"Hello?" Miette said, answering her phone.
"Miette?" Duke asked hopefully. "This is Duke."
"Hi Duke! What's up?"
"Oh, ahh, not much. Hey, umm, I was wondering..."
"Yeah?"
"Well... I saw that thing on the news last night. About Prince Harry starting a movie and TV series?"
"Mmm?"
"Can I be in it?"
Miette was quiet for a moment.
"Be in it?" she repeated.
"Please Miette," Duke begged. "You know I can act. And I... I know the search is for mutants, but you're going to have human characters, right? And -"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa... hang on a second. What makes you think that I have any input on who Prince Harry hires? And why all the interest?"
"Well... well... well... you work for him right? You know him. Oh, please put in a good word for me, will you? I can do this - I would disappoint or shame anyone or anything, I swear!"
"Duke I... what's bringing this on?" Miette was unwilling so make any commitments until she knew what was going on with her brother - this kind of desperate passion was rather unlike him.
"I just... I... I want to act, y'know? I mean, I know I'm doing all those classes and performances and stuff, but I'm not doing anything big. And that's what I really want to do. I wanna get out there and show everyone that I'm not some talentless exhibitionist."
"Talentless exhibitionist?" Miette repeated. "Whoever called you that?"
"My new drama teacher," Duke muttered almost unwillingly. "We got him at the beginning of this term and he is such an as- jerk."
"Ahh."
"He's making my life a living hell!" Duke went on, on a roll now, "He always finds something to pick on me about - and I... well, you know me, been picked on by bullies all my life. But he calls me gay, and practically encourages the bullies to pick on me, and always looks away when they do. And he's been poisoning the other teachers against me and... and..."
Duke was practically dissolving into tears.
"Duke..." Miette said softly. "I'm so sorry. Have you tried talking to anyone?"
"Like I said, he's been poisoning everyone against me. Please, Miette. I have to get out of here. I've been doing everything I can think of, but, but... suspension can only get you so far."
"Suspension? Duke what have you been doing?"
"I streaked through assembly."
"Duke!" Miette was half horrified, half amused. "You didn't?"
"I did."
"Oh dear..."
"Please, Miette. They say success is the best revenge."
"Oh? Revenge is what you want?"
Duke paused.
"Well... not primarily. But it would be a nice added bonus. You know I've always wanted to get into the industry."
"True. Well... I'm not making any promises, but I'll see what I can do, okay?"
A huge smile appeared on Duke's face.
"Really? Really and truly? Oh thank you! Thank you soooooooo much Mi!"
"That's okay. But mind... it will be awhile before anything gets off the ground. All this pre-production stuff has to get done first, and it'll probably take a few months."
"A few months is shorter than a few years," Duke replied, "which is how long I expect to deal with this jerk if I don't get myself expelled first."
"Duke."
"Hey, you're try to get yourself expelled too if you were in my shoes."
"Hmm... Talk to you later Duke."
"Bye Miette. And thanks again!"
They hung up.
"Duke?" Rowena's voice came from behind him.
Duke turned around slowly, not expecting that she had been in earshot.
"Yeah, Mum?" he asked, hoping she hadn't heard anything he hadn't wanted her to know.
"What was all that about?"
"Ohhh, I was just asking Miette if she could get me an acting job."
"No, I meant about wanting to get yourself expelled."