Students & Learning
Concert Chaos By Daisy
The bus reared into action as it left Dolly’s School of Dance. The children on the bus were chatting excitedly together. Boys and girls of all sizes were walking up the aisle and finding seats. This particular bus was heading to a concert where the children would all be performing.
Once they got there everyone except the bus driver piled out the bus doors and lined up in front of the big, black open doors.
“Wow,” said a boy who was sure to be five or six years old who was gazing impressively up at the sign which read, Art and Performance Centre.
“It’s huge,” said the boy nudging a girl who had just appeared by his side, who said, “Ow, Jamie, that hurt.”
“Sorry,” he said.
Suddenly there came a booming voice saying, “Come on, come on, we don’t have all day”. It was Mr Brown.
“Go on,” said two more kids from behind them, “Or Mr Brown will knock everybody face first into the ground.” It was Mia and Jack smiling broadly.
Unlike Summer, Mia had flaming red hair which was usually tied up in a low pony-tail (and was today).
“Ok,” said Summer steering Jamie inside.
Once they were settled inside, Jamie whispered something to Summer, “I could be a great mischief maker in here,” he whispered.
“Jamie,” Summer gasped. She was looking rather concerned. “That would be wrong of you to set a bad example for the younger ones.” She gestured her hand in the direction of where the younger kids were playing.
“No, it wouldn’t be being toooo naughty,” said Jack appearing at Jamie’s side.
“I’m with Summer,” interrupted Mia, her hands placed firmly on her hips. They argued a while longer until finally a voice spoke from behind Mia and you could easily tell that, even without looking up it was…
A girl,
An adult,
And that she was concerned.
They all looked up and saw Miss Louise who was looking rather concerned as they had guessed and this is what she said, “If you can’t work together I will have to put one of you in each corner.” And with that she marched off to have a chat with Mr Brown.
Mia and Summer turned to face Jamie and Jack but they had vanished to the side of the stage.
“Augh,” groaned Mia, “They’ve gone.”
“Probably to go and plan their plan,” said Summer shaking her head and looking around the hall. It seemed that this was going to be a very long night.
A few minutes later they were both walking as fast as they could without getting into trouble. They stopped when they were on the opposite wing of the two boys. They could see them whispering behind the costume rack.
“I can’t hear what they’re saying,” said Mia who was trying so hard to hear she was almost on the stage.
“Neither can I,” replied Summer. “But I have a plan.” She and Mia crept to the other wing and almost got in trouble with Mr Brown.
“There,” whispered Summer pointing to the boys. They were still whispering and Mia caught something they were saying.
“I’ve got an idea,” she heard Jack say, “Let’s steal the costumes.”
“Augh,” gasped Summer, “Did you hear that?!” They stared at each other and ran back to the hall very shocked.
A few hours later Summer and Mia caught sight of Jack and Jamie and went over to see them.
“You are not going to take anything especially those costumes,” said both of the girls at the same time.
“Who told you that we had come up with an idea?” said Jack who looked rather surprised by this compliment.
“Nobody told us,” said Mia staring at him, “We heard you talking about it on the right wing of the stage.”
There was a gasp from Jack and he said, “You were spying on us from behind, that is not cool.”
Suddenly Miss Louise appeared at their side for the second time that day.
“You,” she said pointing at Jack, “That corner now.” She pointed to a corner of the hall.
“Augh,” groaned Summer, “Don’t tell me you’re separating us into corners of the hall.”
“In fact I am,” she said.
They were back together after their separation. Summer and Mia headed to where Jack and Jamie were talking yet again together.
“Hey, you two,” said Jamie beckoning them over, “Did you two hear about something?” he asked just before Mia started to speak too.
“I’m guessing you stole the costumes. Is that the truth?”
“No, it is not but you are close,” said Jack. Summer and Mia were looking confused.
“But…then what’s the news?” asked Summer.
“Well,” said Jamie, “The costumes are gone! But we didn’t take them, it’s just weird and odd.”
“Wait,” said Mia, “Is that the bus driver?”
“I think it is,” said Jack who was looking amazed. “Come on let’s go and follow him.”
They crept up behind the bus driver trying very hard not to look like they were up to no good.
They reached the costume rack and pulled it aside. There, standing behind the costume rack stood the bus driver. As soon as he had seen them he was seen to panic. No more was he planning to run for it.
“Caught in the act!” Jamie yelled, “You’ll get punished you know.” There was an awkward silence, then, just when Summer was about to get Miss Louise the bus driver spoke.
“Ppp-llease don’t tell anyone, I’ll lose me job. All I wanted was some brightness in me life,” he looked down at the costumes.
“Well...” said Jack, “You have to admit, I mean, those costumes are bright and colourful!” He looked at the others and they nodded.
“So I can?” said the bus driver starting to smile.
“Can what?” snapped Mia, her attention drawn on him. The colour on the bus driver’s face suddenly fell.
“I wanted to watch your concert,” he said. “If I could I would totally give these costumes back.” As he spoke his head did not lift up to look at them but stared back at the costumes.
“You can’t watch!” said Jamie, “You’re the bus driver.”
“But Jamie,” said Summer, “he said he would give all the costumes back.”
“But…but,” spluttered Jamie.
“Oh come off it, Jamie,” chuckled Jack, “You’ve been the one who was excited about the costumes the most!”
Jamie thought about this for a moment and then said, “I guess you’re right.”
“Yes,” said Mia.
“Hip, hip, hooray!” shouted the bus driver who had been listening in silence, and hope, for the last few minutes.
“But,” said Summer suddenly alerted as though she had been struck by an arrow, “All the people that are watching are already in their seats, we’ll have to sneak you, take off your bus uniform, we will get you some other clothes, what’s your name?”
“Oh, Anthony,” said the bus driver looking very excited. He handed back the tub of costumes, eager to watch the show.
“I’ll go and see Miss Louise just to check that we have a spare chair in the audience,” said Mia.
“Good thinking,” said Jack.
Mia arrived five minutes later, her red hair swinging in its ponytail.
“Good news,” she said, “We have a spare seat after all.”
“Good news, indeed,” said Jamie, “but we don’t have any spare clothes for Anthony and the show starts soon.”
The five of them thought deeply for a moment.
The Summer spoke, “Oh, no, I just remembered my dance is up first up.” She chewed her tongue in curiosity.
“That does interfere,” said Jack.
“Hang on a sec,” said Jamie, jumping to his feet. “I’m pretty I saw a clothes shop across from here, you know, Myer.”
“Great, we can go over and get some,” said Jack, “Come -.”
“Wait,” said Mia, “We can’t let Summer miss her dance, she worked on it all year!”
“It’s a simple problem to fix, Mia,” said Summer, “You need to go and save Anthony’s seat while Jack, Jamie and Anthony go over to Myer. That leaves me to go and get ready on the opposite winf to this one.”“That’s very complicated,” said Mia.
“No it’s not!” said Jamie.
“Well let’s go over to Myer then,” said Anthony as he hopped on the spot in his excitement.
“Welcome, welcome, welcome,” boomed Miss Louise’s voice through the microphone which echoed around the audience. “Let the show begin.” The curtains gave way so that the audience could see a well-trained group of kids. In the back row, second to the left was Summer. She was wearing a brown, wide brim hat, brown cow girl boots with yellow stars on them and in her right hand she was swinging a lasso around the top of her head.
For Jack and Jamie’s dance, since they were in the same class and in the same costumes it was hard to tell them apart. They were both wearing green shorts and blue sunglasses with a yellow top. They also both had a white wig and a Santa’s beard. Their group got a very loud cheer.
Last but not least was Mia’s group who was last to perform. Mia was front and centre for her class. She was wearing a sparkly orange dress with a matching head band which was tucked behind her ear. This outfit totally matched her hair which swished every move she did.
When then show finished everyone was sure that Anthony cheered the loudest and Summer, Mia, Jack and Jamie were happy that they could help him get what he wanted. It turned out that he gave them all five dollars for letting him watch.
Jamie looked out the bus window to Dolly’s School of Dance and whispered, “What a night!”