I guess I have my answer to that second question.
The rest of the guard continues to grumble around me,muttering about how we need to destroy percussion. I appreciate their loyalty to this group, but I don’t like seeing them angry. And it isn’t true that the entire percussion section is out to get us. Maybe telling them about me and Max could turn down the tension between our two groups? It might humanize the percussion section for them…or blow up in my face.
We work on hand placement for our windmill tosses, but I’m grateful when Faith shows up twenty minutes later. She’s trying to get here more now that our biggest performances are coming up, and for once I’m happy to hand over the reins and take a step back.
When practice finishes for the day, Nova finds me. She’s wearing her favorite black shirt that saysDogs > People.“Hey, so Max told me to tell you that you should meet him in one of the individual practice rooms before you leave.” She frowns when she notices my beaten-down energy. “Is everything okay?”
She and I texted all last night as I caught her up on me and Max. I was worried she might be critical after her earlier concerns about us getting together, but she was only supportive. Of course she has no idea about how the guard is feeling. I groan and push my hair out of my face.
“Yeah, the guard was just reminding me about how much they hate the percussion section. It made for a very uncomfortable rehearsal.”
“Oof, sorry.” She gives me a playful nudge. “But I think some time in the practice room will help.”
I find Max in the second of three rooms off the main band room. The practice room is small, just big enough fora chair and music stand, and the walls have foam tiles to help with sound insulation. The only way to see into the room is a small window in the upper half of the door, and not many people come in this hallway unless they’re using one of the rooms. This is the perfect place to be alone for a few minutes.
“How are you?” Max asks as soon as the door is closed behind me.
I shrug and look away. “Meh. The guard is still seething about Friday.”
“Brody really knew how to time that perfectly, huh?” he replies with a grimace. “So you didn’t tell them about us?”
“I assumed we weren’t doing that, right? Did you tell your section?”
“I haven’t said anything to anyone.” He smiles reassuringly at me, but I don’t feel better.
“Is it dumb to keep it a secret?”
“I don’t think so. Like we talked about yesterday, it makes sense with everything going on. Although I wish I was allowed to do this more often.” He leans in and kisses me softly on the temple.
“Sire would kill us.”
“Maybe we need to go check out that forest walk behind the school again.” He lifts his eyebrows in a silly yet suggestive way that makes me laugh.
“I see you finally found out why people go into that forest.”
“I’ve known since I got here.”
My stomach drops. “Youknew? The whole time?”
“Brody was quick to taunt me about how many times he’s gone back there with girls.”
I quickly push that gross thought from my mind. “Then why did you suggest we go there together?”
“Because, well…” He studies my face. “I thought you knew why! Did you think I wanted to go walk in the woods because we werefriends?”
“I mean…yes?” My jaw might become unhinged from my skull, I’m in such shock. “We were barely getting back on good terms then, so there was no way you had any interest in me and—”
“Hazel, I’ve wanted to kiss you ever since you jabbed your finger into my chest and told me off. You were so gorgeous I could barely breathe. I was sure you’d shoot me down when I asked you about the forest.” He looks both morose and amused as he runs a hand through his hair. “When nothing happened there, I was convinced you weren’t interested.”
I slap my hands over my mouth in shock. “I didn’t know! I didn’t even think something like that was possible!”
He leans back and groans, which makes me laugh. His expression has morphed to pure agony.
“Are you telling me that if I’d made a move in the forest, you would have been open to it?”
I think back to that afternoon and the way my mind had immediately gone to kissing him when he told me he wanted to make things right.
“I’d describe my past self asexceptionallyopen to it.”
