Copyright Published by Year 9 Nowra Anglican College, Nowra Anglican College, Corner of Princes Hwy and West Bunberra Street, Bomaderry NSW 2541. Clare Thomas, Mackenzie Lawrence, Sarah Whitehouse, Groove Brindley, Emma Moore, Emilie Grosse, Kate Sloane, Jai Waghela, Emily Munn, Sophia Parker. Copyright © 2018, Year 9 Nowra Anglican College. All rights reserved. This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries should be made to the publisher. Written by: Clare Thomas Mackenzie Lawrence Sarah Whitehouse Groove Brindley Emilie Grosse Emma Moore Jai Waghela Kate Sloane Illustrated by: Sophia Parker Emily Munn

Dedication

This book is dedicated to you, the reader. We wish you health and happiness.

Message To The Reader

We remind you to follow your dreams and your heart. Remember that you can do anything you wish if you never stop believing.

“Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough.” - Peter Pan

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained. And venture belongs to the adventure.” - Navjot Singh Sidhu (cricketer)

We hope you enjoy the story and are inspired to do what is right for you in life, whatever that may be.

Chapter 1 

Present Day  The sun glared down, disregarding the broad brim of my white cricket hat. Although barely in view, the clouds, as if out of a picture book, hung against the blue expanse of the sky. The sweet scent of freshly clipped grass filled my nostrils and I felt the blissfulness of my chest rise and fall with my breath. A sudden twinge in my hamstring pulled me out of my ethereal daze. I released an involuntary hiss as my hands and head snapped down to assess my leg. A cramp. Ouch. I knelt down and my eyeline raised to the stands before me. My stomach filled with butterflies as a sick nausea washed over me. I was there at the biggest cricket stadium in Melbourne, the MCG, ready to go for gold. The Australian All Schools Cricket Tournament - or AASCT - was the biggest and most popular Cricket competition in the country; for young people that is. Our team made it to the finals for the 4th year in a row; we had a great chance of winning and I knew I was a skilled player, so why did I feel so nervous? Why did I still have doubts? Because my heart was someplace else. The immense field was littered with kids from both teams; warming up, stretching and practising various skills. I merely stood watching. Almost frozen with my flurry of conflicting emotions. The drastic contrast between the crisp white of uniforms and the vivid green of turf blurred my vision and made my head spin. ‘Boys! Get over here. Team talk.’ Our PE teacher waved furiously, beckoning us to the sidelines. Mr Wilson; more commonly known as Damo. To me, it was Dad. ‘Now, boys. As you all know, last season we made it all the way to the final; but lost to Sydney. It will not happen again. I repeat: never again. Silver will not suffice, guys; we’re going for the top spot. We’ve gotta come home with a gold.’ Murmurs of agreement arose from around the loose

huddle. Dad surveyed our team, many of whom were already dripping with sweat in the heat of the summer sun. ‘Okay, boys. I’ll go grab the bats.’ His hand landed on my back with a thud before he trudged off the field. ‘Alright, guys. We down with the plan?’ Ben asked; glancing around to ensure he wasn’t overheard. A chorus of yeahs followed, but I stared blankly at my teammates. ‘What plan? You haven’t told me about anything,’ I said. My eyes darted between my friends; receiving only hesitation and covert, shadowed looks in return. ‘Oh, um… yeah. Sorry about that,’ James looked at me with genuine remorse and shrugged his shoulders. ‘It’s just that, like… you are the teacher’s son, ya know? We didn’t want you… telling him stuff.’ ‘Yeah,’ Ben cut in. ‘Wouldn’t want you telling to your daddy.’ He stressed the word, drawing it out into something of embarrassment. A sigh escaped my lips. I knew I shouldn’t listen to him, but I just couldn’t help it. He was my friend, after all. ‘Right. Well, what’s the plan?’ By the end of their short explanation, my head was spinning and my breath short. I couldn’t believe what they were telling me. They wanted to cheat? Tamper with the ball? The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight; a prickly feeling scorched across my body. A hatred bubbled in my gut; but I stood motionless, shock rooting me to the spot. How could they? After all my time spent torn between cricket and what I love,I chose the wrong thing anyway, cheating? Really? It isn’t worth any rewards to cheat, especially not in some school cricket tournament.

Chapter 2 

Two Weeks Earlier  I sat there in the dark, my computer screen bright and glowing. My eyes flicked to the tabs atop my browser, clicking on the Live Cricket Updates page. Sometimes I felt so alone, as though no one understood me properly. My friends always wanted me to do things with them, “normal” things. Why did it have to be so hard? I wanted to fit in, but I didn’t want to act stupidly. Is there an easy solution? I typed into my computer. ‘Do what you love, you won’t be truly happy if you don’t,’ it replied. The idea of being myself lifted me; being capable of escaping from what other people wanted of me, it sounded so good; almost too good to be true. I plugged in my earphones and hit play. Of course, the first song that played was You Can’t Stop The Beat from Hairspray. The strong lines, 'Cause the world keeps spinnin' round and round/I was lost 'til I heard the drums, then I found my way/'Cause you can't stop the beat’, elicited a laugh; the words perfectly summed up my feelings. Why would it matter if I chose the musical over the AASCT? I would still have friends, right? The big audition was coming up for Peter Pan; and I had, with the help of my laptop, recited the lines countless times, wanting my audition to be perfect. Singing, dancing, acting… I might have finally found the thing that made me happy.

My computer was my escape. It was a place where I was free to be me, and discover new things. I could do so much; but my most incredible discoveries were the hundreds of musicals the world had to offer. My computer introduced them to me soon after I received it. It answered all my questions and listened to my worries and doubts; bringing me into a world where I could sing and

didn’t have to compromise myself, conforming to be accepted. My computer took me as I was, creative and sporting abilities together. As for my friends, they always wanted me to be like them. And I am like them, as a cricketer; but at other times they convinced me to do things I wasn’t comfortable with. Like the time I stuck air horns onto the teacher’s wheely chairs in the staff rooms after school; or when I plugged my wireless mouse into the teacher’s computer. Doing stuff like that didn’t make me happy or laugh like the others, but I did it anyway, just to fit in. One day I will stop doing things to impress others, I thought to myself, too often. The guys, Ben, James, Tom, Max, and all of the rest, they wouldn’t appreciate me for me. I just don’t know how I would tell them; they were all so similar to each other, only thinking about sport. They wouldn’t want me to be in a musical; but I guess there’s always a chance.

           

Chapter 3 

Present Day  Even as I watched them, my team, my friends, I couldn’t decide what to do. Should I stay with them and partake in something against my morals, or break away from the crowd and do something I loved? The obligation was tearing me apart - I had committed to this cricket team, I couldn’t be a wuss and back out now. They were all relying on me, and my own father, the P.E teacher of our school and coach of our team, would never forgive me if I did. We worked as a team; and no matter if only one person was at fault, the responsibility fell upon everyone. Should I leave now and follow my heart? The idea was so tempting, and I’d be doing the right thing too, not partaking in cheating and following my dreams. Maybe that was it, following my dreams. If my friends really cared about me, they would let me do what I loved; not taunt and tease me endlessly. I needed to reach past silver, past cricket; go for my own personal gold - the musical. Without warning, a gravelly voice yelled my name from a distance. ‘Oi, Robbie, watcha doing? Come join us, we need to talk to you!’ I needed to sort through all my thoughts. I did not need Ben harassing me, believing he knows exactly what I’m thinking. Ben was the kind of guy who always thought he was right; his face always pulled up in a permanent smirk. In all honesty, he’s kind of intimidating. To make matters worse, he is utterly incapable of understanding that someone could have thoughts and ideas other than his own. On second thoughts, I’m not even sure why I’m friends with him. ‘Not now, please Ben.’ I knew he was never going to listen to me.

‘Come on mate, you can’t dog the boys like this.’ He approached me slowly; the rest of the team trailing behind him. ‘How am I doing the wrong thing, just because I won’t cheat?’ ‘That’s right! You need to support us and take part in a game we know you love.’ He was right up in my face now; too close for comfort. ‘You don’t know that though! You don’t know that I love this game as much as you do! Why do you think you know everything about me?’ ‘Well, you wouldn’t be here unless you loved the game’ he retorted. Now, you must know: Ben is dumb, painfully so; but this comment got me thinking. Maybe he was right. Did I love the game? Maybe I did, but I knew for sure that I loved singing more. The feeling I got on stage was so elevating, exciting. When I’m up there it’s like I’m floating; not attached to reality but high up in the clouds, in my own world. As I wallowed in my thoughts, Ben stared at me expectantly; waiting for a response. The cricket ground, smelling of summer days and heat, evoked nostalgia for my young years of playing cricket with my Dad. I did enjoy it, but now all I wanted was to be true to myself. Although it sounds cliché, I wanted to follow my dreams. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the rest of the team walking towards me; looking somewhat apologetic. ‘Well, this looks a bit intense. You okay mate? Robbie?’ A joking voice broke out from the group, approaching Ben and I. The laughing tone of Max's voice broke the deafening silence that hovered all around. ‘Hey, Robbie here wants to dog the team.’ Ben couldn’t take anything seriously, not even the obvious fact that I did not want to have any part of this. Smirking his horrid smirk, Ben nudged me, forcing me to face the group. The looks they were giving me, they were a mix of confusion, but understanding too. They knew what I was thinking… Maybe it was time to finally confirm their suspicions. ‘I don’t want to be a part of this team anymore. I want to join the musical, Peter Pan.’ A heavy, suffocating silence ensued; promptly followed by a flood of indignation. ‘What?’, ‘Are you serious? How could you?’, ‘You can’t leave the team like that’, ‘I thought you were a team player’, ‘The team needs you’, ‘I didn't realise you were serious about acting.’ The stream of comments dislodged my confidence towards my decision. Maybe I should play the game, go along with the boys. I didn’t know. I... I just couldn’t handle it anymore. ‘STOP!’ The voice was angry, affirmative, but I couldn’t figure out who it came from. The world was spinning. I was surrounded by people, but they were all looking one way, towards one boy. James. ‘Robbie, whilst it is disappointing you’d choose theatre over cricket, it’s not surprising. Clearly, you’ve been thinking about this a lot recently. You’ve been really preoccupied. If you really want

to do the musical, we can’t do anything about it. We can’t change who you are. If you want to quit, I, for one, support you.’ James’ words were music to my ears. I was so worried nobody would accept my decision. I forgot maybe they would see that I just want to be happy.

Chapter 4 

 

Present Day  7:00 am To: lwilson@gmail.com  From: robbiew@gmail.com  Hey Mum, we’re heading off to the game right now. The game’s at 10, so there’s a while before it starts. I’m really excited but super nervous. What if I mess up? We’ll never get this opportunity again! This will be our biggest game of the year. I just hope it works out. I heard that there’s an audition for a musical at the town hall too. I think it might be Peter Pan. If we get back in time, I might check it out, just to see what it’s like.  9:26 am To : lwilson@gmail.com From : robbiew@gmail.com  I just found out that my mates are planning to cheat. They want to rig the ball. I don’t think they should but they’re my friends. I don’t want to play now that I know what they are doing. They don’t want Dad to know and I don’t want to lie to him. This feels wrong Mum, but I don’t know what I should do…   I felt furious at my friends for thinking that this was okay. This wasn’t okay. I opened my computer and typed into the blank screen; turning to it for guidance regarding the immorality. ‘They’re cheating. I don’t want to cheat.’ ‘Well, hello to you too, Robbie.’ My laptop greeted me with my own internal monologue. I respond as I always have, as if it is a friend giving advice and guidance. ‘Is cheating okay? What should I do?’

‘Was cheating ever okay for you?’ it replied. ‘I don’t know. All my friends are doing it. It’d be okay, right?’ I felt the question in my query even as I asked it. ‘Remember to follow your heart, Robbie. That will lead you to honourable decisions.’ 9:34 am  To : lwilson@gmail.com  From : robbiew@gmail.com  I really can’t do this. It’s not fair. It’s just not cricket.  10:38 am To: robbiew@gmail.com From: lwilson@gmail.com  Hello sweetie, I hope your game is going well! I completely understand what you mean. Don’t let your friends pressure you into doing something you’re not comfortable with. If you don’t think what they’re doing is fair, don’t be afraid to do what you think is right.  Love, Mum. P.S. There’s more joy in going for a fair silver, rather than a tainted gold.                    

  

Chapter 5 

 

Present Day  With a heavy heart, I walked towards my Dad; who was applying a patch to a kid with a grazed knee. His hands and mouth orchestrated an intricate bout of instructions to the rest of the team, and his face seemed close to an explosion of its own. Smiling softly, I tried to shudder all the nerves from my system. Dad was someone I could trust. Right? An overwhelming sensation of guilt ran through my bones. I knew Dad would be disappointed, but would he accept my choice? Eyes darting back and forth, I begged my feet to turn and run from my Dad, but they led me forward. Before I could change my course, he turned around and gave me an encouraging smile; hands waving fast, frantic before the game. A small frown fell upon his face as he realised I was not moving to my starting position. ‘What’s up bud? Is the position wrong? Is there a problem with something?’ His face was screwed into an expression of worry. I coughed abruptly in an attempt to conceal my rising tears. Did I have enough courage to tell Dad what I truly wanted? As if he read my thoughts, a hand landed on my shoulder; akin to trying to catch someone’s attention. ‘Mate, we’re about to start… What’s the problem? Everything’ll be alright, ya know.’ The concerned look in his eyes gave me a final push of certainty.

I breathed heavily, swallowing my fears. My voice fell upon my ears before I realised I had spoken, shaking, gasping breaths breaking through my words. ‘I don’t want to play cricket like this anymore, Dad. I want to do drama, it makes me happy.’ Dad looked at me, stunned into silence. Eyes unreadable. His expression gave away nothing, so I kept on speaking, voice becoming stronger. ‘I still love cricket Dad, but I love drama even more. I’m so sorry Dad. I can’t play today.’ ‘You do understand what you’re doing, don’tcha mate… It’s a big decision!’ ‘Yeah, but this musical is still more important to me. You guys can ace this without me, I know that all of the boys are great. This is something I have to do.’ We stood in a painful hush as the murmur of the crowd buzzed behind us. ‘Alright, son, as long as you’re sure,’ he sighed. ‘I’m certain.’ ‘Okay, well let’s find a way to get you to that audition.’  I was so happy. I was elated that my Dad was so supportive, he lived up to all of my hopes. I can actually audition, I thought to myself and knew I had to leave the stadium quickly to get there 12:05 pm To : lwilson@gmail.com  From : robbiew@gmail.com  I didn’t play, Mum. From what I saw, the game was going well, but they still rigged the ball. It’s just not fair to the other team… Was it okay that I didn’t play? I feel like I let the team down a little, but I know if I had played, I would feel guilty and sick to my stomach the entire time. I want to audition for the musical instead.               

  

Chapter 6 

 

Present Day  1:40 pm To : peterpanproduction@gmail.com  From : robbiew@gmail.com  Hello, my name is Robbie Wilson. I was hoping to secure an audition this afternoon. I’m currently on my way to the hall as I was part of the AASCT. Please bear with me if I run late. I wish to audition for the role of Peter Pan, please give me a chance. I have the lines revised and I’m well acquainted with the script. I genuinely hope I can make it on time to audition. Sincerely, Robbie Wilson   Hurriedly, I grabbed my bag, shoving my precious laptop inside. I was actually going to audition. For a play! A musical! Finally I could let my passion free, without being viewed as weird. I waved giddily at my friends, smiling wide; my eyes crinkled into smiles of their own. They waved back at me, Ben giving me a mock salute as I disappeared through the doors of the stadium. Rocking back and forth on my heels, I waited for the bus to show up. My nerves were on fire! The ability to differentiate nervousness from excitement became almost impossible as the bus came into view. The doors slid open, too slow for my rushed adrenaline. My feet raced ahead of me up the stairs to get a seat on the crowded bus. Making sure my bag was secured next to me, I let out a excited

squeal. It sent heads turning my way, but I didn’t care. My Dad still loved me! I wasn’t a disappointment to him. A slight guilt filled me as I realised I didn’t trust my Dad as much as I used to, but it was replaced with gratitude for my accepting family. Happiness was soaked into each cell in my body, recalling the encouraging smiles. Even Ben’s salute gave me a confidence I knew I would need. I gazed out the window, smiling at my bright reflection. An impulsive twitch in my face released a rush of nervous thoughts. I knew leaving the game and auditioning was the right thing to do, but I didn’t know how to perform! At least I had known what I was doing when I played cricket, and I would’ve been surrounded by my friends. It was comfortable, familiar. I had never auditioned for anything before; I wouldn’t know what to do. My hands began to shake as I tried to envision how the audition would go. I had no idea what to expect. I glanced out the window and watched as the hall steadily approached. Once it halted to a stop, I shakily stood up and shuffled off the bus. Staring up at the hall as it loomed before me, I took a deep breath and reminded myself this was the right thing to do.

    

Chapter 7 

Present Day  I walked up to the hall, along with a few other auditionees. They all looked so prepared. The nerves roared like dragons in my stomach, consuming the last of my courage. I gasped in amazement at the grand entrance with golden details reaching all the way up the tall, concrete walls. Like a beacon looking down over the city streets, the clock tower of the Melbourne Town Hall rung out into the crowds. I hurried inside and the audition hall opened up in front of me. People streamed everywhere, rushing, singing, dancing. They all looked so happy. I hoped I would soon be one of them. Upon entering, the lady on the door handed me an audition form. As I filled in my name, I realised just how unqualified I was, and how lucky I was to be there. PETER PAN AUDITION FORM 

Please clearly print all answers in pen. 

Name: Robbie Wilson . Age: 13 . Experience: Participation in school choir, compulsory speech and drama class .  

For an ameteur theatre, all these people seemed so accomplished. Over the loudspeaker, an announcement was called: ‘Would everyone auditioning for the role of Peter Pan please make their way to the backstage area.’ Heart racing, I briskly moved to prepare; along with the masses of other boys my age. I quietly wondered whether they were nervous too. The extent of my nerves made it difficult to breathe. How could I do this? I can’t be as good as everyone else here. These thoughts were destructive, but kept me grounded as I warmed up my voice. ‘Do we have a Robbie Wilson here? Robbie Wilson, please come forward!’

I pushed through the crowd, moving towards the lady who called my name. She was dressed all in pink, with large hoop earrings and a small bun on the crown of her head. Her eyes swept over the length of my body, assessing my stance. ‘I’m here’ I replied, my voice faltering. Easily reading my nerves, she offered a sweet smile and gently gestured towards the stage. ‘Okay, honey, once you’re on the stage, the director will tell you when they’re ready. Hope you’ve been practicing!’ She sung the words as if a melody. It was strangely encouraging. I bounced up onto my toes as I walked up the stairs, strode towards the centre of the stage with façade of confidence; steadying myself. ‘Whenever you’re ready, Robbie’ Then I sang. My voice soared to the highest corners of the theatre, embedding itself in the walls. The music flowed through me and moved throughout my body, running like a pure stream. Just the lyrics, nothing else. No worries about my friends, school, anything. The bright, golden lights left my shadow behind me. There would be no going back. That was my passion. This is what I loved.

 

                

Chapter 8 

 

Present Day  5:40 pm To : lwilson@gmail.com  From : robbiew@gmail.com   I did it!!! I did the audition and it was amazing! I’m so glad I did this. I really enjoyed it, thanks so much for helping me figure this out! Just standing on the stage gave me such an amazing feeling; and I want to feel it again. I really hope I get this role.  6:34 pm To: robbiew@gmail.com From: lwilson@gmail.com   I’m so proud of you sweetie! I love you’re making these choices for yourself and managed to overcome your struggle, you’re growing up so fast. You make me one proud mother.  I’m so sorry I couldn’t watch your audition. Let me know when you’re performing and I’ll come and watch you. My son would be nothing short of amazing on a stage, and I don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to see you flourish in something that means so much to you. Lots of Love, Mother. P.S Send me a clip of your performance, honey. 

Epilogue 

 

Two Weeks After Audition  The golden lights shone down on me, illuminating my features. Voices echoed over the loudspeakers, giving orders to the stage crew. A flurry of people swirled around me, sheets of paper flying everywhere as actors and actresses warmed their vocal chords and flicked through their lines. ‘Pan! Peter Pan! I need my Peter Pan!’ The director, draped in colourful stripes, called from the front row seats. ‘H-here miss!’ I held my hand up and looked around as the other actors gave me sideward glares, whispering to each other what was no doubt words of confusion and judgement. I shifted myself slightly, feeling the pressures of being the lead role in the musical. All eyes would be on me to make a good impression. Honestly, I had no idea how I got there, just a few weeks ago I would never have thought I was going to be on stage, finally living my dream. ‘Right kiddo, I need to you flick to the first page of the script and read onwards. Considering your inexperience, I’ll have to confirm that the amazing skills I saw in your audition weren't just a bounty of good fortune.’ I looked down at my hands. I had spent so much time reciting these lines, learning these songs, but what was the point, if the director didn’t even believe in me? I needed to prove my ability not only to myself but my team and my family. At that point I wasn’t sure if I could do it. As I lifted my head and scanned the auditorium I saw an astonishing sight: there, in the background, concealed by the shadows of the lights and hidden by curtains, were the

eleven faces of the boys in my cricket team. My first thought was that their reason for being here was to mock me, mock my shyness and timidity. I couldn’t believe it. I felt my heart drop and my insides shrink into a tightly knotted ball. I didn’t think I could bring myself to even begin, let alone carry it through. But, just at the moment when I thought I could not hold on anymore, I saw my Dad there too. They all waved in my direction with a pure happiness and I knew they were there to support me. I suddenly felt a huge surge in energy and my confidence soared. I was so exhilarated by their presence, accepting my differences and recognising that I am the same good friend they knew a month ago. And Dad… my teacher, my coach, my mentor; he finally loved me for who I was. I lifted my hand and reached for gold.

Robbie, a 13-year-old cricketer, feels uncomfortable on the cricket pitch despite his talents. The stadium is the wrong setting for his performances.

His heart belongs someplace else. Follow his conflict filled journey from the sporting stadium to the musical stage. A story of being true to one’s self.

‘An awesome, fun-filled book for children aged 10-16.’ - New York Times

‘Such an inspiring story, have to swallow it in one sitting.’ - Daily Telegraph

‘An amazing book! Good to read with kids to help with confidence’ - Sydney Telegraph