Free Casey Barnes Eponymous by E.A. Rigg Page A

corralling screaming children from those who were incapable of faking
such matters.   The latter’s bad
experiences in high school would then instigate a disregard for social mores
that would enable them to endure smirks at family reunions when they showed off
their yin and yang tattoos as well as cause them to start their own internet
destinations and comic book companies.
    She slumped in and collapsed behind Leigh.   “Come on guys!   Shut up!   We have to get stuff done!” the girl in
front shrilled.  
    “She should try a cattle prod,” Casey said.  
    Leigh looked at her earnestly.   “How are you holding up?”  
    “What, you didn’t hear the ambulance at lunchtime?   They managed to pump my stomach free of
all the Dexatrim and painkillers that I read would make me more appealing to a
guy like you-know-who.   But unfortunately
they can’t do much about the ‘AD’ tattoo on my torso.   It’s fine, though.   I mean all I have to do is keep dating
bucks with initials AD for the rest of my life and I’m all good.”
    Leigh sighed.   “Try
chocolate.”   A guy in the back of
the room growled for everyone to be quiet.   It did the trick.  
    “All hail the patriarchy,” Casey muttered.
    The girl in front, who, as it turned out, was Samantha and the
drama club’s representative for the selection committee, began to talk about
talent show.  
    “Is Yull on the committee too?” someone from the back of the
room called out.   Casey sank down in
her chair.  
    “No,” Samantha said, “He’s too busy with his other activities
so he asked me to be.”
    Leigh glanced at Casey.   Casey rolled her eyes.  
    The other members of the committee were the head of jazz
ensemble and the junior and senior year officers of the student
government.   The four of them would
judge talent show auditions and ultimately decide who got to be in it.
    Samantha began to describe how they were going to do the
audition process.   A guy at the
front of the room raised his hand and spoke.   “What’s the makeup of the acts?”
    “What do you mean?” Samantha said.
    “Last year over half the show was music.   It kind of seemed like a battle of the
bands after a while.”   A few kids
voiced agreement.   “There’s already
a battle of the bands in the spring,” he continued, “Plus there were some
student comedy and drama groups who didn’t bother auditioning because they knew
of so many music acts trying to get in and they didn’t think they’d make the
cut.”
    “So what are you saying?”
    “I think we should cap the number of music acts this year.”
    “How many total?” Samantha asked.
    The guy considered.   “I say we leave one spot open for a solo act and two for groups of three
or more people.”
    She looked around the room.   People were nodding.   “Okay,” she said.
    Someone behind Casey whispered, “The bands are really going to
have to compete for their slots this year.”  
    And that was when, in a manner as magical as when the choir
starts in “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” Casey got an idea.

15

 
    The next day she arrived early for Spanish class.   She even had her homework ready.   So what if Yull did half of it and told
her how to do the rest.   It was done
and if there was anyone on the planet worth milking for a sympathy vote it was
Yull Barnes.  
    Ben came in just as the bell rang.   He ignored her.   Señor Griffin circulated checking
homework.   When he got to Casey’s desk
he hesitated.   A frown crept across
his features.   “¿Señorita?”
    She waved her homework in the air with a flourish.   “Olé.”  
    Señor Griffin grinned.   “Muy bien.”
    As soon as he was gone Ben looked at her suspiciously and put a
protective hand over his homework.   “You
wish,” she hissed.   He rolled his
eyes and turned back around.   She
glanced at his bag.   Sure enough,
the drumsticks were there.   She
composed a note.
    They often say drummers