REAP THE WHIRLWIND I FLYNN CARSEN

The World Made Straight

The World Made Straight

In the colour TV, it was a new world
The Dick van Dyke show, we're Cher and Bono
The way I sing "I Got You Babe", makes you say, "Oh, no"
Cause you are the class president without Jackie O
And I'm singing "Happy birthday" like Marilyn Monroe...

Clara found herself being ushered behind a display composed of a large papier-mâché volcano, Cassandra hissing, hide her, hide her! Upon impatiently querying why she should be hidden, Clara was told in blunt terms that Lucinda McCabe, the STEM science fair organizer was heading their way, and they didn't want Clara and her dressing gown blowing their cover. "What cover?" Clara asked in bewilderment, not noticing the double-take a nearby rather thickset teenage boy did in her direction, his eyes growing wide as cart-wheels.

"We're meant to be the judges," Jacob whispered in her ear. "Your bare feet and bed hair might just give the game away." And with that, he was gone, ready to distract Lucinda with some good old-fashioned Southern boy charm.

"So, uh, what's this meant to be?" Ezekiel asked the thickset boy, gesturing with a disinterested hand to his display.

"I need to phone Flynn," Clara said an undertone to Eve.

"No, you don't," Eve said, smiling at the thickset boy. "So what's that you got there, buddy?" she prompted, trying to look interested.

"I need to call my boyfriend," Clara said from between gritted teeth.

"You have a boyfriend?" the thickset boy said, his face falling.

"Is this a baking soda volcano?" Cassandra said, not looking very impressed.

"She really has a boyfriend?" the thickset boy repeated, looking strangely upset.

"I have a boyfriend who I need to call!" Clara said almost hysterically, feeling like throttling somebody with the cord of her dressing gown.

"Tell us about your volcano, then," Cassandra said to the thickset boy, elbowing Clara in the side.

He rolled his eyes, before flinging his arms wide. "Welcome to the world of magma," he said in a monotone, "my project today is..." He dropped his arms to his sides, shaking his head. "I can't do this," he said, turning away from them, "this is bullshit."

"What do you mean this is 'bullshit?' " Clara asked, wincing at his profanity, becoming drawn in despite herself.

"I'm not even supposed to be here," the boy snapped, watching as Ezekiel wandered off, suppressing a yawn. "I'm way out of my league," he complained, his gaze dwelling on Clara for a moment, lending an unwitting double-meaning to his words.

"No," Clara said, shaking her head, "you're not."

"I'm not?" the boy said incredulously.

"What's your name, sunshine?" Clara said, studying him, eyes narrowing.

"Leonard," the boy breathed.

Clara sashayed over to him, before grabbing him by the shoulders, standing on tip-toe so she was practically nose to nose with him. "You are an underdog, Leonard," she said enigmatically, "and all the greats were underdogs."

Leonard just nodded, looking spellbound.

"Show me what you got," Clara said, bestowing the ghost of a wink upon him.

Leonard grinned idiotically, revealing crooked eye-teeth. Looking like he'd been hit over the head with a hammer, he rushed back over to his display, Cassandra patting Clara on the head rather patronizingly.

"Well done," Eve said under her breath to Clara. "You're getting your head in the game."

"All she needs is some clothes, and we'll be hitting a home run," Cassandra said quietly, clasping her hands behind her.

"I was a teacher, you know," Clara said, put out, "I think I understand the dynamics of inspiring students to realise their true potential."

"Why did you waitress, then?" Eve asked, frowning.

"Because they cut the funding to my department," Clara said, smiling at Leonard, a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Are you ready, then?" she said to him, raising her voice slightly.

"Yeah," he beamed, hooking up the wires of the display to a large battery, only for his model to erupt like a real volcano, an explosion of fire rocketing upwards, sending flames soaring to the ceiling, lava streaming over the sides. The whole fair erupted into equal chaos, fire alarms blaring, setting off the sprinkler system, everybody screaming and rushing for cover.

"I think you inspired him a leetle too much," Eve observed, turning to Clara.