Bron wondered at that. "Really?"
"Yeah," she said. "Do you want to stay and watch me? You might even offer a few tips." He didn't really, but he couldn't admit that without hurting her feelings. "Maybe I could."
Immediately he regretted saying it. He wondered how long he'd have to sit waiting for her. Still, watching Galadriel would kind of be like watching a gorgeous sunrise. Tedious but breathtaking.
"Great!" Galadriel beamed.
At just that moment, Whitney came down the hall, smiling prettily. She took one look at Galadriel and the smile faltered.
"Who's this, Bron?" Whitney asked. "New girlfriend?" Whitney came close enough to bump elbows with Bron, and leaned into him, as if to stake her claim.
She forced Galadriel back just a pace.
"Uh, this is my neighbor, Galadriel," Bron apologized.
"Lucky you," Whitney said.
Galadriel's smile faltered. A hurt expression crossed her face, frown lines and tight lips. Bron realized that Galadriel hadn't heard about Whitney.
"Well," Galadriel said, retreating just a bit, "see you after school, Bron. It was nice to meet you, Whitney."
She lunged through the crowd as if to escape, trembling.
"She's beautiful," Whitney said. It was a loaded compliment. If Bron disagreed, he'd obviously be lying. If he agreed, he'd get in trouble.
"You're beautiful, too," Bron said, turning his full attention to her. He almost felt that he had to say it. Normally he would have held his feelings in, but he just decided to let them out.
In part, he was surrendering to his desire. In part, he wanted to reassure Whitney. Maybe, even, just a little he wanted to make Justin Walton crazy.
"So what are you going to do about it?" Whitney demanded.
He gave her a quizzical look. "I was thinking about asking you out this weekend, if you've got time."
"I'll make time," Whitney said. She half turned to head for class, then did an odd thing. Her smile faltered and her expression became thoughtful. She put her hand on his shoulder and peered into his eyes, as if seeking to come to some decision.
Her pupils went wide, and Bron breathed in her scent, as if she were an orchid that had just opened in the night. She leaned on her tiptoes and kissed him.
Her lips tasted intoxicatingly sweet, and they were softer and more inviting than he'd ever imagined.
He'd never been kissed by a girl before, not like that. It snatched his breath away. He felt as if he might fall into her.
Whitney whirled with a mischievous smile and headed for class.
He stood staring as she stalked away, and fought the impulse to beg her to come back.
Two girls giggled nearby, and Bron realized that news of the kiss would spread all over school within the hour.
He glanced back, saw the girls with their heads down, exchanging excited remarks, texting on their phones.
Nah, he thought, it won't take an hour. The news will be all over school in ten minutes.
Bron spent the rest of the day in a daze. He kept imagining Whitney, what it would be like to run his hands through her hair, to stare into her eyes for hours. He had never taken a girl out before. The Stillmans had had a rule against dating until he was sixteen. Even once he reached the age limit, he'd been too broke to date.
Mainly, he realized, he'd never dated because he'd never been attracted to a girl the way he was to Whitney.
He'd promised to watch Galadriel practice for auditions, but realized that Whitney would be jealous. So when the bell rang, he bolted for the door.
Galadriel caught him in the foyer. "Hey, Bron," she said, as he joined the stream of students heading out the front door. Her face was pinched with worry. "Can I ask a favor?"
"What?" Students, mostly girls, jostled Bron as they passed. He felt exposed and vulnerable, like a rabbit in the open.
"My mom called, and she's sick with a migraine. I don't have any way to get home. Could you give me a ride? Pretty please? I'd owe you forever."
He looked into her blue eyes, and wind gusting outside stirred her hair. He was afraid that she might be trying to make Whitney jealous, but all he could see in her eyes was worry and an apology.
I'll be stuck here for hours, he thought. Olivia might be able to take Galadriel home, but who knew how late Olivia would have to stay? He didn't know anyone else who might be driving all the way to Pine Valley.
"All right," he agreed.
She smiled in relief and bounced a little. "Thanks," she said. "You're the greatest!" She bit her lip, as if worried, and begged, "Can you come help me prepare for my tryout?"
He didn't want to be alone with her, so made an excuse. "I can't. I have a bunch of homework. But I will wait for you."
While Galadriel found some place to rehearse, Bron hid in the Hafen Theater, with a math book opened on his lap, as he watched the tryouts.
As faculty advisor to the Hyperion Club, Olivia sat in the front row during auditions. To Bron's surprise, Whitney, as club president, hunched beside Olivia, taking notes as each student tried out.
Between auditions, Whitney often glanced up. She just beamed, but didn't come up to say hello. Bron realized that he was going to have to walk down to see her, if they were to spend any time together.
An hour after school had ended, Galadriel entered the theater and took a seat beside Bron. He wished that he could shrink under his seat, and somehow hoped that Whitney wouldn't notice Galadriel.
It didn't take ten seconds for some girl to nudge Whitney. She glanced back, and lost her smile.
Bron tried to think of some way to put her at ease. He wanted to pretend that Galadriel didn't interest him. He peeked to his side, and felt stunned: once again, Galadriel's natural beauty floored him. She was too gorgeous to ignore. The sweet scent of her hair tugged at him. He tried to figure out words to describe her: curvaceous, shapely, sexy, desirable.
Superlatives failed.
Thoughts of Galadriel seemed to burrow into the back of his skull. Even when he looked away, he felt profoundly aware of every little shift of her body, her chest rising and falling with each breath.
Being with her wouldn't be so bad, he considered. I mean, she does seem to have changed a little.
He tried to focus on the performers, and was barely aware of them. The auditions were an odd mix. The Hyperion Club was for triple threats. Over a hundred kids tried out for only five slots. Those who won a spot would receive extra training from Olivia, and that would take them a long way in their careers.
Competition was fierce. People performed who could sing but not act, dance but not sing. Everyone got applause, but some of it was less heartfelt than others.
Near 6:00, a deliveryman came in with a stack of pizzas, and auditions broke up. Bron walked down and selected a slice of Hawaiian, then climbed up on the edge of the stage and sat next to Whitney. She had her own pizza, something with steak and tomato.
She let him sit by her, but turned and began to talk to friends. He knew she was angry. She'd make him suffer. After a minute, she turned back and asked, "How's your friend Galadriel?"
"We're not really friends," Bron said. "She just asked for a ride home. Her mother got sick, and couldn't pick her up."
"I'll bet that happens a lot this year," Whitney prophesied.
"I'd be happy to give you a ride home, sometime," Bron suggested. "Maybe even pick you up? Like tomorrow morning?"
Whitney smiled. "I live down in Saint George, way out of your way."
"I like taking the scenic route," Bron said.
"There's nothing scenic in my neighborhood."