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Ms. Fairchild didn't nod or smile at him. She took his contract and waited for the rest of us to finish reading the fine print.

Each of us signed the contract and handed it to her.

"Dinner will be served at seven o'clock. Madame Senetsky insists on everyone being on time for any class assignment, any event, any meeting whatsoever. In the theater, promptness and

responsibility are essential. She views lateness the same as missing a cue.

"You're all dismissed for now." she concluded, pivoted almost in military style, and walked out.

For a moment it was as if all the air around us had stagnated and become too heavy to breathe.

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"I wonder what she does for fun," Steven queried, nodding after Ms. Fairchild.

"Probably pulls wings off of flies," Cinnamon said. rising.

'Tin sure it won't be as bad as it sounds," Rose said hopefully. She looked at me. and I smiled.

Ice was still staring at the floor. "Are you all right?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"I came here to develop my singing ability. I don't know what she's talking about: being the prophets and clergy and showing people what to worship? I thought I was here just to learn how to sing. Now she makes it sound like we're becoming someone's idea of a saint."

"Right," Steven cried.

"Wrong," Howard corrected. "You don't just sing. Ice," he continued, standing up. "If that was all you were here to do, you could do it in the shower. You're a performer. You heard what Madame Senetsky said. We're all performers, very special people with special gifts."

"I never felt like someone special," Ice said as she stood to face him.

"Well, you should:" Howard insisted but backed away. We all started out and headed for the stairway.

"I hope I can invite my boyfriend to visit," Rose said. "He's attending NYU, so he's here in New York."

"If not, you'll just go visit him." Cinnamon said.

"Unless Madame Senetsky disapproves." Howard inserted. "Why would she do that?" I asked.

"Maybe her boyfriend is a detriment to her career," he replied. "A poor influence."

"She has no right to say that:" Rose cried, pausing on the stairway.

Howard shrugged.

"You just signed an agreement giving her that right."

"I did not!"

"I'm afraid you did," he insisted.

She looked to me and Cinnamon.

"How did someone so young get so much wisdom so quickly?" Cinnamon asked. Ice smiled, but kept her eyes down.

"I've just done my research on all this. I know how important her opinion is, in the theater world especially. We're talking worldwide reputation here. You saw the awards. You don't have to be a genius to figure that out."

"What about Mr. Senetsky,?" I asked. "I didn't see any reference to her husband in the articles I skimmed. Did anyone else?"

"He was never part of her career," Howard said. 'Besides, he's dead now."