“Today?”
“Does that work for you?”
“Uh—” I consider asking about tomorrow. But what if someone else comes in today and they end up filling the position? “Yeah, of course I can. I’ll be there soon.”
“I’ll let our manager know. His name is Frank.”
“Thank you so much.”
I say goodbye and hang up the phone. Then I stare out the window again, watching cars pass along the street. For a moment there, I forgot about the rest of the world. It’s like waking up from a dream and feeling the weight of gravity again. I glance at the paper star in my hand, thinking about Haru. Then I set it by the window and get ready for the interview.
The trains are crowded thismorning. There’s barely room to stand as I google the Chicago Theater on my phone. It’s a historic landmark, spanning almost half a city block in the heart of the Loop. Apparently, it opened as a movie palace that premiered films and live events, including the World’s Fair in the 1930s. I skim through the shows they’re playing before the doors open to my stop.
The marquee shines like a billboard above the street. I’ve passed by its flashing red-gold lights a hundred times. But it’s been years since I’ve been inside. I must have been a kid at the time. Who was it that brought me here again? As I stepthrough the glass doors, someone takes my hand as the memory comes back to me…
“This way.”
Jasmine’s dress flutters as she pulls me inside. It’s like stepping through the looking glass into a strange new world. Marble pillars hold up a vaulted ceiling that stretches seven stories high. I tilt my head, staring at the chandelier as we make our way through the lobby. The theater is nothing like I expected. There’s a grand staircase lined with velvet carpet, leading up to a mezzanine.
Jasmine glances back at me and says, “It should be up these stairs.” It’s our first time at the Chicago Theater. We’re too young to afford tickets for the show they’re playing. It was Jasmine’s idea to sneak inside and give ourselves a tour. “Come on.”
“Are we allowed up there?”
“Of course we are.”
I give her a look.
“As long as no one finds out. We can do anything.”
“If you say so…”
As she leads me up the steps, a man in a red vest appears, blocking our way. “Can I help you two?”
“No, thank you,” Jasmine says.
“Where are you heading?”
“To see the show.”
“It’s already started. So doors are closed.” He gives us a fake smile like those sales associates who follow you around the store. “Now where are your parents?”
“They’re waiting for us. Excuse me—”
Jasmine brushes right past him, pulling me with her. But the man grabs my shoulder and says, “You’re staying right here.” His fingers press into my skin, making me wince.
Jasmine pulls my hand. “Let go of him.”
“You two aren’t going anywhere.”
Jasmine takes a step down, meeting him at eye level. “I said, let go of him,” she repeats.
But the man doesn’t release his grip. He just smiles at her, squeezing my shoulder harder.
“I said let go!”
Jasmine lifts her leg up high and kicks him off me. The man goes rolling down the steps as she grabs my hand and motions me to make a run for it…
I’m standing at the end of thelobby, staring up at the staircase. The wood details are like I remember, as if nothing’s changed after all these years. I wonder what Jasmine would say if she were here with me. If I close my eyes, I can see the ghosts of us running past me. It was one of the secrets we never told Mom and Dad. I smile to myself as I head upstairs, looking for the managing office. There’s a series of doors down the halls of the mezzanine. I’m not exactly sure which one leads to the right room. I take a guess and turn the knob anyway. A woman is standing behind a mahogany desk, staring at a bookcase. The moment she turns around, I realize I know her.
