by Erica Penrod
Chapter Seventeen
My first kiss. Unexpected, yet greatly anticipated. A rush of emotion surged through my body, and timidity receded like an ocean tide. He led, and I followed. He taught, and I learned as the ebb of inhibition ceased in my mind. I’d dreamt about my first kiss my whole life, and now I lived the moment with a guy I cared more about than I’d thought was possible at 16.
Crue cupped my face, drawing me closer. His touching me felt natural and new at the same time. The pressure of his kiss intensified, and my pulse quickened as my lips responded to his urgency. The taste of mint mingled with my strawberry gloss. I grabbed on to his jacket for fear I might float away.
He drew back, looked into my eyes, and pressed his forehead to mine. I didn’t have to ask him what we were to each other, because I understood he’d claimed me as his own and I had done the same with him.
Our hearts thundered beneath the midnight moon as he softly pressed his lips to mine one more time and sealed my fate with a kiss.
We stood outside of the dorm; our hands were entwined as our breath swirled in the air around us, but I’d never been warmer. “I guess I’d better go in.” The last thing I wanted to do was leave this boy, but the sooner I got to bed, the sooner I’d see him again.
Crue dropped one of my hands, reached up, and brushed the hair back from my face. His fingertips ran along my jawline and tilted my chin back so we were eye to eye. “I don’t want to let you go.” There was a hint of a smile on his lips, but also a plea to his tone. “Now that I’ve finally got you.”
I quirked a brow. “You’ve got me?”
Crue narrowed his gaze. “I hope so.” His eyes searched mine. “If that’s okay with you?”
Silly question, but I wasn’t about to let there be any misunderstanding between us. I nodded my head. “I’m all yours.” My body buzzed with happiness, and the future seemed full of possibility.
“Good.” Crue leaned in and touched his lips to mine. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He stepped back and smiled.
“Tomorrow,” I promised as I lifted my hand and waved.
Crue walked away, and I turned to the open the door to the dorm. My feet didn’t seem to touch the floor; my body felt as though my heart had sprouted wings as I pulled the handle and floated down the hall.
Inside my room, I sat on my bed, replaying everything that had happened that night. The dance seemed like it was days ago, not a few short hours, and I couldn’t believe so much had happened since then. An image flashed in my mind, and I remembered the infuriated look on Crue’s face as he and Chloe were arguing on the dance floor. The look unsettled me. Something didn’t add up. If he was glad to be done with her, why was he so angry? Was there something else he wasn’t telling me?
Knock it off. Don’t ruin this.
I pushed the thought aside and touched my fingers to my lips, recalling the warm taste of Crue’s kiss. I’d rather dream about his arms pulling me close and his mouth on mine than let doubt and uncertainty taint the memory of my first kiss.
Chapter Eighteen
“Yeah, uh-huh.” I glanced at my phone. “I’ve got to go now.” Normally, I could talk to Grandma for hours, but that was before I had a boyfriend. A boyfriend … Sometimes I had to convince myself that last night really happened, that Crue was now my guy.
“Alright.” Grandma’s voice was stronger every time I talked to her, and she hoped to be “set free” from the rehabilitation facility a little earlier than the doctors told her since her therapy was going so well. “Be sure to call me tomorrow. I want to hear about your date with Crue.”
“Okay, I will.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too.” I pushed the button, picked up the phone, and shoved it into my back pocket. Crue would be here any minute to pick me up. He’d texted first thing this morning and asked if I wanted to spend the day with him. I checked my reflection in the mirror once more and second-guessed my outfit for the fifth time in the past hour. Jeans and a sweater, not too casual, not too dressy, since I didn’t know what we were going to do. Ugh. I should’ve asked Jovi when we’d FaceTimed this morning about what to wear, although she might’ve taken the question too far and insisted on a shopping spree, even though I didn’t have the time or the funds. The girl didn’t need an excuse to shop, but when she had one, she was thrilled.
My phone vibrated, and my belly did a loop-de-loop. I didn’t know why I was so nervous about seeing Crue. I’d seen him almost every day for the past couple months, but after last night, everything had changed; at the same time, I hoped nothing had changed between us, that we would still talk like we used to before there was any kissing involved.
“I’m here,” Crue’s text read.
I bit my lip as I typed. “I’ll meet you in the lobby.”
My head spun at the idea spending the whole day with Crue, and not as his sister’s best friend, but as his girlfriend. I’d never done this before, never been in a relationship, and I didn’t know what to expect or if I should have any expectations at all. I stuck my tongue out at the girl in the mirror and told her to quit overanalyzing everything. All that mattered was that Crue Zeplin was waiting for me.
Rain drizzled from the Saturday afternoon sky, enough to keep the windshield wipers at a low, steady rhythm, but inside my body, rays of sunshine beamed as if the light might explode from my fingertips at any moment. I stole glances at the guy driving the Jeep, and my heart pitter-pattered right along with the raindrops. Part of me still waited to wake up. Could this possibly be real? Was I really riding shotgun in Crue Zeplin’s Jeep?
He looked over at me and gave me a two-dimple deep grin, the kind that stole my breath away. “I thought we’d check out MoPop museum today.” Crue slowed as we came to an intersection in downtown Seattle. “I’ve always wanted to go there.”
“Cool.” I smiled and looked out the window at the Space Needle along the skyline. “As the son of a rock star, I’m sure you’ll love it.” The museum was dedicated to pop culture, with displays about influential rock bands, singers, and songwriters, and it also included science fiction sections. I’d wanted to check out the exhibition “Scared to Death: The Thrill of the Horror Film” and spend some time in the Guitar Gallery. “I’ve been there once, but I’ve always wanted to go back.” I looked over at Crue in his leather jacket—something he hadn’t worn in a while—with his mussed hair and chiseled rock god features, and I imagined the museum might want to commission a wax replica of the gorgeous reality star.
Crue parked the Jeep, got out, and opened the door for me. The crisp autumn season greeted me, and I took a deep breath of the fresh scent. Damp leaves stuck to the sidewalk, and one clung to my shoe as my foot hit the ground. The rain had stopped, but the air was heavy with humidity, and I was glad I’d gone with a ponytail, a weatherproof hairstyle for the most part. He took my hand, his fingers weaving through mine in perfect design, and we walked the block and a half to the museum.
The MoPop museum consisted of three congruent buildings and looked as though metallic sheets had been draped over the structures. The first and last buildings were a shiny silver, and the middle was an iridescent purplish-pink color, depending on the time of day. We climbed the steps and were stopped by a cluster of gushing teenage girls asking for a selfie with Crue. This was something I’d have to get used to if I was going to date a celebrity. A little voice whispered in my ear, like a leprechaun on my shoulder, telling me to be jealous, but when I watched Crue smile for the camera and then redirect his attention to me, the tiny green monster scurried away.
We walked through the glass doors and into the lobby. Crue purchased our tickets, and I grabbed a map. “Where to first?” I tilted my head as I read over the pamphlet.
“Wherever you’d like to start is fine by me.” Crue put his arm around me and pulled me to him. “You lead, and I’ll follow.” Something in his voice led me to believe he wasn’t just talking about touring the exhibits. I caught a glimpse of his face and sighed
. The worry lines that had once formed crevices on his brow and the shadows around his eyes were gone now that he was no longer trapped in Chloe’s snare.
“No.” I leaned my head into his chest. “We’re a team.”
A light flickered in his eyes, and color filled his cheeks.
“We’ll decide together.” I flipped the map around and followed a route with my finger. “How about Guitar Gallery?”
“Yeah,” Crue agreed, although I wasn’t sure he’d heard me. He seemed distracted as he ran his hand along my sleeve. “Sounds good.”
We made our way through the crowd of tourists—which wasn’t difficult, as the sea of people parted once they noticed Crue—and entered the Guitar Gallery.
“Oh, wow.”
I laughed as Crue took in the huge sculpture. IF VI WAS IX consisted of over 500 musical instruments and 30 computers that formed the shape of a cyclone, and it was unlike anything I’d ever seen.
Crue’s jaw went slack as he gaped up at the piece of art. “That is so cool.” We moved closer, and he slanted his head to get a better look at one of the guitars. “That’s crazy. Can you imagine the music that could be made if these were all played together?”
He continued to scrutinize the instruments as an astonished smile frolicked along his lips, and his happiness danced with my own. The sculpture was amazing, but the guy next to me, holding on to me as though I was a priceless piece of art, wrote lyrics of his own across my heart with just one touch. I closed my eyes and listened; Crue Zeplin was the music in me.
Sunday afternoon, I snuggled up on the couch with Crue. I’d been to the Zeplins’ house too many times to count, but never as Crue’s girlfriend. Everything seemed brighter, including the paint on the walls and the sheen to the floor, and even the thick wooly clouds couldn’t disguise the blue sky outside the windows. Meat Loaf was curled up on Crue’s lap, his protruding tummy rising and falling as he slept.
Yesterday had been perfect, although a disquieting thought continued to prick at me, which I’d tried to ignore, but the question wouldn’t leave me alone. I tried to talk myself out of worrying. Sitting here in Crue’s arms was everything I’d always wanted, so there was no reason to think about the past, no reason to look for a weed in my field of dreams.
Don’t do it, Emery! my happy heart seemed to shout, but the words rolled off my tongue before I could stop them. “Why did Chloe break up with you?” I heaved a surrendering sigh, wishing I could’ve just left things alone, but something about Chloe didn’t make sense. She’d taken such drastic measures to keep Crue by her side. I wondered what had changed.
A pucker appeared between his brows, and he blinked as though he were processing the shift in my thoughts. Crue drew in a breath and exhaled softly. “Her reputation is all she cares about.” He toyed with the ends of my hair. “She thought she was winning her little game, but rumors kept coming back to her about you and me.”
“But there wasn’t a ‘you and me.’” My heart had the scars to prove it.
“I guess I wasn’t as good at hiding my feelings for you as I thought.” Crue touched the tip of my nose. “Chloe didn’t want to look like a fool when no one was buying the charade anymore, so she dumped me publicly.”
I must’ve missed the class on how to be a vindictive teenager, because my mind reeled trying to comprehend why a girl would force a guy to be with her. “So it was all about control?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“And that’s what you were arguing over at the dance?” If Crue wanted nothing more than for Chloe to break up with him, his volatile reaction at the dance didn’t make sense.
“She said I hadn’t kept my end of the deal, because everyone saw right through my act and knew I liked you.”
“Except for me.” I’d known he cared about me, but I’d never imagined how much.
Crue gave me a half-hitched smile. “Except for you.”
“But why were you so upset?” I pressed, wanting to know everything.
He took in a deep breath and slowly released the air from his lungs. “Because she said she’s still going to try to get your scholarship revoked.”
I gasped as the oxygen seemed to dissipate from the atmosphere. “Why didn’t you tell me that?” There had to be something I could do to stop her, although I didn’t know what.
“Because I let her know there was no way that was going to happen.” He tried to reassure me with a smile, but Chloe had been the one in control, and I didn’t see her giving up so easily. She’d been able to manipulate Crue for weeks.
“You couldn’t stop her before.” A pain began to pulse in my mind as I worried whether or not I’d ever be free from Chloe’s threat.
“But that was before I got my family involved, which I should’ve done in the first place.” Crue kissed my forehead. “And now that Chloe dumped me publicly, she thinks she’s won.”
“But she said she’s still going after my scholarship.” The girl was just psycho enough to ruin my life.
“And that will happen over my dead body.” Jovi and Nile came into the great room and sat down on the chairs across from us. “Don’t worry, Em, Mom’s already got the lawyers looking into things.”
My stomach tied in a knot.
“Chloe won’t be able to do anything.” Jovi narrowed her glare. “Although I might want to do something to her.”
I gave a slight nod and tried to smile, grateful that Jovi had my back, but I was stressed about the future. Losing my scholarship would be devastating, but if I had to leave RLA and the Zeplins, I didn’t know what I’d do. For the first time in my life, besides my grandma, I felt like I had family. If I lost this guy who was holding on to me like I mattered to him more than anything else, my heart might never be whole again.
Chapter Nineteen
Monday morning, I took a little extra time getting ready as I reassured myself that Chloe wasn’t going to ruin me. The Zeplin family were doing all they could to help me, and that was more than anything else I could’ve done on my own. For now, I had another pressing issue. If I was going to walk around campus with hottest guy in the school, I wanted to look my best. I pushed the black-rimmed glasses back up on my nose and considered switching them for contacts, but I liked wearing my glasses to school; they were more comfortable. I dabbed a little perfume along my neck and wrist and added an extra layer of gloss. After inspecting my appearance one last time, I walked out the door, down the hall, and out of the dorm building.
The sun peeked through the clouds as the autumn season left leaves along the walks and tossed a breeze into the air. I brushed the hair from my face before I tucked my hands into my pockets. I couldn’t remember ever being this excited to go to school, and I worried that everything I felt would be written across my face. Oh, wait. I didn’t have to hide my feelings for Crue any longer, which apparently I’d never been particularly good at anyway. I bit my lip and picked up my pace.
“Em.” Crue leaned against the building in his black leather jacket. His tousled hair was a perfect mess, and my mouth watered just at the sight of him. Crue looked like himself, not dressed to impress anyone else.
“Hey.” I jogged over, and he took me in his arms. His shower-fresh scent mixed with his cologne intoxicated me. PDA wasn’t something I’d given much thought to, and I wasn’t about to start now. Standing on my toes, I pressed my lips to his. “Good morning.”
His eyes rounded, and his dimples carved holes in his cheeks. “Good morning to you too.” Crue touched my cheek before he took my hand.
My fingers molded to his as if they were designed to do so. A nervous excitement shuffled through my body. This was our first public appearance in school as a couple and I knew we’d get a lot of attention, which I wasn’t used to, but luckily, I felt stronger with Crue by my side.
We walked into the school. Everyone turned our way, and their gazes settled on our clasped hands. “I guess we’ll be the hot topic for the day.” Crue laughed as I sucked in a deep breath and found the
courage I needed amid the depth of his caring eyes.
Yes, he was definitely hot. I shrugged. “Let ’em talk.” I squeezed his fingers as we paraded through the hall. The crowd parted around us, and I didn’t worry about what anyone thought about Crue and me. However, one thing did concern me: how was I ever going to get through classes when I had only one thing on my mind?
Good grades and a gorgeous boyfriend. Was that even possible?
“Miss Slater.”
I glanced up from my notebook, where I’d been doodling little hearts with initials all over the page. “Yes?” I swallowed the lump in my throat as I gawked up at Mr. Hubert. We didn’t even use paper and pens in computer programming, so he knew I was up to no good.
“How about joining us today?” He crossed his arms and leaned back on the corner of his desk.
“Sorry.” I quickly closed the notebook, aware that everyone watched me. My face flushed, and my palms got sweaty. I wiped them on my skirt. While I was okay with all the attention when I was with Crue, being alone and under the spotlight wasn’t something I enjoyed.
“Okay, then.” Mr. Hubert removed his gaze and addressed the class as the door opened. A girl I didn’t recognize leaned in the doorway. “Can I help you?” the teacher asked.
“Emery Slater is needed in the office.”
The memory flashed back in in mind of the last time I’d been pulled out of class. Oh no, what if something had happened to Grandma? My belly churned and my heart raced as I popped up out of my chair. Or maybe Chloe had found a way to sabotage my scholarship. Grabbing my notebook, pen, and backpack in one fluid motion, I hurried from the classroom. “What is it?” My voice was frantic.