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“I’ll be right back.” He kissed her temple and then turned to me. “Anything specific, Soph?”

“Something that’ll burn so good.”

He gave me a weird look but then disappeared through the crowd.

“Something that’ll burn?” Scarlett asked.

“I want to feel everything.” I spun in a circle. I could feel the heat radiating off the bodies of the people close to us. And the smell of stale alcohol in the air. But I was searching the crowd for a different smell. One of fresh linen and coffee. Mr. Halifax. “Do you see him anywhere?”

“Who?” Scarlett asked. But then she laughed. “No. But let’s do a lap.” She grabbed my hand and the two of us walked around the dance floor.

I didn’t see Mr. Halifax. Or any teachers for that matter.

“Maybe they’re at one of the tables,” Scarlett said. “Talking about how bad their students are.”

“You think they’re talking about me tonight?”

She laughed and pulled me toward the edge of the dance floor to survey the packed tables. There were two stories. And I couldn’t explain it. But my eyes were pulled up to the balcony. And my gaze immediately landed on Mr. Halifax. Like we were opposite ends of a magnet.

He slowly lowered the beer that was in his hand as he stared back at me.

Chills ran down my spine as I swear his eyes trailed down my body.

He’d felt the pull too. His eyes had already been on me. This wasn’t all in my head. It couldn’t be.

I swallowed hard and turned back to Scarlett. “Balcony. Second table from the center.”

Her gaze lifted to the spot. “I guess it’s your lucky night. So what exactly is your plan here?”

“To dance until he loses control and has to be the one holding my hips.”

“Not a bad plan. And he is staring. Should I wave?”

I grabbed her wrist even though she hadn’t moved it. “Don’t you dare. I don’t want any of the other teachers to know we’re here. I want him to think there’s no chance we’ll be caught. It’s dark in here. We could be anyone.”

“But we recognized him right away.”

I pressed my lips together. That was a good point. “Maybe it’ll get darker as the night goes on.”

“Drinks, m’ladies,” Axel said. He’d somehow masterfully carried over six shot glasses.

I grabbed two.

“Something that’ll burn,” he said.

“Thank you.” I put one back, forgetting to even do a cheers. It burned just right. I imagined the sensation running through my veins. I don’t think I’d ever felt this alive before. With Mr. Halifax’s gaze on my back. I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to look casual, hoping he was watching every movement. Maybe that was the sensation I was feeling in my veins. Him.

“Cheers,” Axel said and tapped his shot glass against my second one before I drank it too quickly.

“To feeling everything,” Scarlett said with a smile and tapped hers against ours.

I downed my second shot. Tonight was going to change everything. It was a fresh start. Where Mr. Halifax wasn’t my teacher and I wasn’t his student. He was just a man who would hopefully dance with the girl who was head over heels in love with him.

We put our shot glasses down on a nearby table and then I grabbed Axel’s and Scarlett’s hands and pulled them onto the dance floor. But we stayed close to the edge. I didn’t want to disappear. I wanted Mr. Halifax to see me. Because I was done being invisible.

“He’s definitely staring,” Scarlett said as she shimmied her shoulders at me.

I didn’t bother looking. “I know.” I could feel it in my bones. For a little while the three of us danced together. But it wasn’t long before Axel’s arms wrapped around Scarlett from behind. He left a trail off kisses down her neck and I turned away.