Bryan watches Jesse read the note. He didn’t think Emily would give it to him so soon, but when she dawdled backstage before rehearsal began, lingering back there with the book bags and jackets until Mrs. Beckingham hollered at her to take her place with the others, he figured she was up to something. Even from where he sits across the stage, Bryan can see how badly Jesse’s fingers tremble when he finishes reading. Is that a good thing? He doesn’t know.
After rehearsal, Bryan lingers behind, letting the other students ransack the area where they stowed their belongings. Zach sits with him, and Emily is nearby, too. Jesse stands on the taped X in the middle of the stage like an actor soaking up the applause. Bryan doesn’t know if he’s mentally rehearsing his lines or trying to gather up th
