Night, 1977
Constantine gazed out at world on the other side of the glass and all at once, everything he'd ever seen and felt of it came rushing back to him. He remembered all the wonderful things, like the untamed, fast running rivers and miles of tall trees that coated the valleys in green. He could smell the freshly blossomed roses again and feel the sun on his arms as he had years ago, when he and Primrose ran barefoot through the gardens, trying to get away from the housemaids that chased them. All the buildings that towered over him, painted in blues, pinks, and reds, came to mind. The mosque they'd rescued the beautiful Princess Laila from, the white palace where they'd meet the bird keeper, Maya, and her thousands of all colored birds, and of course the dark, underground houses and caverns, where the Gnome king and his sons lived. The thought of the tastes of all the new fruits they'd found in the patch behind the Old Oak Tree and the feel of the furs of the soft animals that guarded made him sigh, happy he'd had the opportunity to share them with Primrose.

Nearly every girl in the tower let out her own breath of wonder as they tried to picture the scene Sara laid before them. Lily and the other little ones wriggled back and forth on the floor, giggling and clasping their hands together, waiting for the rest. The older girls were more scattered, a few sat on the worn, red velvet chairs, a few huddled close together on the ground, and others stood in the corners or leaned on the pillars. They too held hands and looked quickly at each and back to Sara again, pulling their blankets and shawls close around their shoulders to keep out the summer night chill. Sara herself clung fast to her old bed cover and shivered. She sat in the middle of them all, an honor she was given as the storyteller, and glanced around at their dimly lit, but eager faces, before she began again.

Of course, he remembered the bad things as well as the good. The chill of all the cold nights they'd spent trapped inside the soldier's prison, and the intense heat of the desert they'd crossed. Month long journeys across the country to the new land, where there sometimes wouldn't be enough food to go around. The memory of many heroes falling in combat on their home shores, and the stained ground were as fresh that minute as they had been when he lived them. But, more then anything, he remembered when Primrose had been injured in battle, and they told him she would never wake again. He remembered how his heart stopped and he lived, lost of all feelings until finally she did awaken and heal again.

He knew that they had faced so many dangers together, but they celebrated so much together too. And in looking through the glass that final day, thinking of everything, Constantine finally saw that the witches curse that had been placed upon them as children wasn't a curse at all. It was an adventure, because it let them see all there was to see of the world and then some. It was a lesson, because it taught them to love, to live, to laugh, to cry, to celebrate, to scream, to think, and to trust. Everyday was a gift, and a new life all it's own. And as he turned his face away from the window and looked at Primrose, he could see, from the way her eyes danced in their slow, bright way, that she knew it to be the same. It was their gift, and they'd lived it out together, and no matter what they'd seen, heard, or felt in all their years, nothing could replace the bond they built and the friendship they shared.

And with that, the unconquerable flame inside each of them shed it's skin and went out. The witches spell was broken, and their sentence to live forever was lifted. He touched her fingers before he drew his final breath and shut his eyes for the last time. She did the same, and the warmth left both their bodies behind and journeyed up and up, past the ceiling, the clouds, the sky, and the galaxy and every single star, to someplace much greater, and much more mysterious. They'd walked the earth for five hundred years, searching a way to break a spell that takes much time to understand. For life takes each one of us time to fully understand, but when we do, that makes everyday worth a little more. And all who ever knew Constantine and his sister Primrose spoke of their incredible adventure, and the story carried on for many, many years until it finally reached me, and now I've shared it with you. So hopefully, you'll tell everyone that will listen, because if you do, we still keep them alive today. And their adventure will spark our own and lead to something wonderful, just as it did for them.

The tower room was filled with whispered sighs, smiles, tears, and the meaningful silence that held each of the girls as another one of Sara's wonderful stories had come to an end. Sara clutched the blankets closer to her and shut her eyes, trying to imagine the faces of the people she'd created and the reliving the scene she just described to the girls.

"Tell another Sara!" Lily squealed, bouncing up and down and clutching the edges of Sara's nightdress. The girls around her began to whisper and push themselves closer too, begging Sara to start another story that night. Others still looked at her with hopeful and excited eyes and a few shuffled in their spots and smiled in anticipation.

But Sara smiled and shook her head slowly, plucking Lily's hands off her dress.

"I haven't got any other stories tonight. I'll have to think of another one." She stood up and stepped over the girls, making her way to the candle holder she'd brought up to tower room.

"Oh don't worry, I'm sure that Princess Sara will think of something new to entertain us with soon, won't you princess?" Emily sneered. Sara didn't turn back and didn't bother to answer her either. Though Emily was her age, and clearly looking to make trouble, she knew it wouldn't be wise to answer back. Emily was nearly 19, but she wouldn't hesitate to run down from the secret hideaway in the tower, and wake Miss Caroll, and tell her how the girls met on many nights in the old, forgotten room to listen to Sara tell her stories. Then they would all be in trouble, and Miss Caroll would certainly see to it that the stories would end.

But, as Sara well knew, that was just what Emily wanted.

"Sara, when will you have something knew to tell us?" Emma asked, standing to take her own candle.
"I can't say. I just, know when I've thought of something new, I guess," she said.

"How do you think of what to say?" Samantha asked. She was an older girl, though not quite as old as Sara, who preferred to stand then sit with the youngest ones.

Sara stood still for a moment, trying to think of an answer.

"I-Well I guess, I see it a certain way, and I just try to tell it the way I see it. Of course, not everyone will see it the way I do, but I guess if they did, it wouldn't be very much fun would it?"

"I can't imagine it would," Julia mumbled, rolling her eyes and smiling wickedly at Emily. Sara shot them a short, stern glare, then turned back to pick up the candle.

"We ought to go back downstairs now. It's so late, and it only seems to be getting colder the longer we stay."

Every girl nodded in agreement, gathered her things and, each with a candle holder in her hand, made the way toward the shadowed, wooden doorway that lead out of the fantasy and back to the real world; with Miss Caroll, classes, and little fun or laughter.

Sara stood aside and let the others pass first. She couldn't help but smile as she caught bits and pieces of what they said as they whispered to each other.

"I've never heard a story like that in my whole life!"

"It was better then the one before, and I bet she knows lots more."

"I bet she tells another tomorrow. I just hope Miss Caroll doesn't find out."

"Oh who cares about Miss Caroll! She likes Sara's stories too, but she'd never say so"

Each girl smiled and said goodnight, or nodded to Sara and she nodded and smiled in return. However, when Emily and Julia came to the door, Sara smile fell and she place her hand on the door to stop them.

"Should Miss Caroll find out that we've been coming up here at night, we'll all be punished, regardless of how she discovers the truth. See to it that you remember that," she said, and roughly pushed the door open to let them through.

Emily opened her mouth to retort, but closed it again when she saw the rigid expression on Sara's face. They both hurried out the door and Sara moved forward to gaze down after them. Only when they'd reached the bottom of the dark stairway did the roughness leave her eyes.

"Sara?" She turned and chuckled when she little Lily still standing in the dark room, waiting for her. At four, she was the youngest of the girls, but she shared a special bond with Sara. It was Lily that started calling Sara a princess, though she never said it with distaste as Emily and Julia did. Lily had only ever meant it as a sign of the highest admiration and affection for Sara. To Lily, Sara was as close to a princess as she could imagine.

"Come on Lily, don't stall," Sara said, taking her hand. Lily smiled and let herself be led down the stairs, until at last they came to a second wooden door at the foot of the stairs. Sara let go of Lily's hand to turn the knob and they both, reluctantly, stepped into the warmth of the familiar boarding hall.

Trimmed with green and faded gold, the hallway stretched out before them. The wall were lined with large wooden doors and dim, golden lights. At the end there lay a wall of railing and a choice to either go left or right, to the other hall on either side. There was nothing extraordinary about it, and Sara looked back just once at the dark stairway, in an instant longed to go back to the magic that their secret room held. Even though it was cold and dark, it held a sort of excitement and was much more to look at then the prim and proper halls. Still, Sara just sighed and closed the door quietly. She couldn't risk staying the night up there. Suppose Miss Caroll would find her? Then no one would ever be allowed up there again, and that was a risk she didn't want to take.

Sara and Lily slipped silently to the third door on the left side, and Sara ushered her inside. The rooms were very much like the halls there, plain, unattractive, and rather boring. The inside of the rooms were the same shade of green, with the exact same trimming. The bed stood against the wall in the corner, just under the window. A small, white nightstand sat next to the bed, and in the opposite corner there stood a small, white desk. In the middle of the room was a green rug that matched the walls and bed perfectly and a small, white circular table. The only other door led to the closet that held nothing but the school uniform and one or two nightdresses. And that was all there was to the bedroom. There were no toys to look at, as Miss Caroll forbid the young ones from having them, saying they were nothing but distractions. There were no knickknacks, no pictures, or posters either, as Miss Caroll also thought these things to be silly and impractical. There were no traces that anyone lived in this room at all, certainly not a four year old girl. But Lily did live there, as did many other young girls, whose rooms all looked the same as hers. And often, it was hard for many of them to truly feel at home in the school, because the plain walls and floors were always a reminder that they were not.

"Come on Lily, into bed," Sara pulled back the sheets and lifted Lily into it. She snuggled up under the sheets and, after getting warmed up, lifted her small, red little face to look at Sara.

"Sara, when will you think of another story to tell?" Lily asked, taking Sara's hand.

"I'm not sure, Lily. I'm sure I'll think of something, but I don't know when," she answered.

"Okay. Sara, when I'm bigger, will I live for five hundred years?"

Sara smiled and squeezed Lily's hand, "I bet you can. If you really want too Lily, I bet you will. And you've got all kinds of adventures to have you know. You've got to go out and see the world. And that could take an awful lot of time."

"What parts of the world will I see Sara?" she whispered.

"Every piece and stitch of land, and the seas beside. You've got to go out and sail all seven of them. And see the pyramids in Egypt, the Great Wall in China, the palaces in Europe, and all the wonders we've got here too. But you'll also see small things, like rivers, forests, gardens, and great big fields. And they'll be just as pretty too Lily. And then you'll live all over, and meet all kinds of people, new friends, other girls and maybe a few boys too."

"And will I like them?"

"Not everyone, but most people," Sara said, smiling. "It'll be a big adventure, and someday, I'll tell stories about you, instead of just the ones I've thought up."

"Really?" Lily rubbed her eyes and yawned. Then suddenly she grew serious and squeezed Sara's hand.

"Sara...will you be leaving soon?" Sara looked down and bit her bottom lip.

"Yes, soon I'll be done with school here Lily, and then I've got to go," she whispered.

"Go out and start your adventure?"

"Yes, I've got to get started right away. I've got a lot to see," she said.

Lily fell silent, as though thinking the idea over. Finally she nodded and yawned.

"That sounds like fun. I bet it'll be fun." Sara leaned over and hugged Lily close, then tucked her small hand under the sheets and rose to leave. When she reached the door, she heard a small rustle and then Lily's tiny voice.

"You will come back and tell me all about your adventures, right?"

Sara turned and nodded.

"I'll tell you every one, from start to finish. And I won't skip anything."

She heard Lily giggle and the sheets rustle again, telling her Lily was satisfied and had laid down again. Sara left the room and tiptoed up the hall towards the tower. She stopped at the door right next to the tower, and when she went in and sat on her low bed, a wave of exhaustion overcame her and she immediately fell onto the pillow and slipped under the sheets. The warmth of the room was comforting, though not entirely satisfying. So Sara gazed, sleepily, out of the window and at the nearby shadows of the city, hoping the sight would make her think of something nice to dream of. It was all so big, so new, and so mysterious. She'd only ever been a few times at Miss Caroll's request, but she enjoyed being around so many new and exciting people. People who didn't seem to see her, but she saw them. She studied many of their faces, clothes, and what they talked about when waiting around. It would all be so new and exciting, when at last Sara graduated and was allowed to go out when she pleased. Allowed to be her own person, to make her own way, to either stand in the light or watch from the shadows.

And with those thoughts running through her head, Sara fell asleep and dreamed a most wonderful dream, about a people living in the shadows.

The Next Morning

"Michael...Michael!"

He jumped and grinned at his sister. She pinched his side and repeated her
question.

"Did you hear a word of what I just said?" He looked away again and shrugged his shoulders, earning another pinch. He just laughed and pushed her hand away.

"I did hear you Latoya!" he said, avoiding another pinch. Latoya crossed her arms locked eyes with him.

"Alright, tell me the first thing I said." Michael stared for a minute and, then laughed again and turned back to face the window.

"Well, I heard ninety percent of what you said." She rolled her eyes, but laughed with him and shook her head, before reaching over to pinch him again.

The car made a sharp turn onto a much busier street then before. Nearly one hundred cars glistened in the summer morning sunlight in front of them, and the sidewalks were packed with so many people, far too many to try to count.

"Latoya, how many people do you think there are?" Michael asked, mentally counting, losing track, and then starting again.

"I don't know, a ton I guess," she smiled.

"Look at how fast everyone's moving! Like they've all got someplace so important to go," he said, taken a back when he saw a large group running across the crosswalk in front of them.

Their security guard turned around from in front of them and chuckled.

"It's New York Michael, it's never stops moving."

"You should know that." Latoya said, touching his shoulder, "You've been here plenty of times before."

"Yeah, but never like this." Michael quickly lost interest in the crowds and gazed up at all the buildings around him. Grand, new buildings that touched the skies stood all around the streets. Some were forty floors high, others were as much as eighty. Michael smiled as he imagined some that stretched beyond the clouds and nearly high enough to touch planes.

"Come on, we're here." The guard stepped out of the side first, followed by Michael and Latoya. Both were stunned at the sight of their new apartment building.

It was one of the larger buildings on the street, one that touched the sky. It was all brown, but each place had a small balcony and Michael was certain that if he stood on it, he'd be able to the see the bridge and buildings and parks scattered below.

"Come on let's go!" Michael took Latoya's hand and almost pulled her inside. They both caught up with the guard at the desk in the front. They immediately felt the stares of the few around them in hall. Some whispered among themselves and others snickered. Others still just stood quietly, staring in awe at the two that had just walked in the front door.

"Come on, let's go up," the guard said, ushering both of them to the closest elevator. In no time at all, they'd reached their floor, and they stepped into a narrow, but neatly decorated hall. The walls were lined with doors with plates of numbers on them, and the subtle peach wallpaper, wooden side tables, and lights gave it a homier feel.

"Alright, you've got apartment A-14." Their guard handed each of them a set of keys and Michael raced forward to get in first. He turned his key and rushed inside, followed by Latoya and their guard. The wallpaper was bright and inviting and the carpet was soft to the touch. The small kitchen stood to the right and across the room, a hallway lead to the back bedrooms. It was small, but felt like a home to Latoya already. She walked over to the kitchen, but stopped when she saw Michael on the balcony outside through the glass doors. He was almost leaning off the side to look around at the view of New York City.

She pushed open the glass doors and stepped onto the balcony, nervously.

"Michael you're going to fall!" But that didn't seem to worry him. He continued to look and smile, point and stare at everything around him. After a few minutes of watching, he turned to his sister and flashed her a huge smile.

"Latoya, come over here and see this! You can see everything!" She stepped forward and smiled at her brothers excitement. After a moment's look around, she pulled at his arm.

"Don't you want to have a look around the apartment before our things get here?" she asked. He shook his head and gently pulled away from her.

"Look at all this," he breathed, taken aback by the incredible view.

"You're right it's all very pretty," she said, "but it'll be here a little later. Come have a look inside."

"I will in a minute," he said, and continued to stare out at the city and smile.

Latoya touched his arm again. "You're so excited, but you've been here so many times before. What's got you so wound up this time?"

Michael looked back at her and then at the city again and sighed.

"It's different this time, I told you. We'll be here for a few months while I'm doing "The Wiz", really get to live someplace other then home. We can do all that we want, whenever we want, it'll be fun and so new! And I don't know...There's just something about this city. Ever since we got here, I feel like there's something amazing waiting for me here. Something really great, but I can't say just what it is...." he trailed off and, lost in his own thoughts, stared at the bridge and water once more.

Latoya shrugged her shoulders and pulled at his arm again, "Come on. At least come in for just a minute to pick which room you want."

He smiled and gave one last, long look at the city before shaking his head and turning around.

"Race you inside!" He took off with Latoya running fast behind them. They both laughed as they stumbled over each other going down the hall, and for the first time in a while, he felt as though everything was going just the right way.

"Sara!"

Sara jumped and shook her black curls from her forehead. She turned to him and smiled, but the look of exasperation on his face didn't disappear.

"Sorry..." she mumbled and turned back to the piano slowly. He groaned and ran his fingers through his dark hair.

"Again, from the top," he muttered.

One note came, then another, and another until they all slid together to sound like a real song. Sara nearly got to the end of the sheet music before Josh stopped her and shook his head.

"Missed one," he said, taking the papers and a pencil and circling the last half of the page. Sara giggled, and stood up, closing the lid over the keys.

"I almost made it," she said, smiling. Josh peered over the brim of the papers, his eyes lit up from his smile, then handed her the music.

"Almost isn't good enough," he teased, "I expect you'll learn it all and play it again for me Wednesday."

Sara wrinkled her nose and crossed her arms, playing along with his game.

"Emily Hadley played the same song and missed every note, but you didn't say anything to her. Why should I be expected to know it all and play it perfectly?"

Josh's smile immediately crumpled into a scowl. "Because Emily Hadley is as stupid as they come when it comes to music, and everything else besides. For five years, I've been giving her lessons, and there's nothing to show for it! She's just as bad now as when she started and I can't expect she'll ever be anything more!"

Sara swallowed another giggle, while Josh raged on, packing his things.

"Maybe if the stupid thing spent more time practicing instead of sitting in front of the mirror, brushing her hair, putting on makeup, and God knows whatever else girls do in front of the mirror...Well maybe she might amount to something-"

He stopped mid sentence and Sara saw his shoulders fall, as he slowly dropped the last pieces of music into his case and sat on the piano bench, turning to face her.

"But she will amount to something." he said quietly. "She'll amount to something no matter what the case is. Because she's Emily Hadley, and Mr. and Mrs. Hadley will see to it that she's well off."

"Just imagine it." He held up his hand, trying to paint the scene for her. "She'll graduate from this school soon, she's eighteen now. And Miss Carroll will give her the highest praise possible, of course. Then she'll most likely return to London, and from there go back to living at her parent's penthouse in the middle of the city. And a few short years will go by, that's customary you know. And all the boys will fall all over her, telling her how pretty her blonde locks are, how blue her eyes are, how her white skin is so perfect and how good her figure is. And then one day, Daddy will come rushing home and up to her bedroom."

Josh jumped up and stood as straight as he could, then knelt down and bowed, taking Sara's hand in his.

"Emily, dear." He said, haughtily, "I've finally chosen a suitor. He's rich, tall, and wonderful...And he's only thirty years older then you!"

Sara couldn't hold back her laughter as she pulled her hand out of Josh's. He smiled and stood for a moment, then returned to his place on the bench.

"Of course, she'll think it's a match made in heaven, she's so stupid. They'll have a huge wedding and all the upper crust of the United Kingdom will be there. Maybe the Queen herself." He rolled his eyes and batted his eyelashes, imitating how Emily would look on her wedding day.

"Then, she'll have at least one child, that's to be expected, and the poor thing will be sent away to a boarding school, and the cycle will start all over again!" he said, frustrated. He ran his fingers through his hair and leaned against the piano.

"And she'll be just as happy as can be, comfy, cozy, and tucked away in her pretty little world. She'll never have to work, or worry about the bills. Never will have to do more then what's expected of her," he sighed.

Sara lowered her eyes and stared at her hands, unable to think of anything to say. She knew everything Josh said would come true. Emily could have everything and more if she wanted it, and Sara knew she wouldn't hesitate to ask for it all.

Her thoughts were cut off with the sound of the door slamming shut. Startled they both rose and immediately lowered their heads, in false respect, but true fear.

Miss Caroll looked very much the way the halls of her school did; dull, lifeless, menacing, and surprisingly unscathed by age. Her milky skin still held it's youth, free of wrinkles and tightly fitted, though it had been through more then five decades of wear. Her sandy brown hair was pulled off her back and face and tightly combed and pinned into a large bun that hung low on her neck. She was slim, or slim enough for a woman her age, and stood as tall as Sara, who was only an average height for a girl. Even so, she'd always seemed like a giant to Sara; even walking across the room, she looked as though she was towering over her, and Josh too, who was much taller, and broader then Sara.

As usual, she brushed past Josh, her long green dress swishing to the side of him, and stopped only inches from Sara. She knew her cold, grey eyes were bearing down on her without having to look up. And it was all the more reason to keep hers fixed on the pretty patterned carpet beneath her.

"Josh, in the future you are not to discuss your opinion of any one of my pupils with another one in that way," she said, never taking her eyes off of Sara. Josh felt his heart sink to the bottom of him, knowing he'd unwittingly caused more trouble for Sara.

"Yes ma'am, I'm very sorry," he said in a voice a little above a whisper. Miss Caroll nodded, pleased enough with his fake apology, then turned to face him, while all the while keeping Sara the corner view of her eye.

"And why haven't I heard anything coming from the piano from this room? Or have you been too preoccupied gossiping for the past hour to carry out a task you're paid well to do." Sara glanced up and past her curls to see Josh's face redden with irritation and his hand curl itself into a fist at his side and fall again.

"I've given Miss Samara her lesson, as instructed," he said, remembering to call Sara by her last name and a small title. "We were just finishing, but she's played beautifully for the past hour. Perhaps you should listen for the sound instead of the silence Miss Carroll."

Miss Caroll stepped back and let her jaw fall open, shocked that he dared to speak to her in such a manner. Sara, too, stood straight and stared at him, but with a look of admiration and wonder. Josh looked past Miss Caroll and nodded towards her, before fixing his eyes on Miss Caroll again, who quickly regained her composure and stood as she had before, with her hands clasped together.

"You've spent far too much time with Sarina, you're picking up on her insolence and I'm sorry she's made such an impression on you," she said and shot Sara a hard look.

Sara felt her blood boiling and the color flush to her own face, but she said nothing. She knew to retaliate would be to start a small war, and she decided she would do Josh a small favor and keep her thoughts to herself, for now.

"Sarina!" Sara came to and met Miss Caroll's accusing gaze. "I've got errands that need to be completed. You will go into the city today, take these messages to the people on this list, and pick up the things that are marked as well." She shoved a small, but full list into Sara's outstretched hand, and she couldn't help but smile as she read through them. It would take her the rest of the afternoon to complete everything, and she was absolutely delighted.

Perhaps it was because Miss Caroll was very frightened by the size and people of New York City, or perhaps she knew just how cruel it was to keep young girls in one spot for so long, but whatever the case, it was a very rare occasion when any of the young ladies living in Miss Caroll's institution stepped outside of the old, iron gates that surrounded the school. In many cases, one of them only left for one of two reasons; to attend church services on Sunday with the lot of them or to return home during the holidays or summer, as most of them had a month earlier in June. These small allowances were hardly enough to make up for the greater loss, though. The youngest girls became bored quickly with the front lawn, the back, and the inside of the school, and often made up games of the things they would do and see in the city when they got the chance to go. The older girls were more quiet about it, but they too longed for the simple freedom to come and go as they liked, and often stood silently by the iron gates, looking eagerly out at the buildings in the distance.

Sara had gained the unique privilege of going into the city years before, when she'd, as Miss Caroll would put it, "stepped out of line", and Miss Caroll thought that sending her into the city with a chaperone would be a fine punishment for a quiet, introverted girl like her. It actually had quite the opposite effect. Sara loved the tall buildings, the lights, the sounds and smells, and the sight of so many different people. It had given her new ideas for stories too, stories she came home that very night and told. As a result of her excitement, or more so, her outstanding capability to remember long, complicated messages and complete errands quickly, Sara was the only girl allowed to go into the city as often as she did. And every opportunity, even a tedious one like the one Miss Caroll had given her now, was taken very seriously and treasured.

"You'll go with Miss Miles in one hour." Sara's shoulders dropped a little at the sound of that. Miss Miles was large, and walked so slowly. Even with the car to take them from place to place, the trip would take much longer and be much less fun with her around.

"If those errands are urgent, Miss Caroll, I'll accompany Miss Samara into the city." Sara and Miss Caroll both looked up, surprised at Josh's offer. He was holding his case now, and beckoned toward the door. Sara soon got over her surprise and walked quickly toward him.

"Sarina isn't your responsibility, and besides, I wouldn't want to inconvenience you in any way," Miss Caroll cut in.

"It's no trouble at all, really. I haven't got anything planned for the rest of the day. And Miss Samara can't complete all of this alone," he said, looking at the list in Sara's hand.

"I really don't think-"

"You said it'll be another hour before Miss Miles is ready to leave," he said, interrupting her. " I'm sure your errands are very important, I can't think of any reason why you should delay Miss Samara when I can take her and have her back here sooner."

Miss Caroll glared at him for a moment and then turned her gaze on Sara. She knew well that there was no excuse for delaying her, except to make things longer and harder for her. But she was very proud, and would never admit to the petty games she played out loud, and certainly not in front of the boy.

"Be back here by four exactly."

Josh nodded, took Sara's hand, and pulled her out of the room. The two rushed down the stairs and out the door, hoping to get the Josh's car before Miss Caroll changed her mind.

**************************************************************
"You took a huge risk talking to her like that. She could fire you, you know," Sara scolded, lightly. Josh smiled and kept his eyes fixed on the road.

"Good! Then I'd never have to see her again! And maybe I could finally get some sleep again." She smiled and hit him softly.

"Oh, what happened to your professional voice? And still, you should be more careful. Whether or not you like coming, the girls and I like having you around," she said. He scoffed and shook his head.

"I'm only required to be professional in her school, outside I'll say whatever I want however I want to say it. And somebody's got take her down a peg from time to time. I definitely didn't hear you speaking up!"

"Don't turn this around on me!" she laughed. "You saw how she was. She was waiting for me to say something, anything, so she could take it and twist it into something defiant."

"No! You, Sara? Defiant!?" he said, dramatically.

"Naturally. Well, she can criticize what say out loud or do, but she can't tell me what I can or can't think of her." Sara stopped, turned her gaze to the buildings that whizzed by, and sighed. "She doesn't like me...but I suppose it's partly my fault, because I can't say I really like either."

"Come on, it isn't your fault. She doesn't like anyone! And it's not like she hates you! You wouldn't be out here now if she did," he said, stopping at a red light.

"I'm not sure, and I wouldn't still be out now if it weren't for you," she said, smiling.

"Like I said, I don't mind and I didn't anything else planned for my Monday afternoon. But, to be honest, I talked a lot of talk, but I didn't think she'd really let me take you out today. A boy alone with one of her proper, pious young ladies," he said, wrinkling his nose and flipping his hair. "It's scandalous!"

Sara laughed and looked back at him. "She knows you're no threat to me, or to any other girl. You know that too."

Josh grinned and said, playfully "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh really? Well should I call Brennan and ask him then? Or does he not know that you two are dating?" Josh blushed and laughed before pressing on the gas to go forward.

Sara, Miss Caroll, and a few of the older girls in Miss Caroll's School were the only one's that knew Josh was gay. It slipped out, one day when many of them were gathered around the piano nearly two years ago, and Miss Caroll had chosen to overlook it, because Josh gave the girls good lessons for a low price. The other girls, who'd once tried to flirt with him, took instead to falling silent when he stepped into the room, and whispering awful names and rumors behind his back when he left. Girls that had once been his friends, stopped speaking to him, and he gave many of his lessons is near complete silence, only speaking to correct them, and they only speaking to reply.

In that time, Sara and Josh had grown to be close friends, because Sara herself didn't change at all once his secret was out.

"It wasn't' as though he was any different," she would say later, "He was the same boy that'd walked into the room moments earlier, and he left the same boy. Why shouldn't we be friends?"

So Sara grew to be able to really talk Josh, and he to confide in her and make her laugh. And because it was so rare to ever have more then a moment alone together, that Monday afternoon spent running Miss Caroll's errands, was one that Sara remembered clearly for the rest of her life.

Of course, that wasn't the only reason.

Almost as soon as they'd made it over the Brooklyn Bridge to Sara's side of town, she saw Josh's expression change from fun and relaxed, to red and nervous. At the next light, he slammed on the breaks, and swerved into the turn lane, all the while swearing and mumbling under his breath.

"Josh, what are doing?"

"Today is Monday!" he said, tapping impatiently on the steering wheel.

"Yes it is?" she said, confused.

The light changed and Josh spun around the corner, speeding toward back toward the bridge.

"Shit! I completely forgot to pick up my music! I've got to get there before it gets too late!"

"Music for what? Did you get another job?"

"Yes," he said, swerving into the middle lane. "Didn't I tell you?"

Sara shook her head. Josh swore and swerved to the right and after a few moments of silence, settled on a speed.

"Okay, so I was going around last Saturday night, playing my usual gigs, when at the last the one of the night, this guy came up to me. He said he was one of the orchestrators for a movie being shot up in Queens, and they needed another guy to help out with the keyboards. He liked what'd he'd heard me play, offered me the gig, so I took it. The way things are right now, I'll take up just about anything to add onto my check. Anyway, I went this past week on Wednesday and met up with the guy, and a few others that are also helping out the music for this movie, to check things out. Sara, it's a pretty big deal movie! They've got Motown and Universal Studios backing it, and the guys writing and performing the music are crazy talented! Everything checked out, I played a little and the others seemed to like what they heard, so they told me to come and get the music today!"

Sara listened and clutched the side the car, feeling more and more excited for him as he continued his story.

"The place they're rehearsing and shooting at is in Queens, that's only 30, or less, minutes from here right now. Traffic is insane, but I think I can make it work and get you back in time. And, hey," he stopped and looked at her, "You're getting something out of this too."

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"You remember the last thing on Caroll's list? You were supposed to go and tell Ella that she needed to see her soon, I think it says Friday at five? But we went to her place and she wasn't home."

"Yes I know."

"Well." Josh nudged her and smiled. "Word around the block is that Ella's helping out with the costumes for this movie."

Sara's face broke into a smile and gripped the side of the car tighter.

"You're kidding? She's come out of her retirement?"

"Yep," Josh laughed, "The story is an old friend is working on the movie and practically begged her to do the costume work for it. If it's true, then the reason she probably wasn't home was because she's at the studio, and while I get my music, you can find her, give her the news, and when you get back, you won't have to deal with any of Caroll's shit."

Sara nodded and leaned back, staring out the window at the water rushing by beneath the bridge.

"Then I guess it's well worth the trip back then. By the way, thanks Josh, for taking me out today."

"No problem. But you know, if there were anything you'd like to do to show me you appreciated it, I've got something in mind."

"Really?" she said and crossed her arms. "What's that?"

"Well, word around the school is you finished your story the other night. Why wasn't I invited to listen Princess Sara?" he teased.

Sara covered her smiled and shifted in the seat. "I guess it was Lily that told you then, right? I'm sorry Josh. I know I told you I'd tell it tomorrow night, but the girls begged me to tell it to them Sunday night. And we were all tired and Miss Caroll had given us all a hard time, and...well, I gave in and told it then."

Josh pretended to glare and then shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention back to the road.

"Tell it to me now! Have we got time before we get there to hear it all?"

"If we've really got about thirty minutes then yes. It was very short," she said.

"Good, then begin from where we left off. And don't leave out anything," he said, eagerly.

"Alright, well what happened then was..."
****************************************************************
Sara's eyes widened and sparkled when she got out of the car and looked around the studio. The large, pearly white building looked as though it could command all of New York to stop it's noise and fuss and stand silently, calmly as it did. It stood twenty times as high as she did, and almost forty times as wide. Beautifully crafted pillars lined the front and served as the archway to tall, wide stairway, so great in size that Sara couldn't possibly count them all. Clear glass windows were scattered all over, and Sara took a second to stare into each of them, sometimes catching the eye of another curious being on the other side. She would smile, and nod to them, but oddly enough, most of them would just hurry away from the window, as though afraid of her. To this day, Sara still cannot understand just why they did that or what she did to make them feel like they needed to run.

"Come on, I think I'm supposed to go in here, that's were I went last Wednesday." Josh jumped out of the car and, tugging Sara's arm, hurried up the flight of stairs and into the doorway. The passes they'd both received at the gates swung around their necks and their curls flew every way about their faces as the hurry turned into a run. Sara didn't have much time at all to look at anything at all, the walls, pictures, and floor all blurred together as they twisted right and left down numerous halls. Finally, Josh brought them both to a screeching halt in front of a man at the end of the final hall.

He was much older then Josh, but then Josh was only nineteen, and Sara knew that that this man had to be more then forty. He stood taller then both of them, but was neither skinny or large. His hairline had receded past his forehead, and little tufts of brown hair covered the back and most of the middle and far front of his head. His face was aged, but friendly, when he smiled, everything else seemed to curl into one too. His small, brown eyes sparkled under the dim light and gave off a feeling of overall compassion.

He stared at the two of them for a moment, before laughing low and putting his hand on Josh's shoulder.

"Well, we were starting to think you wouldn't show kid." His voice was lower then Sara had expected, but warm and comforting. Sara felt her heart slow down and the rest of her body relax, and she tried to smile and concentrate on what the two were now saying.

"I'm sorry I'm so late. The day started one way and, well it-"

"Ended another?' He interrupted, then laughed again. "You're here, that's what counts. And to be fair, I didn't realize until after you'd left that we didn't give you the time we wanted you to come. So, today you get a free pass. But starting tomorrow, rehersals are going to start at eight, so I'll expect to see you here and ready."

Josh nodded. "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

"And that's another thing. Kid we're not that formal around here. Call me Quincy," he said, patting his shoulder. Josh nodded again and tried to smile.

Sara shuffled a bit behind Josh, unsure whether she should speak or stay silent. Fortunately, she didn't have to make the decision. Quincy glanced over Josh's shoulder and moved aside to get a better look at her. Josh turned and stepped back to stand by her side.

"Si-Quincy, this is a friend of mine. I asked her to come with me, because she was actually on her way to see someone that may be here today. She's got a message that she's got to take to Mrs. Ella Belmonte, and it's very important that she gets it today. I was wondering if she's here, or was here?"

Quincy immediately nodded. "Yeah I know Ella. Now, Miss..."

"Sarina," she said, remembering to introduce herself by her full name.

"Sarina then. Ella is working here, been here since early this morning, on the costumes. Come here, let me show you," he said and started to walk back up the hall. Josh and Sara followed close behind, and it wasn't long before he reached the top, turned right, and opened a large door to the side.

"Come on," he said, and made his way down the lineouleum stairway. Sara went down second, and Josh trailed at third. They only walked for a few moments down the well lit, but narrow stairway before they came to the bottom of another long hall. This one had many doors on either side, all black and most shut. The floor was made of the same slippery material the stairs were, and the hall was just as narrow, but the lighting more then made up for the tight, eery conditions.

They continued to walk, and a little less then two minutes later, they came to a halt at the end of the hall, infront of the very last black door. This one was cracked, and a bright light shone out from inside. Quincy knocked on the door and, when he received no reply, turned the knob and went inside.

Ella Belmonte was and had always been one of the shortest, stoutest ladies Sara had ever seen. She was no taller then her shoulder, and fit nearly two of Sara in one of her shirts. Her hair, nails, and face were often done up nice, and she dressed in many pretty and expensive things. And she had a charm and style that no other woman Sara had ever met had. Her shoes always matched the outfit she wore perfectly, and her bracelets and necklaces glittered in the sunlight. She had a laugh that lit up a room and a smile that made people want to look again. And she could strike up a conversion with anyone, anywhere, and anytime. Ella had spent countless hours telling Sara of all the people she'd met, the places she'd been, and the things she'd seen, and Sara had grown to love her, as most people did, for the natural, elegant, and sassy way she was, despite her size.

"Now didn't I tell you about knocking on that door?" she asked, never looking up from the fabric.

"Yeah, you said to knock, and if you didn't answer, come right in," he lied, smiling. Ella laughed and looked up.

"Shows the way a person can twist something around doesn't it?" she said, her eyes lit up with pleasure. She nodded to Sara, then to Josh, and turned her attention back to Quincy.

"I see I've got company, are you going to leave us alone or am I going to have to kick you out?" she teased. Quincy laughed out loud and shook his head.

"Ella Belmonte, you'll never change, ever! I was just leaving, thank you. I've got to get this kid," he gestured to Josh, "up to speed on how things are going to go around here, and get him his music. Shouldn't take long though."

He turned and headed back toward the door. Josh glanced toward Sara and nudged her shoulder.

"Meet you back upstairs in twenty minutes?" Sara nodded and Josh turned and followed Quincy out, leaving the door slightly cracked behind him. Sara turned back to Ella and Ella laughed again, moving away from the scattered fabric and pins. She walked to her and hugged her, and Sara hugged back for a few seconds before they both pulled away and Ella, as she often did, began to pick at Sara, like a mother.

"How have you been little girl?" she asked as she brushed Sara's skirt. Sara smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

"Okay I guess. Wishing you'd come by more often though," she answered. Ella smiled, stuck on a loose thread of Sara's skirt.

"I'm assuming I'll be by soon, the only time Amy let's you girls out of the hole is to tell me to come in to it. Am I right?"

Sara nodded, and relayed the message Miss Caroll had hastily scribbled onto the list. When Sara finished, Ella rolled her eyes and turned back to her fabric.

"I won't pretend I know what Amy's problem is this time, but you tell her I'll be there after I'm finished here tomorrow, and if she doesn't care for that, she can come down here herself and I'll tell her myself." Sara nodded and watched as Ella pulled and tugged at a messy shirt while mumbling something under her breath.

"God!" She slammed the shirt down and ran one hand through her thick, dark hair, "You'd think that out of the eight people, they'd send me one with at least a lick of sense! Look at this." She yanked the shirt off the table and held it out to Sara. "This is some of messiest stitching I've ever seen. And all the shirts are like this! And the pants, the skirts, everything!"

"It is...different," Sara said, trying to be as polite as possible.

"You can just say it honey." Ella dropped the shirt. "It's awful work. And each one of them does just about the same, or a little worse. When Quincy asked me to do this for him as an old favor, I had no idea the quality of the costume team would be this bad! I would've never agreed to it. Now, instead of producing costumes, I'm going to have to be wasting most of my time training these guys."

"Well, how long will that take?" she asked.

"Not too long, but they start filming in another month, and with the time it's going to take to train them and then make the costumes...I don't know if they'll be ready in time or not," Ella sighed.

"Oh, but there must be something else you can do," Sara said, thinking of ways to help. "What if they could hire one more hand, someone you look at too before they hire, to make sure they can sew well, and retake measurements, make alterations, and do it fast. Then, while train the others, they can do half the sewing already."

Ella stared hard at the desk, thinking it over, then suddenly looked up and, smiling and laughing, but her hands up to her shoulders.

"Honey, that'd be about the only thing that could work now. And I think I know just who I need to talk to about that."

Sara smiled. "That's wonderful. Who are thinking of asking?"

"You, if you'll have the job." Sara's heart fell through her stomach and down to her feet. She was sure she'd heard wrong, but so unsure too. She slowly lowered Ella's hands and stepped back, cautiously.

"Miss Ella! That's very nice of you, but I...I....I couldn't possibly!" she said, quickly.

"Nonsense, of course you can. You've been sewing since you were seven, hell it was me that taught you to do it! And I've seen plenty of the dresses you've made for the girls for church on Sunday, and honey, they're just beautiful! Sara, you work fast, just about as fast as me, and your work is always clean. I trust you Sara, and you should too. I know you can do this."

"But I-I mean I...I couldn't possibly..." Sara couldn't think of any reason not to accept Ella's offer, and truth be told, she really didn't want to. A chance to live outside, everyday? To get out and earn money! And doing something she enjoyed as well. Sara couldn't have asked for a better opportunity.

Finally, one reason of doubt came to Sara's head and it made her lower her eyes and sigh. "Miss Caroll would never allow that."

Ella frowned and scoffed. "You let me handle her, believe me, she'll allow it. I have to see her tomorrow anyhow, I'll bring the matter up then. And I'll handle Quincy too. I'm doing him a favor, and I'll see to it he does one for me. All I need is a yes from you little girl."

"But I-"

"Sara, I know you're sick of sitting in that school day after day. This is a chance for you to get out. Get into a new environment and meet all kinds of new people. Some of the most fun I've ever had was working on movie sets. In fact, I remember the most fun I ever had at was in a movie studio. You find some knew things here, girl. Surprising, wonderful, scary, and nice things. And besides all that, think about your stories. You'll have all kinds to add to them, or tell the girls later at night."

Sara thought on that for a moment, and her eyes lit up in awe.

"It would give me new things to think of to tell the girls...I suppose, if Miss Caroll will allow it, and Quincy will allow it, and if it's only for the summer when there are no classes...I guess there's really no reason not too say yes, is there?"

Ella smiled and brushed back Sara's curls. "No there isn't, and I'll get right on hiring you right away. But, going back to your stories, just how are those coming along dear?"

*************************************************************

Michael walked down the stairway and down the hall as fast as he could, but stopped at the final door, disappointed he'd come down for nothing.

"Maybe, I should go up again, and too the left this time...But no, I did that a few minutes ago and it just took me back to the rehearsal room," he said to himself.

He groaned scratched his head, convinced he'd finally managed to get completely lost in the new studio. Of course, he should have expected too. Even Diana had said earlier that it would take some getting used too, as far where everything was. Now, over thirty minutes after rehearsal ended for the day, he was no closer to the exit then he was when he started.

"Okay, let's try to the right this time." He'd finally made up his mind and moved one foot forward, but stopped when he saw the door behind him open and a young girl came out. She stopped too and clutched the side of the door, watching him as he quickly moved to the side and expecting him to continue on up the hall.

But he didn't, at least not right away. He stood rooted to the spot he was in, unable to tear his gaze away from her. He didn't think she was beautiful, at least not in the way that most girls are, but that she very pretty, something that could be better then beauty. Her long, black curls framed her heart shaped face perfectly and her bright, green-gray eyes sparkled under just the light of the hall. She was slim, and her skin seemed to glow under the light, making the reds and blues in her dress pop out. He, from all this, that she wouldn't be the first he'd see in a crowd, but now that he'd spotted her, he'd want to look at her again, if he could.

They both stared in complete silence for a few moments, before she finally, slowly moved ahead.

"Excuse me." He could barely hear her when she spoke. She moved past him and towards the stairway, moving with a sort of natural rhythm, like a dancer. It seemed like forever before she finally disappeared out of sight, and Michael realized the entire time he'd been staring at her, he'd been holding his breath.

All at once, a million different questions ran through his head. Who was she? What was she doing here? Did she work down here? And the most nagging of all, would he see her again?

"If you'd have stared any harder at her, you'd have put a hole in her head." His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a voice, another woman inside the last room. She was folding fabric and putting pins back in their places.

"What are you doing down here boy?" she asked.

"I...Well I was just....You see I got..." he started and stopped and finally fell silent, unable to fess up and say he'd gotten lost.

"Look, if you want to get back out of here, you're going to go up those stairs, make a right, a left, another right, another right, and a left and you'll be at the spot where you came in this morning," she explained.

He lowered his eyes, but smiled and nodded.

"Thanks. Thanks for your help, Mrs...."

"Belmonte. Ella Belmonte, but please call me Ella. The title Mrs. only fits three people; snotty, married, or dead, and I should hope I'm none of those things."

Michael laughed and smiled again, then turned to leave.

"One more thing, boy." He froze and turned his head.

"That girl's going to be working for me very soon. She'll be down here, most everyday, starting at eight. Just in case you'd like to "get lost" again."

"Be careful dear!"

Sara didn't catch the warning in time. She jumped at the sharp prick of the needle and let the dress fall to the floor. A drop of red blood escaped the tip of her finger before she quickly covered it with scrap fabric and held fast to stop it.

"Sorry!" She smiled nervously at Ella and watched as she shook her head and knelt down to pick up the fabric.

"You've gotten a bit rusty, girl. You better be lucky you still sew better then the group I've got," she said, checking over the dress's stitches. Sara kept her eyes glued to the floor and shuffled uncomfortably in the seat, waiting for her approval.

Finally, Ella nodded, smirked, and handed the dress back to Sara.

"It's not perfect, but your stitches are clean, straight and strong, and the dress looks good besides. It'll hold up the Emerald City number, unless the chick wearing it just does something crazy in it. And they can't come back on us for that!"

Sara took the dress and sighed, feeling the butterflies leave her stomach. She smiled and tuned back to the desktop, picked up her needle, and began again on the beading of the green dress.

Though it had been hours since she stepped through the doors of the studio with Josh to pick up her pass as a set worker, Sara's heart continued to beat at full speed and her face was still white with excitement. Just two days ago, she'd cherished the single day she'd spent outside of the school walls, and now she'd be spending all of them outside for more then a month. Her fingers shook at the thought of it, which led to her pricking herself again, and Ella laughing as she gently scolded her again.

As she'd predicted, talking Miss Carroll into letting Sara work on the set was not as difficult of a task as Sara had imagined it would be. Of course, when Sara first suggested the idea, Miss Carroll was livid. She'd never liked Sara, and as a result of her ill feelings towards her, she liked to imagine that others felt the same as she did about her, though that idea couldn't have been farther from the truth. Her dislike for Sara only grew worse when she heard about the wonderful opportunity she'd been offered. Both jealously and plain cruelty rose up in her and flushed her cheeks a bright red, and she promptly, and rather loudly, told Sara to forget it, along with some other mean things aside, and sent her to her rooms, where she remained for the rest of the evening and that night.

By six o' clock the next evening, Miss Caroll was still angry, but managed to swallow it when Ella walked in the front doors of the school. She ushered her into her private office, and they talked for nearly two hours. Sara knew, because she'd been sitting on the steps, close to the door, and listening the whole time. By the time the great oak doors had opened again, Ella stepped out with a smirk of triumph painted on her face, and Miss Carroll was white with rage. She walked slowly, and solemnly, down the hall, and before Sara could move, she stood over her at the foot of the staircase.

"Stand up!" she barked, and immediately Sara was on her feet. She looked down and noticed her headmistress's fingers shaking and her foot taping rapidly against the floor. She looked up again and saw her blinking quickly, as though trying to choke down some sort of feeling.

"Mrs. Belmonte and I have discussed your request to take up a position outside the school, and she has assured me, that the idea was completely her own. She says she suggested it and that you were following her wishes when you came to me yesterday. Though I have my doubts to the truth of this claim," she rolled her eyes, "Mrs. Belmonte has made it very clear that she wants you specifically, to work on the costumes for this production. Since she is ever so persistent, and because we don't resume classes again until September, save for your music lessons with Mr. Gabrielli," Sara smiled at the thought of Josh's last name, "And, since Mrs. Belmonte has promised to watch over you...there seems to be no reason why you can't work alongside her."

Sara's face broke in spite of herself and her smile lit up her face. She glanced at Ella, who stood leaning against the front doors, and grinned back at her. Then she turned back to Miss. Carroll and nodded.

"Yes Miss Carroll. Thank you Miss Carroll!" she mustered and hurried up the stairs to tell the other girls, leaving Miss Carroll standing, lifelessly, by the foot of the stairs.

Much later in her life, Sara would ask Ella just what it was she'd said to convince Miss Carroll to allow her to work. Ella would scoff and say, "There wasn't much to be said. There really wasn't any good reason she could come up with to not allow it, besides just to say the obvious. She didn't like you and didn't want you to have the opportunity. And of course, someone as proud and "polished" as Amy would never admit something like that out loud. So she had to let you go."

So, after one sleepless night and a short drive, Sara sat in the chair opposite of Ella's, hand stitching a complex beading pattern onto a bright green dress, and she reveled in every minute of it.

"Hmm....never in my life did I think I'd be sewing for the Emerald City," Ella said, reaching for more pins.

"Tell me again, how this movie's different from the original "Wizard of Oz"?" Sara asked.

"Girl, I've told you a dozen times, so listen up because I won't say it again. "The Wiz" isn't much different from the old movie, it's got all the same characters, same plot, same idea. It's just set up a little differently. It's a little bit more modern then poppy fields and witch's castle's."

Sara shrugged her shoulders and shifted the needle. "That doesn't sound very exciting at all."

"What?" Ella asked and dropped the pins on the table. Sara shrugged her shoulders again and looked up at her.

"I don't know, it sort of sounds like the "The Wizard of Oz" without the Oz. It's hard to imagine a talking lion without a witch's castle nearby, or a living, breathing tin woodsman without an enchanted forest, with talking trees and exotic fruits. It's sort of like magic without magic. And I certainly never would've pictured the outfits of the Emerald City would look like this," she said, holding up the dress.

"Do you always have to say exactly what you're thinking?" Ella teased and moved closer to her. "Alright, then girl, if you had your way, what would this dress look like?"

"Well...right now, it looks like a dress you'd wear on a fun night out to a club. It's long, but it's fitted, it'll show off every curve you've got, and the one strap make it very modern and I guess a little daring. It's very nice...But I've always imagined people would wear full gowns around the Emerald City. They'd be green, of course, and the bodice would be lined with small emeralds and curled, twisting patterns. The sleeves would be short, in the summer, and light, transparent almost, and hang off the shoulder to keep the heat away. The skirts would almost always hang to the floor, and some would be decorated in all kinds of patterns, and others would be coated in small sparkles, so they'd shimmer with every step down the emerald walkways. And the boys, they'd wear grand, long jackets, with emerald buttons that came to their collarbones. And soft, looser pants and shoes to make them feel more comfortable, but still look wonderful..."Sara trailed off, imagining her own Emerald City, with a great palace in the center, made entirely of pearl and emerald.

She snapped back to reality when Ella touched her shoulder.

"You know something? You've got a real gift with words little girl," she said, squeezing her shoulder. Sara brushed her off and looked to the ground.

"They're just stories, they don't amount up to much..."she mumbled.

"I think they mean a lot to a lot more people then you think. Your girls adore them, Josh likes them, I think they're pretty good...Who knows, maybe someday they'll mean something to someone else too."

Sara, though, was unsure, so she stayed silent and picked up the needle again. Ella rolled her eyes and stood up, picking up another piece of fabric in the way.

"I've got to get down the hall in a few minutes or so. Have to teach another girl a thing or two about using a machine. While I'm gone, you've got some measurements to handle."

Sara looked up in surprise.

"But I thought you'd taken everyone's measurements for everything," she said, holding up the green dress.

"Well, yeah, we've taken most of the measurements for the dancers and extras and such. We did that a while ago, before Josh got offered a job here. But, most of them have been rehearsing here since the middle of June, none of the main cast had a clear enough schedule until now, the beginning of July. So, we're taking their measurements now instead, and by August they should be able to rehearse in costume to make sure they can dance and move well enough before filming."

"Well, who needs to be measured?" she asked.

"Well..let me think," Ella said and stopped for a moment. "We fit the dancers, the munchkins, the party guests, the footmen, the peddler, I think all four crows, Theresa, Stanley, Richard doesn't need to be measured for anything...." She counted silently and nodded. "Yeah, so that only leaves Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Lion, Evillene, Glinda, Miss One...Oh! And the Scarecrow."

"So, seven then?" Sara asked.

"Yeah, seven all together. You've only got three to do today though, the other four will come in tomorrow. Your first for today is supposed to be down here in a few minutes, and if I'm not mistaken it should be the Scarecrow, that is if that boy can find his way down here," she said, laughing.

"Now Miss Ella, why do you say it like that?" Sara asked, feeling awkward knowing Ella teased him.

"Because I'm gettin' old, and I don't have the patience I used too, especially not for an eighteen year old boy. The young ones are always the hardest to break in; they're late, they're not up to speed, and he's new at this movie gig. But, thankfully, he seems nice enough, and he's polite, which is always so hard to find in young people these days. He shouldn't give you much trouble."

"You said he's eighteen?" she asked, excited she may meet someone close to her age to befriend.

"Yeah, he's eighteen, I think he'll be nineteen next month, but I'm not sure, you'd have to ask him. I guess I can't say I mind having him around too much, he sure is fine! I'd like to take him around the block and teach him a few tricks" Ella laughed again.

"Miss Ella!" Sara said and giggled.

"It's true! You saw him, hell, if I was just your size and age, I'd be all over him, and dare some young thing to try to get me away," she said. Sara shook her head and smiled.

"He's eighteen, you're sixty two. I just don't think it would work out. And what do you mean I've seen him? I've never-" Sara was cut short with by a small knock. Ella shook her head and smiled.

"You see? I told you, he's polite, but he's new. Anybody else would've just opened the door. Come in here boy!"

The knob turned, and once he stepped inside, Sara's eyes immediately hit the floor, and she pushed her curls around her face. She had seen him before, he was the boy from the other day, the one whose face she'd also seen on posters and magazines when she'd been allowed to go into town, and the same one who now made her feel smaller and more shy then she ever had in her life.

She took only small comfort in seeing him step back and look away as well after initially seeing her. But it was short lived, because she realized it was probably due to their awkward, and almost silent, meeting just the other day.

"Well, you're here, so that means I'd better get going before that stupid girl takes a finger off messing with that machine," Ella said, breaking the silence. "She'll take your measurements in my place. She hasn't exactly done this a hundred times, but she'll get it done and as long as you stay still and be nice, she won't stick you."

She gestured towards Sara, and Sara stood, raised her head, and smiled as she'd been taught to do when in the company of a stranger, though her smile was small and a bit unsure. He looked up as well and mustered a small, uncertain smile too.

Ella gathered her things, pins, needles, and thread, and walked towards the door. She stopped there, and shot each a unique sort of glare, for Sara to remind her to be quick and careful, to the boy to make sure he didn't cause Sara any problem in trying to measure him. And with that, she left the room, closing the door to the main room behind her. And nobody ever saw the smile of pleasure on her face as she continued down the hall.

************************************************************************
Michael shuffled awkwardly and Sara twisted her fingers behind her back, while both stared uncomfortably at one another. Neither wanted to be the first to speak, and both wanted nothing more then to turn and run from the room. But, knowing they couldn't, they both continued to stand, look, shuffle, and twist, until the silence in the room felt so thick, each figured they could reach out and touch it.

Sara finally sighed and picked up the measuring tape lying on the side of the counter.

"Here, you should probably stand over here," she said in voice a little louder then a whisper. He looked at where she pointed and nodded.

"Right...okay," he mumbled and walked further into the room and to that spot. Sara nodded and turned to open the drawer in the side of the countertop, to get a pencil and paper.

"What should I do?" he asked. He'd been measure dozens of times, but he knew everyone took them a different way. And the last thing he wanted was to give her a reason to dislike him for not doing as she said.

"Just what you're doing now is fine," Sara answered. "Just stand perfectly still for me, please. I-I usually start from the waist and move down, then do the top. Is that alright?"

"Yeah, that's fine," he said, and Sara began her measurements.

The silence returned at full force as both drew blanks of what to say next. Every couple of minutes, Sara would catch Michael staring at her, and then Michael would catch her staring at him. Both wanted to start a conversation, but neither could think of something, anything, to say.

After a few moments of this passed, Michael looked around, and, finding nothing to comment on, took a breath.

"She seems...tolerable," he said, referring to Ella. She stopped what she was doing and stared at him. Then he realized just how that sounded and he immediately wished he'd never said anything. He looked away, and closed his eyes, waiting for her response.

"Don't let her get to you," she said, and Michael opened his eyes, surprised. "She doesn't dislike you, I know that. She's really just testing you."

"Really?" he asked, confused. "But why?"

She smiled and moved to the side to record another measurement.

"I don't know, that's just the way she's always been. But, if you can pass the first couple tests, she'll love you forever. And she'll treat you well," she said, half whispering.

He looked up, thinking on Sara had said and then nodded and smiled himself.

"Okay, I guess I ought to be on my best behavior then," he giggled, feeling slightly more comfortable with Sara then he had moments ago. He didn't want the room to fall silent again, so he continued. "So, you said she's always been like that?"

"Oh yes," Sara answered. "Ever since I was small, she'd walk into a room and you see some people flock over to her, and others stop speaking and moving all together. Once she's judged you, it's hard to change her mind, and most of them were people who'd made bad impressions, or were flat out rude. But for the rest of us, she'd welcome us with hugs, jokes, and sometimes stories of the places she'd traveled. She's been all over, you know."

"No I didn't, but you must've known her a long time."

"Yes, we've been friends since I was seven," Sara said, thinking back on the first time she'd met Ella back at school.

"Oh, well I can't imagine why she wouldn't like you," he said, unaware he was staring at her hard. When she looked up at him again, he quickly jumped and his eyes hit the floor beside him.

"I-I mean it's hard to dislike a seven year old. Kids really just have a way of growing on you," he said, trying to cover up his previous comment. Sara looked at him for a little longer, before turning back to her work.

"You're right, it is hard not to like kids. I guess I was just the right age at the right time." She didn't notice Michael breathe a sigh of relief, but did look up just in time to see him smiling to himself.

"What are you thinking of?" she asked. He looked down at her, and smiled again.

"Nothing, I was just thinking of what I said. I think that kids now are great, but I can't exactly say I was an angel at seven."

"Really, why?" she asked, her voice growing a little louder.

"Well...I wasn't mean, or bad or anything, I don't think but...I guess I just had a way of getting into everything. Any door that was closed, any place that was off limits, that just made me want to go inside even more. My curiosity would get the better of me, and sometimes things would get broken. My sister's got tons of stories that ended in her being annoyed with me."

"Aw, well being curious isn't a bad thing. I think I'd much rather have a curious kid then a content one," Sara remarked.

"Me too! I mean, there's just so much stuff to do!" he said. His shoulders slumped back to their normal position and his face lost the red tone as he grew ever more comfortable with Sara.

"Right? Curiouser and Curiouser...that seems like the best way to be," she said, forgetting herself. But once she realized what she'd said, her cheeks turned red and her fingers moved quickly. She silently hoped he wouldn't ask about the quote or that he hadn't heard her. Instead, something wonderful happened.

"Now I'm opening out like the largest telescope that ever was!" he said. Sara stopped her work, and smiled, both happy and surprised he'd recognized her quote. Michael flashed her a big smile in return as she knelt down to finish the bottom measurements.

"You've read the book for "Alice in Wonderland"?" he asked, still smiling at her. She nodded and pushed the loose strands of hair from her face.

"Yes, it's one of my favorites! It's on the table there actually," she said, and pointed to the small, purple book on the table in the corner.

"I like Disney's movie more, but I think the book is great too, just a little hard to understand sometimes," he started, then gave her a questioning look. He bit his bottom lip and looked down for just a moment, thinking of something else to say, to impress her, then his eyes grew wide and he looked up again, knowing just what to say next.

"How doth the little crocodile, improve his shining tail," he started. Sara smiled and her heart began to beat quickly.

"And pour the waters of the Nile, on every golden scale!" she finished. He giggled and continued on.

"How cheerfully he seemed to grin, how neatly spreads his claws."

"And welcomes little fishes in," Sara picked up, and they both finished together.

"With gently, smiling jaws!"

Now it was Sara's turned to giggle and she stood up and smiled genuinely as all feelings of doubt and shyness left her and she too, felt comfortable around the strange boy.

"Nobody ever seems to get it quite right. You must've read and re-read it a hundred times," she said.

"I've been over it a couple of times," he said, moving his leg to make Sara's measurement cleaner. "That's one book that seems to be different every time I read it. I always find something I didn't see before."

"That's why I like it so much. Well, that and other reasons too," she started, but stopped when she stood up and moved back towards the table.

"I'm almost done. I've just got to do your top half now," she said, sounding much more cheerful then she had when she started.

"Okay," he said, and Sara started again.

"So you like Alice in Wonderland. What other kinds of books do you like?" he asked.

****************************************************************
They talked for nearly an hour and a half, far longer then they knew they should've. There conversation went full circle. It started with books, then moved on to movies, and then to games and toys they'd played with as children, then somehow it came back to movies, and finally they ended at books again, and even further back to Alice in Wonderland. In this time, Michael found that Sara read far more then he did, and Sara found that Michael had seen more movies then she could count. He learned that Sara's favorite book was 1001 Arabian Nights, and Michael liked just about every movie genre except horror. The few books and movies they had both read and seen, they both loved, and they shared many of the same toys and games. By the end of the hour and half, they both felt completely at ease, both were sitting back, taking no notice of posture anymore, and both laughed and talked freely.

Suddenly, Sara grew quite solemn. Her eyes lost a bit of their shimmer and her skin went pale, as she reached out and lifted the book from the table. She quietly opened it and flipped through gold lined pages.

"But I guess what I love most about Alice in Wonderland," she began, in answer to the question Michael had just asked her, "is Alice and her Wonderland, as obvious as it might sound. What I mean is, Alice grew so tired of where she was and the simple way things were, so she was able to go this world where everything was upside down and inside out. So many colors, amazing things, new and exciting people, an adventure all her own! And she faced many odd events, some nice, and others not so nice at all, but they were hers to face, and her story to live."

She stopped again and her voiced dropped to barely above a whisper." I guess that, sometimes in a big, modern place like New York, Wonderland just seems so far away. Too far, and so far that you have to live in it through the pages."

Michael stared silently at her; his demeanor also changed. He felt his heart grow heavy and the life drain down to the bottom of him.

"I know what you mean. In big places, I guess it's easy to feel small, or unimportant or so far away from everything you really want," he mumbled, reaching out to touch the pages of the book. Sara hardly noticed, and her eyes fell to the ink in the book.

"And other people don't always make everything better. There's always someone around to tell you what you can or can't do," she said, forgetting Michael was there.

"You can never make your own choices! They decide everything for you, and get mad at you when you try to think for yourself," he said, forgetting Sara was there.

"Soon, they dictate everything, and what you want seems to matter less and less. It's almost like you're invisible," she continued.

"You're surrounded by people, but it's like no one can see you or hear you, no matter what you do," he said.

"It's like being in a dark room that only gets darker until finally you just feel-" she said.

"Everything just gets so overwhelming, and you just feel more lonely as time goes on and then one day, you wake up and you feel-" he began.

"Lost"

They both ended on the same word, and it hung thick in the air. Both snapped up and looked at each other, finally aware again that the other was there. They'd strayed far from Alice in Wonderland, but suddenly that didn't seem to matter. Nothing else seemed to matter at that moment.

They both stared at one another, each with a million different thoughts running through their heads, unable to form the words for any of them. As odd as it sounds, for a few minutes each felt like there was nothing and no one else in the world other then them, though neither one dared to say it. Neither dared say anything, for risk of losing the feeling they had. A feeling not of lust, or even affection, but of simple happiness, something that had a light, airy and free feeling. Happiness at the new knowledge of someone else that really, understood, not who just pretended too.

Both jumped at the sound of the door opening, and they both looked that way.

A pixie sized girl stepped inside and, on seeing them together, she cocked her head and looked puzzled.

"There you are! We've been looking for you for the past half hour!" she exclaimed. "Are you all measured up or what?"

Michael smiled and stood up, turning his back to Sara and moving the chair back to the desk.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I guess we just lost track of the time," he said, laughing.

Sara stood up slowly and avoided looking the girl in the eye, but managed to survey her up and down as she moved her chair as well.

She was small all over, her height, her waist, everything about her was so tiny. Her hair was short and dark, but cut fashionably and framed her face well. She had large, nice brown eyes, and a big bright smile and perfect white teeth. Her red dress suit her well, and stopped at the knee to show off her legs and cute red shoes. But what Sara would remember always was the glow she seemed to have around her. She was clearly confident, and Sara felt a slight twinge of envy, as she knew that was something that she lacked.

The girl gave Michael a funny look, then stood on her toes to peer over his shoulder at Sara.

"We?" she asked. Michael nodded and turned to face Sara.

"Yes, Steph this is Sara, she took my measurements. Sara, this my friend Stephanie." Sara stepped forward and forced herself to make eye contact. Stephanie smiled, but Sara could see it was forced.

"It's nice to meet you Miss..." Sara started.

"Mills, Miss Mills is fine," she said, hastily. The girls silently looked at each other, and Michael stood in the corner, confused. Stephanie looked Sara up and down and the smile immediately fell from her face. She glowered at her for a moment, but then fluffed her hair and turned away from her.

"Well, we'd better go before Sydney has a heart attack! Come on Michael," she said, walking toward the doorway. Michael stared at her, then looked to Sara, then to Stephanie, then back to Sara again, suddenly very nervous.

"I-I guess I'll see you later then," he said, softly and looking at the ground.

Sara opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again as Stephanie swiftly moved and grabbed his hand. She cast Sara a long, hard look and made sure she saw her lift his hand and pull him towards the doorway. She stopped only once and turned to her, still holding his hand in her own. Sara got the message loud and clear.

"Yeah, I'll see you around," she mumbled. Stephanie raised her eyebrows, but said nothing, then turned and hurried the both of them out of the room, closing the door behind them.

Sara stood, unable to move from the spot she was in. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't understand or rid herself of the sudden pinch she felt in her chest. She finally sank into the chair near her, picked up some fabric, and started again on another costume. She managed to measure the two others that day, Miss Ross and Miss King, and was polite when they spoke to her kindly and asked her questions. But Sara didn't say a word for the rest of the day to Ella, to Josh as he drove her back to the school, to Miss Carroll when she'd scolded her for yet another thing that seemed to go wrong, or even to Emily Hadley when she remarked on the tired state of her dress. Sara didn't seem to have any want for words, and she went straight to her room that evening, sat by the windowsill, and eventually fell asleep there. And that night, she dreamed one of the most beautiful things she'd dreamed in a long while, about a wonderful prince, a grand kingdom, a terrible curse, and a young girl who lived in the shadows

**********************************************************************

Michael leaned back on the small seat, staring at the bright colored lights that hit the ceiling every which way, and sighed. A small pinch in his chest had been bothering him for most of the day, and for a reason only he knew, he couldn't stop thinking of Alice in Wonderland... but more then that, he couldn't stop thinking of Sara.

"Michael, come on! Come dance with me, I'm sure it'll clear your head," Stephanie urged, sitting beside him. He continued to stare up at the ceiling and shook his head.

"No, I'm sorry Steph. I guess I'm just not much in the mood for dancing tonight," he said.

Studio 54 was packed with people outside the concealed room, people from the set of the Wiz, and other New Yorkers that were having a good time on a Wednesday night. Stephanie glanced longingly at the opening, then turned back to Michael and leaned against the back of the seat as well.

"Okay, what's bugging you? You've been out of it all day. I though if we came here tonight, it might lift your spirits a little," she said.

He sighed again and sat up, looking at her.

"It's nothing, I'll be okay but Steph there is something I've been meaning to ask you," he said. Stephanie sat up immediately too, her heart racing with anticipation.

"Yeah what is it?" she said, hoping it was what she'd been waiting to hear.

"Well, earlier today, why didn't you let Sara call you by your first name?" Stephanie's let out a small sigh, and tried to cover her disappointment and envy at the mention of Sara's name.

"Oh, well it's just that...well, honestly, it's more natural for a girl that works in wardrobe to speak to someone else on the set in a more formal way. I guess I'm just accustomed to it being that way," she said.

He stayed silent for a moment, thinking over what she'd just said, then shrugged his shoulders.

"Well...couldn't you stray away from the rules? Just this once, I mean, she's only a few years younger then you, a year under me. It most feel weird for her to have to call you that. I know I'd feel odd," he said, looking at the floor.

Stephanie stared at him and then sighed. "Fine, if that's what you want, she can call me Stephanie, Steph if she wants." Michael smiled and looked back at her.

"Thanks, I know it would make her feel better," he said. Stephanie shook her head and stood up.

"How do you know? You just met her today, you're talking like you've known her forever," she scoffed.

He stayed silent for a bit before she finally heard him stand as well.

"That's what it feels like," he mumbled, and walked slowly toward the opening and glanced out at the ground.

Stephanie turned, not wanting him to see the look of disappointment on her face and held her breath to stop the small tears from coming. She'd had a crush on him for so long! She knew she shouldn't cry, but she still felt like it. After all this time, and then another girl had come along...

He didn't turn around, but playing with the curtain that kept them separate from the crowd.

"Maybe, I can see her again tomorrow," he said, happily. "And maybe, if I see her enough, we can be friends!" He smiled, excited at the thought of it. He liked Sara, a lot actually, and wanted very much to be a good friend to her, and for her to have him as a friend.

Suddenly, his mood cleared and the sounds, rhythm, and laughter from outside made him want more then ever to join in on the fun.

"You were right Steph! Coming here was a great idea. Come on, let's go!" he said, took her hand, and they both rushed onto the dance floor. She grinned as she danced with him and laughed, forgetting about Sara and her jealously. Perhaps, she was still in the running. Perhaps all she had to do was ensure she kept ahead.

Michael could clearly hear the sounds of the television from outside and his sister's footsteps as they came closer to his bedroom door, but he still wouldn't get up. He slowly opened his eyes, looked all around the room once and then shut them again and buried himself deeper underneath the covers of his bed, smiling to himself. The dim sunlight streamed in from the curtained window and cast a clear glow on everything, from the foot of the bed, to the middle of the carpeted floor, to the small wooden desk in the corner. Everything was still, and that combined with the familiar sounds of the new apartment only made him want to stay under the covers and sleep for a few more hours.

Unfortunately, a loud, disruptive banging on the door broke the peace and his smile fell away as quickly as it had come.

"Michael! Get up!" Latoya meant well enough, but her shrill voice made Michael scowl and shove himself deeper into bed.

"Michael come on! Do you know what time it is? You're going to be late!" The banging grew louder and more persistent as the minutes crawled by, but still he wouldn't budge. Finally, he heard the crack of the door opening and footsteps that grew louder and closer, until he felt her hand on his shoulder.

"Get up!" She shook him gently and he groaned in response and pulled away. He didn't have to see her to know she was rolling her eyes and getting frustrated. He couldn't help but giggle softly at the thought of it.

"I'm glad to see that this is fun for you!" she said, exasperated. She crossed her arms and stood patiently at his bed side, glaring at him until finally he felt so uncomfortable, even under the covers, that he groaned again and pushed them back.
Instantly, he felt the chill of the room hit his skin and curled up, wanting to go back under the covers and warm up.

"Why's it so cold?" he asked, groggily.

Latoya rolled her eyes and extended her hand to help him up. "I turned up the air conditioning. It was so hot last night I thought I was going to melt."

"Yeah, but now it's freezing in July!" he said, taking her hand and pulling himself up from the bed.

"It's not that bad," she laughed. Michael smiled too as he pulled the blanket from the foot of the bed up and covered his shoulders.

"How long am I going to have to put up with freezing in my own apartment?" he joked. Latoya playfully pushed his shoulder and made her way back to the bedroom door.

"Just until it's not so hot, then we can crank the heat up to a hundred if you like. Now come on! If want something to eat before you go, you'd better hurry up and get dressed."

As soon as she shut the door, Michael sat on the bed again, pulling the blanket closer around him, and looked around his room. It was small, smaller then his room at home, and only had a desk, a bed, a closet, and a window, but he still took pride in it. It was his room, in his apartment, well his and Latoya's anyhow. And somehow, that makes all the difference from the bedroom in your parent's home. Somehow it makes you feel better, more at home, and braver. Though I can't quite say how or why.

After taking a moment to look at everything, he jumped up and rushed to the closet. In ten minutes he was dressed and another ten his hair was done and his teeth brushed. On coming out of the bathroom, he went down the narrow hallway and into the opening of their small, but cozy living room. A re-run of an old show flashed across the screen of the television as he peered over the couches and into the cove off to the side of their living room, the kitchen. Inside, he could see his sister fumbling and waving about, but he swallowed his smile and sat on the couch closest to him.

"Are you eating or what?" she asked, not bothering to turn around. Michael shook his head and leaned back against the couch, looking to the side and at her.

"No, I'll be okay until later," he mumbled. He watched her as she went back and forth across the small square opening, wondering what on Earth she could be doing that was so tedious in that small kitchen.

"Suit yourself, you'd better get going then," she said, flustered. "Bill will be here soon and you shouldn't keep him waiting. Oh! And I was watching the news this morning, apparently there was some awful accident last night that's got this entire road closed off. Which way have you been taking to get there?"

Michael felt the redness creep onto his face as he looked away from the window.

"I don't remember exactly what streets we take..." he muttered. He heard her stop moving and knew she'd finally turned to the window and was probably rolling her eyes at him again.

"You really should start paying attention to where you're going Michael," she scolded as she picked up a rag and wiped down the countertops.

"I know, I know...I guess I don't much care where we go to get there, as long as we get somewhere." He smiled when he thought of the words, and young Alice, who'd originally said them in the book. And his smile grew wider when he thought of Sara after that.

"What are you talking about? And what are you thinking that's got that look on your face?" she asked, confused. He shook his head and took the grin off his face.

"Nothing," he said, shrugging his shoulders. He stood up and bounced to the door.

"What are going to do today?" he asked. She leaned around the corner and smirked at him.

"I'm going back to sleep. Who would be up at this hour?" She laughed when he tried to shoot her a nasty glare, then he laughed too and left the apartment, excited for the day ahead.

********************************************************************
"Good, good! That's exactly how I want it for filming, remember that!"

For the first time all morning Mr. Lumet was smiling, and his four stars tried their best to muster smiles while at the same time trying to catch their breath. Michael leaned on the side of a nearby chair and, while breathing heavily, surveyed his costars. Nipsey and Ted looked about ready to pass out, both of them were leaning against the walls, hardly standing at all. Diana, for her part, looked exhausted too, but the big smile on her face and her laughter made her stand out from the rest, as bright and ready to go on, to learn more. Michael could only smile and try to shake his own exhaustion off to try to keep up with her.

"Okay guys, let's break for a bit," Mr. Lumet nodded at each of them and he, along with their choreographer, headed for the door. Nipsey and Ted laughed, relieved, and followed closely behind, chatting with each other along the way. Diana smoothed down her shirt and walked to the corner where Michael was standing. Stephanie, who'd been watching from the side, hopped up and rushed over to join them.

Michael felt a twinge of excitement at seeing everyone settle down at first, but it was soon replaced with a overwhelming, sick feeling. Now was his chance! But did he really want to take it?

"Hey umm...How long do we usually break for?" he asked. Diana shrugged her shoulders and leaned against the wall beside him .

"Depends. It's different on every set with every director. I got an hour yesterday around this time, so I'll take wager it's about that," she said, eyeing him up and down. Finally, she turned him around and patted down the sides of his shirt.

"I don't know why you insist on wearing a shirt that's ten sizes too big! You've got plenty that fit just fine at home." Michael laughed out loud and pushed her hands away.

"Diana! It's just rehearsal, and this one's more comfortable!" he protested. She shook her head and crossed her arms, reaching out to fix the shirt again.
"That's no excuse! You're skinny enough as it is, you don't need a shirt that swallows you whole. Tomorrow, wear one of your more fitted ones, the striped one would look nice," she said. He smiled, rolled his eyes, and crossed his arms to match her stance.

"Yes mother." She smiled at him and playfully hit his shoulder.

"That's right, and don't you think I won't be letting your mother know about your dress habits while you're out from under her eyes. I'll be telling her everything that's going on while you're away from home young man!" She was laughing while she said it and both Michael and Stephanie smiled at the remark.

"Well you're no fun at all!" he laughed, "Anyway, I'll be back in an hour."

He moved away from the wall and headed for the door leading to the open hall. Stephanie and Diana both looked confused and Stephanie hurried forward and caught him by the shoulder.

"Hey, where are you headed?" she asked. He bit his lower lip and looked away from her.

"I...uhh... I'm going to check out the music department for the movie," he lied. Stephanie gave him a questioning look, and Michael stepped back and away from her, thinking.

"Yeah, I mean music is my thing you know?" he stammered. "I'd like to see what we're looking at as far as music, our songs, my song. Um..I heard it wasn't going to be quite the same as the one in the musical, so I thought...I thought I should see if I can get the sheets so I can work on learning it. I'm already the new kid...I don't want to seem like a total goof that can't handle his own."

Stephanie continued to stare, the look of confusion on her face quickly turning to anger, but Diana stepped in and nodded.

"You do that, I think Stephanie and I can hold down the rehearsal room while you're gone." Michael flashed her a quick smile and turned and rushed out of the room, leaving Diana wondering what he was really up too and Stephanie, red and boiling.

***********************************************************************

Michael got to just a few steps before the last door at the end of the dark, narrow hall, and then froze, unable to move an inch farther. He could feel his heart speed up, his face grow hot, and the knots begin to form in his stomach.

Up until that moment, going to see Sara again seemed like a wonderful idea, and he'd been very excited. But, once the moment had come, he found himself shrinking away and his excitement had melted into a nervous fear as a thousand doubts rushed through his head.
What if she's busy?

What if she doesn't want to be bothered with me?

Maybe she was just being polite, trying to make the time pass yesterday.

Have I misunderstood?

In just a few minutes of wondering and questioning whether he was right to try to see her again, he'd nearly talked himself into forgetting the whole thing and returning up the stairs to the rehearsal room. He shook his head and thought of the comfort he felt when around Diana and Stephanie, and how much he longed for it.

But not as much as he longed for the comfort he'd felt with Sara.

The thought flashed quickly across his mind, but settled there and grew in him until the feelings of doubt were forgotten, due to growing desire. He'd never quite be able to explain that feeling, not then when he was feeling it and certainly not when other's asked him about it, many, many years later. All he could recall then was that it was like a cross between anxious and excitement, one that made him feel numb in everything except his fingers and legs, and there he felt a tingling sensation. He could remember feeling as though he wanted to run away, but that there was really no other choice but to do what he determined he would. And while he wanted to go back to his friends, he wanted so badly to go forward, and perhaps meet a new one. Something he wanted so badly, it hurt.

Now I suppose, everyone who's ever met anyone they felt so strongly about feels different things. But this was the way he remembered it, and many others that have felt this way before and can tell you different, but similar stories

He stepped forward and knocked on the door twice. When he received no answer, he turned the knob slowly and silently peered into the room.

It looked just about the same as it had the day before. Every inch of the tables, the chairs, and the walls were lined with all kinds of fabrics of different colors and patterns. One large machine sat at the right edge of each of the three tables, two had fabric stuck under them, the last was threaded with a thick, golden thread. The floor shone as the bright, overhead lights cast a glow on them and the room was small and cozy due to the clutter of tables, chairs, and things scattered about.

Sara sat at near the back, in a small corner near a large mirror, mindlessly working a needle through the fabric of another intricate, beaded costume. Her dark curls hung in her face and she wore the same dress she'd worn the day before; a long dark blue skirt, a white collared shirt with a blue and red sash tied around the neck of it. He watched for a few moments more, opening the door so that it made a small squeak. Still, she didn't glance his way, or make any indication that she'd heard the noise at all. She wasn't even looking at the dress she held. Instead, her eyes were fixed on the glass of the mirror, as though she was staring through it completely.

While one hand moved the needle through the dress, the other was raised and her fingers touched the glass. He watched her tap out a sort of pattern on the glass gently, and mouth words. She looked lost in thought, and he couldn't help but wonder what she was saying, and what she was thinking. He became so engrossed in watching, he let his hand slip forward quite suddenly the door flew back and crashed into the wall beside him.

Sara jumped, quickly took her hand from the glass and looked up. Michael could feel the redness returning to his cheeks as he jumped up to stand straight and looked down to avoid her gaze.

"I-I'm so sorry!" he started, and begun to back out of the room, embarrassed. Sara gave him a small smile, and stood up.

"No it's alright," she said, softly. "I just-I didn't expect anyone down here. Did you forget something here yesterday?"

He bit his lip and kept his eyes on the floor. Sara looked puzzled when he shook his head.

"No, no...it's just that I said yesterday that'd I'd see you later...and it's later." He closed his eyes and wanted to just disappear, knowing how lame his excuse must've sounded to her. To his surprise she heard her chuckle and opened his eyes and saw her looking down as well and the small smile still on her face.

"I suppose it is isn't it? Well, there's nobody here right now but me. Miss Ella's gone to work in another room, so I could sure use the company," she said, moving up to a chair closer to the door. He smiled and shut the door behind him. He walked over to the chair next to her and sat down as Sara continued to work at the dress.

"I thought you would've been more busy today," she remarked. "With rehearsals and things running from so early in the morning. Aren't you tired?"

"No, not really. Dancing usually doesn't wear me out, just makes me more excited!" he said, smiling.

"Oh really? What's it like?" she asked. He stared at her, confused by her question,

"What's what like?"

"Dancing. Tell me about it," she said, casually. He stared at her, unable to speak from the shock. After what seemed like forever, he composed himself and leaned back in the chair, thinking.

"Well...I mean it's different for everyone I guess. When I'm dancing it feels like...like...it's so hard to explain! It just feels great just to move in synch with the rhythm, to be able to express myself that way. Sometimes, I forget everyone else is around and it feels like I'm the only person in the world. I can almost feel every note, every beat, and it's just overpowering! It's a feeling that's-"

"Just too wonderful to describe?" she finished. He smiled and nodded. She smiled too and her eyes lit up.

"That sounds absolutely fantastic! I can see why you love it so much," she said.

"I think it's wonderful because I love it so much," he said, and she stopped and nodded.

"Maybe so. People feel some strange things when it comes to love, love of anything really," she added. Michael cocked his head to the side and gave her odd look.

"You've never danced before?" Sara looked away, embarrassed, and shook her head.

"Not that way. I've taken ballet lessons for most of my life, and we've done ballroom dancing in school, but I don't think I've ever quite done what you do. I mean, what you do sounds absolutely amazing! And I mean I like ballet, I always have, but it doesn't give me quite the same feeling as your dancing gives you," she explained.

"Ballet huh? Have you ever seen one? Like The Nutcracker?" he asked. Sara shook her head.

"No, I've never been. But I would love to go! I've seen pictures of The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and Giselle before. Someday, I'll see them all and then some! I love to watch," she said.

Michael shrugged his shoulders and fiddled with his fingers.

"I've never seen one either, but I'd like too. Just once to see what it's like, and maybe more if I like it. I've heard of The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty, but I've never heard of the other two."

"From all I've read about them, they sound great! Perhaps we should see one together someday, since we're both new to it," she said. He smiled and laughed.

"If I ever want to go see one, you'll be the first person I ask to come with me," he agreed. "And if whether you're doing ballet or just having fun, it doesn't matter. It's still dance, but not everyone feels the same way." Sara knotted the ends of the seam and held the dress up and out in front of her. When she looked to the side, she saw Michael's eyes were wide with wonder and his hand was reaching out to touch the dress.
"You made this dress?" he asked, looking at her. Sara nodded.

"It's beautiful! All the sparkles, the beads, and it's so long and flowy. It looks like it'd be so hard to make," he said. Sara just shook her head, eyeing the dress as well.

"It isn't hard at all really. I've been sewing for as long as I can remember. You could do it too if you'd had that much practice," she said. Michael just shook his head.

"Oh no. I could never make anything like this! Not with a million years of practice!" he joked. Sara giggled and set the dress down on the table.

"Well, we've each got our own thing I guess. You dance, and I sew. You've got your thing and I've got mine," she said. He nodded and leaned forward, interested.

"I like that. You've got your thing, and I've got mine," he repeated. "What else do you like to do?"

And with that, their conversation began to vary, just as it had the day before. They went back and forth, naming all the things they couldn't or could do, and it seemed there were many things Michael could do that Sara could not and vice versa. They went on to places they'd been and hadn't been and things they'd like to do but didn't. And, similarly, Michael had seen much more of the world then Sara could've imagined.

"Have you really been to Europe?" she asked. He nodded.

"Yeah, it's really nice. I like Germany and France, not so much London though. It's kind of dark. I remember, in France, everything always seemed so bright and happy. Like nobody had a care in the world," he explained.

"I remember the fields were the greenest I've ever seen. And the grass in the country rose up so high, almost to my waist when I was little. Then there were so many flowers! Flowers of all different pinks and purples and blues that stemmed up high past the thin strands. And there was almost always a breeze, soft enough not to do much but make a few strands of hair blow forward and float in front of your face, but strong enough to carry the scent of the flowers and grass along for miles," she said, staring at her hands. She didn't notice him staring back at her, just as lost in her description as she was.

"You've been there before?" he asked, his voice hardly audible. Sara broke her stare and looked back at him, pushing the hair from her face.

"Yes, I was born in France. We lived there for awhile, and I'm sure my parents took me to other places and countries nearby, but I don't have any clear memory of them. Even the one I just described is a little hazy. I haven't been back in over ten years," she said.

"That's way too long. You should ask your parents if they'd take you back to visit soon," he said. At that, he noticed Sara shift uncomfortably in her seat and her cheeks took on a faint, red glow.

"Yes, maybe I'll ask them," she mumbled, looking away from him.

Michael could sense the tension building between and quickly looked around, hoping he'd find something else he could mention to change the subject. Finally, his eyes feel of the mirror behind them and he remembered what Sara had been doing before he walked in.

"Sara, could I ask you something?" he asked. Sara nodded, still avoiding his gaze.

"Well, when I came in, you were sitting in the back, looking the mirror. What were you doing?" Sara finally looked up at him and then back to the mirror.

"Thinking," she said. He turned to look back at the mirror too.

"Thinking?" he said. She nodded.

"Yeah," she said. Sara stood up, walked to the back, and stared hard into the glass again. Michael stood and followed her and, once he was beside her, Sara put her hand on the glass and tapped on the same spot.

"Do you see that spot there?" she asked. Michael stared hard for a few moments and finally was able to pinpoint the spot. It was the reflection of the fourth corner of the room, the one to the left of the door. A light bulb was missing from the slot there in the ceiling and the area looked dark and clouded compared to the rest of the brightly lit room. He wondered how he could've missed it before.

"Yeah I see," he said, still confused as to what she could mean by it. Sara continued to stare at it and sighed.

"It just reminded me of a story I'd heard once. And I was a little bored, so it caught my eye, so I was trying to think of just what it reminded me of, and the story came to mind," she said.

"Really? What was it about," he said, curious.

"About an old curse, one from years ago," she whispered. He glanced at her, but she took no notice of him and continued to look at the spot.

"What kind of curse?" he asked. Sara finally took her eyes from the glass and walked forward, back to the chair.

"It's nothing really, just an old story," she said, sitting down. He followed her and sat down too.

"Tell me about it," he said. Sara stared at him for a moment then took a deep breath.

"Well...I can't remember just where I heard this, but someone told me a tale about this incredible place, someplace they said would've been too far from here to reach. And there was witch there, who was very beautiful, but very powerful, and liked control nearly everything she could, from the storms, to the sunlight, to the people that lived in her world. Most everyone was afraid of her, and tried their best to stay away from the castle she lived in and hope that she wasn't nearby to see them. And often enough, people got by and slipped through the cracks of her watchful eye. But, of course, not everyone can be perfect all the time.

Nearby the witches castle, was a kingdom where there a king, a queen, and there son, a prince. The child prince was kind and brave, both things the witch resented. And nearly everyone in their kingdom knew of him and his gentle way, also reasons for the witch to grow to hate him. And thus, she wanted to see him destroyed, and make an example of him to his kingdom. So, she waited while he grew, and with every year of his life he became nicer, sweeter, and more daring. He constantly thwarted many of witch's attempts to rule over his people, and gained even more admiration from them as the years went by.

Then finally, the day before the prince's eighteenth birthday, the witch decided do away with him, for good. She waited until the sun fell, and the grand ball to celebrate his day began. She made her way down into the kingdom, hidden in all black garb. Then, while the prince was getting ready, he heard a scream from nearby his balcony. When he went outside to see, he found a young girl, covered in black, nearly leaning off the side of it crying. But when he went to help her, the witch grabbed his wrist and revealed who she really was. Using a spell, she took the prince back to her castle and imprisoned him in her lowest, darkest room, while she decided what to do with him next. She was certain soon that everyone would know what had become of him, but that no one would have the courage to try to rescue him.

What she didn't know, was there was someone brave enough. A young servant girl that was trapped in the witch's castle saw her bring him in, and felt so sorry for him, that she went down to bottom of the castle and freed him while witch was upstairs. Together, they silently slipped up the stairs again and, after some convincing by the prince, managed to escape to the castle and make their way deep into the woods, just as the witch noticed the prince was gone.

In a fit of rage and desperation, the witch vowed she would find a way to make them suffer, and knew immediately how to do it. In minutes she was able to cast a spell over the prince's kingdom that blacked out the moonlight and shadowed the kingdom in darkness. The animals inside grew sick instantly and all lights inside the palace and the homes nearby went out. Suddenly, the people's bodies twisted and turned under them, and finally withered away to a grey, ill formed ash. Their skin lost all color and their hair fell lifeless around them. Their eyes were all a dull grey and when the wind blew, pieces of grey ash flew around them.

The witch had turned them all into hollow, forms of what they were, into shadows, like the ones that coated the halls of her palace. She knew that the destruction of his kingdom would be the one thing that would hurt the prince the most. So she set the curse upon it. Everyone that lived there would be transformed into a shadow of what they were, and everywhere they went they'd be regarded with hatred. If they tried to step into the sunlight, the light would covered them completely, and they would be invisible to anyone that was around. They would always feel cold, no matter where they were. The curse was to last for the rest of their lives, and any children any of them were to bear were to be plagued with the same curse.

However, there was one ray of hope left for them. If any of them could gain true value again, through bravery, love, kindness, charity, or anything else deemed worthy of gaining, they would be able to return to their true form and live out the way they were meant to be.

But that was small comfort to the shadow people. They abandoned their kingdom, hoping to find some way, any other way, to return to the way they were before, but nearly everywhere they went, they were met with the hatred the curse promised. No one wanted to help them, no one wanted to be bothered with them. And after many years of searching and wandering around their world, some were able to return to their former selves, but many were separated, other died out, and others simply gave up and resigned themselves to their fate. Years passed by, and the shadow people became a small group known all over as those to be feared and treated lowly. They were only ever employed as servants in the city, and those that lived in the country were afraid to leave, for fear of the rest of the world's judgment. The truth of the curse faded into legend, and the hope of breaking the curse went away with the death of many of the original shadow people.

As for the abandoned kingdom, the darkness soon faded away and after many years, a new kingdom was built. A king and queen came in to reign over many subjects and the story of the kingdom's terrible luck was soon forgotten. It became a happy and peaceful place once again, as royal after royal built a new lineage. And, eventually, a new generation of shadow people returned and lived in their original city again, as servants. Some worked in houses, or shops and farms, but many worked in the palace of the royals. Fewer worked as maids then general servants, fewer still ran errands at the beck and call of the king and queen themselves, and only one was a child.

The only child, and a shadow person too, was often ignored by other children in different positions and scolded by adults in her place. She was small, quick and very useful, but more then anything she was alone. Her parents had died years before, and the only life she knew was there in the palace, working as a maid. Though being alone wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Without her parents to tell her her place, her mind was left to wander and question everything about the world she lived in.

She was often found peering into a mirror she'd cleaned, examining every part of gray, dusty skin. She looked at herself and compared her appearance to the other, normal children of court. She wondered why their skin was a peach pink and hers a dull gray. She wondered why their eyes and hair had color, and hers did not. She wondered about the differences between them, and more then anything longed to be one of them. And she knew just how she would do it. She'd heard more then once, that the way a shadow person could become human again was if she earned something of worth, and she intended to do just that someday, though she knew not what it would be.

Nobody took too much notice of the orphaned little girl, no one except one boy. The king and queen's son, their young prince, was fascinated by the shadow people. He often watched them working and playing together, wondering where'd they'd come from and why they were gray when others were not. Despite his parents wishes, he tried, tried very hard, to befriend one after another, and though all were polite and showed him respect, they were ultimately too frightened of him to be friends. He'd actually only happened upon the girl by chance, when walking through the palace gardens, and he saw her leaning over a group of the most beautiful, colorful flowers in the garden. The sparkle in her eyes as she gazed down told him that she was truly in awe over their beauty, and would've stayed to stare longer, had she not been pulled away by another servant to do chores.

The next day, the girl was surprised to hear she was summoned to his rooms. She went hesitantly, with the full expectation that she was to be punished for something she had or had not done. To her surprise, when she walked in, he stood upon seeing her and asked her to shut the door. She obeyed and immediately after, he walked closer to her, with one hand behind his back, and stopped only inches from her. Confused, she shut her eyes and looked down, but on feeling his touch on her shoulder, she raised her head again and saw he'd moved his hand from behind him and held out a single, red flower from the garden.

From then on, every week the young prince made sure to send the girl flowers of different colors from the garden, and their friendship grew. They saw each other often when the sun was down, and both of their duties were complete for the day. She spoke to him about all she knew of the shadow people and their ways, and he told her about the human life and theirs. He spoke to her often of his parents, his father in particular who hated the shadow people, and she spoke to him of the legend of breaking the curse. They often made promises to one another, that they would run away together to find a way to break the curse on the girl and a place where the prince could be truly freed from his domineering father and mother. She still called him by his royal title of course, but as time went on he took to calling her the Shadow Princess. And as the years rolled by, with every new promise and flower, their friendship grew into something most wonderful by all accounts.

Now, it soon came time that the two were nearly grown up, and the prince's eighteenth birthday was approaching quickly. The king had arranged for a grand ball and celebration, for in the king's eyes, it wasn't only his son's birthday, but instead he saw it as the time for his son to be married, to secure their legacy. Of course, he and the prince fought over his choice in a bride, a princess he'd never met before. But, the king didn't much care for the boy's say, as he felt he did what was right for his kingdom, regardless of how much it hurt his son. He sent him away, and refused to see him until the night of the ball.

The prince refused to leave his rooms for days, and would see no one, save for the Shadow Princess late at night when the rest of the palace was asleep. They spoke often of his marriage, and he told her often how awful he felt, being forced into marriage with a girl he didn't know, and what's worse, how his father didn't seem to care."

"But...that's awful!" Michael said, staring at Sara. Sara could see a look a sadness in his own eyes.

"Not every parent can be perfect I guess," she said. He shook his head and looked away from her. She watched the redness crawl back to his cheeks, but this time she knew it wasn't from embarrassment, but anger.

"Just because everyone knows you made a mistake doesn't make it okay or go away," he mumbled. He looked her way again and Sara could see his eyes were wide. "Why would he put his son in that place? If he really loved him, then he'd respect that something as important as marriage can't be forced on someone. He'd never ask him to make that big of a sacrifice! And to a girl he didn't know..." His voice grew softer until finally he left his words in the air and fell silent, lost in his own thoughts. Sara stared intently at him, wondering if beginning her tale was, perhaps a bad idea. She had no idea he'd feel so strongly about it.

"Well, it doesn't matter much anyway. He wouldn't get a chance to marry the girl," she said. At that, his head rose quickly and an eager, curious look lit up his face.

"He won't?" he asked. Sara shook her said.

"No. You see, the days went by, and the night of the ball drew closer, until soon it was the night of, and the Shadow Princess helped the prince prepare. He was so sad at his upcoming celebration, he hardly said two words to the girl, and she for her part felt unusually uneasy for a reason she couldn't quite explain, and remained silent also. Suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of a scream that came from beyond the curtain that led to the prince's balcony. Concerned, he rushed forward and disappeared behind the sheer, blue fabric, while the Shadow Princess moved close to the darkened corner of his bedroom, frightened.

He stepped out into the darkness of the night, looked around, and finally his eyes feeling on a shadowy figure, leaning over the railing. He ran to it's side and reached out to touch it's shoulder, asking who it was and how it came to be there. It said nothing, but the prince saw the awful glow of red eyes and a cold, thin hand clamp down hard around his wrist.

The Shadow Princess watched as the outline of the prince and the figure struggled against one another. Finally, she saw a flash of dark light that engulfed the two of them, and they were gone in moments.

The Shadow Princess rushed forward and threw back the curtains. On the balcony floor, she saw a small piece of a green gem that had broken off from the woman's cloak, and knew immediately that the figure had been the witch the shadow people had spoken about. Only she, they said, carried green gems with her always.

She'd captured the young prince, and the Shadow Princess was the first to tell the guards of what had happened. No sooner had they set out to inform the king and queen, then the whole kingdom seemed to be aglow with the news. And quite suddenly, the old, forgotten tale of the kingdom before theirs came to life again and spread like wildfire from person to person.

The king and queen, devastated at the news of their only son, quickly summoned the palace army to ready themselves and go off in search of the witch and her castle. They were to find her and crush by any means necessary, and certainly, they thought, their son would be returned home to them in no time at all.

But the Shadow Princess and her people knew better. They'd heard awful, terrible tales of the witch, knew well enough about her to know she showed no mercy to her prisoners. Unaware of the events that befell the kingdom long before it was theirs, they only wondered what the young prince had done to bring her wrath and evil ways upon himself. No one more then the Shadow Princess herself.

For what was left of the night, she sat on her old bed in a room she shared with the other shadow children, unable to sleep from wondering what would become of her friend. She couldn't help but think of the spells the witch could use to destroy him, and of the discouraging remarks of the adults when they spoke of the king and queen's army. They said there was no chance that more than a quarter of them would survive to reach the witch's castle, and those that did would be dead as soon as they took two steps too close to the walls. It seemed there was no chance for the prince, and that he was soon to fall into memory, then to be forgotten, as many had been before him.

But, still, the Shadow Princess would not sleep, nor would she forget what she'd seen. She stayed up well until the morning's rays peered over the horizon and over the kingdom. And only then, did an spectacular idea strike her. Something so daring, so dangerous, yet so incredible she knew right away it would be the only way to give the prince a chance to survive. And a chance for herself to become a whole human, as she knew she was meant to be."

Of course, Sara told the story in a much grander way then that, noting the colors, sounds, and feelings of every piece of her tale, but such fun and detail would take far too long to repeat, so we know the very grit of her tale only. The tale in it's entirety, however, was enough to put Michael on the edge of his seat and hardly breathe from the wonder he felt when she told it. He could see it all clearly unfold in front of him when she told it, as that was Sara's special way with stories, and he was so engrossed in the picture of it, he didn't notice Sara's silence until she touched his knee and he came back to his senses

"You should go," she said, looking at the clock behind him on the wall. He looked back and nearly jumped from the chair when he saw he'd been gone for nearly two hours.

"You're right!" He ran to the door and put his hand on the knob, but suddenly froze and turned to look at her.

"You're very good at that," he said. She looked back at him and felt the redness coming to her cheeks.

"What?"

"Telling a story. I just wish I could stay to hear the rest," he said. Sara shook her head.

"I wouldn't be able to tell it all too you today anyway. It's very, very long. But.." she started, stopped, and took a breath, trying to get up the courage to ask him. "But...I was wondering...would you really like to hear the rest?"

He nodded and smile came to his face. Sara looked away and then looked back again.

"Well, I'm usually down here alone around this time everyday. If you'd like, if you usually have your break during this time, you could come down, and I could tell a little each day, until we finish. We can watch the clock next time, to make sure you're not late again, but I was just thinking..." Sara trailed off and looked away, embarrassed she was asking to spend more time with him.

"I'd love to come!" he said, the smile still clear and bright on his face. "I want to hear it all I..." He stopped and lowered his voice. "I've never heard anything like that before, ever."

Sara looked up and managed a small smile in return at the complement. He bit his lip and smiled back at her, before hurrying out of the room. She could hear him run back down the hall and when she was certain he was away, she let herself sit back in the chair again, and resume her work. And for the rest of the day, she wore her small smile on her face.

True to their promise, everyday from that July to well into the next month, Michael crept away from rehearsal at about the same time everyday and went down to the main halls, behind the door, down the steep, gray stairs, and rushed through the narrow hall to the very last door in the middle. Sara eventually came to expect him, and took to setting a chair close to her work table in the early morning when she came in. For the hour a day they were together, they spoke of so many things, but surprisingly enough, the story of the Shadow Princess would not come up again for quite some time. Of course they always meant to start it again, but amongst all the other questions and stories of the past they were distracted with, there simply wasn't enough time to fit it all in.

In those weeks, both Sara and Michael learned more and more about each other. Soon, Sara could recite all of his favorite memories and places by heart, and Michael could recount a list of Sara's favorite books in order, forwards and backwards. Michael learned just what made Sara laugh and tried his best to do just that, as he'd grown to love her laughter. And Sara learned what subjects made him smile, and which one's made him really think, and tried to keep their conversation on that. When the hour finally drew to its close, he'd get up and rush to the door, but always turn around and look back with a smile on his face. He always nodded, and somehow that always made Sara's cheeks turn pink and she'd smiled back at him before he turned again and went back to rehearsal. And so, this was how they went on.

"Well, you sure know how to pick'em don't you?" Josh asked one day when he was down in the sewing room with Sara. She'd just told him that she'd been expecting Michael when he walked in, and now her cheeks were pink, this time from embarrassment.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Josh rolled his eyes and a knowing smile came to his face.

"Out of all the boys you could've picked to crush on, you choose Michael Jackson. Can't say I blame you much for that, he's cute, and he's seems nice enough too. But even better then that, you've got him coming back everyday just to see you. Not bad for a girl that's never flirted a day in her life at the school of hell," he said, moving the fabric on the table. Sara felt her cheeks flush up again and stood to move the fabric to the next table.

"We're friends, Josh, nothing more than that. And it was my idea for him to come down, to finish the story, although there hasn't been much time for that lately," she admitted. Josh smirked and leaned against the chair.

"Exactly my point," he said, smiling. "Been too busy asking about each other I bet."

"It's not like that at all. Yes, we've been asking questions, but only to get to know each other a little bit better, that's all," she said.

"So has he got a girlfriend or what? That should've been the first question you asked," he pried. Sara rolled her eyes.

"I don't know, but even he does, that's his business. We're friends!" she said, folding the fabric.

He scoffed, and sat backwards in the chair in front of him. "Well, I guess I'll just have to do some digging around for the both of us, since you won't flat out ask, and I'm curious myself. He's definitely a good catch, so it'd be surprising if he didn't have a girlfriend. But not at all surprising that he'd keep her a secret. He seems like he could hide a relationship and get away with it. But if that's the case he has no right to talk to you and..." Josh rambled away and Sara, eventually tuned him out and focused more on her own thoughts. After what seemed like hours of thinking and Josh's faraway voice, one loud knock followed by two, small taps broke Sara's train of thought and silenced Josh.

"What's that?" he asked, staring suspiciously at the door. Sara's face lit up as she dropped the fabric and rushed to the door. She turned her head to Josh and lifted her hand to wood.

"That knock means "I'm here"" she said. She knocked against her side of the door then tapped against it softly three times.

"That one means "All's clear"" she said, and leaned against the wall to listen. When she heard another knock and four small taps she laughed and finally opened the door. Michael walked in with a smile on his face, but it quickly fell when he saw Josh staring back at him. Sara closed the door and he turned to face her with a nervous, confused look on his face.

Before Sara could say anything, Josh stood up and moved closer to them, heading for the door. Sara smiled and stepped forward, stopping him, and gestured between the two of them.

"Michael, this is my friend Josh. Josh this is Michael," she said in a hurry. Both the boys nodded to each other and Michael forced a smile, while all the while feeling as though someone had hit him.

Josh didn't smile back, but instead crossed his arms and surveyed him up and down. Michael couldn't think of anything else to do but stand perfectly still and looked to Sara for a sign of what to say next. But Sara was just as clueless as he was and she stared at Josh, wondering what on earth he was up too.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Josh fixed his eyes on Michael's and nodded again, as if he approved of what he saw.

"Nice to meet you," he said, unfolding his arms and shoving his hands into his pockets.

He cocked his head to the side and chuckled as his eyes went up and down his body again.

"You look exhausted, " he finally said. "All the noise from that party last night keep you up too?"

Michael looked surprised, and nodded slowly, giving Josh another questioning look. He had been kept up all night by the noise of music from a condo above his, but how did he know that?

Sara smiled at Josh and Josh shook his head. "I can't imagine wanting to have a party until two in the morning on a Tuesday night, but I guess everybody's got ways to get their kicks. Better not happen again though or I'm going down the hall to ring Joey's neck. They live on my floor, so it was loudest up there."

"You live in Sutton Place?" Michael asked, still confused. Josh nodded and shrugged his shoulders, as though it was no big deal.

"Yeah, I've been there for three years now. My dad pays the rent while I live here and work and try to make a way in the city," he said.

"Where's your dad?" Michael asked.

"In Italy, with my brother and sister. I lived there for most of my life, and it's really nice, but there's just not enough going on in the countryside where our place is. My dad wasn't exactly sorry to see me go either," he said casually. At the mention of his family, Michael felt a small knot in his chest forming. He couldn't help but think of his own family, and their less then perfect choices.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, feeling the knot grow bigger. Josh shrugged his shoulders again and smiled.

"Don't be. The feeling's between us are mutual, believe me, but it's alright. I wanted to get away, and Daddy Dear pays for my place to stay, or rather pays for me to stay away. The condo's nice and upscale, something I could've never afforded on my own at my age, and I get to do what I love, make music. I'd say that's not such bad luck," he explained. He stepped forward and moved past Michael to the door.

"I've got to go, back to rehearsals before Quincy takes it into his head to have a word with Sydney and have me fired. See you guys later." And at that, Josh opened the door and walked out leaving Sara to move forward and close it behind him. Michael slowly sat in the chair close to the fabric and stared at the ground, thinking of what Josh had said. Sara came to join him in the chair closest to him and immediately picked up the fabric and began to prepare the machine.

"He seems nice," he said, turning to face Sara. He wanted to ask more questions about him and his life, but knew it wasn't his place to ask so he just stared at Sara with a strange, confused look. Sara knew from his look he was curious so she sighed and shook her head while threading the machine.

"I think some people just aren't meant to be together, but sometimes certain situations stick them that way. Josh and his father are two of those people. As far as I know, Josh is the baby of six kids, he's got three brothers, and two sisters, and I can't imagine it was easy for his father, bringing up the six of them on his own," she explained.

"But where's his mother?" he asked. Sara shook her head.

"Gone.  I guess she liked that life of hopping from place to place and person to person better then being a wife and mother. She left a few years after Josh was born, and he hasn't seen her since. I think her name was Pauline," she said.

"Oh," Michael couldn't imagine a mother ever just walking out on her family. Perhaps a father, but never a mother. The very idea of it seemed almost impossible to him, yet Sara said it was so.

"Yes, it's not the best way to start off a life. But Josh's father did all that he could. He never married again, so the children were solely in his care. Despite the complications of raising such a large family, he managed to be very successful and rich. Josh himself said that anything they ever needed or wanted as children, they had or got immediately. They had a beautiful villa out in the country, and people to cook and clean and handle the estate for them. They all went to the very best schools. I guess, on the outside, it seemed like a very charming life."

"What happened between them then?" he asked.

"Well, like I said before, I believe some people just aren't suited for others. Josh likes very much to go whichever way the wind blows. He likes to go out, explore, and see everything that he can of the world, and always has I imagine. The way Josh describes him, his father isn't like that at all. Though he loves his children, he never let them stray too far from home, except for school. Josh says they never had any time to themselves, and if they even thought of going somewhere without him, they'd be punished. He says they got into quite a few heated arguments as he grew up, but when he was fifteen, he just couldn't take the smothering anymore. He'd saved up money from performances he did with his piano, and bought a ticket to America. Of course, it wasn't long before his father came running after him, and he wasn't too hard to find. They argued again, and Josh refused to come home, so finally his father said he'd rather not have him home at all. That if he wanted to stay, he could, but that he wasn't welcome to back home."

"But, then why does he pay the rent for him to live in that condo?" he asked.

"Because he loves Josh, nothing will ever change that. And I guess he knew he'd be hurt, living in the streets of New York alone. So he makes sure he has a place to stay, a nice one. And, personally, I think that's his way of saying that he only wants the best for Josh and, ultimately, for him to be happy." Michael rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, looking away from Sara.

"Yeah right. If you ask me, it sounds just like what Josh said, he pays to keep him away. Why be bothered with him when it's just easier to send him away? It's awful! But I guess parent's, especially fathers, can be cruel sometimes," he said. Sara stared at him, unable to think of a reply and sensing there was a horrible reason he would say something like that.

"I guess, but I just don't feel that way. I think that parents can be mean, but ultimately most, maybe not all, really do love their kids," she said.

"Sure they do," he muttered and brushed off the comment. "So, wait. While all this was happening, didn't his brothers or sisters try to say anything, to stop it?"

Sara sighed and stopped her work. She bit her bottom lip and looked at the floor, nervous.

"Josh's two oldest brothers are dead," she said, and his eyes grew wide from the shock. "His oldest brother, and the oldest of all of them, fell off of a horse shortly after Josh left and the fall and the way he landed snapped his neck. His second brother, and the second oldest, died a few years later. He was really sick, and I can't remember exactly what it was called that killed him. I remember when Josh went back for his funeral though. His oldest sister, and the third oldest, died only a few months ago, but Josh doesn't know quite what happened to her. He went back to Italy for her funeral too. Right now, it's only the fourth and fifth, a brother and another sister, and Josh that are still alive."

"That's terrible," he mumbled, feeling the knot return to his chest. Sara nodded, feeling a tightness in her own chest.

"I know, but he doesn't seem to think so. He says none of them were ever very close, in fact he flat out says he didn't like any of his brothers, or his sister that died. Sometimes I wonder if he went back because he wanted to be there, or if he only went because he felt like he was supposed to," she said.

An uncomfortable silence settled on the room again, but Sara soon brushed off the eerie mood with a small smile and picked up the fabric again.

"I'm sorry," she started. "You seemed so happy when you came down here, and all this must have put you in a sour mood. What was it you were smiling about when you came down here?" Michael immediately gave her a small smile and tried to put Josh's story in the back of his mind.

"I've been in a great mood since last night actually," he said. "I talked to my mother, and she's coming, with my brothers and my little sister, to New York next week. They want to see the set and there's going to be this big party at Studio 54 for the album me and my brother's are releasing. It'll be a lot of fun, but I'm just so glad they're coming!"

"You sound like it," Sara said, smiling. "You must miss them since you've moved here."

He nodded and smiled back at her. "I've missed them all so much! I didn't think I'd be nearly as homesick as I am."

"But didn't you used to go on tour for months at a time when you were younger?" she asked. He nodded again and began fiddling with his fingers.

"I did, but I always had my brothers with me to keep me company, even though our mother couldn't be there," he said. Then he stopped and looked away from her, embarrassed.

"I know this might sound a little strange, but this is the first time in my life I've really been away from home without them. I've got my sister, Latoya with me, so it's not like I'm completely alone, but...it just feels so different without everybody. When you're getting up in our house, there's always so much noise, people talking, the washing machine going, the clinking of dishes, the TV, the radio, the animals, and just everything mixed up together. Here, there's still the sounds of the TV and Latoya if she's washing a few dishes, but other then that it's really quiet. It's kind of weird really."

"I guess so, if that's what you're used too. Where I live, it's practically silent when you wake up in the morning. There's no TV's, no sounds of anybody else living there at all," she said.

Michael made a face and shook his head. "I can't imagine waking up like that everyday! It sounds creepy. I like to hear the noise to know everyone else is around me."

"I bet it's nicer that way for sure. So, exactly how many brother's and sisters do you have? I'd heard you mention them, but I've lost count," she laughed.

"There's nine of us all together. I've got five brothers and three sisters. But only four brothers and one sister are coming this way. My oldest sister, Rebbie, doesn't stray too far from home too often. She's more of a homebody, and she's got her own kids to take care of too," he explained.

"What about your other brother?" she asked. She immediately saw him glance the other way and shift uncomfortably in the chair.

"Jermaine...things are...he's not always around, much..." he said, tapping his fingers against the table nervously. Sara quickly got the hint and changed the subject.

"So, you're sister that came here with you, Latoya, you must be really close if she came from California to be here with you for so long."

Michael smiled and nodded. "Yeah, we are. She drives me crazy with how nit picky she is though! Everytime I leave anything on the counter, on the bed, anywhere, she comes in and picks it up. She likes everything to be neat and organized all the time, which I guess is okay, but I kind of like a little clutter. If a place is just too clean, it feels like no one ever lives there. But other then that, we get along about most everything else. When we're together, we can always talk about just about anything."

"That's nice to have that closeness with a sister," she said, smiling at the thought of it.

"Yeah it is. I really miss my brother Marlon and my sister Janet, though. I can tell Marlon anything too, and he's not so organized as Latoya. He leaves stuff everywhere just to make her mad at home! And he's just a lot of fun to be around. I guess we're closer because we're the closest in age, he's only a year older then me, so it's always been easy to be close. We did almost everything at the same time growing up. And me and Janet just like a lot of the same things. We like a lot of the same movies, same books, the same shows on TV. And we can plan out lists of stuff to do for days without ever getting bored! I mean, I'm not saying I don't miss all of my family, because I do, but I guess it's the little things like that, that you never really think of until you're not doing them everyday anymore," he said, staring past Sara and at the wall.

She could tell from the faraway sound of his voice that he really loved them, more then anything else in the world and immediately she felt her hands go numb and a tightness grip her chest. She felt sorry for him, but not only that. She felt sorry for herself, as she'd never experienced even a small portion of the kind of bond he spoke of.

"That sounds nice. You must be eager to get back to it, once all this is over," she mumbled, looking down and at the fabric, careful to avoid his gaze. He broke his stare and looked back at her, sensing her sudden change of mood.

"Well, I guess so," he said, softly. "Do you have brothers and sisters?"

Sara flinched at first from his question, then slowly shook her head.

"None. I'm an only child. So, I often spent my time wishing I had eight brothers and sisters," she said, solemnly.

"An only child? I can't even begin to imagine what that's like. I've always shared things nine ways. But I guess it must have its perks; whenever you wanted your mother's attention, I'm sure you got it, didn't you?" he joked.

To his dismay, Sara didn't laugh, smile, or even glance his way. She continued to fold the fabric and twist the strange knobs on the machine, and to him, she seemed to grow paler.

"Believe me, it's not quite what you'd think it'd be. I think my parent's wanted to have more children, but they just...didn't get around to it I suppose," she said.

"Oh," he said, feeling his own spirits fall as a million different thoughts raced through his mind at once. Thankfully, he didn't have much time to dwindle on those thoughts, for soon Sara raised her head and the color came back to her cheeks quickly. She forced a small smile and moved forward and sat in the chair close to him. He watched her reach up and gently move a small chain from her underneath her collar. She tucked the small, circular piece of the necklace in hand and dropped it, into his outstretched hand, and watched as he turned it over and over again in his fingers.

The front was a small, compass. The tiny golden arrow spun every way as he moved and twisted the circle around. The small, painted black and red letters stood out against the ivory background. On the back, a miniature version of the globe was carefully painted. The bright green of the continents and the deep blue of the oceans shone, even under the dim light. The smile returned to Michael's face as he turned it over again and again.

Sara's smile grew bigger and she leaned forward, a few black curls falling around her face.

"There were some, small benefits of being an only child. My parents traveled a lot, and often times they took me with them and bought me nice, quite extraordinary presents while we were away. This was of them, my mother bought it when we were in a small store out somewhere, I can't exactly remember where. But whenever we were home, she'd take it off my neck and hold it out to see where the spinning arrow would stop. Then, once we knew the direction, she'd go to a large map we had that hung on the wall and point to a country that was in that particular direction. She would tell me all about that place, the people that lived there, the animals, the food, the clothes, and any of the old stories and legends they had there. She studied up on countries and people, that's what she loved to do. And she'd tell me, that as long as I had my compass with the world on its back, I could think of all the amazing places there were, and the stories there, and I pretend I was there, seeing it all." Sara stopped and caught herself, before she divulged too much into her history.

"But, I guess that sounds sort of silly doesn't it?" she mumbled. Michael looked up at her and shook his head, then looked back at the necklace.

"I don't think it's silly at all! That sounds wonderful! I wish I had something like this," he said.

"Do you really?" Sara asked, surprised. He nodded.

"Yes, I've never seen anything like it before. I wish that-" He started then stopped at the sound of the door opening. Both of them turned to look and instantly recognized the petite figure walking into the room. She closed the door behind her and forced a smile onto her face, though she felt like screaming.

"Hey Steph, what are you doing down here?" Michael asked.

"Looking for you, I just thought I'd let you know they'll want you back for rehearsal soon," she said, staring past his shoulder and at Sara. Sara kept her eyes glued to the wall behind her and fiddled with her fingers.

"I've only been gone for about forty five minutes though," he said, standing, "I haven't been late for over a month, since that day Sydney yelled at me."

"I know, but I just wanted to find you, is that so wrong?" she said, smiling. Michael smiled back and touched her shoulder. Stephanie took a quick glance around the room and looked at him.

"So, this is where you've been going everyday for the past couple of weeks?" she asked.

"Yes. Steph you remember Sara right?" he said, gesturing towards her. Sara stood immediately, as she was taught to do. She nodded and smiled at her and Stephanie forced another, small smile on her face.

"Yeah, we've met before," she said, then turned to Michael again. "I was really looking for you to ask you something. You're coming to Studio 54 next Friday, right?" she asked. Michael bit his lip and shoved his hands into his pockets while trying to avoid her gaze.

"Well...maybe, I'm still thinking about it..."

Michael! You've got to go out that night, it's your birthday! You're turning 19, your family will be here, let's celebrate a little!" she said, smiling. Still, Michael looked uncomfortable.

"I don't know Stephanie, I don't exactly do big parties, not for birthdays, it's just that-"

"Look, it's your birthday, we're going out, and we're going to have a good time. You've been working so hard lately, you need to kick back and party! Okay?" she said, pulling at his arm. Sara stared at the both of them, feeling invisible, but curious as to what they were talking about.

"It's your birthday next Friday?" Sara asked in a voice close to a whisper. Michael looked her way and nodded.

"Yes, August 29th," he said, and looked back at Stephanie again. "But really, Steph, it's not that big of a deal. And, I should've said so sooner, but I've got to tell you that I-"

"Stop making excuses!" she interrupted. "You need a break, and that night is the perfect time for one." Michael wanted to say more, to explain things to her, but saw it was little use trying to do so then, so he sighed and looked away, shuffling his feet beneath him. Stephanie smiled at him and tugged at his arm again, making him smile.

"Look, Sydney will be looking for you soon, you'd better not keep him waiting," she said. Michael looked back at Sara and saw that she shrugged her shoulders and nodded toward the door, indicating that he should probably go. He nodded back at her and smiled, knowing she understood, then turned back to Stephanie.

"You're right, I probably should go back up. I'll see you tomorrow Sara," he waved, and walked slowly to the door and down the hall to the stairway. Sara waved back and turned to her table, ready to resume working. But the expected silence of an empty room didn't come, because Sara was not alone in her room.

"So, tell me Sara, how did you come by this job?" Stephanie leaned against the wall, crossed her arms and glared at her from her spot near the door. Sara looked at her for what seemed like forever before bending her head over her work again.

"Why does it matter?" she muttered.

"I was just curious is all," she said, twisting a loose strand of hair between her fingers. "It's not very common to see someone as young as either of us working in costuming."

"Miss Ella, I've known her for a while, thought I could be of some help to her, and she convinced them to give me place here," Sara said, trying hard to keep her eyes off her and on her sewing.

"Oh, I see. Well, that does make things much easier doesn't it? When you know someone already on a set that is," she said, and Sara felt her cheeks redden. From that, she gathered Stephanie accused her of being a leach, and not really working to keep her job as a costumer. Still, Sara bit her tongue and said nothing, but instead continued to work.

"Michael seems happy to have you here," she persisted, stepping forward. "You two have become fast friends. You, do consider him a friend don' t you?"

"I do," Sara answered. "He's kind, and very sweet. We always have something to talk about when we're together."

"It's nice to have friends. It's nicer though, to have a boyfriend. Someone that only has eyes for you, and tells you so everyday. Someone to go out with on the weekends. Someone to do some of the "best things" in life with," she said, dreamily. "I've got my eyes on someone, and he'll be mine soon...very soon."

Sara began to feel the tension building between them, but still refused to look at her. Stephanie continued on, moving closer and closer to Sara.

"We've been dating for a while now, and I know he'll ask me soon, I'm just sure of it. When we're together, there's just this....spark. This indescribable sort of chemistry and connection between us. He makes me feel like I'm the only girl in the world when we're alone together, though I have to say that doesn't happen too often anymore. You see, he's perfect in a lot of ways, but he's got one big flaw," she said.

"And what's that?" Sara asked.

"He gets distracted too easily. He's not always focused on what's best for him, and lately, he's been very, very distracted," she said, lowering her voice. "But that's alright. Once we're official, I'll be able to take care of that."

"What does that mean?" Sara asked slowly, setting down the fabric.

Stephanie moved close to her, sat down beside, and stared hard into her eyes.

"It means that my man can't have any distractions. Not when he's with me. And if I have too, I'll just have to get rid of the distraction. And it wouldn't be hard to do either. Pull a few strings here and rearrange a few more, and you'd be surprised how fast a problem goes away," she glowered. Sara stared back at her, knowing full well what she meant and how she meant to do it, but unable to understand why she felt this way.

"Do you understand now Sara?" she asked. Sara continued to stare in silence, and finally nodded slowly.

"Perfectly."

"Good," she said, and smiled smugly. She bounced up and nearly skipped to the door.

She glanced back only once at Sara, and caught her staring back at her, and almost instantly she felt a strange chill run up her spine. She turned and hurried out the door and up the stairs, but for the rest of the day the chill stuck with her, as did the emotionless look on Sara's face.

Sara, for her part, continued to stare at the door until long after she was gone, until finally she mustered up the feeling to look away and continue her work.

"I understand perfectly well," she whispered, "But I don't care, and I'm not afraid. "