Visionary

C H A P T E R 1

"This is it!" Milo folds his hands into the air and looks up desperately, squeezing his eyes shut against the sun. "I'm so sorry, Sarah. I thought I'd be able to make it... for you... for my family... for..." He looks down and makes a sobbing sound, his face now buried in his sweatshirt.

"We've been walking for ten minutes."

Milo lifts his head back up and makes a pained expression.

Who else would be exhausted to the point where he's ready to fake his own death? Nobody but Milo, that's for sure. He's lucky he has a warm brown complexion , because otherwise it'd reveal how rarely he actually goes outside.

"It'll be fine," I tell him reassuringly.

"I'm not the one who needs to hear that." He gives me a friendly stab in the rib with his elbow. "I already know you're gonna kill this audition."

I take a deep breath and focus on the weeds growing between the cracks along the sidewalk. "Thanks. I hope so."

It's not like it's a big deal if I don't make it into the musical. I mean, it's just a musical, isn't it? I've done plenty through school. Still, this is different. It's not through school. It's pretty much exactly the same as though it was through school, though. I don't know why I'm so nervous, but every time I think of the word audition, my heart feels like it sent electric shocks to my toes and accidentally shocked itself in the process.

"So," I say, probably to distract myself, "you're sure you want to apply for tech crew?"

Milo smiles and shrugs, adjusting his thick-rimmed rectangular glasses. "Yeah, I mean, you know, I didn't really know if I wanted to, since, you know, I'll have to talk to... a lot of people, but, you know, I decided, hey! If you get in, I'll be the one to raise your lights, and you know what? That's pretty cool! And if you don't get in, then, you know, I don't have to do it."

"You don't have to do it," I tell him. "But seriously... thanks." I give him a side hug which he gleefully returns.

This walk is taking hours, I swear. I just want to get to the school and get this over with.

"Why didn't we drive?" Milo complains, voicing my thoughts.

I regret everything and wish we had just driven. "I don't know anymore. I thought it'd be good for fresh air before our big day."

"This air is too fresh," Milo coughs.

"Look!" I point into the distance dramatically. "Our refuge!"

There it is- the school. Rising on the horizon, it gleams beautifully behind the mist behind it. Crunchy leaves swirl through the air between us and our-

"We're saved!" Milo throws his hands into the air enthusiastically with a huge grin. The grin falters and he laughs nervously and slows his walking pace.

I reach into my doodled-on backpack and pull out a clearish blue water bottle. I take a swig of water and then hand it to Milo. "Maybe I should sign up for tech too," I suggest as I glance at the school. I can't quite see it too well behind the morning mist and the dead leaves around us aren't so beautiful as they swirl through the air.

"I'd say, 'oh, it's okay, you don't have to'... but you do have to." Milo gives me my water back and repositions his boxy glasses. "You've been talking about it all year!"

It's true. I've been background roles in three musicals. Three! And I've loved every single one. Theater people are my favorite type of people to be with, and my singing isn't all that bad either. I love being on that stage where I can be whoever I want to be. I can be different. People are looking at me, and not because they want gum or an extra pencil. They want to see me do something... different. Something unique.