I take the seat at the head of the table. “Tonight, we will feast on the most expensive wines and meats,” I say to everyone as they find a seat, pretending to be the king. Everyone laughs—they love the Infamous AG—and sits down. Anna and Elijah take the chairs by me.

Anna puts her napkin in her lap. “Did you hear about Justin and Tess?”

“Yes, actually,” I answer. “You’re failing me.”

She acts offended. “As the director, it would be uncouth for me to gossip with the actors.”

“You’re the assistant director,” I remind her.

“Watch this,” she says, and turns to the table. “So, I heard there’s going to be a workshop of a play at SPA before it goes to Broadway.”

“Yeah,” Kelsey says. “There’s an article on Broadway World about it.”

Anna looks at me. “Maybe I am losing my touch.”

“Why SPA?” Tess asks.

Anna shrugs. “It’s bigger than most Off-Broadway theaters.”

“Didn’t Julie Taymor workshop a Shakespeare play at SPA?” Kelsey asks.

“Did I hear-eth my name?” Jamaal sings.

“Yes, Jamaal,” Anna says with a verbal eye roll. “They did one of your best works, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, like five years ago, before it went to Broadway.”

“My dad worked with Julie Taymor on a short film,” Justin adds. He’s got his famous dad’s IMDb memorized and is ready to drop names whenever he can.

“Anyways,” Anna continues, not liking to share the gossip spotlight, “the play is called Conversion. It’s apparently a dark comedy about LGBT conversion therapy.”

The back of my neck gets hot. I think about that envelope from Brand New Day. If I had stayed in Pennsylvania, I might be in conversion therapy now. Instead, I’m here. I’m safe.

“Joshua Downs is directing,” Yaz says.

“Isn’t that the hotshot director out of California?” Kelsey asks.

“Hot is right,” Elijah confirms.

“Don’t believe the hype,” Anna says. “His last two shows have been total flops.”

Justin laughs. “He’s probably not happy about doing a workshop at a high school. My dad would have quit.”

Yaz jumps in. “I heard the cast is top notch. Imagine that, Broadway stars just walking around our school. I’m flipping out.”

I can’t imagine it—I’m already starstruck by my classmates and their beginnings of fame.

“They aren’t all from Broadway,” Anna says, grabbing the attention back. “There’s a star from some Nickelodeon show. Chris Caesar?”

“Holy shit,” Tess says. “From Caesar’s World? He was my first crush.”

Anna continues, “And he’s playing the . . .” She pauses, looking at me. “He’s playing the part of a transgender boy.”

“But he’s cis?” Elijah protests, also looking at me.