Chapter 1 - Mary Anne

I love the Baby-Sitters Club created by Ann M. Martin, so it's not mine.

I also do not own Annie. It's one of my favorite Broadway Musicals.

Music by: Charles Strouse

Lyrics by: Martin Charnin

Book by: Thomas Meehan

It was Monday night after dinnertime. I had just finished cleaning the kitchen with my stepsister, Dawn Schafer. I was outdoors on the front porch reading Gone with the Wind. I'm Miss Mary Anne Spier of Stoneybrook, Connecticut. I'm a happy thirteen-year-old who is an eighth grader at Stoneybrook Middle School.

Dawn is my best friend as well. Her mom, Sharon, grew up and went to high school with Dad. I'm not joking: they dated until they broke up-by Sharon's parents-and Sharon ended up moving to California. She went to college and got married there. She gave birth to a beautiful girl, Dawn, and a handsome son, Jeff.

In the meantime, Dad met Mom during college. Dad even proposed Mom on Valentine's Day at Stamford Fan Zone by her favorite band and song, The Promise by Rolling Stones. They danced to that dance on their wedding day. Dad grew up on Tyler Street and he & Mom moved on Bradford Court before they had me on September 22nd. I never met Mom though; she passed on six months later of leukemia at the age of twenty-four.

Dad was too upset to raise me on his own, so I was sent to Mom's parents in Iowa where they raised me until I was eighteen months old when Dad was able to take me back to raise me all by himself.

Sharon had just gotten a divorce when she moved back here with her children. They live in this neat farmhouse on Burnt Hill Road. Jeff wasn't happy here and moved back to California to be with his dad. Several months later, Sharon and Dad got married and we became a stepfamily. Dad, my cat; Tigger, and I live with Sharon & Dawn now after many years on Bradford Court. I've had Tigger since my thirteenth birthday. He was named after a character in Winnie the Pooh. He sleeps with me every night.

I also got an adopted brother, Carlos Peters, who goes to Stoneybrook Day School, which is across town. He had already lost his family when he was eight when we adopted him not long ago. His room was our old attic. He's excellent at playing basketball and joins their team. He wants to be a basketball player when he grows up. He'd be better than me since I'm terrible at sports. I take after my dad who is also horrible at sports.

I got two best friends, who live three houses down. Their names are Kayla and Kaylee Willis. They're twins and from New York City. They weren't home that evening. They went out for dinner. They both mentioned they were going to have supper at Stamford Fan Zone. Whenever we go there, it always reminds me of on how my parents got engaged.

I was still reading when Dad came out to join me. That when when I noticed him there.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I figured I'd come out to join you," replied Dad.

"I just love it when it's a beautiful night," I said.

"Me too, honey," said Dad.

We just talked for a bit. At eight-thirty, I get into my nightgown and went to bed at our school night bedtime hour: ten o'clock. Two hours later, my stomach started to hurt me as usual, but I felt better after I had TUMS.

The next day, at school, my other best friend, Kristy Thomas, came to me at lunchtime and said, "I heard we're having a play of Annie in a few months. There'll be auditions next week."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes. You'd be perfect for Annie. She's like you; she never knew her parents because they left her at the orphanage as a baby. She's been searching for them for a long time until she learned they've been dead all along," explained Kristy.

"Oh, I never seen Annie before. I've heard of it, just never saw it," I replied.

"Really?" asked Kristy.

"And I don't know if I wanna do it especially with people watching me," I continued.

"Would you still do it if we all audition together?" asked Kristy.

"I guess," I answered.

"Go for it," said Kayla and Kaylee at once.

My problem is that I'm very shy and get nervous. Plus I'd get stage freights. When I was younger, I did this ballet program at YMCA with Kristy and Claudia Kishi. I didn't want to do it. My stomach gets queasy when I get very nervous. On the day of the recital, I got sick and I ended up telling Dad I wanted to quit on that same day. He understood and he said I didn't have to do so.

"I'm sure if we're in it together, you'd be just fine," said Kristy using her comfort words.

"Well, I guess I could give it a try," I replied trusting Kristy's promise.

"Terrific, we'll get a script to help us practice for the parts at the auditions," said Kristy. "We can get it after school."

"Okay," I smiled.

I'm glad I can trust her. She, Claudia, and I grew up together.

"Who are you thinking of auditioning?" I asked.

"Any older orphans; Kate, July, Pepper, or Duffy. You'd be perfect to play Annie. Even if you didn't get the part, you'd still have fun," said Kristy.

"That's true," I agreed. "I think April played Annie when she started middle school."

"Oh, yeah, I remember that she did when she told you about it," said Kristy.

April Livingston and I were good friends from fourth grade in the same class. She moved to Maine right after we finished grade school and we were hurt because we liked each other a lot. We try to keep in touch often. I'm not sure if I still have her number. Maybe she'd tell me tips about auditions. I don't know what she had to do to audition for Annie.

After school, Kristy and I stopped at the school library for the scripts. Later, at home, I did my homework. Then I got out my phone book and couldn't find April's Portland, Maine phone number. I don't know if I threw it out by mistake that was on a loose paper. I looked under 'L' and there was no loose paper there.

I looked online and found it on there and wrote it and the phone book followed by her address. The last time we talked when I was still growing up on Bradford Court, I don't remember her giving me her Portland number. I don't know if she knew I live on Burnt Hill Road now.

At four, I dialed that number and her mother answered.

"Hello," said Mrs. Livingston.

"Hi, Mrs. Livingston, it's Mary Anne," I said.

"Oh, hello, dear. I haven't from you or seen you since you were growing up on Bradford Court for a long time," said her mother.

"I know. Is April home?" I asked.

"Sure. Hold on," said Mrs. Livingston.

That was when April came on excitedly.

"Hi, Mary Anne! It's so nice to hear from you in two years," said April.

"I know, how are you?" I asked.

"Not much," replied April.

"The reason why I'm calling you because Stoneybrook Middle School is going to have the auditions for Annie next week," I said.

"No kidding! That's so awesome," said April.

"And Kristy said I'd be perfect for Annie. The thing is I don't know anything about it; I never saw it before," I said.

"You'll love it, it's my favorite Broadway Musical," said April.

She told me the summary of it.

"When you auditioned for Annie, what did you had to do?" I asked.

"Annie parts just sing the end verse of Tomorrow," replied April. "When I found out I was playing Annie, I was thrilled."

"I remember you telling me what it was like, I just never seen it like I just mentioned," I said.

"I got two copies from that play if you want to send you one to see it," I told her.

"Sounds good; I'll have to give you both my new address and phone number. Dad recently got remarried and we moved on Burnt Hill Road," I said.

"Good for him," replied April.

That's what I did and the new number.

"Thanks," I smiled.

"Not a problem, if you have any questions about the play or the auditions, call me and I'll give you some tips," said April.

"Thanks. Kristy talked to me to do it even though I wasn't sure I would since I'm still shy. But she told me if we're all in it together, I'd be just fine," I explained.

"And she's right," said April.

"Maybe I'll call as soon as I found out about the cast," I said.

"Good idea. The video copy should be at your house this week. I'll see if my mom can mail it tomorrow," said April.

"Okay," I smiled.

"And good luck. Try to take a deep breath and I'm sure you'll make out just fine at the auditions. Are Kristy and Claudia doing the same?" asked April.

"Yes. They both decided to try-out for an older orphan while I'm trying out for Annie," I answered.

"Tell them I said good luck," said April.

"I will," I said.

After we talked for a bit longer, I kept the tips in my mind:

A) Take a Deep Breath

B) Practice

C) Eat a Good Meal

D) Have a Good Night Sleep

I warmed up my voice before practicing the song of Tomorrow after I found the lyrics. I did it three times and felt ready for it. At six, I started dinner while Dawn was setting the table.

"Who was that on the phone earlier?" asked Dawn.

"My old friend, April Livingston, whom I knew from grade school and moved to Portland, Maine before we started middle school," I replied as I explained everything what she told me.

"That's cool," said my stepsister.

"I know. She said if I need more tips about the auditions or the part, I can just call her up. She's sending me one of the two Annie video taped when she was in it," I continued.

"Perfect," said Dawn.

Fifteen minutes later, Dad and Sharon came home from work at the same time.

"You're home in time, dinner is served," I said putting the dinner on the table.

After dinner, I felt a pain coming from my back while clearing off the table.

"What else is new?" I asked.

"Are you okay?" asked Dawn.

"My back just started to hurt me," I replied.

"Go rest your back at the recliner," suggested Dawn. "I can finish the kitchen on my own."

"I can clear the table," I said.

I managed to do so. After that, my back pain was still at it, so I did go sit in the recliner. Dad must have noticed and came to me.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" asked Dad.

"My back is bugging me, that's all," I replied.

"Want an Aleve to make it go away?" asked Dad.

"That'd be great. Thanks," I smiled.

That's what he did. Later, I had a headache, so I took Aleve for that, too. Thank god my back pain was going away at the time.

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