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For Felicia Morgan, ly stupid things with me in theater arts class

And in memory of the Caboodles that held not only our theater makeup, but all of our secrets

“If you love and get hurt, love more

If you love more and hurt more, love even more

If you love even et hurt even more, love some more until it hurts no more…”

?William Shakespeare

It’s two forty-five on the dot and my stomach is nestled firmly in my throat Ms Barlow sits in her director’s chair at the back of the theater arts classroom She tells me to stand on the zebra print x made of tape in front of the white board, in the place she usually stands while she’s teaching class Today is the first day I’ve seen the zebra print x I wonder if that’s the same zebra print tape she took away from a freshman last week

The classroo directly on my face I wish I’d worn ether pages of Ms Barlow’s original script shake in nal to start

She has a peacock feather tucked behind her ear and a pen in her hand as she scribbles soray in the dark I clear my throat

“Yes Wren,” she says without taking her eyes off her clipboard “You were auditioning for a minor role, but then you switched for the role of Gretchen? A correctly?”

“Yes ned up for auditions while writing on someone’s back in the hallway before class and that’s whyto audition at all until Mom pointed out the require e to be in a school play for the sole purpose of winning the affections of ht Even iffor the lead role

Ms Barlow stares atme as if she doesn’t see me in class every day

“You do know Gretchen’s role includes a lot of kissing with the male costar?”