Chapter Twenty-One

After three weeks of school, Liska demanded that her suitemates sit down with her one evening and plan their talent show act together. They had been throwing out ideas at lunch but couldn’t settle on one.

Liska settled down onto a leaf-shaped floor cushion. Ephy sat next to her, and Airin perched primly on the peacock-colored sofa.

“I made a list of all the ideas we’ve come up with so far,” said Liska, glancing at her list, which included the items “clown act” and “Ephy said no miming.”

Would anybody do mime anyway?

“I don’t see why we need to participate at all,” Airin sighed.

Ephy turned her head so fast that her hair whipped Liska’s face. “We have to participate. My mom is going to pull me out of school if I don’t win.”

“Your mom said you have to win to stay?” Liska asked incredulously.

Ephy wrapped her arms around herself. “I don’t know if we can win, but we have to try.”

“What are we going to do?” Liska asked, trying to read Airin’s blank expression.

“What do you mean?” asked Ephy. “We have to do something really spectacular so we can win the quad talent show!”

“If we win, I might not be able to stay,” Airin said quietly.

“What?” Ephy leaped to her feet. “What do you mean?”

“Oliver threatened Airin during music theory. He said if that Zephyr Suite beats Jetstream, he will complain to his parents that Airin is… being mean to him or something,” Liska explained. “And he acts like he can get them kicked out.”

“What’s the deal with Oliver, anyway?” Ephy remained standing, her hands on her hips.

“His parents spoil him, so mine go along with it,” Airin answered slowly. “My parents don’t like to upset Mrs. Darklighter.”

“He’s so annoying!” said Liska. “He spends ten minutes bragging before theory class even starts!” She jumped up and sat next to Airin on the couch. “We will figure it out, I promise. He shouldn’t be allowed to bully you!”

“What can we do, though? If we win, then Airin might have to leave. And if we lose, then I might have to leave.” Ephy sat on the couch on Airin’s other side, tucking her legs up under her. “I really don’t want to go. I like it way better here than at home. Do you want to go home, Airin?”

Airin shook their head. “I want to learn how to sing. And if I go home, my parents probably won’t let me leave again for twenty years or so. Not until I’m an adult.”

They just sat there, all three feeling sad and frustrated.

Finally, Liska spoke up. “I think we should do the best we can during practice but try to think of a better plan. We could always do worse in the performance, but it would be a lot harder to do better.” Ephy nodded slowly. “You have a point. We need more information. I could get my aunt to work on my mom. I don’t know how we could get through to this Oliver, but he’s only a student, right? It can’t be that hard to change his mind.”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Airin twisted the edge of their shirt but didn’t say anything for a moment. “He’s never listened to me. He sometimes listens to his parents, but Magister is one of the only people he ever listens to.”

Liska felt her stomach clench. Magister scared her. “I don’t know. Magister likes Oliver a lot.”

Ephy said, “We could at least try something. Could we get Oliver to somehow admit to threatening Airin in front of Magister?”

Airin shook their head. “Probably not. He’s too smart for that. He always acts like a perfect angel if an adult is around. They believe everything he says.” Airin frowned, twisting a piece of long white hair around their finger.

“Well, we’ll figure out something. Oliver seems like a bit of a wimp. Maybe he needs a stern talking-to. Or I will talk to Magister if I have to.” Liska tried to sound brave, even though she didn’t feel very brave. Still, if it meant keeping Airin and Ephy at EA, she might have to be as brave as she could. Was there another teacher that could help?

Hunter.

“What is it?” asked Ephy. “Do you have an idea?”

“Hunter?” Airin asked quietly. “Would your sister help us? Can she?”

“I don’t know if she can help, but she would listen to me. She was bullied by a high elf when she was at EA. She tried to get someone to help, including some of the teachers, but no one ever did. I think she’ll try to help if she can.”

“Okay, so Liska, you talk to Oliver and Hunter first. I will talk to my aunt.” Ephy turned to Airin. “Do you have anyone you could ask? Maybe the Ghost and Ghoul teacher could help.”

Airin brightened up. “Yes, yes, that might work. There’s also an older student in that class who might be able to help. They know a lot about Eclipse Arts.”

“Okay, good! Maybe we can find a solution!” Liska said brightly. “But what are we going to do about our talent?’

“I think Airin should sing. Liska can play the guitar. I can…” Ephy shrugged. “I don’t know. Do lighting?”

“What about narrating?” asked Liska. An idea was beginning to form. They were starting a journey at Eclipse.

“I could do that,” Ephy agreed. “That doesn’t sound too hard.”

“I don’t want to sing,” said Airin. “Everyone will be looking at me.”

“Isn’t that why you’re here?” asked Liska.

“I thought it would be a few years before I had to sing by myself. That I would have time to learn.” Airin played with the hem of their black shirt.

“I’m not sure that’s how it works here.” Liska traced her finger down the list of ideas. “Let’s make a list of the talents we have so far, and then maybe we can make something out of that.” “I guess so.” Airin did not sound confident.

“I have a song that might work. It’s about coming here and finding a new world.” Liska jumped up and ran into her room. She came back with her guitar and a notebook. She sat down and started strumming, humming to herself.

Ephy and Airin listened to the song. Ephy’s head rocked to the beat. Airin sat motionless, their expression unreadable.

Liska didn’t want to make Airin any more anxious, so she asked Ephy, “Can you make shapes with your powers? Colors? How can you use your abilities?”

“I can do shapes and colors, but nothing very distinct yet. I still have a lot to learn.”

“One of the things that I think Lennox did well was tell a story in the start-of-school assembly. But her group also used light and dark to tell the story. That gave me an idea. I once saw a guy make designs with a light box that went with the music. What if we told a story using shadows on a background of colors? We could use cardboard cutouts to make some of the shapes so it’s not too hard for Ephy to do.”

“Could I...stand behind the curtain and sing?” Airin had not forgotten their fear.

Liska considered. “We could try different things. Maybe it won’t be as hard for you as you think?” Airin looked doubtful.

“And me?” Ephy asked.

“You could stand in front and narrate. We can weave the music and the lights together with the narration.”

Ephy stared at the wall, tracing her fingers over something Liska couldn’t see. “Not bad. I like it. I don’t read minds, but I don’t think I’m a good enough singer to solo in anything. And I don’t have enough dance to compete with the students here.”

“What about the story?” asked Airin.

“We tell the story of a girl going to EA for the first time. Like, a story about how she became famous. Or a mystery? I read a songwriting book that said you should find stories in your own life that others might understand. Lots of people came here hoping to become famous or learn how to make music or dance or whatever.”

They stayed up several hours past curfew debating their quad battle performance. At least it was Friday, and they could sleep in the next morning.