You walked into class, looking all lost and confused. ‘It was halfway through our sophomore year. ‘Well, I noticed you, buddy,’ said Mitchell. ‘I wasn’t here two years ago, Avery.’ I glanced up with a wry smile. They were here two years ago, don’t you remember?’ ‘So this is a carnival, as in, cheap rides and overpriced cotton candy?’ I took the paper, looking it over skeptically. ‘Finally, something to do on the weekends besides movies and bowling.’ He held the paper in front of his freckled face and then shoved it at me. ‘Check this out,’ Mitchell said loudly in my ear. I wasn’t sure why, but my stomach suddenly bottomed out. Ms Lucian distributed the fliers, and everyone pored over them excitedly. Who knows, there might be some extra credit involved if you attend some of their performances.’ According to this advertisement, they’ve got a lot of stuff going on at the Fairgrounds over the next few months, so you might want to check it out. The Circe de Romany is coming back to town, and they will be here for an extended run. ‘I received these fliers in my mailbox this morning. ‘Class, your assignment today is a project, but before you all kill each other choosing groups, listen up.’ She presented the papers. I rolled my shoulders and tried to concentrate. What was going on with me? After all the sleepless nights, I supposed dozing off in class was pretty much a given. ‘And do take your feet down off the seat, please.’ ‘Well, let’s try to work on that, all right?’ Ms Lucian looked disapprovingly at my posture. ‘Did we not get enough sleep last night, Sebastian?’ she asked. For a moment, I thought I caught something in her gaze, but then it was gone. Ms Lucian glanced over her clipboard, her eyes fixing on me. ‘You’re doing it again,’ Avery whispered harshly. Pleading…Ī sharp jab to my stomach knocked me back into reality. The drone of student names seemed to go on forever. I hugged my legs to my chest and rested my chin on my knees. Ms Lucian’s brow arched ‘Okay, forget I asked.’ ‘How are we today?’ There was an eruption of less than favorable responses from the masses. ‘Good morning, my darlings,’ she said in a pleasant voice. No one knew exactly how old Ms Lucian was, with her youthful face and red-tipped black hair, but she’d been teaching drama at Sixes for a long time. She seated herself on the edge of the stage. The bell rang, and Ms Lucian sauntered through the doors, toting a stack of colored papers. ‘Well, it’s a gift.’ I made a mental note to request another crew assignment for this year’s production. ‘I’d never seen somebody’s face actually turn green before.’ Putting an acrophobic artist on anything higher than a chair is just asking for trouble.’ ‘Just give me a paintbrush, stick me behind a wall, and I’m perfectly happy.’ ‘Leave the acting stuff to Avery and Mitchell,’ I replied, jerking the pencil playfully out of her hands. You should at least try.’ She tapped her pencil against my arm. I’m better backstage, you know, in the shadows, where I can’t be seen.’ I didn’t consider myself a theater person – even though I did like Shakespeare – but after helping with one of the drama department’s shows, Katie had twisted my arm until I joined the club. ‘Ah, no, I don’t think I’ll be auditioning. Katie may have given some substance to that cliché about dumb blondes but, in reality, her grade point average put her at the top of our class. She was practically bouncing on the seat behind me. I tilted my head to meet Katie Lewis’s bright blue eyes. ‘Hey, Sebastian,’ said a voice behind me, ‘are you going to audition for the play?’ I slid my book bag underneath the seat and grinned. But I didn’t need my recent blank-outs adding to my already sizable list. I was just making an observation, that’s all.’Įverybody has their quirks. ‘Okay, okay,’ he said, shoving my bag at me. ‘Oh, I guess because that’s something a really weird person would do.’ ‘Why do you ask?’ I plopped down smugly beside him. ‘Ow, man! Whatcha got in there? A bowling ball?’ I slid into the third row and dumped my backpack in Avery’s lap. It rumbled loud protests – which I ignored – as I hurried down the aisle of the Sixes High School auditorium. My stomach didn’t make it past fourth period.