you tell anyone about the makeup, you're toast."
His mother and father came around the table so they could see the photo.
"You look quite handsome, Jon, but the museum has gone to a lot of trouble for a publicity shot," his mother said.
"Yeah, I think someone made a mistake," Jon said. "They had a hair and makeup lady and a clothes guy just for me. I'm pretty sure Ted Duell is going to hit the roof when he gets the bill."
Sela curled her lip at the photo. "It doesn't even look like you. You look like a movie star."
"I think that's the whole point," Dr. Hansen said.
"What do you mean?" Jon asked.
"I've heard attendance is down at the museum," he replied. "Maybe Ted Duell thinks glamorizing the artists will get people interested in seeing the exhibit."
Jon peered at him. "But the exhibit is about the art, isn't it?"
"Apparently not."
Suddenly seized by doubt, Jon gulped. He'd wanted to raise his profile, not make a fool of himself. "Seriously, how stupid do I look in that photo?"
His sister snickered. "Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies."
"You don't look stupid at all, sweetheart. You're dazzling," Mrs. Hansen said. "We're just not used to seeing you this way."
"We might need to hire you a bodyguard for preview night," Dr. Hansen joked.
"That's actually not a bad idea," Jon's mother said.
" What? " he sputtered.
"As it turns out, Sela's school play is on the same night as your preview," Mrs. Hansen said. "Your father and I promised to attend."
"I'm the Dodo Bird, and I get to go extinct right on stage," Sela chirped.
"Oh, no, I wanted to see your play," Jon said. "I'm really sorry."
"It's okay, the principal is taping the show," Sela said. "You'll owe me ten bucks for the DVD, and you have to take me to the mall next time I ask."
"I'm going to ask Chaz to drive you to the preview," Jon's mother said. "If you're giving interviews, I want your lawyer there looking out for you."
Uncle Charles â or Chaz, as he was sometimes known â was a JAG attorney. If his mother had suggested anyone other than him as a bodyguard, Jon would have vetoed it. As it was, he welcomed his uncle's company. Since Charles was only about ten years older than Jon, he'd always been more like an older brother than an uncle.
"That would be cool," Jon said.
Sela waved the instant photo in the air. "Can I take this to school tomorrow for show and tell?"
Jon, Mrs. Hansen, and Dr. Hansen spoke in unison. " No. "
****
Instead of heading to Dragon Isle Friday afternoon, Jon stayed at school for a few hours to work on his homecoming dance mural. When he was satisfied with his progress, he drove home to grab some dinner and pack up his schoolwork. Then he transported to Dragon Isle for the weekend.
When he arrived much later than usual, Jon sort of hoped everyone would assume he was late because of his active social life. To his surprise, Max wasn't there, and neither were Brett or Kira. In fact, the only one at the fire pit that night was the fourteen-year-old Owl Clan wizard, Finn.
Jon was befuddled as he lowered himself into the circle. "Did I miss something?"
"Master Quixoran gave everyone over seventeen turns an allowance, and they all went to Yrth for the evening. I myself have only just returned from dinner with my family at Castle Igneous," Finn said. "Nobody asked me if I wanted to go to Yrth."
Crestfallen, Jon suddenly felt like he had the word LOSER stamped on his T-shirt. Nobody had clued him in on their plans, either.
"Great." He forced a smile to his lips. "Gives me a chance to get some homework done."
****
Spirits were high the next morning at breakfast, and apprentices were even humming. Inwardly, Jon wanted to barf, but he pretended to be in a good mood too. He wasn't quite sure why he was so annoyed, but it might have had something to do with the fact Kira had gone out the last two Friday nights and neither time had been with him. It's my own fault, isn't it? I can't put off asking her to go to the
His mother and father came around the table so they could see the photo.
"You look quite handsome, Jon, but the museum has gone to a lot of trouble for a publicity shot," his mother said.
"Yeah, I think someone made a mistake," Jon said. "They had a hair and makeup lady and a clothes guy just for me. I'm pretty sure Ted Duell is going to hit the roof when he gets the bill."
Sela curled her lip at the photo. "It doesn't even look like you. You look like a movie star."
"I think that's the whole point," Dr. Hansen said.
"What do you mean?" Jon asked.
"I've heard attendance is down at the museum," he replied. "Maybe Ted Duell thinks glamorizing the artists will get people interested in seeing the exhibit."
Jon peered at him. "But the exhibit is about the art, isn't it?"
"Apparently not."
Suddenly seized by doubt, Jon gulped. He'd wanted to raise his profile, not make a fool of himself. "Seriously, how stupid do I look in that photo?"
His sister snickered. "Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies."
"You don't look stupid at all, sweetheart. You're dazzling," Mrs. Hansen said. "We're just not used to seeing you this way."
"We might need to hire you a bodyguard for preview night," Dr. Hansen joked.
"That's actually not a bad idea," Jon's mother said.
" What? " he sputtered.
"As it turns out, Sela's school play is on the same night as your preview," Mrs. Hansen said. "Your father and I promised to attend."
"I'm the Dodo Bird, and I get to go extinct right on stage," Sela chirped.
"Oh, no, I wanted to see your play," Jon said. "I'm really sorry."
"It's okay, the principal is taping the show," Sela said. "You'll owe me ten bucks for the DVD, and you have to take me to the mall next time I ask."
"I'm going to ask Chaz to drive you to the preview," Jon's mother said. "If you're giving interviews, I want your lawyer there looking out for you."
Uncle Charles â or Chaz, as he was sometimes known â was a JAG attorney. If his mother had suggested anyone other than him as a bodyguard, Jon would have vetoed it. As it was, he welcomed his uncle's company. Since Charles was only about ten years older than Jon, he'd always been more like an older brother than an uncle.
"That would be cool," Jon said.
Sela waved the instant photo in the air. "Can I take this to school tomorrow for show and tell?"
Jon, Mrs. Hansen, and Dr. Hansen spoke in unison. " No. "
****
Instead of heading to Dragon Isle Friday afternoon, Jon stayed at school for a few hours to work on his homecoming dance mural. When he was satisfied with his progress, he drove home to grab some dinner and pack up his schoolwork. Then he transported to Dragon Isle for the weekend.
When he arrived much later than usual, Jon sort of hoped everyone would assume he was late because of his active social life. To his surprise, Max wasn't there, and neither were Brett or Kira. In fact, the only one at the fire pit that night was the fourteen-year-old Owl Clan wizard, Finn.
Jon was befuddled as he lowered himself into the circle. "Did I miss something?"
"Master Quixoran gave everyone over seventeen turns an allowance, and they all went to Yrth for the evening. I myself have only just returned from dinner with my family at Castle Igneous," Finn said. "Nobody asked me if I wanted to go to Yrth."
Crestfallen, Jon suddenly felt like he had the word LOSER stamped on his T-shirt. Nobody had clued him in on their plans, either.
"Great." He forced a smile to his lips. "Gives me a chance to get some homework done."
****
Spirits were high the next morning at breakfast, and apprentices were even humming. Inwardly, Jon wanted to barf, but he pretended to be in a good mood too. He wasn't quite sure why he was so annoyed, but it might have had something to do with the fact Kira had gone out the last two Friday nights and neither time had been with him. It's my own fault, isn't it? I can't put off asking her to go to the
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