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

After lunch came woodshop. Two hours of Darian in close quarters, either hovering around his table or glancing at him from across the room, Stacy loved it. He flirted shamelessly, both during and after class, and damned if Darian didn’t seem to flirt back. When the final bell rang and the other students rushed out, Stacy always stayed behind, sweeping up sawdust or straightening the safety equipment, anything for a few more minutes with Darian alone. He giggled a lot when it was just the two of them, like he did when he was high, and he smiled so much that by the time he was on the bus heading home, his cheeks hurt from grinning continuously and his entire body tingled with anticipation. He’d go over every word they exchanged in his mind, relive every touch, savor every glance and smile.


Chapter 56