That night, I slept like a log. The beds were a lot more comfortable after a day of almost never sitting. But we had to get up at 5 for a lesson in disguises. We shuffled to the classroom like zombies. The teacher was dressed as a hobo. When we were all inside he took off his blonde wig and scarred mask to reveal a middle-aged man with black hair.
"A hobo is an excellent disguise for cities because nobody pays any attention to them. But knowing how to put the disguise together is as important as knowing what disguise to do. Now, does anyone know what error I made?"
"The mask was obvious," I said.
"Thank you Leslie."
A spitball hit me on the back of the neck as a voice whispered, "Teacher's pet." Various animal noises sounded throughout the room. But I noticed that one girl did not join the teasing.
"Well being a pet is better than being a pest," she said while giving the rest of the class a death glare. The class responded with a chorus of "Oooohhhh"s. Thank you, I mouthed to her. She laughed quietly, her red curls bouncing.
"Well, as I was saying, makeup is a better option. Unless you will be on assignments in the rain or underwater, for obvious reasons," the teacher said. He droned on about various makeup effects. After an hour, it was time for breakfast. Finally, I could wake up!
When I got to the cafeteria, I was the last one there. People kept shoving me to the back of the line. So I got the last of the lukewarm scrambled eggs, orange juice, and limp asparagus. Who eats asparagus for breakfast anyway? As I was walking to my table, a teacher in a hurry crossed my path. I didn't notice him until it was too late, and he was wearing my breakfast. I heard snickering from every table and some students took pictures. How they managed to sneak cameras into the cafeteria I do not know.
"Leslie, one of the most important skills of a secret agent is to be very observant," the teacher said I laughed awkwardly and hurried to my seat. Have I had worse days? Probably not. But the experience and the teacher's comment did stick in my memory and I made it a goal to notice my surroundings. This helped me avoid many pranks. During my first two weeks at the Academy, I also noticed that my arms were looking less lanky. I actually did a chin-up! And I became friends with the girl I met in class. Her name was Annie Anagram. It turned out that she also knew Noah. We became a trio.
On Monday of the third week, the headmaster announced that clubs would start meeting soon. Everyone crowded around the list. I stood on tiptoe to see.
Drama Club. Basketball. Track. Wrestling. Football. Photography. Book Club. Chess Club. Glee Club.
I signed up for Book Club and Drama. They had very few members, of course. Annie was in Drama Club and Track. Noah was in Photography and Chess Club. Drama Club met tomorrow.
The next day, after school and before dinner, I went to the theater. We were doing a version of the play "Peter Pan." The teacher, Mrs. Blackwell, said that auditions were next week. We worked on flyers. Very boring. I know that you're probably sleeping just reading this.
I studied my lines every chance I had. I studied so much that I had the irresistible urge to sing. Finally, it was time for the audition. I was trying out for the part of Peter.
"Um, isn't Peter usually played by a girl," Annie questioned as we were standing in line
"He is? But he's a male character! You could have told me earlier," I exclaimed.
Before Annie could respond the teacher said, "Next!" It was my turn.
Mrs. Blackwell told me to sing, "We Can Fly!"
"Excuse me, ma'am, but did you say sing?" I asked, sweat beading on my forehead.
"Yes. It's a musical."
"Guess I didn't get the memo."
"I told you before. Now please sing."
"Think of a wonderful thought
Any merry little thought
Think of Christmas, think of snow
Think of sleigh bells- off you go!
Like reindeer in the sky
You can fly! You can fly! You can fly!" I belted out. My voice sounded like someone stepping on a kitten's tail. It was squeaky and off key. Half the class covered their ears and Mrs. Blackwell's glasses broke from the high-pitched sound. My face turned bright red, and it only turned redder when she announced that I got the part.
"Why," I asked. The class agreed.
"Because you're the only one who tried out for the part, unfortunately."
The class groaned. The next day, I reported to the theater for singing lessons.