Enormous

Enormous Chapter 51

Carlyism: People talkabout fight or flight so often, and how some of us are more likely to do onethan the other-- Some people freeze and just can't help but take the full hitevery single time.

So, she did the thing she always did after she didn't want to think about how many chips she'd eaten the night before, listened to "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles, and then went to sleep. In the morning, she met everyone in front of the auditorium they had booked on campus for the whole day. She had chosen to forgo coffee because her hands had already been shaking since she brushed her teeth.

At least everyone was here at the theatre—Alicia, Brendan, Anooshka, even Margaret, and a group of four freshmen Max Deal mega-fans all arrived within minutes of her. Bethy would be coming after her shift this morning, and Ingrid and Davion said they were coming for Max Deal's presentation at 5:00. She couldn't help but wish Kaity was here and not in Spain right now. Over Skype, Kaity had been very excited for this secret-famous-author-hosting-and-presentation, but she didn't seem to pick up on Carly's nervousness at all about doing it in the first place. Carly was sure she would have if she had been here in person. They would have cuddled in one of their beds, and Kaity would promise to be there the whole day from start to finish.

But exciting things were happening for Kaity in Spain. She was working at a museum, volunteering at a children's hospital, and going out drinking and dancing with new friends she only spoke in Spanish with. Carly could tell from her sparkling eyes and big toothy smile that she was happy.

"He's getting here at 2:30?" squealed a freshman named Cherise, bouncing up and down next to the poster of A Winter's Tale that the Theatre Department had put on two years ago.

"Sure is!" Alicia said with a big, slightly fake smile. "For the umpteenth time..." she muttered under her breath. "Let's go set up his table." He would be doing a meet and greet after his presentation.

Carly and Anooshka were still setting donated books out for the sale when Max Deal arrived quietly at 2:15 wearing a baseball cap. She recognized his eyes and nose from his picture on the back of her copy of Shaded Ocean.

"Oh...." Carly gasped. "Hi."

Her mad rush to shake his hand woke others of her team up from their preparations and chatter. Alicia, Brendan, and the Freshmen came quickly behind her.

Max Deal smiled broadly, shook everyone's hand, and classily accepted the hug Cherise flung on him with a few gentle quick pats on her back.

"Really nice to meet you guys," Max Deal said. "Thanks for having me."

His blue-spectacled eyes went back to Carly. "You're the one Jeff and I have been emailing with...Carly Mack?"

Carly felt herself nodding. She couldn't remember introducing herself individually in the emails, but maybe she had at some point. She could feel the rest of the English society looking at her. "Hi, um..let's get you set up. Do you want to see the auditorium?"