This Place Has No Atmosphere (13 page)

As I look around the room, I’m glad, though, that no one up here knows about that grossness. I do wonder what Juna is doing right now and if maybe she’s even thinking about me at the same time that I’m thinking about her.

Karlena offers more information. “I also hear that the Plaques are the backup group.”

“The Plaques are my father’s favorite group,” Starr informs everyone. “What else can you expect from a dentist?”

I shrug. He just loves it when they pretend that their guitar strings are dental floss.

Vern comes into the room with two large bowls of popcorn, which he passes around.

I look up at him.

Living on the moon agrees with him. His complexion has really cleared up. My mother says that’s because the food allergies aren’t so severe up here, since there’s not much junk food. Anyway, he looks practically human, but he still laughs like a seal.

It’s break time during the play rehearsal.

We really need one.

I’m lying down on the floor, relaxing.

Starr comes up, stands over me, and starts dropping popcorn on my face.

I debate yelling at her but decide instead to try to catch it as it comes down.

“Two points,” Hal calls out as one goes into my mouth.

“All right,” Tucker yells. “Starr, go for a dunk shot.”

Starr gets another two points.

I reach up with my foot and try to get the popcorn to fall out of her hand.

“Penalty,” Hal calls out. “Starr gets two free throws.”

“That looks like fun,” Kael says. “Let’s all try it.”

We make up the rules. Twenty pieces of popcorn to each player. Two points for each one that goes
into the mouth. The person catching the popcorn is allowed to eat each piece once it’s in the mouth rather than holding on to it until all twenty attempts are made.

Hal says, “Wait a minute. Shorter people have the advantage. They’re closer to the person on the floor.”

“But your arms are longer,” Tucker reminds him.

“Are. Are. Are.” Vern thinks the whole thing is hysterical.

So does everyone else as we break up into teams and play.

Hal’s my partner.

Our team gets a total of nine. I catch four and Hal catches five. We tie for the win, sort of. Brendon and Julie claim they’ve won with nine and a half, since she started to laugh and closed her mouth before the kernel was totally in her mouth.

Somehow, that’s not fair. We should at least have a play-off.

“That was a very
corny
game. Are. Are. Are.” Vern is having the best time.

Everyone turns on him, pelting him with popcorn.

Mr. Wilcox walks in.

We pelt him.

He pelts back.

Soon everyone is laughing hysterically.

Finally Mr. Wilcox says, “Okay, gang. Back to rehearsal.”

I love the play rehearsals.

They’re the best ever and I’m really beginning to like these kids a lot more.

I just wish that we could all be transplanted to earth, since there is so much more to do there. I mean stuff like plays and museums and different places to visit. It would be so wonderful to do those things with most of the kids in this group and with some of the Turnips, even though I’m not sure both groups would really understand each other.

Since there’s not much chance of our being earth-transplanted, I concentrate on what’s happening on the moon.

Right now the play is the major thing in a lot of our lives.

I don’t want to think about what it will be like when the play is over.

K
arlena’s rehearsing her scene with Kael, who is playing George, her boyfriend and my son.

I really do have to admit she’s gotten really good at the part of Emily.

One of the reasons I have to admit it is that Mr. Wilcox is always saying to me, “Isn’t she doing well, Aurora? Aren’t you enjoying that scene with her?”

The other reason is that she really does get better every day.

It also helps that Mr. Wilcox keeps telling me how terrifically I’m doing. That makes me work even harder to get better.

To be honest, though, it still does hurt my heart a little to hear Karlena rehearse as Emily.

I try to imagine a tornado breaking a hole in the glass bubble and carrying Karlena outside without a space suit. She would then turn into a freezepop or blobmelt.

Then I would graciously take over her part.

Of course, since there is no weather on the moon, it’s not likely to happen.

“Not nice thoughts,” Hal whispers, coming up beside me and putting his arm around my shoulder.

Hal’s been taking a correspondence course in ESP, doing biofeedback, and generally developing his psychic powers. It’s kind of fun for me to watch him and my mother try to talk to each other. However, I’m not sure I like it that he can read my mind so easily.

Starr says it’s easier because I’m so much more open now . . . that it’s not such a bad thing to be vulnerable like that . . . that she bets I’ll be good at ESP someday too.

I think that’ll be something to explore when the play’s over. Instead of outer space, inner space. There certainly isn’t much else to explore on the moon unless you’re a scientist.

I put my arm around Hal’s waist and we just stand there watching for a few minutes.

Even though Hal and I are just friends, it’s nice to be able to hug each other.

I wonder: If someone doesn’t kiss and make out during their teenage years, will that person’s body rust?

Mr. Wilcox calls out. “Emily. George. Good work. Now I want all actors to try on their costumes, which have just arrived on the space shuttle. Males to the recreation room. Females to the film room. And hurry up. The council is going to need the community rooms in about an hour.”

Space is a real problem in space.

“See you later,” Hal says to me as he walks away. “Try not to worry about rusting.”

I am tempted to remind him that he hasn’t had a girlfriend since the fifth grade when he and Karlena, a sixth grader, swore undying love and then she started to grow up faster than he did. I decide not to.
He confided that information to me one day when we were having a real heart-to-heart talk and I’d never use it against him. However, this better not be the start of rust references.

Actually I am worrying about things a lot less, including rusting and worrying so much about what people think. It’s different up here. Maybe when you live in a place with lighter gravity, people take things less seriously.

A lot of things are getting easier, even at home. My mother’s been helping Starr to learn her lines, and my father’s going to help with the ticket sales. (The profits will be sent back down to earth to an organization that helps the homeless and hungry. On the moon that’s no problem.)

At the apartment we ration Grandma Jennifer’s brownies, everyone having a little piece each day. We’re down to crumbs practically, but it’s like having a link with those we love on earth. Earth—it seems so far away.

I head to the costume room. It’s chaos, absolute chaos.

That’s probably because Emily Doowinkle is in charge of costumes.

She hands me a garment bag.

I look at Julie, who grins at me and whispers, “I wish she’d rhyme a little less.”

We giggle some more and I put on my outfit with Julie’s help.

Julie says, “When we came up here on the space shuttle, I never really thought we’d be doing things together and that I’d be having a great time with you.”

I nod. “Me too, and I really appreciate the help you’ve given me with the costumes.”

She blushes. “Thanks. I want to let you know how much I appreciate the way you and April helped me with makeup and stuff in the beginning.”

“Even though we haven’t been close since then?” I mention a truth that makes me feel guilty.

She helps me put on the rest of my costume. “Yes, because it made me feel more comfortable to be around other people. And now Karlena and I are good friends. Did you know that she’s asked me to be bridesmaid at her wedding?”

“No, I didn’t know. Terrific!”

It’s weird. I’m happy for Julie. Also, I’m a little jealous that they like each other more than they like me.

“I guess things have changed a lot for both of us since that shuttle ride,” Julie continues. “We’re both much happier now.”

“I guess we are,” I say softly. “I guess I am.”

We smile at each other.

Starr comes over and stares at me. “What an outfit.”

I look in the mirror. I can’t believe I’m wearing stockings with seams (they probably never even heard of stocking spray) . . . funny-looking shoes . . . a dress like the early 1900s. It’s so weird to be in clothes that are like the ones worn over a century and a half ago.

I’m surprised that any female wearing an outfit like this would ever show her face . . . but actually that’s about all she ever could show. Everything else was covered.

Starr shows me how she looks in her outfit. “Uglyosity.”

People are all giggling and pointing at one another.

“I wonder how all the people in
Our Town
would do in Luna City,” Starr says as she takes the bow out of her hair and puts it on her upper lip, pretending it’s a mustache.

Karlena thinks about it for a minute. “Actually, I bet they would do okay once you put them in our clothes.”

“I guess some things never change,” I say. “I bet even Cleopatra worried about pimples. Kids have always had problems with their parents—and brothers and sisters. Look at Cain and Abel.”

Karlena grins. “I’ll remind my parents of them when they complain about my sister and me fighting.”

Emily Doowinkle calls out.

While people go off to get their costumes fixed, I think about the play and about how good it’s going to be.

I kind of wish that Juna and Matthew and the rest of the Turnips could see me in it.

Some of them would be more interested in the cast party than the play, but some of them would really like
Our Town
.

If only Grandma Jennifer and Grandpa Josh could be at the performance.

We’ll send them a holovideo, but it won’t be the same.

I know they’ll love the play, and Starr and me in it.

I sure do miss them.

In Grandma’s last letter, she said they’re taking courses at the local community college. Grandpa’s getting his brown belt in karate and she’s getting her brownie belt in baking.