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

Stacy settled back against the seat, breathing as thinly as he could to avoid the smell. “It’s not.”


He got out of the cab at the bus stop in front of Druck’s. Stacy half hoped that the cabbie would have a change of heart and give him back at least one of the twenties—the fare didn’t even top ten bucks—but the guy didn’t offer the money and Stacy didn’t bother to ask.


Before getting out of the car, Stacy glanced at the clock on the cab’s dashboard. It read a little before midnight, which surprised him. Had he really been out for that long? When he pushed himself up out of the passenger seat, his legs protested, and he had to limp a little ways into the parking lot until he managed to walk off the pain. Behind him the cab made a three point turn in the middle of Crater Road and took off, leaving him alone.


Chapter 87