“We could’ve given you a ride. My dad told me it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“No, that’s okay. It wouldn’t have felt right, leaving my brothers behind.”

Michael nodded.

“What scene do you want to rehearse?” she asked.

“The opening,” he said. “I practiced last night in front of the mirror and I think I sound a little older now.”

Tora smiled. She wasn’t quite sure how rehearsing in front of a mirror was supposed to make you sound older, but she was thrilled Michael was trying hard to make this work. He wasn’t an especially good actor, but he was making an effort for her and that was something special.

She began the opening scene.

As Michael read from the book, he did manage to make his voice sound a bit older.

By the time they were halfway through the scene, it was obvious that they were improving.

And then the library door opened to reveal Maria Abruzzo standing in the doorway, a sly grin on her face.

Michael read until Maria’s laughter caught his attention.

“Something funny, Maria?”

“You two are still rehearsing,” she said with an incredulous tone to her voice.

“Of course we are,” said Michael. “The auditions are on Monday.”

Maria stepped into the library and slowly made her way toward their table. “Oh, so I guess you haven’t heard.”

“Heard what?” Tora wanted to know.

The grin on Maria’s face grew into a wicked smile. “My father’s trucking company is sponsoring the drama festival.”

“What?” Michael gasped.

Tora’s heart sank into the pit of her stomach.

“That’s a conflict of interest,” Michael said. “You can’t be in the play if your father’s putting up the money for it.”

“Take it up with Principal Terashita,” she said. “He seemed pretty happy to get his hands on the check and assured my father the production would be much better now that they had the money for props and costumes.”

“That’s not fair!” was all Tora could manage.

“Fair?” she laughed. “You want to be an actress and you haven’t the slightest idea how the system works.”

“You mean the audition?”

“No, show business, stupid. Money’s put up all the time to make sure the right people get the right parts. It happens in Hollywood every day.”

“Redstone isn’t Hollywood, Maria,” Michael said.

“Maybe, but it’s done all over the world. My father put up the money and Principal Terashita took it.” She stood there smiling for the longest time as if there wasn’t anything more to be said. Then she twirled around on her heels and walked out of the library.

Tora groaned and slumped down onto the table. “I’ll never get this part now.”

Michael’s eyes swept back and forth over the table, as if there was an answer hidden there that he just couldn’t see. “Oh yes, you will.”