Tony and Polly

It was the end of Act One. The girl wasn’t needed but the guy who played opposite was. I’d been so blown away by the girl playing Polly—what a name, Polly!—I hadn’t realized it was that bloke from the auditions. No surprise really. He was bound to get the Tony part. And he got to play opposite her. Lucky bastard.

Andrews obviously hadn’t called them onto the stage so they were mucking about at the back of the hall. I took my guitar and sat down near to where they were. It was no big deal, all the band separated out to tune their instruments. It sounds desperate, but I wanted to know what the score was between them. If I happened to overhear their conversation while I was tuning my guitar, so what?

What are you going to do with the rest of the weekend?

She didn’t answer him for a moment; it was like she was finishing off her lines in her head.

What do you mean, the rest of the weekend? There is no rest of it. I have to look after my brother tomorrow and finish my assignments, otherwise I’m in big trouble.

She’s not the only one!

Me too. It sucks, doesn’t it? I mean, you’d reckon they could cut us some slack for being involved in something for the school. But if I say anything to the parents they just tell me to drop out of rugby and that’s not going to happen.

Right, you big football he-man … Did you play rugby in Melbourne? I thought it was meant to be all AFL down there.

He’s new … and he plays rugby … 

I went to a private school. But I used to play AFL when I was a kid.

He’s an all-round sporting hero … 

Is it really different to here?

Heaps. I went to a coed school for the last three years. I really miss the girls not being around.

I bet you do!

No, I mean it. The whole atmosphere changes and the guys act less like morons.

And he was on himself.

You mean like the other day when we came over for rehearsals? It was like they’d never seen girls before. One idiot pointed and yelled out at us as we got off the bus. It was so embarrassing!

Yeah, well, blowing him a kiss wasn’t exactly showing him how much you hated it.

What was I meant to do, every guy in the yard was staring at us.

The Jock factor strikes again! Not only did he get the head of house bit wrong—she was definitely a junior, which meant she could only be an assistant head of house—he’d also managed to make us all look like idiots. Thank God I’d kept my back turned.

That’s what I mean—that wouldn’t happen in a coed school.

Well, at least you acknowledge who is the superior sex.

And she’s not exactly shy.

Hey, I didn’t say that, I just said it was a better atmosphere.

My parents would never let me go to a coed school.

Strict?

Worse than strict. Italian strict. I don’t get it, though—Mum went through it all with her parents and she used to tell me stories about how she had to sneak out all the time. It’s not that they don’t let me out, they’re just really big on clear boundaries and making sure I achieve my full potential.

Yeah? I’m the youngest, so my parents have lightened up. My brothers and sisters can’t believe the stuff they let me do. But the thing is I actually do work—well, harder than any of them ever did. Maybe I’m just dumber than they were. But there is no way I am ever going to do this again!

Do what?

The HSC. Nuh, I want out of school and into uni so I can get on with things, and if that means I’ve got to be a social nerd who sleeps with his books, I’ll live with it.

As soon as I saw you I knew you were a reject.

Assistant head of Green House was not only feisty, she was also not a very good liar. There was no way she thought rugby-playing Melbourne boy was anywhere near a reject.

So why get involved with the musical then?

He put on this fake voice.

’Cause I knew it was a way to get onto hot chicks in the area.

Shut up, you loser.

She launched into him with bad girl punches, laughing and flicking her hair.

It was settled. I wasn’t a major expert, but there was definite flirting on both sides. I could feel some of the bubbles on the Bubble Wrap begin to burst.

Can we have Polly and Tony back onstage, please?

They ignored Andrews and kept talking.

That means you two, onstage immediately!

Oh, us? Sorry, sir, we’re not used to the names.

Well, you had better get used to them.

It had been a long time since I was thankful for hearing Andrews’s voice, especially lately, but this was definitely one of those times.