Circles Read Online Free Page B

couldn’t hate Romeo.
    It was all so complicated. There were times nothing made sense at all. If Dave hadn’t taken care of Mr. Ferguson when he had that epileptic seizure down in the lunchroom last year, she probably never would have developed a crush on him. Oh yes, she probably would have admired him in the drama group, but the memory of him, leaning over the purple-faced, foaming Mr. Ferguson, loosening his collar and gently turning his head to one side ... Dave’s bright, handsome face so kind and competent. If she hadn’t been down in the lunchroom that day, a warm, clear, lovely October day ... She had even brought a sandwich to school and planned on eating it outside with Wanda, and just because Wanda asked Leslie Cooper, who laughed all the time, to join them, she changed her mind. She couldn’t stand people who laughed all the time over nothing. So she didn’t go with them. She said she was in a hurry, and she went down to the lunchroom, and there he was, as she entered, surrounded by a circle of bit players, and poor Mr. Ferguson foaming and purple-faced lying on the ground and Dave occupying center stage. Ever since then, he had occupied center stage in her daydreams.
    “Okay, okay, not bad,” Mrs. Kronberger said. “Now, scram—you Jennifer, only you! And let’s all take a few minutes’ break, and start up from the beginning. I want all the kids in act one, scene one, to take their places up on the stage. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
    Beebe rose and began moving towards the stage. If she had eaten her sandwich outside with Wanda and Leslie, or if he hadn’t been in the lunchroom just at that moment when Mr. Ferguson had his seizure ... so many ifs.
    The cast was assembling on the stage—the two Capulet servants, the one Montague servant, Benvolio, Tybalt, assorted citizens, police, Capulet and Lady Capulet, Montague and herself, Lady Montague (with only two speaking parts—even Lady Capulet had more than that), the Prince, and, finally, Romeo.
    He was clowning around on the stage with some of the other boys. A few of them were whirling their wooden swords around, and Dave dove across the stage, chasing Fred Gee/Tybalt and nearly bumping into her.
    “Oops,” he said, steadying himself by putting a hand on her arm.
    She laughed nervously.
    Dave’s face was pink, and his eyes shone. “I nearly knocked over my mother.” He bowed to her. “Forgive me, my dear Mother,” he said, already focusing on Tybalt, who was jabbing him with his sword, “while I go take care of this cursed Capulet.”
    This was one of those times that Beebe should have been ready with some funny or charming words that would attract his attention.
    “Oh, that’s okay,” she said, and watched as he chased Tybalt across the stage.
     
    Chapter 4
     
    His father handed him a broom. “The first thing,” he said, “is to sweep out the toilet. Every new worker gets broken in that way.”
    Joe and Kelly, the two part-time college boys who worked for his father on Saturdays, laughed, and Kelly said, “That’s why I’m so glad you’re low man on the totem pole, Mark. Now I’m off the hook.”
    Mark smiled and tried to look pleased. Not that he liked the idea of sweeping out the toilet. But he didn’t dislike it either. And he liked having his father treat him just like any other of his workers.
    He took the broom, and went off to the back of the store. The floor of the toilet looked pretty clean to him, but he started sweeping anyway. His father came and stood at the door. ‘That’s the first thing I had to do when I came to work here. The boss, Mr. Altobelli, he said to me, ‘You’ve got to sweep your way out of the toilet before you learn anything else.’ “
    “That’s okay, Dad,” Mark said, moving the broom behind the door to show his father he intended to be thorough.
    “Attaboy,” said his father, patting him on the back. “We’re going to have a great time together—you and I.”
    “Sure thing,