Fabulous Five 023 - Mall Mania Read Online Free PDF

the guy from the TV station," Beth
whispered to Shawnie.
    "Right," Shawnie whispered back.
    Funny hurried over. "Wow, you guys look great!"
    "You mean, sensational!" Shawnie said, nudging
Beth and grinning.
    Funny laughed. "Yeah, and that, too. But the important
question is, Are you ready for the show?"
    Beth nodded. She felt pretty sure she could read her lines
without looking at the paper. She had practiced saying the lines over and over
again. The hard part would be looking directly into the camera when she was
reading, and not looking away.
    "I'm nervous," Beth admitted to Funny. "But I'm
ready."
    "Terrific," said Funny. "I know you'll be
great."
    Just then Paul walked into the media center wearing a blue
pin-striped suit. He was carrying a small metal cage.
    "He has Robin with him," observed Beth. "His
mother must have dropped the bat off."
    "Oh, good," Funny said, and hurried off to talk
with Paul about his segment.
    "Okay," Mr. Levine called out. "It's time.
Everybody ready?"
    "Ready!" Beth called back.
    "Ready!" said Funny.
    "Ready!" echoed Shane, who had just walked in with
Tim.
    "You don't have to be ready," Funny told
him, giggling. "Your jobs are over for this week."
    "We're here for moral support," explained Tim.
    "Thanks, guys," said Beth. "We need it."
    "Okay, let's get going," Mr. Levine said. "Beth
and Shawnie, take your places."
    Beth scurried over to their chairs and took out the teapot,
setting it on the table. Shawnie had already set up the teacups and saucers.
    "You guys aren't planning to drink anything during this
show, are you?" Funny asked, eyeing the teacups doubtfully.
    "No," Beth assured her. "They're just there
for looks."
    "For class," Shawnie added.
    "Okay, good," Funny said, smiling. "The way
you've dressed up the coffee table looks nice."
    Mr. Levine turned to Funny. "Is the easel set up?"
    "Yes." She dragged the easel that she'd borrowed
from the art department over next to the set. On it, she placed a large
posterboard sign with professionally printed letters that said, THE WAKEMAN
BULLETIN BOARD.
    "Good." Mr. Levine looked at it approvingly. "That's
great."
    "Okay, Jon," Funny said, "we'll come in on
this sign first thing. We'll hear a couple of seconds of theme music, and then
we'll shift the camera over to our co-anchors. Beth and Shawnie, when I begin
to fade out the music, that's when you start the show. Okay?"
    Beth and Shawnie nodded.
    This is it, thought Beth. My big moment. I'm really on TV!
    The red light on Jon's camera winked on, and Funny started
the music. After a few seconds, she lowered the volume on the music, and Jon
shifted the camera to the set, where Beth and Shawnie were sitting. Funny
turned the volume down on the tape player again, and the music faded out
completely.
    "Good morning," Beth said, smiling into the
camera. "Welcome to our first edition of The Wakeman Bulletin Board. "
    "We'll be giving you important information on Wakeman
activities," Shawnie said, "as well as reporting scores of your
favorite sports teams and updating you on plans for school dances and
performances."
    "So get out your calendar," Beth said, "and
be ready to write down some important dates."
    A thrill ran up Beth's back. The show was going well. No. It
was going better than well. It was going terrifically, and she wasn't nervous
anymore. And not only that, it was fun!
    Beth thought about her new outfit and how perfect it made
her look. Move over, Connie Chung, she thought. Beth glanced at Shawnie while
Shawnie read the sports scores for the week. Shawnie had made a lot of this
success possible.
    Shawnie and her wonderful charge card!

CHAPTER 6
    "It went so well!" Beth burst out the instant she
got home from the taping. "We didn't blow any lines, and Jon did a good
job with the camera, and Paul Smoke had a great ecology segment."
    "Fantastic!" Mrs. Barry said. "I'm so glad,
honey. I know you worked hard on it and worried about it a lot."
    "You bet. It's The Wakeman Bulletin Board today
and