The Birthday Card
I stood up in the high school auditorium. The seat bounced up behind me, creating a smacking noise, but I was too preoccupied with the card in my sweaty palm to notice. The chatter of my classmates filled the room. I would have indulged in their enthusiasm if I wasn’t gulping in air as thick as water. My trembling hand held the weight of my future. I better do it now, I told myself, before I turn around and make a dash for the double doors. When I first saw the cast list for