Page 123 of Hockey Halloween
“The only way you can assist in this scenario is by leaving,” I mutter.
He ignores me, turning to Ethan and Mia.
“If you don’t know how to sell a stage kiss, you’ve gotta watch people who do.” Then, before I can protest, he looks right at me. “Ligaya, want to help me demonstrate?”
The entire cast audibly gasps.
Someone whispers, “Oh my god.”
I blink. “Excuse me?”
Tristan grins. “Come on, Director Torres. Let’s show them how it’s done.”
There is no reason for me to agree to this. None. But now all these kids are watching me. Waiting. Backing down from the challenge would negate months of asking them to get out of their everyday comfort zone. The entire point of drama is discovering what they can do on the stage. It’s acting, and nothing more.
“Fine,” I say, folding my arms. “But if you make this weird, all rehearsals will be permanently closed.”
Tristan chuckles. “Noted.”
I square my shoulders. “Alright, class, when you step into a scene like this, you’re not yourself anymore. You’re the character.”
“Right,” Tristan says, “which means you need to let go of who you were. Start fresh.”
He walks to me, deliberate without being eager. His gait is neither hesitant nor rushed. His confident eyes are locked on mine, the specks of green in them darkening. Suddenly, I forget how to breathe. My knees weaken. My spine tingles.
There’s a moment when my brain short-circuits and I forget we’re not alone. My lips open slightly, anticipating his soft mouth and delicious taste.
The air shifts. Real, electric, holy-hell tension sizzles. And judging by the absolute silence in the room, I am not the only one who notices.
Tristan tilts his head, leaning in just enough to make a kiss seem inevitable. His breath is warm against my skin, his thumb sweeping across my knuckles with practiced skill. Like he knows how a woman needs to be touched.
That is because Tristan is a man who has toucheda lotof women. My every brain cell is broadcasting “bad idea” in neon letters, while my heart gallops to eliminate the distance between us. What’s worse than being under the spell of this man?
Doing it on a freakingstage.
Abruptly, Tristan stops, steps back, and faces Ethan and Mia.
“See? It’s all about intent.”
“Holy shit,” someone whispers.
I clear my throat. “Uh. Yes. Exactly. That.”
Tristan winks. “Glad I could help.”
I glare at him, my heart still hammering. He is going to be insufferable about this. Meanwhile, Ethan and Mia glance at each other, wide-eyed. Mia nods determinedly. “Yeah, okay, we’ll try again.”
I focus on the tasks at hand. The scene carries over to another one, rehearsal moving along as planned. Mandi, our music director, joins us. The rest of the rehearsal will be dedicated to the vocals, so I head to the back of the auditorium, catching the tail end of a conversation between Tristan and Toby who is giving Tristan his home address.
That’s not a good sign.
Tristan
“Bad decisions,” I repeat.
“Yes. That’s the Halloween party theme,” Toby confirms. “Something that represents your bad decisions. Clever, right?”
“He can’t admit to ever being wrong, so he doesn’t get it,” Ligaya says. “Besides, we can’t change the guest list now.”
