Page 31 of Part of Forever
Disney movie after school?
DUH. But it won’t be right after school. I’m staying after to help Nathan study for his chemistry test.
That’s fine. I’m going to hang out with Tucker, after my mandatory hour at the dance studio.
You still haven’t told your mom that you hate working there, have you?
No. :/ I don’t know how to now. She thinks that because I love dancing, I also love manning the front desk one hour a day.
You should tell her you hate it. That you’d rather be dancing, she’d understand that. I could tellher for you.
HA. Thanks, but no. I think I need to be the one to tell her. I just don’t know how.
Not that it matters right now since Doctor Barker made me promise I’d take it easy because my energy will be low and there are going to be days when I physically won’t be able to dance at all. All I’ll be able to do is man the front desk at the studio. But I don’t tell her that.
You should still tell her.
I nod in response because Mrs. Adams stands back up at the front of the class, reminding us that there may or may not be another pop quiz next class.
The final bell rings and I fold the note and put it in my notebook, grabbing my backpack.
Tucker takes my hand as soon as we’re in the hallway. A jolt of energy shoots through me as our fingers wrap around each other. I’m still not used to this; to being his girlfriend or holding his hand in public. We haven’t had the conversation about being girlfriend and boyfriend, but I don’t think we need to since we both know that’s what this is.
But, I did hear Amber telling Libby last week that it was tacky of me to already be dating Tucker, even though things just ended with Shawn. I didn’t hear what Libby had to say about that, but I’m not sure she was mad about the breakup. I’ve seen them making out after school in his car, so I think things are going just fine.
We say goodbye to Grace and Nathan, and walk down the nearly empty hall, past the gym that leads to the parking lot. Right before we get outside, Tucker pauses and kisses me.
We’ve only been together for a week and already this is a habit. Not many people use this hallway, as no one has gym last period,and since our classroom is right by it, we’re usually the first ones out of the school. He always stops and kisses me though. They’re quick kisses, ones that leave me wanting more, but it’s really our only time alone.
“So, I have to work at the studio for an hour before we can hang out,” I say after he kisses me one last time before heading out into the bright sun.
“I know. Want me to pick you up after?” He grabs his keys from his pocket and unlocks his truck.
“Yup, that’d be good, considering Nathan has to work today and is taking the car,” I tell him.
He nods. “Great.” Then, once we’re in the car, looking for a song to listen to, he says, “Murphy called me last night.”
“Wait, what?” I feel a little like Grace when I let out a small squeal and he laughs.
“Yeah.”
“Well?” He cannot just leave me hanging like this.
“I’m opening for Peyton Matthews in the fall”—I lean over and hug him—“and I’m meeting with a label this weekend to talk about my first album.”
“What? No way!” I grin. “That’s fantastic, Tuck!”
He grabs my hand as we pull out of the parking lot. “I was hoping you’d come up to the studio with me?”
“I’d love to,” I say, grateful I’ll still have one week before my surgery so I can enjoy this with him.
“Awesome.” He grins and we both smile all the way to the ballet studio.
Tucker is thirteen minutes late to pick me up.
“What have you been up to?” I ask him when he finally pulls up to the dance studio. It was a slow hour, since most of the classesdon’t even start until after three, but Mom wants there to be someone at the desk all the time.
“Nothing much,” he answers, but he won’t look at me and I know him well enough to know that he’s keeping a secret from me.
