The Writer and the Host

Chapter 3

For the rest of the day, I worked on the song/poem with Bonnie, May, Iris, Dawn, and Kenny. While I was writing, Bonnie ordered a construction company to fix my ceiling the next day. It took a couple of hours before I thought of all of the lyrics and ultimately wrote a final draft on my father's typewriter. After that, we went back up to Dawn's dorm with the ladder, where May started writing the song with my lyrics while Dawn ordered pizza for us. The six of us talked and I got to know everyone better while we worked and I began to be more comfortable around the five of them. Before the day was out, I found myself with the first five friends I've ever had.

The next day, we all got together and looked over our work during breakfast at one of the school cafeterias before we went to go see Sonia in her office. We gave her a copy of the song and explained our plan to her while she read it.

"So, what do you think, Sonia?" Bonnie asked excitedly.

Sonia hummed in thought and said, "I would be remiss if I didn't say it's a sketchy idea. That much being said, your poem or song or whichever is very good, Serena, so that might impress Satoshi and Jessie. All that to say, I personally would try anything to convince the board to give my students a theater."

"So you'll help us with our plan?" Dawn asked, hopefully.

Sonia smiled warmly and said, "You bet. In fact, I think I know exactly how I can help you."

"Really? How?" May asked.

"Simple. I can arrange an appointment for the night of the ball so that you can meet Satoshi after the dance at the clock tower," Sonia explained.

Bonnie, May, Dawn, Kenny, and Iris' eyes widened in excitement while I looked at Sonia confused.

"That would be perfect!" Kenny said.

"Excuse me, but why would I be meeting Satoshi up in the clock tower?" I asked.

"Because Satoshi's private chamber where he hosts his clients is just below the clock itself," Sonia explained. "You won't find a better place where the two of you can be alone, and you can tell your poem to him. Though you better be careful. Satoshi could distract you with his charms."

"I am aware of that," I said. "May, Dawn, and Iris have been teaching me everything I should expect when interacting with hosts like Satoshi."

Sonia smiled approvingly and said, "Good. Then I suggest you six get ready for the ball and leave making the appointment to me."

We smiled and nodded, feeling optimistic until May gasps in realization.

"Wait a minute. Serena, do you have a dress for the ball?" She asked.

My smile disappeared, and everyone turned to me.

"Uh...no, I don't," I answered. "I don't even have my dresses for school finished yet."

Everyone looked at each other in shock before Dawn said, "Why didn't we think about this earlier?!"

"I guess we got so worked up about Serena's poem and everything else that we didn't think about what to wear," May said, scratching her cheek sheepishly.

"Well, we gotta get a ball gown for Serena," Bonnie protested. "We need a dress that will make Serena look her best for when she meets Satoshi."

I gave an uneasy chuckle and asked May, Dawn, and Iris, "I don't suppose either of you have a dress to spare?"

The three of them shook their heads, and Dawn said, "I just have the one I'm going to wear."

"Me too," May said.