7

"What's this?" Xiao turned the small business card over: almighty@everywhere.world.com. It read.

"I guess I have to email to this address, do you know an Internet café?" Xiao asked Joan, who looked over her shoulder,

"Sure, there's one across the road from The Solam Store, we can go after school,"

"Cool," Xiao said, "so what do we have now?" Joan check the time,

"You've got music, and I've got French, I hate French…" Xiao laughed,

"Well, see you later Joan," Joan nodded and made her way to the dreaded French class room.

~

"Hi, can I go on for 15 minutes?" Xiao asked the tubby man at the table,

"That's $1.50," Xiao handed him the money, and he gave her a small tag,

"Any of them computers," he pointed, Xiao sat at the one in the corner and activated the screen. She signed into her messenger service, Joan waited outside. A small window popped up with a message,

"Hello Xiao," Xiao typed back,

"Hello, is this almighty@everywhere.world.com?"

"Yes,"

"Who are you,"

"Me,"

"Oh, hi God."

"Xiao, I'd like you to teach piano to children after school,"

"What? Why?"

"Because you can, you know better than to ask me like that."

"Ok, how do I start?"

"I've already put in an advertisement in the classifieds, you'll be getting calls on your cell phone, so try turning it on for once." Xiao sighed and typed,

"Ok, what's the pay?"

"$12-$15 an hour,"

"Fine, what about the hours?"

"Whenever it suits them, and you, but no skipping school,"

"Ok, is that all?"

"Yes,"

"Bye God,"

"Bye Xiao." And His icon switched off, Xiao checked the time, 8 minutes left, she turned off the screen and gave the tag back to the tubby man. Joan was next door having a coffee, Xiao sat down beside her,

"Guess what almighty told me," she said, Joan rolled her eyes,

"No idea, you tell me," Xiao sighed,

"I'm going to teach children piano after school," Xiao dug into her back and turned her phone on, "He told me to leave my phone on 'cause I should be expecting calls." And just then, her cell phone began to dance and sing, Joan eyes widened,

"Wow," she said, Xiao sighed and pressed the call button,

"Hello," a woman on the other end said,

"Hello," Xiao replied,

"I saw your advert in the paper and I'd like to meet you, to see if you could teach my daughter piano."

"Um, sure, where do you live? And what time would suit you?"

"How about 7:30 tonight alright with you?"

"That's fine, and where?"

"Number 5, Olive Grove, South Arcadia."

"Number 5, Olive Grove," Xiao jotted it down,

"Ok, thank you, I'll be there." And she hung up. Joan laughed,

"Nice, you've got yourself a job!" Xiao sighed,

"Now I've just got to figure out how to teach, and what to teach!"

"It should be pretty easy right?" Xiao shook her head,

"Hardly, but I hope my diploma helps."

"Diploma?" Joan asked,

"In music you have grades 1-8, then another step called diploma, I'm up to diploma."

"Wow, cool!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Xiao shook it off, "Hey, isn't Valentine's Day tomorrow?" Joan groaned,

"Oh no way,"

"Uh huh, yeah way…" Xiao sighed, "I never get anything," Xiao said,

"Well, why don't you stay the night at my place? It'll give us something to do. We could watch videos,"

"Fun!"

"And have pizza,"

"Yum"

"And we can totally sleep in 'cause it'll be Sunday morning!" Joan suggested, Xiao grinned,

"Sounds great!"

~