“Neither can I,” I replied softly. We stood a step apart, not touching, just gazing at each other. The bell rang again, but he didn’t move. “You’re late.”

“So are you,” there was no more laughter in his voice. Those radiant eyes bore into me, cutting past every defense mechanism I had. That gaze stripped me, causing me to feel everything at once, making me realize exactly how much Trystan affected me. My heart pounded harder in my chest, as a shiver worked its way down my spine.

After a second, I knew why he didn’t want to leave. This felt surreal, like everything would vanish like smoke in the wind when he left. I didn’t want to say it, but it was the only way to vanish the fear. “Everything will still be the same after class. Go. I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me.”

Reluctantly, Trystan turned and put his hand on the door. He looked back at me, like he was going to say something else, but he turned and pushed through the door instead. I watched the door slowly close, until I couldn’t see Trystan anymore.

When he was gone, I sucked in a sharp breath of air. It felt like I didn’t breathe the entire time he was here. The tension flowed out of my body, and I threw myself into the nearest chair. The theater was dark, save for the safety lights spilling off the stage.

I sat there, alone, in the darkness wondering what just happened. Staring at the empty stage, I felt like my life just took a turn. It was one of those moments that mattered, where I could feel it and I knew this incident was important. This wasn’t a fling. No, it was more than that. Trystan loved me. Somehow, we finally came together.

Maybe living like a lunatic wasn’t a bad idea. I would have never done anything like that a year ago. Crossing a room and throwing my lips on a guy seemed like something someone else would do, but I did it—and it worked out. It made my life better, it dramatically changed everything.

I stared at the spot where we stood, where Trystan told me that I was the girl in the Day Jones song. My gaze fell to the floor. A scrap of white poked out from under the chair. Rising slowly, I walked toward that piece of paper like it was my destiny. Those words were Trystan’s heart poured onto paper. There was no mask, nothing hiding any part of him. That was what drew me to the song in the first place.

Reaching down, I picked up the paper and held it in my hands. The entire song covered the front and back of the page. Trystan’s familiar handwriting lined the margins, along with codas and breath marks mingled amongst the lyrics.

Grasping the page in my hands, I looked down at the last line. Mari. My name was there, written in thick dark lines. Pressing my eyes closed, I shuddered and pressed the page to my heart. I was the girl who brought Trystan Scott to his knees. I was the girl he fell in love with.

CHAPTER 3

~TRYSTAN~

The rest of the day passed sluggishly. The clock seemed to tic slower, like it was stuck in tar. Trystan leaned back in his seat after taking a verbal beating for being late, like it mattered. He was out of there in a few months. These last few weeks were fluff, filled with busy work. Trystan hated busy work. It was a waste of time. He’d rather have a test than do another bunch of worksheets and endless essays.

Trystan’s mind drifted back to Mari, the way her lips felt against his. Trystan got that far off look in his eye and totally missed that someone was talking to him.

“Mr. Scott, will you please share with the class your thoughts on the matter.” The teacher was already beyond irritated with him today.

Trystan straightened in his seat like he was going to answer, but after a moment, he smiled sheepishly and shrugged. “I’m sorry Ms. D’Miagmo, but I don’t know.” There were a few sniggers from the girls behind him, but Trystan ignored them. He also ignored Brie. Her gaze was burning a hole into the side of his face.

“Mr. Scott, please take this class seriously or I will ask you to leave. You must have an opinion on the matter, and since opinions aren’t right or wrong, I want to hear yours.” She arched a gray eyebrow at him and folded her arms over her chest. The woman could have been a schoolmarm. She just needed a wooden ruler and permission to beat kids over the head with it.

Trystan smiled at her, but knew it was pointless to try and get any sympathy. D’Miagmo had it in for him. There were some teachers that decided on day one that they didn’t like him. He had no idea why, but there was always one teacher who thought he had an easy life and needed to be taught a lesson. Ms. D’Miagmo was that teacher.

Trystan opened his mouth, but Brie cut him off, “Ms. D’Miagmo, I think it’s obvious that Trystan feels uncomfortable answering this question because of his religion. Isn’t it against school policy to discuss faith issues in the classroom anyway?” She flipped her golden hair over her shoulder and blinked her big blue eyes at the teacher.

Ms. D’Miagmo sucked in air through her nose like a horse. Now Brie was in the line of fire. “Brie dear, and what religion does Trystan practice that he can’t discuss this matter?”

Brie looked up from her nail like she was thinking about getting a manicure. “He’s a conservative Baptist,” she said with utter certainty, and then added, “and everyone else here is Catholic or Jewish so it’s not right to press him on this. Faith issues aren’t open for debate in public school.”

The teacher arched an eyebrow at Trystan. “So let me get this straight? You can’t discuss women’s rights because it makes you uncomfortable… because of your religion?”

Trystan smiled once like he was uncomfortable and nodded, “Yes, I don’t want a pack of rabid women to attack me in the hallway because you forced my conservative beliefs out of me.”

D’Miagmo looked like she might cry… or scream. She looked down her nose at Trystan, not breathing or blinking. Trystan couldn’t tell if she was having an aneurism, and had never been so glad to hear the bell ring. Trystan knew not to stay another second. Scooping up his books, he bolted for the door, but Brie was right behind him. Trystan pushed his way into the crowded halls.

“Don’t I get a thank you?” Brie said, chasing him down the hall.

Trystan wove through the crowd, stopping at his locker. He didn’t look at Brie. Gripping the lock, Trystan spun the dial, and opened the metal door. “What for? You made me look like a sexist jerk. Some crazy chick is going peg me with a stiletto in the parking lot later, you know.” He tossed in his books and slammed the door shut.

Brie grabbed Trystan’s arm, and twisted him toward her. “Nah, a woman likes to be owned sometimes. If you were handing out...” her voice trailed off.

At that moment, Seth rounded the corner. Trystan’s shoulders tensed at the sight of him. Brie stopped talking and turned around to see what made Trystan respond that way. “What the hell was that?” Her gaze followed Seth, noticing an equally tense look from Trystan’s best friend.

“Nothing,” Trystan said after Seth passed. They both glared at each other like old enemies. It made Trystan’s guts twist. Why couldn’t Seth be happy for him? Why’d he have to hate Mari so much?

Brie muttered, “Could have fooled me.” When Trystan didn’t respond, Brie stepped in front of him. “Well, I just wanted to say that rehearsal yesterday was fun. I’m looking forward to it later.” She wrapped her lips around each word, saying them with such a sexy voice that Trystan forgot to glare after Seth.

Instead his head snapped back toward Brie, eyes wide. “What?” he tried to step away from her, but Brie had other plans.

She lifted her hands and draped them over his shoulders, playing with the hair at the base of his neck. “I know that kiss yesterday was real, and it’s okay. I’m willing to pretend that we’re not into each other, but I know the truth.”

Trystan shook her off. “What are you talking about? That was acting and nothing more.”

Brie’s ruby lips pulled into a smile that said she disagreed. “I know what’s real and what isn’t, and I’m saying it’s okay. We don’t have to let anyone know.” She winked at him before turning on her heel, “It’ll be our little secret. See you later.”

With that she was sauntering away from him, her hips swaying as she walked. The bell rang and several guys just stood there, staring at Brie’s ass as she walked down the hall. Trystan stepped back and leaned against the row of lockers, slamming his head against them. She thought it was real; she thought that kiss was hers. Crap. Brie had the potential to make nothing look like a whole lot of something. Trystan took a deep breath and decided to deal with the fallout when it came. There was no point in trying to figure out what move Brie was going to make next. He’d have to wait and deal with it then.

CHAPTER 4

~MARI~

Trystan lay in my arms on the old couch. It was the last period of the day. We both managed to sneak away and meet in the basement before practice. The stage above was empty. I touched Trystan’s hair lightly, pulling my fingers back, over and over again. His hair felt like silk.

“That’s nice,” he said sounding a little sedate. Trystan seemed like he was running on fumes lately, like he hadn’t slept well in weeks.

I smiled softly at him, touching my hand to his cheek. “Can I ask you something?”

He looked up at me, and a playful smile twisted his lips. “What could you possibly want to know? I’ve told you about every stupid thing I’ve ever done.” He laughed, “And for some reason, you love me anyway.”

Hearing the word was new. Mari wanted to say love as freely, but it stuck in her throat. Give it time, she reminded herself. This is all new. “Yes, I do. And I always will. I’m good like that.” My fingers stilled as I looked straight ahead.

Trystan felt the tension and took my hand in his. Stroking my palm with his thumb he said, “Ask me anything. I’m yours Mari.”

Heart beating rapidly, I looked down at him. It wasn’t something that I wanted to ask him, but it had to be done. “Trystan, I’m so glad today went the way it did. I mean, I couldn’t have dreamed something like this would ever happen, but I’m not sure my friends or family will understand—or approve. It’s not you, it’s me, and it’s selfish. I can’t tell them about us. Not yet.” My tongue felt like cotton as it crashed into my teeth, making my words sound harsher than I’d intended.

Trystan lifted his hand and ran his fingers gently along my cheek, making my stomach flip. “Anything you want. If you don’t want to tell anyone, don’t. I told you already and I meant it. We can keep this a secret, Mari. That’s fine with me.”

“You’re not mad?”

Trystan laughed. Looking into her eyes, he said, “Mad? How could I possibly be mad? My dream girl is holding me in her lap, she steals kisses, and she’s so beautiful that I can barely breathe when I’m around her. This is a dream for me, Mari. I’ll do anything to be around you, to let me love you.” As he spoke, his fingers tangled in my hair and he pulled me down for a brief kiss.

Everything about him made me feel like I could fly. My stomach lifted inside of me as my heart raced faster. His kiss was so soft and so hot at the same time. He pulled away before I was done, leaving me wanting more.