J.M. Snyder

At 16, Stacy Evans dropped out of high school in the hopes of moving on with his life. But four years later, he's stuck in an abusive relationship with Lamar, a "friend with benefits," and works long hours at a dead-end job just to get by.<br><br>Then his mother enrolls him in a program to earn his GED. There he meets Darian, a woodshop teacher who is everything Stacy's friends are not -- smart, successful ... and who seems to take a personal interest in helping Stacy turn his life around. The two develop a rapport that keeps Stacy after school just to spend extra time with him. In intimate moments alone, they grow closer than just student and teacher.<br><br>On the right track for once, Stacy has a chance to choose between his troublesome past and a promising future with Darian. But his jealous friends won't let him go so easily.

Stepping Up to the Plate

As he took up his tray, Darian nodded at a group of students sitting clumped together at the end of Stacy’s table, smiled at someone else who called his name, stopped for a moment to talk with one of the teachers standing against the wall on lunch duty. He knew everyone, talked to everyone, likedeveryone. But he sat with me,Stacy thought. Would he have to start something every day to get Darian to join him? Or was this just a one-time thing? Had Darian wantedto sit here and eat with him? Or had he simply been looking for a way to keep Stacy out of trouble?


Stacy didn’t know. “And why the fuck do I even care?” he asked himself, the words whispered beneath his breath. Across the room Darian laughed at something another teacher said and for the briefest moment he glanced back at Stacy, as if they were talking about him or what had happened in the lunch line earlier. Stacy turned away quickly, fuck


Chapter 36