Page 70 of With a Little Luck

I don’t think.

“Sort of,” I say. “Araceli the Magnificent, remember?”

She smiles and runs a thumb along the sketch. “It’s a fun story so far. I like how you illustrate everyone and their characters. They’re all so easy to love. Makes me want to know what will happen next.” She turns back the pages until she finds her song and rips it out. “I hope I get to read it when it’s done.”181

“When what’s done?” mumbles Pru. She sits up, squinting at us from the bed.

“Just a comic I started.”

“You’re writing a comic?” she says, as Ari’s phone dings.

“It’s just for fun. A comic, graphic novel … thing. It’s nothing. I’m just messing around.”

“Can I read it?”

“You’re not in it,” I say.

Pru squints one eye at me. “But Ari’s in it?”

Perhaps more defensively that necessary, I say, “The story needed a bard.”

The story did notneeda bard, but Pru doesn’t have to know that.

Ari gasps loudly, halting Pru’s questions. “You guys! No way.No. Way.”

I trade a look with Pru, who throws back the covers and scurries out of bed. We gather around Ari, staring down at the email on her phone.

Subject: Condor Music Festival Songwriting Contest Entry

Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you that your song, “Downpour,” has been selected as one of our top ten finalists …

That’s as much as we read before Ari and Pru are squealing so loud they could wake the rest of the family two floors above us, and then Ari’s arms are flung around us both and we’re all jumping around—even me, because it would be weirder not to.

“Let me see it again,” says Pru as soon as we’ve calmed down. She grabs the phone out of Ari’s trembling hands. I still have one arm slung over Ari’s shoulder, and she doesn’t move away, but she’s so giddy she probably doesn’t even notice. Her hands are cupped around her face, eyes shimmering as Pru reads the email out loud.182

“All finalists are invited to perform on the festival’s Albatross Stage at five p.m. next Sunday. The grand prize winner will be announced following the performances. If you are unable to attend the festival, we also welcome you to join the celebration virtually. Please respond to this email by this Wednesday, latest, so that we can prepare for any special arrangements. Being present and performing is not necessary to win the grand prize.”

“I can’t believe this is happening!” says Ari, falling back on the bed and hiding her face in her hands.

“Hold on, there’s more,” says Pru. “Attached to this email are two complimentary tickets for you and a guest. Additional tickets can be purchased through our website at a discounted price using the code ‘songfinalist.’ Thank you for entering our competition. We wish you the best of luck.”

Pru lowers the phone and gawps at Ari. “You’re going, obviously.”

Ari moves her palms to her cheeks. Her eyes are shining as she stares at Pru, even as her lips purse with uncertainty. “It’s a long drive. What, close to three hundred miles? I mean, I could go down Sunday morning, but depending on how late it goes, I might not get back until after midnight.”

“So?” says Pru.

“It’s a school night.”

Pru fixes her with alook. “You can miss school the day after performing the songyou wroteat a music festival! What are your teachers going to say? No, we don’t want you to follow your dreams?”

I clear my throat. “You know, if Pru of all people is advocating for playing hooky, you should probably play hooky.”

Ari bunches her lips to one side, considering. “Obviously, I want to go. But also … I don’t know if I really want to drive the wagon all that way by myself. What if it breaks down?”

“You won’t be by yourself,” says Pru. “I’ll go with you, obvious …” She trails off, her shoulders dropping. “Wait. That’s when they’re transferring Luna and Lennon to their new zoo. Quint and I were going to go together.”183

“Which youhaveto do,” says Ari emphatically, sitting up again.

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