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“Wow!” she exclaimed under her breath.

Not bad.

The ensemble had just finished their number and split to different corners of the stage. A loud clap from Ms. Summers was quickly interrupted by a shout.

“Damn AG! Stop stepping on my toes!”

Hailey had already gotten used to the boys’ constant bickering.

Not bad at all.

She pushed away from the large dinner table she had been seated at, amazed. However, Juliana’s twin brother, Emilio, who brought an intensity to the stage Hailey had never witnessed, appeared dissatisfied with the last number.

“Me!” Andy was standing perplexed, with his arms out wide.

“Yeah, man, you! You’re supposed to cross upstage, and I’m supposed to cross downstage! How many times do we have to talk about this!”

Oh my, these boys.

Hailey laughed, then tried to turn it into a cough. While the recent practices had been very different from those in her past, she had actually begun to enjoy the brotherly arguments.

“Boys!” Ms. Summers was chuckling as she made her way up onto the stage. “You both were fantastic!”

The two stopped and turned to her.

“Really?” they said in unison.

“Yes!” She motioned to Hailey, who stepped forward.

“Actually,” Hailey flashed a grin to relax them, “you guys are great for these two roles.”

Perfect for them.

Emilio nodded and slapped Andy on the back.

“See! Now, if you just listen to me and counter correctly, we won’t have a problem, AG.”

It was Bridgette who laughed next. Her coy approach, how close she stopped to Emilio, had Hailey’s eyebrow raising.

Well, would you look at that.

“Emilio,” Bridgette playfully whispered as she locked her arms with his. “I noticed a few things in that last number we can work on. Follow me over here, and I can help you out.”

“Me?” He suddenly looked very unsure. “You want to help me out?”

Andy chuckled, but Emilio’s stern glare shut him up before Bridgette hastily pulled him away.

Interesting.

“Andy.” Hailey was intrigued by the young man’s performance. “You were fantastic. Where did you learn how to sing like that? ”

He flashed an embarrassed grin.

“Coach W. had me stick out the chorus for a while, and Ms. Summers coached me through the number last week.”

Such a sweet guy.

“Well, I think you’re perfect for this. You are just so---”

“Charismatic and charming!” Juliana jumped in, grabbing his hand.

“Yes!” Hailey laughed as Andy’s face became red. His eyes instantly darted to Emilio, who was now turned away with Bridgette.

Oh boy.

“If you don’t mind, Hailey, I would like to borrow my candlestick so we can practice our dance routine.” Juliana was moving closer to Andy, but his stare remained on her brother.

Watch it, Juliana.

“Don’t you think you have worked on that enough?” Her best friend shot a playful glare her way.

“You can never be too careful with things like this.” She winked and pulled Andy to the corner of the stage, which just so happened to be out of her brother’s line of sight.

Those two.

They had spent hours working on the very short number they had together, but from what Juliana had told Hailey in private, it was not spent dancing or singing.

“Is something going on between my feather duster and candlestick?” Ms. Summers stepped across the stage and put her hand on Hailey’s shoulders.

“No idea,” Hailey teasingly lied. The auditorium was filled with the vibrant sounds of dancing, singing, and laughter.

Unbelievable.

She shook her head at the image. Football players were conversing with Theatre Club students and cheerleaders all over the stage. Each part of the cast seemed to seamlessly fit, and she could not help but exhale a sigh of relief.

“Well, it is slowly coming together, Hailey,” Ms. Summers said, beaming over to her. “It might not be perfect, but it will have character, that’s for sure.”

Absolutely.

“I love what they are doing with their characters. It makes it…special.”

“Very true, Hailey.” Her teacher’s words became secondary when Hailey’s eyes fell on Gunner, who was practicing one of his more difficult numbers. “I think it will have that special feel I was hoping for.”

Hailey only nodded. While she would have loved to continue the conversation with her teacher about the play, seeing Gunner in his cut-off football shirt, muscles tensing with every move, stole her attention.

Wow, he looks---

“Hailey!” A girl’s voice stopped her before she could make it over to him.

Peyton Weston.

The young cheerleader’s eyes were wide.

“Do you mind if the girls and I put a few new steps in the final number of that song? I know we are just the feather dusters, but, I don’t know, I think it would be fun!”

“I actually think it would be perfect if you put your own spin on it,” Hailey agreed. “I would talk to Ms. Summers about your ideas, and I am sure she could incorporate them.”

Peyton pranced away, giving a thumbs-up to her friends.

Cheerleaders…

It may have only been the underclassmen who joined in, but it was still a big help. From what Hailey could gather, Peyton did not get along with the senior cheerleading captain and Gunner’s old girlfriend, Charlotte. While many around the school still believed that Gunner and Charlotte were together, Juliana had made it very clear that it was over.

It would be nice if she knew that.

Hailey was not used to being a topic of gossip in the girl’s bathroom, but the late nights that she and Gunner had spent on the stage had spread around the school like wildfire. To her, it was common practice for the two leads to work together on their lines. However, the looks coming her way in the hallways had made her realize that others thought differently.

I hate it.

“Oh, and Hailey,” Peyton said, interrupting Hailey’s internal dread, “I saw the dress you will be wearing for the big dance scene. I can’t wait to see you in it!”

Hailey blushed.

“Thanks.”

“Just…” Peyton glanced over at Gunner. “Just take it easy on the poor Beast. He’s not always the most graceful.”

Hailey’s face was on fire as Peyton skipped away with a giggle.

Not this Gunner.

Based on what she had seen, he was a fantastic dancer. He was also a great singer. He would never star in a Broadway show, but for a high school musical, he was going to be great.

He’s so good at everything.

In fact, that was what was beginning to scare her. He was talented, and the more time they spent together, the more she realized just how smart he was. She had been so blinded by her rage at him that she had never realized he was in three AP classes. She knew how hard her father pushed his football players every day, yet Gunner always seemed in control, and he made it a priority to work with her on the musical while still succeeding at everything else he did.

“Hey!” Gunner’s voice surprised her.

Crap.

She had made her way toward him without even realizing it.

“Hey guys!” It took a second for her to steady herself. “How…is everything going between my father and his hideous captor?”

JT matched her sheepishness with a shrug.

“It’s…well, it’s going, I guess?”

Gunner shook his head and slapped JT on the back.

“JT, don’t be so modest! Sorry, Hailey. He is just worried that he won’t be able to fully portray his character. Which, I can tell you from working with him, is completely wrong!”

“Come on Gunner…”

JT smiled, but she could tell he still felt uneasy.

“JT.” He leaned in as she whispered. “The best part of acting is that you can put your own personality into any character.” His shoulders relaxed a bit. “Add a little Jefferson Taylor to it, and I promise you, it will start to come naturally. ”

JT nodded just as Ms. Summers called his name.

“Thanks, Hailey,” he said, tapping her arm as he moved by. “For everything.”

Such a nice guy.

A quiet conversation behind her turned her around.

“So,” she said, grinning at Brad and Gunner, “what could you two possibly be discussing?”

Brad pivoted toward her.

“Gunner was just asking me about his entrance, and I was suggesting a few things.”

Of course .

Hailey bit her lip.

“Just, you know, trying to make sure I get this right.”

Brad jumped and almost fell off the stage.

“You kidding me, Gunner? You were fantastic the other night.” Hailey tilted her head, questioning. “Yeah, Hailey! Gunner and I stayed late and went over a few of his numbers. You should hear him sing!”

Does he ever sleep?

“Just working on a few things. I want to make sure I can keep up with our star.” Her face was getting hot again, and the butterflies were starting to flutter around in her stomach. “So, um, you coming to the game Friday night?”

She was jarred back into the moment.

The game?

“Yeah, Hailey! You should come! You can sit with us!” Brad jumped up and down on the stage, making it hard for Hailey to answer.

Attend a game?

She took a deep breath and thought back to the last game she had attended in California. It was no secret that she hated football after what had happened; however, the last few Friday nights, she had listened to every play on her phone, waiting to hear Gunner’s name.

I cannot attend a game.

Her shoulders were tensing as she sheepishly kicked the wooden planks in front of her. Her mind was racing, trying to think of an excuse that she hadn’t already used the weeks before. As the butterflies multiplied, the knots in her stomach began to give her a cramp.

“It’s OK.” Gunner’s voice was soft and calm, but his face was splashed with disappointment. “I know you really don’t like football, and I would never want you---”

“I’ll go.” The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them.

What did I just say?

“Really?” Gunner’s eyes lit up, and the butterflies were now free in her stomach again. “Wow, that’s great. I can’t wait to see you at the game!”

He seemed sincerely excited that she was coming, and for a split second, she was too. This would be a chance to see her dad coaching again, a chance to support him.

And Gunner.

Selfishly, though, she really wanted to see him play. She had listened to the games and heard about how talented he was. Now she wanted to see it for herself.

This is not good, Hailey .

She took another deep breath and nervously crossed her arms in front of her.

“Wait.” Gunner peered around the stage, looking uneasy. “Brad, where is Ty?”

“Well, he, um, he said he had to go do something, and he left. I mean, we did get to practice a few scenes together, but I didn’t want to keep him. He seemed in a hurry.”

Gunner clenched his fists.

“Gunner? Are you---”

“Hey, sorry!” He seemed to have fallen into another world, and he placed his hand on her shoulder as he slid by, causing her to flinch away.

It was just an unconscious reaction, but it rocked him from his trance.

“Sorry.” A look of worried disappointment was back on his face. “I didn’t---I mean, I have to go…do something. You think you can take care of the boys while I’m gone?”

She immediately nodded, trying to play off the awkwardness.

“Sure. Is everything OK?”

He took off down the steps, flashing a thumbs-up.

“Never better!”

He winked. Her heart skipped, and she momentarily forgot where she was.

He winked at me…

She could not stop grinning as he sprinted to the door at the back of the auditorium.

“I can’t wait to see you at the game on Friday!” he shouted, loud enough for the entire cast to hear.

Oh, jeez.

All the eyes in the room shifted to her. Her legs grew weak, and the piercing stares brought a blush to her cheeks.

Look away. Please look away.

**********

Gunner was seething when he stomped into the parking lot.

God damnit, Ty!

He had been trying for weeks to get Hailey to come to a game and had been hoping to talk to her more before he noticed that Ty was missing. He knew she hated football, but she had been working hard on the musical and deserved a night out. Juelz and Bridgette would make sure she had fun, but selfishly, he also wanted her to watch him play.

They had been spending more time together after practice. He was finally getting to know her and had quickly realized that she was more perfect than he had ever imagined. She was funny, she was smart, and she was beautiful without even trying. Her smile was engraved in his mind, and he went to sleep every night thinking of her. He knew she only wanted to be friends. The flinch every time he got close made that clear, but at least he could have that.

Of course.

He knew where to find Ty, and as he jumped over the curb and onto the asphalt, he was not shocked to see who his best friend was with.

Charlotte.

“Ty!” he yelled as his ex-girlfriend’s eyes widened. “Hey! Can we talk?”

“G! My man, what’s up? ”

Gunner threw his arms out and approached the car they were sitting on top of.

“What’s this? Why are you not at practice?”

Ty laughed and shrugged to Charlotte next to him.

“Practice? Dude, practice ended a few hours ago.”

Come on, Ty.

Gunner’s eyes lowered at his friend’s sarcastic jeer. His hands clenched together as he tried to steady his breathing.

“You know what I mean, Ty.” His voice rose as his best friend turned back to Charlotte.

“You talking about that theatre practice?” The bulky running back’s sarcasm was gone. “Is that what you’re talking about?”

He slid off the car, towering over Gunner.

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about.”

While Ty may have been taller than Gunner, he was not about to back down.

“Charlotte, can you go wait by your car? G and I have to have a quick chat.”

She snuggled against Ty’s arm.

“Why would a star player like Ty need to waste his time on some stupid play practice?” she hissed.

Stupid play practice?

Gunner was not in the mood, and his ex-girlfriend’s presence turned his stomach. In fact, the thought that he might actually have loved her at one point bothered him most of all. Her snarky attitude, along with the fact that she was the only one of his close circle who did not show up to his dad’s funeral, left him gritting his teeth.

“This is not about you, Charlotte! Not everything is about you!” Gunner could not hold it in. The venom came spewing out before he could stop it.

“Charlotte.” Ty’s voice was serious now. “This is between G and me. I’ll call you later.”

At times, Ty could be self-centered, but he was never cruel. He knew the history they had, and no matter how ugly this was going to get, Charlotte did not need to be there for it.

“Whatever.” She flicked her hair and stalked away. The two remained quiet until she was out of earshot.

“You really think I care about some theatre practice, G?” Ty said, inching toward him.

Just breathe.

Gunner shook his head and dipped away. He was not here to get into a fistfight with Ty, and if he were being honest, he knew he did not stand much of a chance.

“What is this, Ty? Huh? What, you just going to go solo now? Just do whatever you want?”

His best friend stomped over to the other side of the car.

“Well, sorry if I don’t jump every time Gunner Weston tells me to do something.” He leaned lazily against his driver-side door. “Excuse me if I don’t obey Gunner Weston whenever he speaks.”

Really, Ty?

“Is that what you think I want? Is that really what you think of me, Ty? ”

“I don’t always have to follow you, G. It’s not always about you and some girl you like.”

This is not about Hailey!

Gunner shot off the car he had started to lean against. A jolt to his insides had him snapping his finger right at his best friend.

“You think this is about Hailey? You really think this is about her?”

Ty turned to face him, irritation twisting his face.

“Oh, come on, G! If it’s not, then tell me what it’s really about. Please enlighten me because I thought we were playing this season for your dad! Not doing some dumb play about clocks and candles!”

Ty.

Gunner felt his shoulders drop as he stared into his best friend’s eyes. His face remained harsh, but Ty now looked broken, a feeling that Gunner knew all too well.

“This season was supposed to be for him! To win for him!” Abruptly, Ty turned away.

“Ty.” Gunner made a point of lowering his voice. “You think my dad only cared about winning football games?” He tried to move closer, but Ty pulled away. “You knew my dad better than that. And you know that he would never want you to think like that.” Gunner stepped closer to his friend. “Ty, you were not just another player that he coached.”

His best friend was still refusing to turn toward him, causing Gunner to hesitate before continuing.

“Do you remember that time when we were little when I was throwing rocks down by Mr. Chen’s hardware store?” Ty nodded slowly. “I launched one---” Gunner stopped, laughing at the image in his head. “I launched one right into the front window.” Ty chuckled hesitantly. “We ran straight home, man. I mean, we took off at a full sprint. But when we got back to my place, my dad was waiting for us outside. Mr. Chen had called him, and we knew that he had already told him.”

Gunner sniffed, a bit of tightness returning to his chest as he remembered his dad’s face.

“Before I could even say anything, though, you immediately jumped in. You told him that it was both of us. You told him that WE were throwing rocks. That WE both hit the window.”

Ty half turned; only the side of his face was visible.

“Man, my dad…” Gunner was finally able to draw near his friend. “After that day, my dad looked at you like a son. Like you were my brother. It’s always been us, Ty, and I’m sorry if I forgot that.”

There, I said it.

Gunner had been feeling the tension between them for weeks and knew it was finally time to address it. Ty had wanted to be there for him when he was hurting, and he had shut him out. He had been selfish, but even more, he had been a terrible friend. Gunner had been so absorbed in himself that he had missed the fact that his best friend was hurting, too.

“But I can’t do this without you, man.” Ty still hadn’t said anything. He was simply peering into the blue sky. “I need us. I need Tyquan Carter. I can’t do this by myself. I tried that already, and I…failed.”

Students got into their cars across the parking lot. Their slamming doors were unnaturally loud in the silence.

“You know,” Ty finally lowered his eyes back to Gunner, “you should leave the speeches for the field.” He yanked open the car door, got in, and started the engine.

“Ty?” Gunner begged through the window .

“You’re starting to sound a lot like our new coach, G.” Ty snapped the car into drive. “Maybe you should figure yourself out before you start giving advice.”

Jeez.

The car peeled away. Gunner exhaled, gently rubbing the back of his head as he watched his best friend squeal around the corner.

Maybe he’s right.