Eight o'clock came and brought Larry. He was waiting to take me home in his car. I was grateful to be leaving. Working may be necessary, but that didn't mean I had to like working long hours when I had better things to do. Like homework. Or a root canal.

Larry asked a couple of questions about my day, but he soon fell silent when I gave him one-word answers. At home, while I ate dinner, I was peppered by what felt like a hundred questions from Dad and Aunt Millie. I wanted to just plaster a sign about my day to my forehead by the time I got upstairs.

I was getting ready to settle down with the book I had to do a report on when there was a knock on my door. I sighed. "Come in," I said as I sat on my bed, leaning back on the headboard. Larry slipped in and sat in my office chair once he'd closed my door behind him. "What?"

He sat his homework on my desk and began working on it. "I wanted company."

While he worked, I read. The book was pretty good, but it wasn't something I would have chosen on my own. As it is, I'm not a huge fan of reading. I'm more of an artist. Larry was sort of an athlete. He'd been on some sports team for as long as I could remember, though he was never one of the best players on it. He's played every sport, I think, except maybe hockey. I don't remember him playing it if he did.

Anyway, we were pretty different. Every day at school I could only think about how everyone seems to be trying to squeeze us into this mold, one where we had to have after-school jobs and join clubs and be a cheerleader or on some team. I mean, I know people have to work for things to run, but kids aren't meant to help out. I would have preferred getting a job when I graduated and go to Los Angeles with George. That was my idea of the right thing.

Now, as for what we would do once we got there, I didn't have a clue. I'd never been there and had no idea of what waited for us there, even though that was pretty much the idea behind going there. Larry didn't go anywhere unless he planned everything out to the minutest detail. I could barely get him to not do the whole itinerary thing. I almost hated traveling with him.

---

I was grateful for the peaceful night and morning. Once the questions had stopped and I could just be, that is. That feeling only grew as the day went on and I realized how unprepared for it I was.

I was humming as I put books in my locker. George chose that moment to come up to me. "How was the first day?"

My book slipped from my hands and made a loud smack when it hit the floor. The sound echoed down the hallway as George picked it up. "It was fine. Normal, you know? I have to go back right after school. Thanks," I said as I took my book from him.

George nodded as he checked his watch. "Three-thirty?"

"Yep." I stuffed my book into my bag and closed my locker.

"When do you get off?" We began walking slowly down the hallway.

"Eight. That's when they close."

"That late?" I nodded. We drew to a stop in front of my first class. He peeked inside. "Where is he?"

"Who?"

"Mario."

"Oh." I thought a few seconds. "No idea. Maybe dentist or something."

George watched me for a long moment. "Okay." He briefly looked like he might kiss me, but before he could, the bell rang, and we went our separate ways. I sat through four classes and lunch before Mario finally showed up with Dan. Mario walked into class, handed the teacher a couple of slips of paper, sat at his desk, and didn't say a word to me for the rest of the day. All our conversations went like this:

"You okay?" Nod. "Where were you today?" Head shake. "Will you tell me after school?" Shrug. "Is it something Dan did?" Weird look with a shake of the head.

Basically, I was about to go crazy by the end of the day. That was when he finally decided to speak to me. Well, that's technically inaccurate. He texted me to tell me he'd take me to work if I needed a ride. I texted Larry that I was going with Mario and then texted him back a yes.

When we were in his car, I waited a little bit before I said anything. "Are you okay?" I asked as I turned to him.

He glanced at me. "Yes," he said.

"Are you sure?" He glared at me a little. I really was worried.

He sighed, still not opening his mouth. We rode in silence the rest of the way. Once he'd parked, he turned to me. I was early, so I wasn't in a rush to get inside. I waited patiently. More or less. He touched my arm and smiled a little. "I'm fine."

"You look like you're in pain, plus you weren't in school most of the day. You don't seem fine."

His eyes were locked on mine, and I couldn't make myself look away. After a long moment had passed, he pulled his hand away. "I just had a dentist appointment. I apparently need a root canal. I got up with a killer toothache today, so Mom took me with her to Dan's checkup. The dentist happened to have a canceled appointment right after him, so he saw me." He shrugged.

"I'm sorry."

He shook his head as he glanced at me. "Don't be. I mean, it won't hurt as much as the toothache. My older brother, Jimmy, had one a year ago. He said the pain before was the worst part." He glanced at his phone. "You should probably get going now."

"Probably." I knew that was a dismissal, but I didn't want to leave him. I wanted to stay and help him to stop hurting somehow. This was the thought that drove me from the car. Even though that was something I often thought about my friends, it came with a different feeling this time. I couldn't stay – I didn't want to know what was going to happen next. "I'll see you tomorrow," I told him right before I shut the door.

He put the window down. "Just a moment." I stopped and turned to him. "The play is Friday night at six-forty-five. I'll come get you at six if you want. We can grab a burger before heading over there."

"Um, I guess so." I shrugged.

He nodded and visibly swallowed. "Just so you know, the theater doesn't have a dress code, but for the first night, I would suggest a dress and a wallet or something like that. You don't have to go all out, but dress nice."

I raised one eyebrow. Didn't I already dress that way? "Okay."

He nodded. "Um, pick you up at six, then?"

"Okay."

He nodded again before clearing his throat. "Anyway, yeah." He flexed his fingers that were still on the steering wheel. "See you in class." He drove away.

I pretty much bounced into the salon and leaned on the counter. Mr. Scott looked up at me. "You're in a good mood," he observed as he stood. "It wouldn't have anything to do with the young Mr. Lopez who just let you off, would it?"

Why did he think there was something up between us? "No, not really." I sat in the chair he just vacated.

"Hmm. Sounds like a yes to me." He turned and walked away, leaving me to think about what Mario and I were doing later in the week.

That's how I almost didn't notice my classmate standing at the counter. I glanced quickly at the screen. "Elise Jonas?"

She pressed her lips together. "No, hon, it's Minnie Mouse." She sighed and rolled her eyes.

I gritted my teeth and forced a smile. "Sorry, we don't have a 'Minnie Mouse' in our schedule." I stood and came around the counter. "Please follow me." I walked into the next room, but quickly realized she wasn't behind me. Elise was sitting in a chair, furiously texting. "Miss Jonas!" Kenny's head snapped up and I realized I had spoken far louder than I intended.

Elise realized it too. Her head snapped up and her eyes narrowed. "Your seat is right there next to the station already in use," I told her calmly. She stood and walked past me, calling me a word under her breath that my dad and brother both would have slapped me for saying. I calmly went to my desk once she was seated. There, I sank down in the chair. My hands were shaking. I hoped I wouldn't lose my job over her.

Once she left, I found out I shouldn't have worried. Mr. Scott came up to me. "You handled her well."

I searched his face for a hint of sarcasm that I couldn't find in his voice or words. I came up empty. "I don't think I did, though."

He smiled at me and put a hand on my shoulder. "Daisy, you did fine. Good job."

I returned his smile. I hoped it didn't look as fake as it was. Thankfully, he didn't stick around. I didn't want to face him, and I didn't want to answer the phone when it rang, but I also didn't want to lose my job. I sighed and picked up. "Scott's 'Dos and Nails, Daisy speaking."

"Hi, Daisy," the lady said. "I'm with the producer of Pieces, the play opening Friday, and we were wondering if you would be able to do the hair and makeup for our cast? Our regular hair and makeup people had a family emergency and are unable to do it."

"Let me put you through to Mr. Scott – he'll be able to answer you. Please hold." I put the call on hold and went to Mr. Scott's office. I knocked on the door as I opened it. "Mr. Scott, we have a call on hold from a local theater company."

He glanced at his phone. "Okay, thanks." I stayed while he picked up his phone and took the call. He finally waved me from the room as he spoke. Back at the front counter, I fought the urge to call or text Mario. I kept refreshing the appointment book, and, finally, after nearly fifteen minutes, the block appeared: Dairy Arts Center, cast of Pieces.

I grinned and bit my lip. He would be so excited. I fired off a text to him. Before he had a chance to respond, Brittany ran into the lobby. "How good are you at makeup?" Today she wore her red hair down and had dark makeup that played up her large green eyes.

"Um, okay, I guess."

She grabbed my wrist and very nearly drug me towards her station. "Show me."

I pulled away from her and rubbed my wrist as she cleaned all the makeup off her face. When she was finished, she sat in the chair and pointed at the makeup case. I immediately got to work taking out foundation, concealer, bronzer, highlighter, powder, eyeliner, eye shadow, mascara, lip stick, and blush. A deep breath and I got to work.

It didn't take me too long to redo the makeup she'd just taken off. The moment I finished, she turned to the mirror and began inspecting. When she turned back to me, I realized I had been holding my breath. "Good job," she said, relief in her voice. "There's a little work we'll have to do, but Mr. Scott said you're going to have to help me do the makeup at the play Friday."

I swallowed. "Wait – what? A friend and I were going." When she turned to look at me, all I wanted was to take those words back.

"Were you?" She nodded once. "Well, I need the help, and our boss assigned you to work with me. It doesn't really matter now, does it? You'll need to be there an hour early."