The Chance of a Lifetime

Charles stepped forward with what looked like a scroll. He unraveled it to the ground, a ridiculous number of loose-leaf pages stapled end to end. “Whereas,” he announced, “we the Drama Club have put our feet in mouth one too many times without watching where we’ve stepped—”

“Charles, that’s nauseating,” Reese said.

“Nobody edited this!” Brianna called out.

“And whereas,” Charles continued, “we have managed, without meaning to, to chase away one of the nicest, most talented and clear-thinking human beings in our school . . . and whereas, she has, in world-record time, proven said talent beyond a doubt and better than anyone ever seen by the gathered members hereto—”

“Herewith,” Harrison corrected him.

“Herewhatever,” Charles said. “We do hereby offer outright, without competition and by acclamation, to Casey Chang the position of Stage Manager of the Drama Club of Ridgeport High.”

They fell silent and looked up at her with wide, tentative eyes.

One by one they dropped to their knees. “Please?” Harrison asked.

“It’s the most important job in the club,” Charles said. “It’s the person who runs everything.”

Begging. They were begging her to take this job with no experience. At Ridgeport.