Chapter 2

Cecil clamped a hand down on the carving machine. "What's gotten into you now?"

"I bought this machine. I'm taking it."

"The graduation exhibition is about to open. You tear down your studio now, you want everyone laughing at us?"

I pulled up the payment records. "Four machines, two worktables. All bought with my scholarship money. You never paid a cent."

His hand slowly loosened. "Serena, have I been too busy lately, neglecting you? If you've got something to say, just say it. Don't take it out on real business."

"This is the real business."

I set the last toolbox against the wall. My arms ached too much to lift.

On the bulletin board hung the graduation slot assignments.

Behind my name it had originally read the south wall. Now it was crossed out and replaced with Janet Fox.

I asked, "Who changed it?"

Cecil was the student lead curator for the graduation exhibition. Every slot application went through him.

He said, "The faculty advisor and I discussed it. Janet's grades are shaky. She needs a good spot. You're top of the program. It doesn't matter where you go."

"That spot cost me ten weeks of exhibition duty."

"It's just one slot. You'll be running a studio with me later. Clients look at the work, not one stretch of wall in a school."

Janet came in holding her piece. "Serena, I was the one who begged Cecil to help. If I don't get a recommendation this time, I'll have to go back to my hometown after graduation. You're so talented. Can't you let me have this one?"

I said, "No."

She set her plaster base down beside my clay sculpture. "But the list has already been submitted."

The base wasn't steady. It knocked over a basin of cleaning solution.

The black liquid poured out, and the landscape pattern I'd worked on for three months collapsed on the spot, half of it gone.

I crouched to steady the piece. The moment my fingers touched the clay surface they sank straight in, and my chest went tight.

Cecil grabbed Janet's hand first. "Are you hurt?"

She held up one scraped knuckle. "It stings a little. It's my fault. I shouldn't have touched your things, Serena."

Cecil turned to look at me. "Why was your material sitting in the walkway? If Janet's hurt her hand, what happens to her graduation piece?"

I said, "This is my display area."

"She didn't mean to. Go get her some water to rinse it, then write up an incident report so the teacher doesn't come after anyone."

"My work is ruined."

"Make it again. With your skill, a few days is plenty."

Six months ago, I fell off the scaffolding and split my palm open on a metal edge.

Cecil glanced at it and only said, "You're careless with your work, so you bear the consequences yourself."

Now Janet hadn't even broken the skin, and he wouldn't let go of her hand.

My phone buzzed again and again.

A neighbor from back home had messaged. "Your dad was hauling kiln bricks last night. His right hand got crushed. The town hospital wants the surgery deposit as soon as possible."

The words on the screen swam. I grabbed the corner of the table to stay standing.

Cecil frowned. "What are you still standing there for? Take Janet to the infirmary first."

I put the phone away. "I'm not going."

"Serena, don't force me to say something harsh in front of your classmates."

"Then say it."

Janet held him back. "Cecil, let it go. Serena's work is wrecked. She must feel awful too."

Cecil's voice dropped. "You're still defending her. If she were half as sensible as you, we wouldn't fight all the time."

I didn't touch that heap of ruined clay again.

The silver ring was still in the soap dish.

It was the only gift Cecil had ever given me.

I took it to the resale shop on North Campus Street. The owner weighed it and quoted six hundred eighty.

"Miss, there's a name engraved inside the band. You sure you want to sell?"

"Sell it."

"It's good quality. Think it over."

I handed him my father's hospital account number. "Please transfer it now."

The deposit alert chimed. It was still far short of the surgery deposit, but at last there was a little warmth in my palm.

The neighbor replied quickly. "The village put together the rest of the deposit for your family. The surgery's set for tomorrow morning."

Then Cecil called. "The teacher's asking about the incident report. Come back and sign for Janet, and this whole thing goes away."

I hung up and moved him to my do-not-disturb list.

When I got back to the dorm, Janet was going through my bookshelf.

She pulled out the bundle of old fabric samples my father had sent me and asked with a smile, "These things, could you leave them to me before you go?"