Waiting for her cue, Richa overheard them. Personally she thought Sunaina didn?t have to act. She was just being herself as Titania ? vain, wilful and spiteful.

The chamchis clapped loudly as Sunaina delivered her next dialogue and she gave them an encouraging smile. But Niloo frowned. They were really getting on her nerves.

?It?s just too sickening,? she said later. ?They only clap for Sunaina. As if the rest of us can?t act!?

?Don?t worry, Niloo,? Richa reassured her. ?You?re doing a wonderful job. That funny expression of yours ? I almost burst out laughing on the stage. Just ignore those silly chamchis.?

But Niloo just couldn?t ignore them. She stuck out the next rehearsal as well as she could, then decided to take action.

?I can?t stand it any longer,? she told Richa. ?I?m going to complain to Mrs Puri.?

And complain she did ? immediately.

?Hmmh,? Mrs Puri nodded thoughtfully. ?I?m not too happy about those girls being there in the audience while you practise. But since nobody seemed to mind I didn?t say anything.?

So when Sunaina sailed in with her entourage the next day, she got a big shock.

?Only people acting in this play will remain, please,? Mrs Puri said crisply. ?No audience for the rehearsals. It disturbs everyone.?

The chamchis silently filed out, looking sulky. Sunaina?s face flamed with anger. She cast a venomous glance at Niloo, as though she could guess who was behind it.

?Thanks ma?am,? the other girls said, pleased. ?They were a nuisance. We don?t want an audience till we?re perfect.?

Sunaina went almost purple. But she controlled herself with an effort and pit on an ingratiating smile. ?I?m so sorry, ma?am,? she said. ?My silly friends insisted on coming and watching me act. As though I wanted an audience!?

This was their first rehearsal without using their book and it went perfectly. Now that they had memorised the lines for the parts they were playing, their delivery sounded more natural. Also, they could move about and gesture more freely. Richa felt that the fact that the chamchis were not there made a big difference too!

At the end of the rehearsal, Mrs Puri announced, ?Girls, I?m thinking of entering the play in the Inter-school Drama Competition. It?s shaping up so well, I feel you stand a good chance.?

?Terrific!? ?Great!? ?Fantastic!? was the enthusiastic response.

To be continued

Deepa Agarwal?s short story, The Tough Decision, first appeared in the children?s magazine Target, edited by Rosalind Wilson. It was later published in the short story collection, The Carpenter?s Apprentice, by Katha, a Delhi-based non-profit organisation and publishing house