Signal to Noise(56)

“Do you think he’ll really go out with them tonight?” Daniela asked.

“What am I? A mind-reader?”

“I’m just asking.”

“Ugh,” Meche said. “Hey, how do you get rid of an avocado stain?”

“Beats me. When were you eating avocado?”

Meche put on the coat and looked in the mirror, brushing the hair away from her face.

“I don’t remember. Did you have a nice time in Mazatlán?”

“It was real nice. I wish we could have stayed longer.”

“Tell me about it,” Meche muttered. “How the hell does Rodriguez go about giving us an assignment during winter break? What am I saying, you don’t have anything to worry about. You’ll be doing the tutoring thing with him and he’ll give you an A just so you keep paying him.”

“I don’t know,” Daniela said. “It might not be so easy. We have our first session Friday and he’s already given me reading material.”

“I hate his little beady eyes.”

“He does not have little beady eyes.”

“Does too.”

They walked out of the bathroom and went up the stairs, following the flow of students moving at the sound of the bell.

“Did you have fun with Sebastian while I was away?” Daniela asked.

“It was alright,” Meche said, giving Daniela a sideways glance. “He...”

Meche trailed off and Daniela waited patiently for her to complete her sentence.

“Yeah?”

“Oh, nothing. Something dumb.”





SEBASTIAN WATCHED THE screen without watching it, his eyes out of focus, and when they stepped into the lobby he could not have said what movie had been screened.

“We’re going to the washroom,” Isadora told the boys.

She walked away, followed by the other girls. Sebastian stood a bit to the side, not really engaging the boys in the group. Constantino and the other three clones glanced in his direction, smirked and talked amongst themselves.

It was to be expected. But then Constantino motioned to him and Sebastian walked towards them, shuffling forward, his shoulders hunched; a lumbering giant.

“Yeah?” he asked.

“We’re glad you could make it tonight,” Constantino said.

Sebastian nodded, a bit surprised by that.

“I’m glad too.”

“But don’t make a habit out of it.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean we don’t want you going out with Isadora again.”

“We or you?” Sebastian asked, surprising himself with the boldness lurking in his voice.

The boys glanced at each other, then back at him. Constantino’s lips curled into a smile.

“What’s your friend’s name?”

“What friend?” Sebastian asked cautiously.

“The one who likes music. She wears her headphones all the time.”

“Meche.”

“Yeah. She’s a good dancer. She’s got good moves.”

Sebastian recalled the night at Isadora’s party, when he’d seen Meche twirling in Constantino’s arms and the sick feeling in his gut. He said nothing.

“If you f*ck with my girl, I’ll f*ck with yours,” Constantino said. “I’ll give it to her up the ass.”

Sebastian stood straight, unfolded to his full length and glared down at Constantino, his fingers pressing against his throat, making the shorter boy gasp with shock because Sebastian had never before put up a fight. The others must have also been in shock because they did not interfere.

“Never, ever try that,” he whispered. “Or I’ll cut off your dick.”

He released Constantino and stepped back. The boys, normally itching to pile insults on him, seemed to have lost their will and looked dully at him. Constantino straightened up, his handsome face ugly with anger.

“I’ll teach you a lesson some other time.”

“Try it,” Sebastian said.

He thought how they might fare if he cast a spell. Maybe Constantino could contract a nasty disease. These dark thoughts must have been reflected in his eyes for the boys looked away and Constantino pressed his lips tightly together and did not speak again.

The girls returned. Isadora smiled at him and Sebastian smiled back. There was some talk of going for a bite and Sebastian, tight on finances as usual, looked at his watch and pretended he was expected for supper back at home.

“I should go,” Sebastian told her. “But thanks for the invitation.”

“Maybe we can go out some other time,” she said.

“Yes.”

The boys glared at him. Sebastian walked out of the movie theatre.





GRANDMOTHER’S NEEDLES CLICKED together as she knitted, fingers steady, always knowing what movement would follow. Practice, she’d told Meche. All it takes is a little practice.

Maybe it was the same with magic. Meche thought they were getting better but there was still the need for practice.

They should have been in the factory that evening. But Sebastian was out with Isadora and her friends.

Meche glanced at the clock. The little hand had scarcely moved.

She sighed and looked at her homework. She had finished the math problems ages ago and was now stuck on some short story readings. The words seemed to jump and dance before her eyes. She could not concentrate.