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performance. She’d been doing this theater stuff way longer than he had. He’d even been to some of her plays over the years. He’d watched her abilities grow. Now she was just plain awesome.
    He didn’t back down from the challenge because if he worked hard enough he could do it. None of it came naturally for him. Before he’d set one foot at a rehearsal he spent hours in front of mirrors practicing.
    Jennifer simply walked onto the stage and was Juliet.
    The kiss was coming and his heart tripped thinking about it. He almost kissed her last night. He wanted to.
    It was a kick, seeing her all worried. But deep inside, something he’d never felt before happened when her eyes teared. Something that made him want to hug her.
    More than that even. He wanted to comfort her.
    He’d make sure the kiss they shared tonight was better than the last one. He never thought much about kissing. He thought it just happened, that nature took its course and then it was what it was. He wondered if more was expected of him. He scanned the faces of those in the room, most with their eyes on the action. A handful of eyes met his, girls mostly.
    They’d all watch him kiss Jennifer.
    Movement caught his eye. In the faded light shining on the front rows of seats, Alex Jesperson moseyed down the aisle. The football player’s body might have been moseying but John recognized the intense stare on the guy’s face. Intensely focused on…John followed Alex’s
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    heavy gaze right to Jennifer. He looked from Jennifer to Alex.
    No way.
    The guy smiled and sat all husky and jock-like, propping his big feet on the seat in front of him. The sight grated at John like cleats on bare flesh. Jennifer hadn’t noticed Alex’s entrance since she was too focused on the scene. Almost time for the kiss. John relished his chance. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Alex. There wasn’t anybody at school he couldn’t hang with and he’d hung with Alex and Spencer and their friends before. But he had more than the play riding on this production.
    John didn’t care why Alex was there. Whatever he had to do, he’d do. And right now, he had to make this kiss so hot that Jennifer melted into the floor.
    Chip called a five-minute break. Most of the actors fanned themselves with their hands. Nobody dared moan about the heat, about how heavy and uncomfortable the rented, perfectly accurate renaissance costumes were. Chip was a perfectionist down to the finest detail: no fingernail polish for the ladies, no bleach-tipped hair for the guys and absolutely no jewelry or tat on any visible body part. Only Andrew had whined about that, knowing he’d have to put pancake makeup over the small tattoo of snakes sitting like a necklace around the base of his throat.
    Jennifer wanted to unzip her dress and cool off but since that wasn’t possible she walked to the edge of the stage where lights dropped off into darkness. Maybe it k 0

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    wasn’t as hot there as it was center stage.
    She saw Alex. He sent a studly wave and mouthed,
    “Hey.”
    Jennifer looked around to see who he was waving at. When it was clear it was her he was scamming, her face scrunched. To make sure he didn’t blow the lid off their secret pact she went to him, holding her skirt up as she walked.
    “Hey.” Grinning big, he sat forward. His eyes sparkled with something Jennifer didn’t recognize but looked on the edge of nasty. “You look good up there.” His low voice dropped to the gutter.
    “Thanks.” She glanced over her shoulder at the stage. The sets were wonderfully detailed down to faux brick walls. The lattice John climbed to her balcony was brand new. He’d be safe on it, even if he did have to dodge a hedge of plastic red roses.
    She searched for him and found him on stage standing with Chip, the two talking.
    “So, what are you doing here?” She turned back around to Alex.
    “I