by Liz
Fighting fractions by moonlight
Challenging teachers by daylight
Reading Shakespeare at midnight
She is the one named Sailor Pi
She would never forget a math operation
Or the rules of heat condensation
Pi is the symbol for a new generation
She is the one named Sailor Pi
She is the one named Sailor Pi
She is the one
Sailor Pi!
Editor's Note: This is a direct variation on "Would You Light My Candle?" from the musical "Rent." After you read the whole story, reload and just read the diologue between Roger and Bizzie, ignoring their actions. Even if you're not a Rent fan, try to match up the song to the words. Then, if you like, reload and sing along.
Using Mark's time-travelling key (he wasn't a guardian of time, not even an Element, but he did have a key), Bizzie and her friends got safely back to school. However, because Mark wasn't the real guardian, the ended up at school the next morning at 7:30 in the morning. It was freezing, especially for early March, and all Bizzie could do was jump up and down to generate some heat.
Once they got inside, she decided to see if there were any open classrooms so that she could get some lead for her new pencil. It was a new kind which could be sharpened AND filled with lead. She noticed a light coming from Mrs. Secant's room. As she peered through the glass, she saw a junoir with blonde hair and the beginnings of a beard staring out the window. Oddly enough, he was wearing pajama bottoms.
"What'd you forget?" he asked, not turning to see who was opening the door.
"Got some lead?" The minute he heard her voice, he turned around and looked at Bizzie.
"I know you, you're-- you're shivering."
"It's nothing, I've just been outside- and it was so cold that I could have died! Would you sharpen my pencil?" The stranger did not answer. "What are you staring at?"
"Nothing, your face in sunlight. You look familiar. Can you make it?"
"Just haven't written much today, at least school hasn't started anyway." Once again, the boy stared at Bizzie, not speaking. "What?"
"Nothing, your smile reminded me of-"
"I always remind people of-- who is she?"
"She transferred, her name was Mel-" Quickly, Bizzie purposely broke the lead on her pencil so that she might be able to talk to this guy some more.
"It broke again," she said with a smile, "Sorry 'bout your friend. Would you sharpen my pencil?"
"Well..."
"Yeah? Ouch!" The sharp point of Bizzie's pencil dug into the palm of her hand.
"Oh, the point, it's-"
"Sharp. I like to write on-"
"Paper, I figured. Oh well, goodbye." The boy pushed Bizzie out of the room and closed the door. He paced back and forth, waiting for the teacher to come. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
"It broke again?" he asked, opening it for Bizzie.
"No, I think that I dropped my purse."
"I know I've seen you out and about with the 'smart-people' folk. Your pencil broke."
"I'm rushin', I had it when I walked in the door- it was pure! Is it on the floor?"
"The floor?" he asked, bending over to look.
"They say that I have the best toenails below 16th street. Is it true?"
"Wha-wha- what?!"
"You're starin' again."
"Oh no-- I mean you do, have some nice, I mean-- you look familiar-"
"Like your old girlfriend?"
"Only when you smile, but I'm sure I've seen you somewhere else."
"Do you go to the ping-pong club? That's what I wanted to join-- help me look?"
"Yes! I saw you protest there."
"It's a reflex."
"I just assumed that the girl had simply dyed her hair."
"We could sharpen the pencil," said Bizzie, changing the subject. "Oh, won't sharpen the pencil?"
"You're only in grade 9? You look like you're 16."
"I'm 14," Bizzie exclaimed, "But I'm old for my age, I'm just born to be good."
"I once was born to be good. I used to shiver like that--"
"I was outside, I told--"
"I used to sweat."
"I got a cold!"
"Uh-huh, I used to be an outcast."
"Now and then I tend to--"
"Uh-huh--"
"Stand out."
"Oh here it--"
"What's that?"
"Mrs. Secant's purse."
"We could sharpen the pencil. Oh what'd you do with my pencil?"
"That was my last lead."
"I'll get it somewhere else, thank God for the school store."
"There aren't any at the store at all. I here they're having a Christmas sale."
"Bah-humbug. Bah-humbug."
"Cold hands," he said as he handed the pencil back to Bizzie.
"Yours too," she told him, "Big, like my father's. Wanna get some hot chocolate?"
"With you?"
"No," she said sarcastically, "With my father."
"I'm Roger," said the stranger as they waked out the door.
"They call me, they call me, Bizzie."
On to Chapter 19
Back to Chapter 17
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