t of tely clear a of clouds. e o arrive an ty bad all day about talked to jamie t before. s nice to me, and i kne id been a jerk. i saed to go up to apologize to id said, but s of slip back into t the chance.

  s time i finally arrived, and i sao miss garber and , off to one side, over by tains.

  everyone ion, srangely let put on ume yet-so o give t angelic appearance-and sill er s sce my trepidation at react, i o them.

  “; i said. “hello, reverend . . . miss garber.”

  jamie tued to me.

  “; sly. i could tell s t before, too, because s smile at me like salk to cook a feeps off to t of ance.

  i glanced around tage nervously.

  “im sorry about t nig; i began. “i kno your feelings, and i o hem.”

  s me, as if wondering wo believe me.

  “did you mean t; she finally asked.

  “i in a bad mood, ts all. i get sort of imes.“ i knew i really answered ion.

  “i see,“ s as s before, tued toy seats in t sad look in her eyes.

  “look,“ i said, reac;i promise to make it up to you.“ dont ask me just seemed like t to do at t moment.

  for t time t nigo smile.

  “t; suing to face me.

  “jamie?”

  jamie tued. “yes, miss garber?”

  “i t ready for you.“ miss garber ioning h her hand.

  “ive got to go,“ so me.

  “i know.”

  “break a leg?“ i said. iso be bad luck. ts o “break a leg.”

  i let go of ;e both will. i promise.”

  after t, ready, and our separate icated, considering t it ed in beaufort, e dressing rooms t made us feel as if ual actors, as opposed to students.

  my costume, the dressing room.

  earlier in ts taken so t tered, and i ting dressed whe door unannounced.

  eddie ill in tting on e bums costume, and error in least once a out of t as ume on t t on table in front of the mirror.

  “so,“ eric said ;o do?”

  i looked at ; do you mean?“ i asked.

  “about tupid. you gonna flub up your lines or something?”

  i s;no.”

  “you gonna knock t; everyone kne the props.

  “i planned on it,“ i ansoically.

  “you mean youre going to do traight up?”

  i nodded. t even occurred to me.

  me for a long time, as if he were seeing someone hed never seen before.

  “i guess youre finally gro; last. coming from eric, i sure ended as a compliment.

  eit.

  in tom ton is amazed mas unate.

  t of toms mout;youre beautiful,“ and i o say t ttom of my . tal moment in tire play, and it sets tone for everyt er i still nailed t.

  sure, i said t t come off too convincingly, seeing as i probably said t jamie, ion of . it it. i kept trying to imagine someone else as t i could get it just rig rying to concentrate on, it kept getting lost in the shuffle.

  jamie ill in ains finally opened. i didnt see t fe include tom ton and ionser.

  no too nervous on stage, being t id re it s you rig actually ely packed, and as miss garber ed, to set up tra ros all the back.

  normally t four s t least anoty people sitting doion, people anding against the walls, packed like sardines.

  as soon as i stepped on stage, everyone ely quiet. ticed, ype, t play bingo and drink bloody marys at sunday bruncting o be standing in front of ted for me to say something.

  so i did t i could to put it out of my mind as i did t feer, by t of small, and t as acular or anytains for act t time everyone pitc all costs.

  i still seen jamie-i guess s from moving props because ume on one of t i didnt ime to t o do. t tain storefronts and looking in er s for cmas. my back ued from i ively draage. i t it before, but no absolutely ill. just to tage, i sao tu around, and .

  for t time since id knoo a tigead it ter in caugage ligal against e dress tailored exactly for ely amazing to be look like tly to kno a lot, just enougo bring out tness of ures. sly, as if s close to , just like t called for o do.

  sly like an angel.

  i knotle, and i just stood t seemed like a long time, so silence, until i suddenly remembered t i o deliver. i took a deep breat it out.

  “youre beautiful,“ i finally said to orium, from t to my friends in t i actually meant it.

  id nailed t line for t time.