A/N: Just so you'll know, the italicized parts are the handwritten passages, and the bold-print parts represent e-mails.

CHAPTER 1: Jessi

Dear Quint,

Hi! How are you doing? I've been doing all right. Today was the first day I got to show off my new dreads. I think my parents have FINALLY accepted the fact that I'm not five years old anymore. HALLELUJAH! The only downside is, whenever Becca sees them, she does the absolute-worst impression of Bob Marley known to man. Oh, well, that's life, I guess. (By the way, I've enclosed a picture of me with my new 'do. Hope you like it.)

Well, enough about me. How are rehearsals for your show going? Are you enjoying Julliard? I know I would be if I went there. In fact, when I graduate from high school in about six years, that's where I'm definitely applying. Oh, I don't know if you know this or not, or if you care, but Julliard was where the late Christopher Reeve went, and Robin Williams was his roommate. How about that!

Oh, and I have GREAT news. I just found out that SMS (you know, the public school I go to) is having auditions for Carnival. I don't know that much about it yet, but I think it's going to be a lot of fun. In fact, at our BSC meeting, that was all we could talk about. I'm surprised Kristy didn't have to resort to using a bullhorn to get our attention. Luckily, Carnival was on her mind as well...

The following Wednesday, we were all in Claudia's room, going back and forth between BSC business and talking about the audition notice. "I wonder what Carnival is about," Kristy commented as she got off the phone with Mrs. Kuhn.

"Well, Mary Anne and I saw the show in Stamford sometime before Christmas," Dawn said as she finished off a bowl of strawberries that Claud had prepared for her and Stacey. "It's about a young girl who gets a job with a carnival in the French countryside, and falls in love with the magician. But it also turns out that the head puppeteer is also in love with her, and there's a rivalry between the two men for the girl's affections."

"Isn't there a movie based on this?" Abby asked.

"Yes," Mary Anne said. "It's called Lili, and it isn't exactly a musical, because there's only one song in it."

"I remember seeing that in New York when I was visiting Dad over Labor Day weekend," Stacey said.

"I remember seeing Lili on TV when I was seven and had the chicken pox," Claud remembered. "What I remember the most about it was that song 'Hi-Lili'."

"Yeah, I remember that song!" Mary Anne said. "My Grandma Baker once told me that she used to sing that to me when I was a baby."

"Aaanywaaay..." we all said together. That's something that my friends and I do to get back to the original point of the conversation. And yes, I know it sounds ridiculous, but why should we care?

"There's also four puppets," Dawn continued. "There's a clown named Carrot Top, a walrus named Horrible Henry, a fox named Renardo, and a snobby rich lady named Marguerite."

"Cool!" Claud exclaimed. "All I need to do is talk to Mrs. Baehr and Mr. Cheney. I'm sure he'd let us do the puppets."

"My favorite part was the contortionist act," Mary Anne remembered. "And you know, as long as I live, I'll never understand how anyone could do what she did."

"That's definitely for me," I said, trying to put my leg behind my head, but I fell against Mal in the process. She tried to catch me, but ended up dropping a couple of Milk Duds on the floor, and they rolled near Dawn.

"Ugh, please get that toxic waste out of my sight!" Dawn, said, very obviously faking repulsion at the sight of them. I would've gladly scarfed them down, but I have to be careful about how much candy I eat. Luckily, Claud beat me to them.

"Let's just hope you stretch, and watch out for those dreads!" Abby laughed.

"Good idea," I agreed as I regained my balance.

That's when the phone rang. "Baby-sitters Club," Stacey answered. "Oh, hi, Dr. Johanssen...Friday from 3:00 to 5:00?...Yeah, I'll check really quick."

Mary Anne opened the record book and looked at the calendar pages. "Stacey, you're the only one free," she said.

"No problem. I love sitting for Charlotte," she agreed, and called Dr. Johanssen back.

By then, it was 6:00, and the meeting ended. "Well," Kristy said as she took off her visor, "I suggest we end this meeting on a high note."

As soon as those words came out of Kristy's mouth, all of us sang the highest possible note we could muster. The only problem was, Abby, Claud, Mal, and I all sounded like we were being stabbed to death. (Honestly, I think Kristy's seen too many Mel Brooks movies.)

We all left, excited about auditions, and wondered what parts we'd get.

So, that's what's been going on with me. I hope everything's all right with you and your family. And if we badger and pester our parents enough, maybe I'll see you on opening night of Carnival. I, for one, wouldn't miss your show for anything. Let's just hope they're not on the same weekend.

Oh, that reminds me—PLEASE see what you can do about scoring some comp tickets.

Friends always,

Jessi