Page 114 of Drama Queens Don't Fall For Charming Boys

We finish practice and everyone slowly disperses from the auditorium. Tori goes to her office after chatting to some kids and Mia and I search for a place to hide.

We slide behind the piano on the stage, only a few inches away from each other. I can feel the warmth emanating from her body as well as smell her scent. Maybe from her shampoo or something?

“You think he’s here yet?” Mia asks.

“Knowing Chase, he’ll probably come here two minutes before rehearsal is done. The question is: will he come inside when he realizes I’m not out yet?”

She taps her chin. “Maybe he’ll wait in the car.”

“Right. We’ll have to get him out of the car and in here. You think Tori will stay for a while?

She nods. “She always stays here.” She sticks her head out from behind the piano. “No one’s out there. But I can hear shuffling from her office.”

“Okay, as long as she’s still there.” I tap my fingers on the floor. “I really hope he gets out of the car and comes looking for me.”

“Or maybe he’ll text and ask where you are.”

“Maybe. Either way, we’re getting his butt in here.”

“Yep.” She playfully rolls her eyes. “I can’t believe they still haven’t gotten together. I thought for sure one would call the other over the weekend and they’d go out.”

I hold up my hands helplessly. “I don’t get it. Chase was never shy around girls. I mean, he didn’t have a serious girlfriend after Tori, but he didn’t have problems asking women out.”

“Maybe it’s harder because they don’t want to admit they like each other,” she suggests.

“Or maybe we’re wrong and they don’t like each other.”

She raises a brow. “From the way they looked at each other on Friday, they totally have feelings for each other.”

She’s right. I saw it myself. For some reason, they’re hiding their feelings. “I thought adults have these things figured out, but I guess not.”

“We think adults aren’t awkward with each other like younger people, but they are. I think relationships are hard at any age.”

I nod.

We’re quiet, glancing at each other and then away. Is she thinking about what happened between us on Friday? How we were wrapped in each other’s arms like that? How does she feel about it? Does she hate that we were so close? Because I sure don’t.

My phone dings with a text and both of us jump.

“Sorry,” I say with a sheepish laugh. “My notification sound is too loud.” I pull out my phone from my back pocket and scan the screen. “Chase says he’s been here for ten minutes. Where am I? Clearly he’s too lazy to come inside to look for me. What should I tell him?”

She thinks for a second. “Tell him that practice is running overtime. Suggest he come and watch you do your thing.”

“Okay.”

I do as she says, telling him I’d really love for him to watch me practice because he’s never seen me before. I also tell him to go to the room in the back, Tori’s office. I’m pretending we’re practicing there.

Mia smiles as she reads it. “Nice. Now he’ll enter her office and they’ll be forced to talk. It’s genius.”

I bow my head. “Got some brains in this pretty head of mine, huh?”

She laughs, playfully shoving my shoulder. I chuckle.

He texts that he’s coming.

Mia and I straighten up like we’re about to welcome royalty. No more than a few minutes pass before the door opens. We peek out from behind the piano, watching Chase glance around the auditorium with knitted eyebrows. He has no idea where the back office is, so he takes some time searching around.

As he passes us, we quickly duck back behind the piano. Since he’s not on the stage, he probably won’t see us, but it’s better to be safe. He passes us as he makes his way to the back office. To Tori.

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