the Dane, making a note on the page before her. ‘Charlotte, let’s see what you can make of the character. And none of that dreadful hand-flapping, please!’

  Crushed, Lily retreated to her seat and for the next hour kept her head down and wrote industriously in her notebook. She was relieved when, thirty minutes before the end of class, the Dane called on her again.

  ‘Lily, let’s hear you as Titania, and Phoebe, Charlotte, Gemma and Fatima, you will be the four fairies attending her. Max, you can play the part of Bottom.’ She held out the script, ‘Please read from, I’ll give thee fairies –’

  ‘– to attend on thee,’ finished Lily, smiling. ‘I don’t need the script, I’ve already learned all of Titania’s speeches.’ She stepped forward, feeling pleased at having pulled herself together. She was focused and ready to show the Dane just how good she could be – and without any stupid hand gestures.

  It took Lily a moment to absorb the unnatural silence and another to realise that the Dane was staring at her – and not in a good way. She felt a rush of adrenaline through her veins and tried to think of what she’d done wrong. Then she saw the script in the Dane’s hand, still held out to her. Blushing to the roots of her hair, Lily stepped forward and took it.

  Arathula Dane said curtly, ‘Titania’s lines are not the only lines in this scene, Lily. Nor are they the only important ones. As I am sure you cannot have memorised the entire play, I suggest you use the script like everybody else.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am,’ said Lily.

  Feeling utterly subdued, she took her place and proceeded to give a flat, wooden performance. After it was over, the Dane made some more notes and then said, ‘Thank you, Lily. I think perhaps you and Phoebe might change places. She will be Titania and you will play Peaseblossom.’

  Several people sniggered and the Dane quelled them with a look. She clapped her hands and said, ‘We will run through the scene again and this time I want each of you girls to wear a cloak.’ She indicated a pile of velvet cloaks on the chair beside her. ‘They should help you to imagine that you are magical beings – otherworldly creatures – light and ethereal. Begin.’

  They read for twenty more minutes but, although the Dane gave everyone else the chance to play several different roles, she left Lily as Peaseblossom for the rest of the class.

  By the time the bell rang, Lily felt sure there could not be one more way to say ‘Ready’, ‘Hail Mortal’ or ‘Peaseblossom’, which were her only lines in the play. She was sure that at least half the first years were gloating over her humiliation and, when the Dane instructed her to keep her Peaseblossom cloak so she’d have it for Monday’s class, Lily almost expected people to applaud.

  As they left the classroom, Arathula Dane handed each of them the piece of paper on which she’d written her critique. Lily did not even look at hers until she was safely alone in her room.

  CHAPTER 18

  It took Lily nearly half an hour to pluck up the courage to read the Dane’s notes and when she finally managed it she was glad she was alone.

  It wasn’t all bad, but it seemed to Lily as though there were far more criticisms than compliments, and by the time she’d finished reading it, her dream of impressing Arathula Dane was in tatters.

  Phrases such as ‘superficial’, ‘insular’, ‘overconfident’, ‘narrow focus’, ‘lacks empathy’ and ‘too ambitious’ burned themselves into Lily’s brain and, no matter how hard she tried to hold onto the positive things the Dane had written (‘enthusiastic’, ‘creative’, ‘improved diction’, ‘well-intentioned’), they just didn’t seem to echo in her mind like the rest.

  At the bottom of the sheet was a printed note: ‘The comments above are recommended daily reading.’

  Lily pulled open the drawer in her bedside table, shoved the paper as far back as it would go and slammed the drawer shut.

  A moment later she opened it again, pulled out her phone and dialled Angel’s number.

  ‘Hello.’

  ‘Angel, it’s me.’

  ‘Lily! I was just thinking about you. How’s it going? Has the Dane cast the play yet? Did you get Puck?’

  ‘She hasn’t cast it yet, but I’m not expecting a main role, Angel. The competition’s pretty fierce.’

  ‘I’m sure you’re in the running. What does Max say?’

  ‘We haven’t talked about it. The Dane just gave us our first set of notes so everyone’s kind of distracted.’

  ‘How were yours?’ asked Angel. ‘I’ll bet they were awesome.’

  Suddenly Lily wished she hadn’t rung. She didn’t want to talk about what the Dane had written. Not yet. She needed time to absorb her comments.

  ‘Lily? Are you okay?’

  ‘Sure. Yes. I’m good. The notes were fine. I wasn’t calling about that. I was calling to – to see when you and Nick were coming over. You promised we’d have a weekend together.’

  ‘Absolutely!’ Lily could hear the relief in Angel’s voice. ‘I should be free in a couple of weeks. I’ll talk to Nick and call you.’

  ‘Great. I’d better go. I’ve got rehearsal.’

  ‘Let’s talk tomorrow. I’ve got heaps to tell you –’

  ‘Definitely.’ Lily hung up just as footsteps sounded in the hall. Ten seconds later, when Charlotte and the others burst into the room, Lily was on her bed, fountain pen poised over her notepad.

  ‘Hey,’ said Charlotte.

  ‘Hi Lily,’ said Phoebe.

  ‘Did you read your notes?’ asked Gemma bluntly.

  ‘Hey,’ said Lily. ‘Yeah, I read them.’

  ‘And?’ said Gemma.

  ‘And they were okay. Interesting.’

  ‘You don’t have to tell us what was in them,’ said Charlotte, ‘but it’s only fair to tell you that we’ve all read each other’s.’

  Lily looked up in surprise. ‘Really?’ she said. ‘Why?’

  ‘It can be hard reading about what you’re doing wrong,’ said Phoebe.

  ‘And the Dane doesn’t pull any punches,’ said Gemma.

  ‘Sometimes it’s easier for other people to see past the criticisms and figure out what’s really being said,’ added Charlotte.

  ‘And after what happened to you in class today, we thought that maybe . . .’ Phoebe’s voice trailed away as Lily sat up, her eyes sparkling dangerously.

  ‘What do you mean?’ she demanded.

  Phoebe paled a little. ‘Only that . . . well, the Dane was pretty hard on you after you told her . . . after you said . . .’

  Lily interrupted. ‘You mean, after I told her I’d learned all of Titania’s lines!’

  ‘You have to admit, it was pretty sucky of you,’ said Gemma.

  ‘I didn’t mean it that way!’ cried Lily.

  ‘No need to get upset,’ said Charlotte. ‘Phoebe only thought that perhaps the Dane’s notes to you might have been harsher than for the rest of us, and –’

  ‘And I just wondered –’ interjected Phoebe. ‘I wondered if maybe you’d like me to read them and –’

  ‘No thanks,’ said Lily sharply. ‘I mean, I appreciate the offer and all, but it’s fine. I’m fine. The notes are –’

  ‘Fine,’ said Gemma. ‘Yeah, we get it. Come on, Phoebe. Let’s go eat.’

  They disappeared out the door and for a second Lily was tempted to call them back, but before she could move, Charlotte said coldly, ‘Phoebe was only trying to help, you know. You didn’t have to be so ungracious.’

  ‘I wasn’t!’ snapped Lily. ‘At least, I didn’t mean to be.’ She stood up and made for the door, intending
to go after Phoebe and apologise. ‘I just don’t like . . .’ She was going to say having my wounds made public when Charlotte interrupted.

  ‘You know, Lily, whenever you talk, all I hear is a lot of “I, I, I” – did anyone ever tell you that?’ She waited for a moment and, when Lily didn’t answer, Charlotte said, ‘I didn’t think so,’ turned on her heel and pulled the door hard behind her.

  Dinner was almost over by the time Lily made it down to the dining hall. Charlotte’s words were still ringing in her head and she’d made up her mind to find Phoebe and Gemma and apologise. She half-hoped Ronan might be there, too, so she could talk to him about painting Gemma.

  Disappointingly, their usual seats were empty, but Max was there and he waved when he saw her. She hurried over to his table.

  ‘Join me,’ he said, when she reached him.

  ‘Thanks, but I’m looking for Phoebe and the others. Have you seen them?’

  ‘They’ve gone upstairs with Liam and Fatima. Everyone’s in a stupid tizz over the Dane’s notes.’

  ‘Aren’t you?’ asked Lily, surprised by his apparent indifference.

  Max waved his spoon in the air. ‘Not really. They’re useful, of course, but it’s not worth getting uptight over them. After all, it’s only the end of second week; there’s plenty of time to improve.’

  ‘I guess,’ said Lily, rather struck by this new point of view.

  ‘Anyway, what do you want Phoebe and the others for? Are you planning another girls-only rehearsal?’ asked Max, a note of resentment in his voice.

  ‘No, I just wanted to ask Phoebe about seeing that play I told you about.’

  ‘You mean the Daniel Radcliffe?’

  ‘Uh huh, and I thought I’d ask Gemma and Charlotte if they wanted to go. And you too,’ she added as an afterthought. ‘I mean, if you want to.’

  ‘That’s what I like about you, Lily,’ said Max. ‘You’re thoughtful and generous.’

  Lily blushed. She didn’t like deceiving Max, but she didn’t want to confess how mean she’d been, either.

  Luckily Max was distracted by Darcy’s arrival and she took the opportunity to slip away to the locker room.

  She’d left the flyer for the play in her locker and she wanted to show it to Phoebe and the others. She couldn’t help hoping that if she invited them to see it and apologised at the same time, it would fix things. Thinking of buying tickets reminded her that Max still hadn’t paid her back. Not that she needed the money, but he had promised . . .

  She ran into the locker room, pulled out her key and stopped dead.

  Two days earlier she’d finally got around to decorating the outside of her locker and now someone had taped a note right across Ethan Hawke’s face. Lily stared at it, her heart thudding uncomfortably as she read the typewritten words:

  YOU’RE PATHETIC AND ARROGANT

  AND YOUR ACTING’S A JOKE.

  EVERYBODY KNOWS IT,

  SO WHY DON’T YOU LEAVE

  BEFORE THEY THROW YOU OUT!

  She tore the note down, crushed it into a ball and threw it into the back of her locker, then looked around to see if anyone else had had their lockers defaced in the same way. She wasn’t surprised to find that hers was the only one.

  She went slowly back up to her bedroom, where she was pleased to find Charlotte, Phoebe and Gemma gathered around Phoebe’s bed.

  ‘Hey,’ said Lily, ‘I’m glad you’re here –’

  Phoebe was looking at her with something almost like hate in her eyes. ‘How could you?’ she demanded, tears spilling down her cheeks. ‘How could you be so mean!’

  Lily felt her stomach knot. ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘Oh, don’t play the innocent,’ said Charlotte. ‘We all know you were mad at Phoebe for asking to read your notes.’

  ‘I wasn’t mad,’ said Lily, ‘I was just a bit upset about what happened in class today and I didn’t want anyone knowing what the Dane had written.’

  ‘You weren’t just upset,’ retorted Gemma. ‘You were angry because Phoebe did a much better job as Titania and totally showed you up and you couldn’t resist taking revenge!’ She stepped away from the bed and pointed to an obscene black stain that had spread across two of the intricately embroidered squares on Phoebe’s beautiful heirloom quilt.

  ‘We found this on Phoebe’s bed,’ said Gemma. She held out a gold-inlaid fountain pen. ‘Someone put it there deliberately – without the cap.’

  Lily stared at the pen in horror and gasped. ‘You can’t think . . .’

  ‘It’s yours, isn’t it?’ demanded Charlotte, snatching the pen from Gemma’s hand. ‘You’re the only person here with a Visconti fountain pen, right?’

  ‘Yes, but I didn’t leave it there! I wouldn’t –’

  ‘So I suppose someone sneaked up here, found your special pen and put it on Phoebe’s quilt. And – what? The cap magically fell off and that stain is just another terrible accident, like my clothes being trashed?’ said Gemma sarcastically.

  ‘We all went down to dinner and left you here,’ said Phoebe, a tear rolling down her cheek. ‘You’re the only one who’s been here alone.’

  ‘But I didn’t do it!’ cried Lily. ‘Phoebe, you know I’d never – I like you!’

  ‘And I was beginning to like you,’ countered Phoebe. ‘But after this, I can’t.’ Her soft grey eyes looked into Lily’s blue ones. ‘You’re mean, Lily, and spoilt. It’s not my fault the Dane cast you as Peaseblossom. You didn’t have to pay me out.’

  ‘I didn’t,’ cried Lily. ‘Someone’s paying me out too –’

  Gemma snorted. ‘Oh, poor, rich Lily de Tourney. Are people being mean to you? Maybe you should run home to Daddy and –’

  ‘That’s enough, Gem,’ said Phoebe quietly.

  ‘You’re lucky that Phoebe has talked me out of telling the Drake about this,’ said Charlotte coldly. ‘She’s a lot more forgiving than I am.’ She turned away. ‘Come on, girls,’ she said. She waved Phoebe and Gemma into the hall ahead of her. In the doorway she stopped and looked back at Lily.

  ‘I didn’t do it,’ said Lily stonily.

  Charlotte gazed at her. ‘You want to be careful, Lily. Either you’re your own worst enemy or somebody else is.’

  After they’d gone Lily sat on her bed, stared at the horrible ink stain, and thought about what Charlotte had said. She knew she hadn’t left her pen on Phoebe’s quilt. Which meant that someone else had.

  But who?

  And why? Why would someone want to hurt Phoebe like that? As far as Lily could see, everyone liked Phoebe.

  Could it be Gemma? Except that Gemma had had her own stuff trashed, so that made no sense. ‘Unless she did it herself,’ mused Lily aloud. Maybe Gemma wanted sympathy. Only that didn’t explain why she would ruin Phoebe’s quilt or leave nasty notes on Lily’s locker.

  So far, Lily, Phoebe and Gemma had been targeted. Which meant that the most likely culprit was Charlotte.

  Lily felt a sudden surge of anger. Was Charlotte trying to set the three of them against each other? Or simply damage their confidence? Were these spiteful acts all part of some plan to help her win the Thorngold Trophy? Lily stared across the room to where Charlotte’s Charlie Bear sat smugly on her satin pillow. Was Charlotte’s queen act just that – an act?

  Lily didn’t know, and the trouble with being at drama school was that everyone knew how to perform.

  CHAPTER 19

  Lily really felt the loss of Phoebe’s friendship.

  None of her roommates spoke to her at bedtime and Lily spent ages in the bathroom, so she wouldn’t have to deal with their anger before lights out.

  She spent most of Saturday in one of the practice rooms memorising as much of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as she could. It was lonely work and hard to concentrate because she kept thinking about Phoebe and the ink stain and wondering whether Charlotte could have left Lily’s pen on her quilt.

  She wished she had someone to rehearse with, but Max was out with D
arcy and even if she’d been brave enough to ask Ronan, he’d gone out of town for the day. As she turned to Act II and recited, ‘The king doth keep his revels here tonight,’ Lily couldn’t help wondering where Ronan had gone and who he was with. Probably friends, or maybe a girl . . . Lily pushed the thought from her mind and reached for her phone.

  ‘Hey, Angel,’ she said when her friend picked up.

  ‘Hey Lily. I was just about to ring you. How are things?’

  For a moment Lily was tempted to tell Angel the truth – about everything. But she opened her mouth and said, ‘Fine. Everything’s great. You?’

  ‘Pretty good. Monsieur Vidal’s still a perfectionist and I never feel I’m good enough, but I’m learning loads so it’s okay.’

  ‘How’s Grandmama?’

  ‘As masterful as ever. You know what she’s like. Wishing she heard from you a bit more, I think.’

  ‘I called her three days ago,’ protested Lily.

  Angel laughed. ‘Well, unless you want her on your doorstep, I’d call her again.’

  ‘Sure,’ said Lily. She changed the subject. ‘How’s Nick? I haven’t heard from him for a while. I hope you two are still a couple,’ she added provocatively.

  As expected, Angel practically exploded down the phone. ‘Of course we are!’ she cried. ‘We text and email and talk all the time, and Nick’s coming to Paris next weekend, which means I can’t come to London till the weekend after.’

  ‘Boyfriend before best friend, is that it?’ teased Lily, but she didn’t really mind. It felt good to laugh with someone. They talked for nearly an hour and, by the time she got off the phone, Lily felt better.

  Okay, so she still hadn’t told Angel about her one-term trial, or the horrible note or Phoebe’s quilt, or the fact that she was practically friendless. She might’ve told her about Ronan, only so far there was nothing to tell. Besides, not confiding in Angel about Ronan somehow made it easier to stay silent about the impossible choice her dad had made Lily promise not to mention. She sighed. Maybe when things weren’t so difficult she’d be able to tell Angel all about the Academy. The weekend after next, when she and Nick came over, that’d be the time. Things were bound to be better by then.