Duke of Two Cities

Chapter 26

Perhaps this was a bad idea after all, Ali thought. The conference had already begun, and he had spent the majority of the day sitting in the Executive Lounge snacking on cheeses. He could have stayed in Zhabai City and ate all the cheese and crackers he wanted for free! Truth be told, the thought of him actually going down to the conference made his stomach do flips. It was one thing to talk about these shows and movies online, where he was safe and anonymous (relatively speaking.) But to be around these people in person was another matter.

“It’ll be OK,” Ali said to himself. “You’ve been practicing.”

Rehearsing average conversation in a mirror does not count as practicing, my friend.

Ali pulled out a few of his hairs out of stress. It was true— there was no sense in lying to himself. He had practiced. Ali had spent a shameful amount of hours watching people talk about movies and video games online, after which he practiced saying the words as though he had come up with them himsel