2

Parker didn’t know what to do. This defied physics. Should I show Mom and Dad? he asked himself. He stared at the can, still stuck in the air as if Parker had paused a movie.

He was focusing so hard on the can that he jumped when someone tapped on his door. The can fell to the desk where his computer had been. Soda spilled out of it, pouring all over the place. Parker quickly grabbed the can as he said, “Uh, yeah . . . come in.”

His parents popped their heads in. “We just wanted to—what happened?” his mom said.

“Nothing. Just an accident,” Parker replied, putting the mostly empty can back on the desk. “I’ll clean it up.” Once again, he considered telling them what had just happened. But they won’t believe it, he thought. I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t just seen it myself.

“Oh. Well, we just wanted to wish you one last happy birthday before we head off to bed,” his mom said.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t stay up too late,” his dad said with a smile.

“Uh-huh, I know.”

They lingered for a moment, smiling at him, as if they were hoping he’d have more to say. He knew they were just being nice, but he was still so hyped up over what happened that he couldn’t wait for them to close the door already so he could get back to figuring this out.

After they finally walked away, Parker leapt out of his chair and headed downstairs to grab some paper towels. When he came back up to his room to mop up the mess, he couldn’t help shooting glances at the can as if it might do something else strange. But it didn’t move.

Did I imagine the whole thing? He picked up the can, turning it around in his hands, looking for something—anything—that could have allowed the can to stop while it was falling. It looked ordinary, just like all the other soda cans he’d ever held. Maybe I can make it happen again.

Using his index finger, he slowly started pushing the can toward the edge of the desk. It tipped and fell to the ground just like it should. Parker picked up the can and tried one more time. The can dropped. He shook his head and muttered to himself, “Of course it falls. Nothing stops in midair.”

He decided to call it quits for the night, putting his books into his backpack and setting his laptop aside. After getting ready for bed, he crawled under the covers. Nothing stops in midair, he said to himself as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

***

The next afternoon, Parker hadn’t quite shaken off the soda can incident. He was in the theater workshop sculpting a tree branch out of plaster, but his mind kept returning to the image of the can halted in place in the air. The more he thought about it, the more he had convinced himself that his mind had been playing tricks on him. That was the only logical explanation.

He had tried one more time to make the can pause in the air before he left for school that morning. He pushed it off his desk and it hit the ground with a metallic clang.

I should probably just let it go, he told himself, putting the finishing touches on some twigs at the end of the branch. The whole thing still had to be painted, and that part took the longest. He let out a sigh and looked at the clock. Rehearsal was over, and Parker decided to go home. The plaster had to dry before he could paint it anyway.

He grabbed his bag off the hook by the workshop door. He could leave through the main entrance today since the actors had already left.

But then he heard a voice.

Parker sneaked over behind one of the backstage curtains and peered around it. Two girls stood facing each other just behind the main curtain. Parker didn’t think either of them could see him.

“I’m just worried for you is all.” Even though he could only see the back of her, Parker knew that was Caroline. He rolled his eyes. This was typical of her. “Being the lead is hard—I would know. I’ve had a lead role in every show since freshman year, and to be honest, I don’t want to see you get eaten alive out there. It’s a lot of pressure, especially when you’re under the spotlights and the whole school is looking at you. I’d be more than happy to take over for you if you don’t want to disappoint Ms. Frasier.” Caroline sounded concerned, but her real motive wasn’t exactly subtle.

She was talking to Yuan, the girl who had been cast as the lead in the play. Yuan was turned in his direction, but Parker didn’t think she could see him. He didn’t know Yuan particularly well, but he knew Caroline. She had a reputation for thinking that she was the most talented person in whatever room she happened to walk in to. Parker was surprised to see her alone today. She usually had a group of friends—or, as Parker thought of it, followers—with her.

Yuan didn’t say anything in response, so Caroline continued. “I just don’t want you to get embarrassed during a performance in front of the whole school and regret it later.” She casually passed a water bottle from hand to hand as she spoke.

Yuan folded her arms across her chest. “I’m not going to give it up,” she said. “The role is mine. I auditioned, just like you, and earned it fair and square.”

Caroline put a hand on Yuan’s shoulder, and Parker easily pictured the fake concerned look on her face. Yuan looked down at Caroline’s hand and shook it off. “I’m trying to do you a favor,” Caroline said. “I’ll take the lead, and you can have my role. It’s still a good part, just not as much pressure. No one’s going to judge you for giving it up. You’d be helping the show.”

“Not going to happen.” Yuan said firmly, shaking her head and hoisting her bag further up her shoulder. She turned to leave. For just a second, she glanced in Parker’s direction, and he shrunk back a little farther.

Before Yuan could take more than a few steps, Parker saw Caroline’s shoulders tense up. She was practically shaking with anger. She looked down at her water bottle and began to unscrew the cap.

Caroline followed Yuan, and Parker could see the way she pretended to stumble. “Whoops!” she yelped, thrusting the open bottle toward Yuan.

Water came shooting out toward Yuan, and Parker felt a sudden rush of adrenaline.

The water stopped in midair.

For a second, Parker thought time had frozen, with the blob of water hanging between Caroline and Yuan. But when he saw Yuan slowly move out of the way of the floating water, he knew what had happened.