Page 100 of Starstruck

“Oh dear, Add’s, I think he’s getting stressed again.” His brows furrowed asmine and Addy’s snorts mingled, before I leaned forward and messed around with the car’s music system. “But don’t worry,” I fell back into my seat as I waited for the music to spill out of the speakers. “I’m sure this will help.”

Before Nate could so much as ask what was happening, the nostalgic violinchords from ‘Our Song’ began to blast through the car, weaving between mine and Addy’s cackles.

“I hate you both,” Nate said as he folded his arms over his chest, asthe biggest smile broke free on his mouth.

Addy and I both knew that was a lie, which was why we rolled downevery window of the car, not caring about the snowfall or the iciness of the breeze, and when the iconic first line played, we didn’t hold back as we sang along.

All four of us were singing by the chorus, and I had to take a minuteto just smile, and take in all the beauty that was around me.

I throw my body in a circle when Addy stops the car, as though I’d neverknown what it felt like for snow to crunch under my shoes. Which I hadn’t, come to think of it, unless I counted the fake snow that smelt like chemicals that they’d use on the sets for the Christmas specials.

But seeing the white flakes flatten under my steps was a new feelingentirely. One that I hadn’t anticipated being so emotional.

I was nervous—more than giddy, I suppose—but stretching my arms out to myside and spinning under the snowfall was the only way to hide that. I stop just before the dizziness reaches my head and I lose my balance, and instead, I let my eyes rake over the house before me.

It seemed everyone was doing the same, even Tristan; staring up at themansion-like ski chalet, covered in thick snow and bursting with bright orange light from the log fires inside. I’d never seen anything like it before, and for a moment I questioned whether we’d driven to the right place.

It didn’t make any sort of sense. My parents and this house just didn’t exist inthe same place. They couldn’t. There was no sun terrace for mom, and there was no west wing for dad to hide away in. There were no ocean sounds just seconds away, and the whole stretch of the sky was as white as the ground beneath us.

I suppose they meant it when they said they wanted to change, becausethis was definitely a change.

Right then, I let my gaze drop, landing directly on Tristan, who was staring upat the house with a certain type of wonderment written across his face, as though the house was the best thing he’d ever seen. The kind I’d seen him wear during the Lions games, or when he peered down at me when we were playing guitar. But before I could sneak up on him, or let the memory of what I’d felt that day send a fresh wave of shivers up my spine, his body turned, and in a flash, his eyes landed on me.

And as our eyes roamed one another, I had to question whether the house wasthe best thing he’d ever seen, from the way the brown that lived in them sparkled, as his effortless smile pulled higher.

The snow under his boots crunched as he made his way over to me, his handspulling at the leather sleeves of his jacket.

“Hey.” I chirped, the tone hopefully throwing him off the scent of how nervoushe was making me. Which wasn’t a new thing; Tristan had always made me feel a bit sheepish. Ever since I first set eyes on him.

But since that night in his dorm after the hospital, since the kiss, there was a fresh bundle of them blooming in my bones every time he looked at me.

His brown eyes fell to the snow beneath our feet before he met mine again.“Are you absolutely sure that it’s okay that I’m here?”

I titled my head at him, my fingers finding his hand and lacing them. “Yes. I’msure. And didn’t you say that even your mom and dad thought it was a nice idea too?”

He nodded, sucking in his smile.

“Well, then, enjoy it. Your first Thanksgiving.” I buzzed, earning back hissmile.

He peeked a glance at Addy and Nate, who were dealing with the luggage,before looking back at me. “Do they know about… us? The truth?”

I peeked at my sister and Nate before shaking my head. “No, Flo told Addyabout you, about the day we came in together, and, well, they think it’s real.”

His breath hit the icy parts of my face as he breathed, “Okay.”

I felt the question dance on the tip of my tongue, practically begging me to letthe words out and ask him if this thing between uswasreal, or whether it could be. If I’m honest, I wasn’t entirely sure what parts of us were purely for show anymore. We agreed to make it clear to the world that our hearts had tripped and tumbled into one another’s hands, but what did it mean if we were doing that without anybody to see?

What did it mean that we kissed and not one second of it was forthe benefit of anyone but ourselves?

There was no gaggle of girls to fight off for Tristan. And I was warming to the idea that the longer we were doing this, the more I trusted myself, trusted it enough to know how to do this on my own.

Ready for the day he leaves.

That night of the Lions game, when I came with Henry, he told mehis plans had changed. I hadn’t found the time to ask him what that meant after I tried to ask him that day under the tree, but part of me hoped, daydreamed, that it meant that I wouldn’t have to find a way to fall out of love with him.

Because I tried. I really tried to sever whatever tie was around us.But whatever effort I’d made went out the window the second I settled against his chest, and he held my hands on the guitar.

And the second my lips fell onto his, that tie became welded.

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