When I walk into the theater that afternoon, the cast is milling around onstage, chattering and whispering. I slide into the wings without being seen.
Grace pops out of the curtain behind me.
“What’s up?” she says.
“You scared me,” I say.
“Hey, you’re not the only techie with invisibility skills.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you,” I say. “But Reach heard I was in the Cave with you. He’s on my case in a big way.”
I scan the backstage area.
“Yeah, I’m real scary.” She holds her arms out in front of her. “Beware Frankentechie. She crushes young techies and throws them into the river.”
“I’m serious, Grace.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll play it cool.”
She shrinks back so she’s hidden in shadow.
I look at the actors waiting onstage. Summer is in the rear of the group, hanging back with the fairies.
“Why are the actors out here?” I ask Grace.
“They had auditions. They’re waiting for the Big Apple to announce his decision.”
“That’s exciting.”
“Maybe if you’re an actor,” she says. “For me it’s a yawnfest. Pick someone and let us stuff her into a costume and get back to work.”
She rolls her eyes, and I laugh.
“Don’t let Reach see you laughing. On pain of death!” she says.
I’m starting to like Grace despite myself.
Mr. Apple shuffles out to the front of the stage, and the actors surge forward.
Summer stays in the back. I see the anxiety on her face.
Derek’s voice pops into my head. “I must lose myself in action,” he said.
The last thing I want to do is take advice from Derek, but looking across the stage at Summer, I think he’s right. I have to act.
There’s no chance Summer is going to get the part, not when she’s up against more experienced actors who have paid their dues. I imagine she’ll be heartbroken after the announcement. She’ll turn to me with tears in her eyes, and I’ll comfort her. She’ll thank me and fall into my arms.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell Grace.
Mr. Apple says, “I want to thank everyone for reading for the role on such short notice.”
I move up behind Summer.
“I think I’m going to throw up,” she says to the fairy next to her.
“We had an excellent round of auditions,” Mr. Apple says, “but one actor stood out from the pack.”
Summer senses me behind her and turns. She looks confused.
“You—” she says.
“I want to tell you something,” I say.
“Summer Armstrong!” Mr. Apple says.
Summer looks up when she hears her name. Actors pull at her, dragging her towards the front of the stage.
It all happens in slow motion like that scene in that movie when everything goes wrong and you can’t stop it.
“It’s me?” she says.
“Congratulations,” Mr. Apple says. “You’re the new Helena.”
The actors burst into applause.
I walk back to Grace.
“What was that about?” she says.
“My brilliant plan,” I say. “Which turned out to be not-so-brilliant.”
I look at her in the front of the stage, surrounded by actors.
“She’s a lead. I’ll never be able to talk to her now.”
Grace looks at me, surprised.
“Are you crushing on an actor?” she says.
I grab her arm and pull her deeper into the wings.
“Don’t say anything. You have to promise me.”
“Okay, okay,” she says. “I’m just a little shocked. I didn’t know you were a rebel.”
“I’m not a rebel.”
“You’re talking to me, you’re crushing on an actor… Face it. You’re the techie Che Guevara.”
I think about that for a second, the possibility that I’m getting more courageous. Then I look at Summer basking in the applause. I’ve run away from her three times now.
I’m not courageous at all. Not without a spotlight in front of me.
“I give up on girls,” I say. “I’m going to join the priesthood.”
“Aren’t you Jewish?” Grace says.
I slump down to the floor.
Something digs into my thigh. I tap my pocket and feel Derek’s BMW keys.
I take them out.
“Those look like Derek’s keys,” Grace says.
“He gave them to me.”
“Wow. Nobody gets to touch that car,” she says. “He made me put a towel down before I sat in it, and that’s when he was going out with me.”
“I’m supposed to put gas in it.”
“Do you want me to show you where he parks it?”
Grace and I go out to the parking lot. She leads me to the back corner where Derek’s red convertible is angled across two spaces so no other cars can get near it.
“I have to admit it’s a beautiful car,” I say.
“Everything Derek has is nice,” Grace says.
“Except his ego,” I say. “I’m going to take it around the corner and put gas in the tank.”
“Do you have a license?” Grace says.
“Learner’s permit.”
“Don’t get pulled over.”
“No kidding. That would suck.”
I unlock the car and get in. I look down at the gearshift.
“Problem: I don’t drive stick.”
“You’re a techie,” she says. “How could you not drive stick?”
“My dad was supposed to teach me,” I say.
“Why didn’t he?” she says.
I don’t feel like talking about it now, so I say:
“Plans change. You know.”
“Dads suck,” Grace says. “Mine is on me like a barnacle.”
I look down at the gearshift, wondering how far I can get by faking it.
Not far, I decide.
“What am I going to do about the car?” I say.
“Move over,” Grace says. “I can drive anything with wheels.”