Chapter O n e Candy Dreams Keely paused in front of the Candy Dreams school play sign-up sheet hanging outside of the music room She held a pencil in her hand but she wasn’t sure about auditioning Keeping a secret was about the only thing she knew about acting Did you forget your name or something Klaude asked waiting for his turn to sign up Of course a class clown like Klaude would want to be in the play He loved being on stage Keely rolled her eyes at him Keely’s new friend Queeneka grabbed the pencil from Keely’s hand She signed up and added Keely’s name under her own We’re going to have a blast in the play together I just know I’m going to get the part of Candy Princess You’ll get a good part too I think She muttered 7
the last part under her breath Klaude signed up next and wrote his name above Queeneka’s The lead part of the play will be Candy Prince not Candy Princess We’ll have to see about that Queeneka said She turned around so fast her long braids almost whipped a boy named Javier in the face He was next in line at the sign-up sheet When Queeneka didn’t say a thing to Javier before walking off Keely apologized for her Sorry Queeneka’s crazy about the play right now I don’t think she noticed you standing there No big deal Javier shrugged He had pink paint smeared on the side of his nose Javier was one of the best artists at Watson Elementary School He’d been painting the set for Candy Dreams His painting of cotton candy looked good enough for Keely to eat Keely watched as Javier held a pencil in his hand and paused for a moment just as she’d done a few minutes before Good thing Queeneka and Klaude already wrote their names on the list or they would’ve rushed him too 8
You want to be in the play Keely asked Not the best question but she was surprised since Javier was shy and seemed more interested in painting the set than being in the play That’s how she felt only she wasn’t good at art Keely didn’t know what she was good at Yeah I do want to be in the play even if it will be hard for me Javier said still staring at the sign-up sheet as if it were a huge mountain he was about to climb Then he wrote his name under Keely’s That solved it If Javier had it in him to try out for the school play Keely could give it a try too For the rest of the day the third graders at Watson buzzed about Candy Dreams It would be cool if I got a part in the play to make my dad proud He’s coming home soon from the Army and maybe he can be there a boy named Romy said My costume for the lead part is going to be amazing Queeneka said Who cares about the costume I’ll put on the best show Klaude danced around the 9
