I opt for the latter. There’s no need to start even more unnecessary drama. Carlton might not like him, but it doesn’t change the fact that Zayne is my co-star.
I slip into some leggings and a hoodie, not wanting to be in my pristine school uniform a moment longer. I gather the top strands of my braids into a bun, brush my teeth, and splash some blush on my cheeks before heading out the door.
According to my GPS, Zayne Silverman lives in Kendall Square—only an eight-minute walk away from me, and only eleven minutes from Carlton, who could possibly drive by and see my car parked in front of Zayne’s, so walking is the safer choice.
My hoodie keeps me warm, protecting me from the New England air. The smell of a pumpkin spice latte makes my mouth water when I pass a cafe along the way. My boots crunch the brown and orange leaves that have fallen from the trees lining the sidewalk as I approach Zayne’s two-story condominium.
It’s a bright, cheery neighborhood. Some kids are riding bikes down the street, and several cats lounge on the front steps of surrounding porches. I dodge the sprinklers stretching over from his neighbor’s front yard as I walk up, pausing before I knock on the door.
Am I really doing this? If Carlton finds out, I won’t be winning myself any points with him. I should probably just go back home. But deep down, there’s a part of me that doesn’twant to admit how much fun I had in my audition with Zayne, unbearable as he is. I kind of want to see if it happens again, or if it was just a one-time thing.
A boy who looks a few years younger than Zayne answers the door when I knock, and he has the same velvety skin, the same dreads and undercut, and the same warm brown eyes. His mouth forms a lopsided grin when he takes me in.
“Hi.” He holds out his hand. “The name’s Lenny.”
“Bardot. But I go by Dot.” I shake his hand. “I’m here to run lines with Zayne. Is he here?”
“Zayne!” Lenny shouts, not taking his eyes off me. “Bardot, who goes by Dot, is here to run lines with you!” Lenny leans against the door frame. His grin widens. “You know, I’m learning to drive this year.”
“That’s fantastic.” I shift my feet, feeling like a fool still standing on the porch.
Zayne appears behind Lenny, shuffling down the staircase. His dreads aren’t in a bun anymore, and they fall to the side of his forehead. He’s wearing jeans and a plain blue T-shirt. With a start, I realize I’ve never seen him in regular clothes before. I don’t understand how he makes such a basic outfit look just as good as our preppy Fallbrook uniform.
When he reaches the door, he scowls at Lenny. “Aren’t you going to invite her in?”
Lenny shrugs. “I don’t know, man. I’ve been re-watchingThe Vampire Diarieslately, and you should never just invite anyone in. She could be a vampire. You never know.”
Zayne blinks several times and turns to me. “Please excuse him.”
I can’t help but laugh. “I like that show,” I tell Lenny. “And I promise I’m not a vampire.”
“That’s what a vampire would say.” He grins, seeming pleased that I’m playing along, and steps aside so I can enter. “If you bite me, you’re in for a nasty surprise.”
Zayne runs a hand down his face. “I don’t even want to know what that means.” He turns to me. “Did you bring your script?”
I nod.
“Good. We can practice in my room, upstairs.” He turns around and starts heading toward the stairwell.
In his room?I plant my feet in the ground. “Where are your parents? Wouldn’t they rather us practice down here?” I know from experience how parents can get about teenagers being alone together. Every time I go to Carlton’s house, we remain under the dutiful supervision of his dad at all times.
Not to mention, Carlton would flip out if he knew I was here to begin with. If he found out I was alone with Zayne in his room, I might as well bury our future relationship in a cemetery right here and now.
“My mom and my grandma are at work,” Zayne says. “They won’t be back till late. Why?”
“It’s just…” I glance around the living room helplessly.
Realization finally dawns on his face. “If you feel more comfortable down here, it’s fine with me. Just know you’ll have Lenny for an audience.”
I glance at Lenny, who actually licks his hand and uses it to slick his hair back, and then waggles his eyebrows like some kind of cartoon character.
I burst into laughter. “On second thought, upstairs sounds good to me.”
I follow him to his room, leaving Lenny pouting in the entryway. There are a few family portraits on the wall, and one catches my eye with a young Zayne and Lenny wearing matching cowboy outfits, back-to-back and blowing fake smoke off their toy guns. Lenny looks proud in his cowboy hat, but Zaynelooks embarrassed. An impatient frown is on his face. I bite my reluctant grin away before it can form.
We reach Zayne’s room and I take in my surroundings. The walls are painted dark blue, and there’s an iron-frame bed against the wall, neatly made up with a simple plaid comforter. There’s a large bookcase on the other side of the room filled with novels, and a comfy looking leather chair positioned in front of it. I scan the titles of the books. There’s some sci-fi, fantasy, and plenty of classics. “You read?” I ask him.
He frowns. “Don’t you?”
