The Not Wholes

2 CUT BALLS That's how much I paid to become, one day, a famous music star. I'm Leonardo Ponti, I study and live in a conservatory in Italy, and I'm a castrated teen. In two years I will finish school, but who knows if I will really sing in a majestic opera house, or prostitute in the dirty streets of the harbor? 1 BEST FRIEND Gianni and I spent most of the time together, sing difficult songs, and fight back bullies like Cesare who thinks that "the not wholes"-castrated students-are just trash. Then why my friend stops to talk with me? 0 GIRLFRIENDS Women don't like castrated men, they can't get married, don't have sex, their body is too weak, and so on, but Martina, a gorgeous actress, is happy with me. The rector of the school, not so much. He forbids me to see her. INFINITE FANS If the king picks me for his new opera, everybody will know my name. But my voice ... What's happening to my acute voice? "The not whole" is a young adult historical fiction story about teen and music, school, friendship.