Chatterbox: Inkwell

Amber Herself

A novel 

Chapter One: The Talent Show

Watkins Middle School was certainly big on their annual talent show. It had  barely been a month into the school year when they started having announcements about it in homeroom and posters advertising it in every hallway. But it was no surprise-- the school was full of talented kids encouraged to exercise their talents-- dancers, musicians, actors, artists, athletes-- practically everything you could think of. 

As soon as the results from the talent show auditions came back, Amber Davidson knew that, like last year, it would be practically the only thing her friends would talk about. She hadn't particularly minded it before, but the endless chatter about talent show acts could get kind of boring and repetitive. Everything, from the art display in the hallway to the refreshments at intermission, seemed to be worthy of unending scrutiny.

On the way to the cafeteria, Amber wondered how long it would take for her friends to start talking about the show. In the whirl between classes that morning she hadn't gotten a chance to talk to them, and she guessed they'd start talking as soon as they had sat down.

Amber plopped down at an empty table, and started fishing her lunch out of her backpack while scanning the crowded room for her friends. When she caught sight of them she called for them to come over above the deafening chatter. The four of them had stuck together since first grade.

"So are you guys doing anything for the talent show?" asked Olivia, even before she had sat down, even before Amber had scheduled.

"I'm going to be--" Corrie began.

"Playing an impossibly difficult piano piece perfectly," Rose finished for her.

"Rose! How did you know?" Corrie retorted, pretending to be indignant. But Amber could see she was smiling.

Amber thought she would describe Rose as looking angelically indignant. "Why, I know everything!"

They laughed.

"I'm entering some sketches in the intermission art display, of course. And I'm doing the skit with Thomas and Shahira," Olivia said excitedly.

"I didn't know you were into acting," said Rose. "Good for you!"

Olivia blushed. "Well, not exactly. Mainly I'll just be doing the props, costumes, and scenery."

"And I'm sure they'll be gorgeous," said Rose.

"Wait-- did you say Thomas Cordero?" asked Corrie. "Oh my gosh he is so cute!  I had such a crush on him last year!"

Olivia blushed again. "Same! But I'm pretty sure he likes Lisa more than me."

"Ugh, you mean Lisa Angler? Not to be mean or anything, but she's kind of a bummer."

"I know, right? Like, she's nice, but she never does anything."

"Um, let's get back on topic. What are you doing for the talent show, Amber?" asked Rose.

"Maybe I'll be an usher again," Amber said, looking at her sandwich. "I don't really like being on stage."

The truth was that she didn't know what she would do even if she wanted to be onstage. Amber liked to read and could do it pretty quickly, but she didn't think that would count as a talent-show talent.

Rose or Corrie could probably think of some way to incorporate reading into an act. They were smart kids and was pretty creative besides. Rose would have Amber do something like narrating a pantomime, or reading a short story out loud. Amber smiled inwardly when she realized she was doing her friend's thinking for her, but she thought Rose could probably think of something better-- Amber always stumbled over the words when she read anything out loud.

But her family would want her to participate in some way. Brooklyn, her older sister who was now a freshman, had baked treats for the intermission and sang songs with some of her friends. Drew, her older brother who was now a senior, had done different things different years-- a comedy act, being drummer for a student band, and a magic show.

"She's daydreaming again," said Olivia, not unkindly.

"Am-ber," Rose said in a sing-song voice, leaning over the table so that the tips of her hair brushed over her lunch and her face was right in front of Amber's. "Are you listening?"

"Now I am," said Amber, smiling sheepishly. She was always trying to pay attention, but her mind liked to wander. It helped if she took notes, but it would be really weird to do that during the lunch hour. What would the others think of her?

"Well," said Rose, "I was just saying that I got picked by the talent show committee to do the things between acts. You know, where someone does funny commentary or tells jokes or something? I asked if I could choose someone to do it with me, and they said I could. Would you?"

Rose seemed to be being honest, but Amber was not fooled. There was no reason Rose would want Amber to do anything onstage with her. Amber would be sure to mess up, and what could she be supposed to so in the first place, anyway? Rose was funny and smart and creative and a good actress. Amber thought she could probably make everybody in the talent show to-do lists pretty well, but nothing on stage. Come to think of it, why was Rose even asking her?

"Well?" Rose looked like she was wanting Amber to do it, almost pleading Amber to do it. But you could never tell what that girl was thinking behind her wide-frame glasses.

"No thanks, Rose."

"Amber, why not? It would be fun-- we could practice together. You wouldn't have to say much. And you wouldn't have to be an usher all by yourself."

So that's what it was all about. Rose was just doing this out of pity, wanting to give the girl destined to be a mere usher a chance and show the world for once and for all how kind Queen Rosie really was. "No!" It came out sharper than Amber had expected it to, than she had wanted it to. "I don't like going on stage. You should know that by now, Rose Wagner."

Corrie and Olivia exchanged worried glances. Rose flushed and looked at her lap. Amber flushed even more and looked at her lap. If only she could travel back in time a minute or so and give herself a good knock over the head! Amber never lost her temper.

"Well, if that's how you feel, then, I take back my offer," Rose said, a little coldly.

For the rest of the lunch, Rose seemed to say a little less than usual. As for Amber, she said nothing at all, pretty sure that Rose was going to be mad at her for the rest of her life.

After lunch, the girls separated. Amber walked in silence with Corrie to science while Rose and Olivia went to social studies in the opposite direction.

Amber didn't want to talk to Corrie. She was Rose's best friend, and probably hated Amber as well.

"You should have taken Rose up on her offer," Corrie said, a little timidly.

"Why?"Amber asked.

"She needs you."

Corrie went ahead to talk with some other friends, and Amber continued alone. Rose needing her? What a crazy idea!

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I'm starting to write my first real novel, and that was the first chapter. What do you think? Constructive criticism is welcome! I'll try to post the second chapter in the next few days.