The next week passed in more of a daze than I wanted to admit.

Every conversation and brush against Clark left me like a live wire, sparking and shivering. He acted no different than usual. He waited by my locker for lunch so we could hit the cafeteria, continued to pelt the back of my head with wads of paper during our shared classes, and waved my Dad goodbye before we drove home. I didn't notice how spaced out I was until Friday afternoon, when Han slapped me upside the head while I wiped the hall's front windows.

"Jesus!" I winced, rubbing the spot he hit with vigor.

"I've been calling your name for three minutes, where's your head gone?"

"Nowhere, what'd you need?"

Han waited until I was back on my feet and facing him before hoisting a timesheet my way. At my confused expression, he explained, "For the play. Pick it up, sign in your hours, and hand this back to me at the end of every rehearsal. If I'm not here, leave it with reception."

"For real?" I said, awestruck. Han nodded, grunting when I surprised us both by hugging the man.

"Sorry, sorry!" I said, flustered. "Just, yeah. Thanks, Han."

He waved me off. "Don't thank me yet, from what I've heard you have a brutal director to work with."

That reminded me. I still had yet to get a hold of Bella.

"I'm sure I can handle it," I told him, cockier than I should've been given the look he cast my way before walking off. I watched him go with a smile that didn't wane by the time I was back at home.

It was after my shower that I got a text from Clark, asking if I could meet him and Tommo at the central corner store.

"Mom!" I yelled, hanging off the bathroom door with my towel tight around my hips.

"Yes?" her voice quipped back from down the hall.

"I'm going out but I swear I'll be back by dinner," I promised her, ignoring her response in favor of dashing to my room to get changed. Just before I could slip out the front door Mom appeared, Flemming at her side.

"You're taking your cousin with you, Beau."

I gaped back at her.

Unbelievable.

"I'll only be gone a couple of hours."

"Beau, Flemming is coming with you."

"Mom–" I started to argue but cut off at the firm look she sent my way. Behind her Flemming smirked, pulling his scarf tight around his neck before storming past me and onto the porch steps.

"Hurry up Beau, we're losing daylight!" he called, tramping down the driveway. I sent Mom one last betrayed look before following after my cousin, who at least waited at the end of the driveway for me.

"If you say anything out of line I swear to god I will beat you," I warned, though Flemming snorted and shook himself violently.

"Oooh... I'm so scared. My big, bad, law-breaking cousin is going to rough me up. Fuck off Beau, I'm not tagging along with you and your lame ass friends."

"Why'd you let Mom force you to come then!" I said, aspirated.

Flemming shrugged.

"Funny seeing you get all worked up. I'm gonna swing by the park, just text me when to meet you back at the top of the street. Until then, don't bother me." he said, shoving his headphones on and swiftly crossing the road.

I shook my head at his figure, burrowing further into my jacket before breaking into a jog.

By the time I reached the corner store Tommo was already sprawled on the front stoop, flicking a quarter in a way only he could make look engaging. Clark was smoking, something which stopped me in my tracks because for as much as he enjoyed recreational drugs I doubt I'd ever seen him smoke a day in my life.

"New habit?"

"Old habit reborn from new issues," He grunted, shaking my hand gruffly.

I nodded at Tommo, who dragged himself to his feet and started walking. Clark stubbed out his cigarette and followed.

"What's the issue?" I asked and blushed a little when Clark sent me a look for my nosiness.

"If you must  know, Jessica wants me to meet her parents, and soon."

"Isn't that a good thing? Means she cares a lot about you." I replied and Tommo barked out a laugh, earning a shove from Clark. I furrowed my brow when we bypassed the corner store entirely, heading further down the street towards the local deli. The flickering sign read that it was still open, but judging by the full crowd I doubted we would find a place to sit.

"You been here?" Tommo asked, holding the door open.

I shook my head.

"Is it good?"

"Worth every bloody cent. Place re-opened a couple of months ago and I swear I'll never have a sandwich from anywhere other than this place so long as I live." Clark announced, already striding towards the front counter and dinging the bell when he found it unmanned.

"Table by the back," Tommo grunted, gesturing with his head towards a free spot.

We slid into it quickly, neither one's for small talk. I watched Tommo, who watched the people passing by outside, before shifting my gaze to Clark. He was reclined against the front counter, chatting to a guy who made me double-take. I could've sworn I knew him from somewhere.

He was tall, dark hair trapped inside a black hairnet. If I squinted hard enough, I could make out strong arms behind the counter with blots of what looked like orange dye on them. His hands were steady, slowly gliding a knife through a leg of ham as he nodded along to whatever Clark said. It was when a pair of steely grey eyes flashed up that recognition hit me.

Son of a bitch, my brain supplied, staring down at the asshole I'd ran into prior to my arrest.

In the light of day, I had to admit he was good looking, smile polite at whatever Clark was talking his ear off about, but my eyes kept drifting to his arms. Strong like a python in the way they held me in place while Officer Fox read me my rights. Never in a million years did I think I would see him again, which was ridiculous since Newport was the state's third smallest city, much less eating a sandwich he prepared.

"You okay?" Tommo asked, breaking his gaze from the window to match mine with a worried tint to his brow.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just hungry." I bluffed and poorly, given the eye roll I received.

Tommo pulled out his phone, typing slowly while casting a look at Clark, who attempted to balance three rather large sandwiches in his arms.

"I spoil you, I know," he grinned, dropping in beside me before dropping the sandwiches onto the tabletop. I could feel my cheeks heat up when his thigh wedged itself against mine almost naturally, quickly unwrapping my food and taking a bite.

"Jesus Christ," I groaned out, annoyed at how good the sandwich was.

Tommo snorted mid-bite of his own while Clark laughed.

"I told you they were good, especially when that guy's working," Clark said, nodding towards Python Grip. My brain rattled around, trying to remember the name Officer Fox called him but drew a blank.

"Beau knows him," Tommo said suddenly.

I gaped at him, betrayed.

"No, I don't!"

"He got all twitchy when he noticed him behind the counter."

Clark turned towards me, brow raised. "You have a secret group of friends we aren't privy to?"

"No," I said, far too earnest given the chuckle Tommo let out. "I just recognized him. He was there the night I got arrested."

"He was at Barkers' house?" Tommo asked.

Clark snorted. "Knew Barkers was a pervert."

I spared him an irritated glare. "No. He was outside. When I jumped the fence I sort of... landed on him, which in turn enabled him to hold me down when the police came."

"Son of a bitch, and I let him keep the change," Clark muttered, throwing a glare towards the front counter. Not that the guy was watching, busy slicing something for a pretty girl batting her lashes at him from across the glass cabinet.

"Down boy, he was just being a good civilian," I said, rolling my eyes when Clark let out a low bark in imitation.

"Bathroom," Tommo announced, throwing down his empty wrapper and sliding out his end of the booth. I watched him go, jumping in surprise when Clark threw an arm around my shoulders and leaned back into the booth.

"Blazer or no blazer?"

"What?"

"For meeting Jessica's parents," Clark clarified.

"Oh, I have no idea man. Dating is not my forte."

He chuckled at that, slapping my chest. "Very true. We should set you up with someone, make it a double date. Though not right now, obviously, Mr. Jailbird."

"Cute." I murmured, going in to take a bite of my sandwich. Without hesitating Clark's hand swooped in, redirecting the thing to his own mouth and taking a huge bite.

"I got yours with extra mayo, would be lying if I said I wasn't jealous. Tastes ten times better that way," he said before swallowing. God, even talking with his mouth full the guy made my heart stammer. It was completely unfair the hold he had on me.

My mouth opened, most likely to say something stupid, but he beat me to it.

"Jess is being really intense about the parents' thing though. No sex until after the dinner, said she's scared they'll like smell it on us or something. Apparently, I'm the first boy she's introduced to them. At least that means there's no bar to meet, huh... just to set."

And just like that, the flame I held for the guy burnt out and my heart sunk.

Tommo chose that moment to return, hands wet and expression bored as he returned his gaze immediately towards the window. I let Clark eat my sandwich, no longer hungry, as he bounced outfit ideas with Tommo, who all but grunted. As we were leaving I shot a text to Flemming to start heading home, idling with Tommo by the front entry. It was only after Clark had hopped into his brother's car that I felt a pair of eyes burn into me.

Turning my gaze from my phone I checked behind me, startling when cold grey met me. The guy at the counter, slicing meat as always, didn't flinch away. Weirdly, he just held the stare before raising his hand in a cocky wave. If Tommo hadn't tugged on my sleeve to start walking I wasn't sure what I would've done.

Waved back...

... Or stuck him with the middle finger.

"I'm sure I've already said it, but the guy's an asshole. Means well, most of the time, but he's an asshole," Tommo said, sniffling.

I snapped my attention back at him, surprised at the initiation of conversation.

"Who?"

"Jer."

"Oh."

"You let him get away with too much shit, Beau."

"Yeah, I guess."

"I mean it," he said, pulling me to a halt and staring me down. Something about the look in his eyes made me nervous, twitching from foot to foot. "He has a hold on you that makes me a little nervous. I'm worried one day you're gonna call me, stuck with a dead body or something equally stupid because of the guy. I love him like a brother, but not enough to risk juvie for him."

"It's not like that-"

"It is like that, but you're too busy following the guy like a little puppy to notice. Take the break-in as a learning point, start reassessing your reactions to every time Jeremy tells you to jump."

With that Tommo collapsed back to his usual, stoic self, but I was reeling. Enough so I barely noticed he had walked me the entire way to my street, parting with a gruff grunt towards Flemming.

"Oi, Casper," Flemming shouted, reclined against a flickering streetlamp. "Let's go, I'm freezing and your ass took far too long to get back here."

"Can it," I told him, burying my hands into my pockets and striding down the pavement with Flemming hot on my heels.

"Jesus, who pissed in your coffee Beau." he scoffed, struggling to match my strides due to his shorter stature. His gelled hair had flattened under the cold weather, streaking red across his forehead.

"You did, by turning up, by being in my business constantly, need I go on." I hissed, jogging up the porch steps. Flemming didn't reply, only threw his eyes back in a hard roll, pushing the front door open.

"Perfect timing, dinner's on. I was just about to text you boys," Jenny called from the living room.

"I already ate," I said, shoving my jacket onto a hook. "Is it okay if I check out early? I need to cram for calculus. I've got a test on Tuesday."

While it wasn't a lie, I was falling behind in the class and did have a test, studying was the last thing on my mind.

"Beau," Mom scolded, crossing her arms in a way she could never make look menacing when Dad hovered over her shoulder looking the way he did.

As if by miracle my phone began to ring, startling the group of us.

"Who is it?" Dad asked weary and I matched his look at the unsaved number blowing up my phone.

Cautiously I accepted the call, pressing the phone to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Beauregard! It's me, Bella. Long time no chat, I'm sure you're dying to know how I am and all about the play," Bella's voice purred down the line so fast I barely registered the words coming out of her mouth.

"Hey Bella," I said. "Glad to hear from you. Yes, I was hoping for more information about the play."

At these words, Mom's face relaxed and she nodded when I gestured I was heading upstairs.

"Ooh, so formal," she teased back. In the background a clattering noise made its way down the line. "Yes, the play. Dress rehearsals start next week Friday, six in the evening, but we're still waiting on the tights so just come in whatever. Sweatpants are fine. Hopefully, we'll make it through the first run without any hitches, though I will be saving the final act till later. After all, it's where all the fun begins! I need to keep you all on your toes."

"You never gave me a script to read over." I reminded her and silence fell on her end, broken by a soft swear.

"My bad, don't worry. I'll have it to you by Monday, I promise. You go to the local high school right?"

"Ah, yeah. I go to-"

"Perfect! I must run, my stagehand is being incompetent. See you Friday, Prince Charming!"

The line fell dead a moment later, leaving me with dial tone.

I tossed my phone on the nightstand, collapsing onto my bedsheets with a soft groan, weary of the ache making its way down my back. It was all becoming real. I was in a play, that I knew next to nothing about, run by a crazy woman, that my entire family was going to see.

And I was, probably, going to fail my calculus test.

"Shit."