Riven - Jerry B. Jenkins [25]
But now it seemed a lot more kids knew his name. He was no longer able to trudge through the halls with his eyes cast down, because everywhere he went someone was sure to call out, “Hey, Brady! Go, dude! Birdie, man! Way to go!”
Brady was fully aware of glances from girls who used to turn up their noses at him. This he didn’t get. Were they really interested or just curious? Had he had become a novelty, some sort of a mascot? Brady wasn’t sure what to make of it all.
Most bizarre was that Agatha had stepped in front of him while boarding the bus that morning and forced her big body down the narrow aisle to where a young girl sat alone. “You,” Agatha said, pointing, “move back there. Brady and me are sittin’ here.” And the girl had moved.
Brady found himself strangely grateful to have enough room to sit, though Agatha took most of the bench. But he also felt conspicuous. He had long since lost any interest in her—which had been private and solely carnal anyway. She leaned against him and whispered, “You gotta tell me if it’s true you wore the gold suit home on the activities bus.”
“So what?”
“Why didn’t you change?”
“None ya.”
“Say what?”
“None ya business.”
She turned and stared out the window. Finally she turned back. “Whatever became of us, Brady?”
“There was never any us,” he said.
“You could have fooled me.”
“Then I fooled you, Agatha.”
“I hate you.”
“Grow up.”
Just after lunch Brady was summoned to Clancy Nabertowitz’s office and enjoyed the stares as he headed that way.
“You seem really into this,” the teacher said.
“I am. Still learning, but it’s fun.”
“Where are your books, Brady?”
“My books?”
“Your textbooks.”
“Oh, uh, in my locker.”
“I saw you come in this morning empty-handed.”
“Yeah, I didn’t have homework, so I left ’em here.”
“You need to know, son, that your landing this role has become noisy. Everybody seems excited about it.”
“I know.”
“We’re already selling tickets six weeks before we open, and we’re going to be sold out. I’m talking with the principal about doubling our performances over two weekends.”
“No kidding? Cool.”
“Well, it won’t be cool if my Birdie disqualifies himself. You think I don’t know that you didn’t quit football? that your grades were as bad as your athletic ability? Don’t say anything; just listen. I’ve known you a few days, and I recognize unusual talent when I see it. But if you’re not careful, you’re going to screw up a wonderful opportunity. You have the potential to make something of yourself. Already I see you mouthing other characters’ lines, like you’re memorizing the entire musical.”
“I’m trying.”
“Do you know how rare that is?”
Brady shook his head. “Seems important to me. Makes everything easier.”
“Well, of course it does, but not even many pros have the energy and the interest to do that—though they should. I see you really giving yourself to this, and I’m convinced this could be the best production we’ve ever had here.”
“Wow.”
“Wow nothing. You had better swear to me you won’t become academically ineligible. I mean, Alex can play Birdie in a pinch, but I don’t know if anyone else can play Albert. You let me down, this goes from something really special to one big mess.”
“I hear you.”
“Do you?”
“Yeah, I do. I’ll get after my grades.”
“It won’t be easy with rehearsal every night. And you have a job?”
“Just an hour every night.”
“Just an hour. When will you study?”
“Study hall.”
“That never works.”
“It’ll have to.”
“Yes, it will. Now are you promising me?”
“I’ll do my best.”
Nabertowitz leaned back and stared at the ceiling. “You’re not overwhelming me with confidence.”
“What do you want to hear?”
“I want to hear that you recognize what an incredible