Categotry Archives: Suzie’s House
Suzie’s House 321 : Like Axel Rose, or Something
If she’d known it was going to happen, Emma would have worn a mask. So obvious; she didn’t know why she hadn’t thought of it before. Of course the teacher would recognize her if she showed up and the mystery singer for Malaprop didn’t.
Suzie’s House 320: The Cost of Quiet
When did he become so irrational? Rey nearly talked himself out of his promise to the members of the band called Malaprop. He had enough of sullen teenagers in a normal work day. He didn’t even like taking students during the summer. So why must he associate with them now?
Suzie’s House 319 : Middle School Graduation
“This is all a… a pretense,” Ben leaned over to Lisa and whispered. They weren’t supposed to be sitting next to each other because there were half a dozen people with last names between Hammaker and Johansen, but no one seemed to care. It wasn’t like assigned seating or anything. Maybe that was why Lisa kind of felt like Ben was right. “Shhh,” she said anyway. “At least pretend you’re listening.”
Suzie’s House 318 : Shut Up, Stephanie
No doubt she wouldn’t have said it if she’d know Bruce was standing right behind her. Then again, she knew his locker was next to hers. How could she not notice him? It wasn’t like Bruce tried to hide. He hated being ignored. “I can’t believe the got first place? I mean, all they did was play a song. Could you even tell if they have any talent? It’s not like my baton twirling.” “Shut up, Stephanie,” the girl’s friend […]
Suzie’s House 317 : Mr. Ungar’s Offer
Technically speaking, Reymond Ungar didn’t have any duties right that moment. At least nothing had been said. But as a teacher in the gym when school talent show ended would normally be expected to monitor, wouldn’t he?
Suzie’s House 316 : The Highlight of Emma’s Life
Emma could feel the excitement in the air right from the first notes of Bitter Harvest. It was like a balloon hanging all flaccid one minute and ready to pop the nest. She stood at the back of the gym, watching her band mates play and feeling pretty full of herself, thanks to the lacy black mask Bruce had given her, like she was the phantom of the opera or something. She waited patiently through the intro, and was totally […]
Suzie’s House 315 : Emma as Talk Show Hostess
While the guys in the band scrambled to get Kate’s kit drum set up, Emma had to do everything she could to keep the audience entertained. Didn’t she? So it was OK if she got a little silly. Right. “Soooooo… Miss Cheerleader, I’ve heard about you.” Emma strutted up to the first row of folding chairs. She smiled, imagined her own teeth as serrated as a shark, and chuckled.
Suzie’s House 314 : The Ego of a Dominatrix
Something happened to Emma as soon as she put on the mask. It was as if the lacy black thing had a spirit of it’s own. It flooded into Emma and took control. Suddenly she wasn’t nervous anymore. She felt daring, masterful, and… mean?
Suzie’s House 313 : Two Masks
There was no backstage, and the principal refused to let them darken the gym where folding chairs had been set up for the audience because of some liability thing, and they had to wear some stupid badge that just said they were registered for the talent show, but that wasn’t Emma’s worst problem. She had two masks.
Suzie’s House 312 : Where to Get a Mask
“Here you go.” Bruce pulled his latest creation out of his backpack and put it on the lunch table in front of Emma. “For tomorrow, when we play in the school talent show.” Emma sucked air in through her teeth and her eyes bugged out like he’d put a snake on her lunch tray. It was great. “Want me to help you put it on?” He reach out like he was going to take the mask back, but she quick […]
Suzie’s House 311 : Word War
“Argh! It happened again.” Ben grabbed either side of his head and grimaced. “Yeah?” Lisa looked up from her legal pad. She was sitting on the other side of the dining room table so she could keep a vigilant eye on the kitchen. Ben didn’t care about when their writing sessions got interrupted, but it drove Lisa batty. With that much thumping around, and the good smells coming out, they’d have to make room for the plates soon. “Now I […]
Suzie’s House 310 : Because We’re Bandmates
Tracy smiled at her. She even waved. Emma felt so grateful, but kind of stunned, too. So she stayed sitting there at the exta-long lunch table instead of clearing her tray and going to the library. Maybe she could eat after all. Except Tracy didn’t come over right away. She sat talking to Gene for a minute. He looked up at her and waved, but didn’t stop unpacking his lunch. Kate still hadn’t looked at the long table, Justin and […]
Suzie’s House 309 : Eating Alone
The big table where Tracy and Gene sometimes had their band meetings at lunch time didn’t have anyone sitting at it. It made Emma nervous and exposed, but she set her tray there right at the very end and sat down. It felt like everyone was looking at her. And not in the grand, movie-star way she liked to imagine.
Suzie’s House 308 : Food, Fibs, and Friends
“Why is the cafeteria food always so putrid?” Alisha dropped her fork to the tray, making Emma flinch. “I know. Right? I crave real food. Like Chinese or something.” Katy picked at her food with a disgusted look on her face. “They had that Chow Mein stuff last week.” Kate shoveled in whatever the lunch ladies wanted to call the glop they were supposed to eat today like it was no problem.
Suzie’s House 307 : Totally Different
That band the kids had formed was practicing in Suzie’s parlor when Miranda dragged herself home. It was pretty late, but there was no sign of Vin yet, and the only sign of Suzie was a cake and a pile of cookies on a cooling rack. Miranda settled at the kitchen table with a glass of milk and plate of cookies. It made her feel young.
