Angela is at her locker after school on Tuesday, just gathering her things. She didn't bother with trying to hide the bruise; there was no sense in that, after all. It's gotten better, at least, since she got it. Right now it looks like a really bad shade of blush on her right cheek ( Read more... )

Angela, doing her best to not cry anymore, calls Mark from a parking lot on the other side of town, letting the phone ring.

She hasn't slept all night, and she looks, quite frankly, like hell. She's scared and exhausted and her face hurts pretty badly. So does her tongue.

Angela's body is starting to reject the stress. Her face is breaking out, her scalp itches, her arms itch, and she's got dry patches of skin that no amount of cream or lotion will cure. She clenches her teeth far too often, and her jaw often aches ( Read more... )

( A phone call to Mom )

The service was not terribly drawn out; the Tusspots had never been a very religious family and James hadn't wanted a funeral that didn't suit him. He was a simple man with simple tastes, and his funeral reflected that. It wasn't terribly well-attended, just as Stu had assumed it would be. James hadn't known many people beyond a small, close circle ( Read more... )

On Friday, Ernst sneaks a package into Angela's locker. Not terribly big, but rather heavy for its size. Wrapped in foil and tied with blue ribbon. A small notecard is slipped under the ribbon, reading in neat, precise cursive "Angela~ Thank you for helping me when I was broken. ~Ernst RöbelInside the foil are several pieces of homemade chocolate ( Read more... )

It's been a very long week for Ernst and it's only just Monday. He'd tried to get out of coming to school, but there would be none of that, even with Hanschen there, so he's quite ready for today to be over, thank you very much ( Read more... )

After the show, the actors come out into the lobby to mingle with the audience and each other. There are t-shirts and buttons for sale, and aprons reading 'Mrs. Lovett's Famous Meat Pies.' On the wall is a table with cups of water and flyers with information about the theater program.

There are many congratulations to be had and accepted.

EPILOGUEAs the audience enters, funeral music plays throughout the theater. Before a front drop depicting in a honeycombed beehive the class system of mid-19th century England, two workmen enter. They pull down the drop. The deafeningly shrill sound of a factory whistle ( Read more... )

The chairs have been set up so that the class is the audience for the performers. Fenton perches on the small stage, and it’s possible that he’s more excited than any of the students could possibly be; he loves watching actors work ( Read more... )