Page 42 of The First Play

He’s still sweet and lovely and the best boyfriend ever. But he’s distracted. Something is gnawing at him, and I’m desperate to find out what it is. I’ve tried to subtly prod for information, but we haven’t exactly had much alone time together, and he obviously doesn’t want to get into it around his friends.

Our usual three-hour video chats that go late into the night have been cut short thanks to his parents… and I’m guessingthatis the problem.

They so obviously don’t want us to be together.

Which is, like… ouch.

It sucks.

I don’t know what their problem is.

I thought I was likable. I’m polite and nice to people. Why don’t they want me dating their son?

The thought has embedded itself inside me, and now Zander’s not the only one who’s kinda off. At lunchtime today, we sat together in the cafeteria, holding hands under the table. Zander’s thumb drew little circles over the back of my hand—I love that feeling so much!—but we didn’t really talk or look at each other. We listened to Noah tell jokes and laughed when Olivia started hassling him for being a sexist douche.

“Your jokes suck, No-No. Seriously, you’re never gonna get a girlfriend.”

“Like I’d ever want one,” he retorted, and I darted my eyes to Zander, suddenly worrying that maybehedidn’t want one anymore. Maybe this whole couple thing was getting to be too much for him.

Did he want out?

Were his parents encouraging him to break up with me?

My heart has been bleeding ever since, and I seriously hate my brain for festering on that thought, but I can’t seem to stop myself.

I don’t want Zander and me to be over!

It makes concentrating in class damn near impossible, and when the teacher tells me off for a second time, I mumble a quick “I’m so sorry, sir. My head’s feeling kinda funny.” Getting out of my chair, I walk toward him with a big fat lie, leaning in and whispering, “I’ve got my period, and I’m not feeling too great.”

He gives me a quick side-eye and shuffles to his desk, scribbling me a quick hall pass and muttering, “Go see the nurse.”

It’s an effort to keep my eyebrows from popping up in surprise. I was just looking for a little leniency for the rest of the class, but okay.

Grabbing my stuff, I head out the door, a little annoyed with myself that I now have to keep up this charade for the rest of the day. Crossing my arms, I shuffle slowly down the hallway, wondering what the longest route is, because the nurse will see right through me and?—

“Sienna.”

I spin to find Zander chasing after me. “Are you okay?”

He looks so worried, my heart does this funny hiccup in my chest.

“Yeah, I’m just…” I point behind me, then tip my head in confusion. “How did you…?”

“Olivia texted me to say the teacher was sending you to the nurse, but she didn’t know what was wrong. I got a pass to come check on you.” He holds up the plastic bathroom pass, and I watch it swing off the key ring while biting my lip. “Hey.” Zander’s voice softens to a gentle lilt as he takes my wrist, tugging me down the corridor. “I’ll walk you to the nurse.”

“I don’t need to go there,” I quickly blurt, then squeeze my eyes shut with embarrassment.

“What?” Zander jerks to a stop, his lips toying with one of those smiles that always makes my knees weak. I gaze up at his sculpted face. and my stomach starts jittering. “Sparky, did you lie to get out of class? A good girl like you?”

I can’t help a soft snicker, dipping my chin and shrugging. “I was just trying to get out of being told off again.”

“You got told off?” Now he’s even more surprised, and… well, I must be blushing.

Shit, just tell him already.

I wince. “I was struggling to concentrate, and he kept picking me for answers and I couldn’t tell him.” I rub my forehead.

“What’s the matter?” His voice is all husky, his fingers gentle as he runs them down my ponytail.

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