"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."