"Anyway, I know she appreciates what you did."

"Next time you talk to her, tell her I said h.e.l.lo."

"I will." Hayden looked out the window at the scenery. It felt strange being in the car alone with Abbey.

"How was the rest of your afternoon at Waldameer?" Abbey asked as she drove across town to the university.

"The storm really thinned the crowd. So the last few hours were pretty boring."

"Do you like working there so far?"

"It's okay. It's not something I'd want to do for the rest of my life."

"How's Calli doing?"

Hayden thought for a moment. "Calli...is Calli."

"Oh? I hear something a little more in that response."

"Calli has a bug up her b.u.t.t about something lately, but she won't tell me about it."

"What do you think it is?"

"I don't know. She's hard to read sometimes."

"I agree with that." Abbey steered the car through the crowded parking lot, looking for a s.p.a.ce.

"What do you mean?"

"From having Calli as a student...I see things."

"You do?" Hayden was surprised by this. She didn't think the teachers paid much attention to their students other than their grades or their behavior in cla.s.s.

"Uh-huh. If I remember correctly, Calli was a pretty good attention seeker. She seemed to thrive on controversy and the attention that brought." Abbey parked the car and turned off the ignition.

"You got that right." Hayden opened her door and stepped out. She followed Abbey across the lot to the entrance for the theater. The lobby was packed with what appeared to be students and faculty.

Abbey stepped over to the box office window. "Hi, Mich.e.l.le, two, please, for Grease."

"Hey, Abbey, how are you doing?" Mich.e.l.le, one of Ann's third-year students, was working the ticket booth. Mich.e.l.le starred in the previous year's production of Macbeth. She was a convincing Lady Macbeth with her long, straight jet black hair and pale complexion. Mich.e.l.le punched two b.u.t.tons on the stainless steel counter and up popped two tickets.

"Enjoy the show. Say h.e.l.lo to Professor White for me." Mich.e.l.le slid the tickets over to Abbey.

Abbey cringed. She glanced over at Hayden as she slid a twenty-dollar bill under the gla.s.s window of the ticket booth. "Thanks," Abbey said and quickly left the window.

Hayden pulled a ten-dollar bill out of her pocket. "I can pay for my ticket." She tried to hand Abbey the money.

"No, I told you this is my treat." Abbey pushed Hayden's hand away. "Anyway, I owe you for all you did for me last night."

"Who's Professor White?" Hayden asked as they stepped away from the ticket booth. "One of your former teachers?"

Abbey handed Hayden her ticket. She looked around the crowded lobby to see if anyone else she knew was close by. "Um...I'll explain later, okay?"

Hayden nodded and followed Abbey. "Well, if you won't let me pay for my ticket, can I at least buy you something to snack on during the show?" Hayden pulled out her ten-dollar bill again.

"Okay, I'll take a box of Junior Mints."

"Junior Mints it is."

Hayden looked up at Abbey and Abbey smiled. Hayden bought a box of Junior Mints for Abbey and a box of Sno-Caps for herself from the Drama Guild, which was selling snacks from a card table in the lobby. She followed Abbey into the crowded, dimly lit theater. Apparently, a lot of folks sought this air-conditioned refuge from the summer humidity. The only two seats they could find together were in the middle of the center row. They made their way to the seats and sat just as the show began.

Sitting in the dark theater with Abbey close beside her, Hayden found it hard to pay attention to what was on the stage. The seats were close, and on occasion, Hayden would feel Abbey's bare arm brush against hers, which sent a jolt of electricity through Hayden's core. Abbey was so close Hayden could smell the rose and sandalwood scent of her perfume. Hayden felt as if she were in heaven.

The opening song of Grease where Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsen were standing on a makeshift beach started when Abbey looked over a few rows and saw a familiar face. She squinted to get a better look.

A war of emotions raged inside of her. She hyperventilated and grew tense at the sight of Ann and Jack sitting together. Abbey was infuriated because she knew Ann was not a fan of public displays of affection, but she appeared quite comfortable sitting there with Jackson's arm around her shoulder. Something she never would have thought of doing with Abbey. It took everything Abbey had not to walk over to Ann and choke her. She tried to compose herself and concentrate on the play. After all, she was here with one of her former students, so this was no time to make a scene. Especially after her bad behavior the previous night, Hayden would think Abbey was certifiable if she went off on her ex-lover in public.

Abbey slouched down in her seat so she couldn't see Ann and turned her attention back to the play. She opened her box of Junior Mints and popped one into her mouth. The cool minty flavor filled her mouth. She settled back in her seat and began to feel calmer. Danny and Sandy had burst into the duet of Summer Nights, and Abbey was starting to cool off.

Her breathing had returned to normal by the time The Pink Ladies, one of whom Abbey recognized as Derek Freeman, the president of the Drama Guild, who actually made a pretty convincing woman, decided to reunite Danny and Sandy.

Abbey glanced over at Hayden, who seemed to be engrossed in the play. She envied Hayden, being so young and not having to deal with lost love.

The production continued. Danny met Sandy at the Frosty Palace, the ice cream parlor that served as the local teens' hangout, and tried to apologize for his poor behavior.

Even Danny Zuko had the decency to admit he was wrong, why couldn't Ann? Did I mean so little to her that she could just walk away from me and into another relationship without missing a beat? Abbey's throat tightened as she couldn't stop thinking about the incident at Ann's office among Ann and her and Jack. Suddenly, she regretted coming here. She took slow deep breaths through her nose and out her mouth because someone told her that would make the choking feeling go away.

Abbey looked at Hayden again. Hayden turned and Abbey offered her a brief smile. She leaned over to Hayden. "What do you think of the show?"

"I like it. I like the music especially."

"Me too" was all Abbey could manage to say. She straightened up in her seat and tried again to concentrate on the stage production. She popped a few more Junior Mints, but they seemed to stick in her throat. She started to cough.

"Are you okay?" Hayden whispered.

Abbey nodded but continued to cough. She pointed to her throat. "Went down the wrong pipe."

Hayden stood. "I'll get you something to drink."

Abbey grabbed Hayden's arm and pulled her down into her seat a little too roughly, causing a racket. "No, that's okay. I'll be fine in a minute."

Embarra.s.sed by the commotion, Abbey slid down in her seat. The people sitting in front of them turned around, looking annoyed by the ruckus. "Sorry," she whispered.

Out of the corner of her eye, Abbey saw that Ann had turned around, as well, to see what was going on, but she couldn't be sure whether Ann had seen her. Finally, Danny and Sandy reunited after whatever misunderstanding they had and sang You Are the One That I Want. Rizzo screamed from a trapeze at the top of the stage that she wasn't pregnant after all, and everyone sang the big finale, We Go Together. Everybody on stage waved goodbye, and the curtain closed to thundering applause.

The house lights went on, and Abbey was desperate to get out of the theater without confronting Ann and Jack. Hayden blinked and looked startled as Abbey grabbed her hand. "Come on, I know a shortcut." She led Hayden down the far left side of the theater to a side door with a red illuminated exit light above it. Abbey looked back one more time and saw Ann standing behind Jack in the aisle. She was watching Abbey and Hayden with her disapproving teacher face. Abbey pushed the metal bar on the door, and the two stepped into the pink, fading sunlight.

Once outside, Abbey let go of Hayden's hand. She strode across the parking lot to her car with Hayden close behind her.

"What was that all about?" Hayden tried to keep up with Abbey.

"There was someone in there I didn't want to run in to." Abbey unlocked her car door, stretched across the front seat, and pulled up the b.u.t.ton lock on Hayden's door. She already had the motor running by the time Hayden got in. Abbey put the car in gear and screeched the tires on her way out of the parking lot.

"Wow, you must really not want to see that person," Hayden said as she looked out the pa.s.senger side window.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

"I'm all right, but you're not. What's got you so upset?"

Abbey pulled up to a red light and finally caught her breath. "I've acted like a total idiot tonight, and you have the decency to still be concerned about me."

"What's going on? Who's this person you're trying to avoid?"

The light changed from red to green, and Abbey pulled ahead. She wondered how many lines she was crossing by having her former student here and how many more lines she would cross by telling her what was going on. If she was going to have this conversation, she would need some courage-liquid courage-to do it. She pulled the Mustang into the parking lot of a place called Scooter's. "Wait here a minute. I'll be right back."

Abbey hurried into the bar. She wedged herself between the other patrons and waved a ten-dollar bill at the bartender. "Six-pack of Bud to go, please." A few minutes later, she emerged with the beer.

"What's this for?" Hayden asked as she accepted the six-pack from Abbey.

"I don't know about you, but I need a drink." Abbey put the car in gear and backed out of the lot. "I know I haven't been good company tonight. Maybe this will help take the edge off."

Abbey drove for a while, trying to find a safe place to park. Finally, she remembered a place on Presque Isle where they could park and talk and drink the beer in private. She drove up the peninsula and found a secluded lot that looked over the lake. The lights from the city danced on the water's surface. This was a peaceful spot where Abbey often came when she was in college, just to sit and think.

She turned to Hayden. "How's this?"

Hayden looked ahead and outside the car window. b.u.t.terflies fluttered in her stomach. "This is nice."

"Great. It's such a beautiful night, how about we go sit on the beach?" Abbey grabbed the six-pack and reached into the backseat and grabbed a plaid blanket. They got out of the car and Abbey climbed over a small sand dune and headed toward the water's edge. Hayden eagerly followed behind her over the dune and onto the moonlit beach. A soft warm breeze blew in off the lake. Hayden felt like she was in heaven as she sat next to Abbey on the blanket.

Abbey let out a deep sigh. "Do you want a beer?"

"I never had one before." Alcohol was one of the things Hayden's mother warned her about. Sara told her there was no good reason to dull your mind with alcohol. If you did, someone could take advantage of you or harm you.

"I thought as much. One beer won't hurt you. Here, try one."

At this point, Hayden would have accepted alcohol lit on fire from Abbey. She loved being close to her like this. It felt so intimate. And she had never felt intimate with anyone before.

Abbey pulled off the pop-top and handed the beer to Hayden. When Hayden accepted the cold, wet can, their fingers touched, and Hayden felt electricity shoot through her hand directly to her heart. She took a sip of the beer. It was strong at first and didn't taste good at all. Then she took another sip. Her head felt a little funny.

"Hey, this is pretty good," Hayden lied. It actually tasted bitter to her. Her head was swimmy and her lips were numb. She didn't like this feeling; it made her feel out of control. She held the can in her hands and pretended to sip on it while Abbey was already finished with her first beer.

Hayden watched as Abbey opened another beer. In three swigs, she had it almost gone. "So are you ever going to tell me what happened back at the theater?" The words came out of Hayden's mouth before she thought about them.

Abbey took a big swig of her third can of beer and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Abbey looked over at Hayden with something very fragile in her eyes. "Remember when you asked me who Professor White was?"

"Yes."

"Professor White...Ann...was actually there tonight...at the theater." Abbey took another swig of beer.

"So she's the person you're trying to avoid?"

Abbey nodded.

"What did she do to make you not want to be around her?"

Abbey blushed. When she spoke, her voice sounded shaky. "She left me for someone else."

"Oh, I see." Hayden looked down at her can of beer. "Is that why you've been having such a hard time these last few days?"

Abbey smiled weakly. "Yes. I cared very deeply for her. We lived together for six years, and now she asked me to move out because she's in love with someone else."

Hayden's eyes met Abbey's, and Abbey turned away. "Does that shock you?"

"No," Hayden said quietly. "Not at all." Suddenly, Hayden remembered her dream about her and Miss Spencer. She felt a tiny fluttering in her stomach. Could that have been some kind of premonition?

"Hayden, I've never told anyone this. And G.o.d only knows why I'm telling you. I hope I haven't made a mistake."

"It's okay. I think I understand." Hayden looked straight ahead at the water.

"Do you think I'm a bad person or that I'm some kind of pervert?"

"Why would I think that?"

"Because I'm not like everyone else. I fell in love with a woman. Most people think that's a fatal flaw for a teacher. To be gay or a lesbian."

Hayden was quiet, but her mind was racing. There were so many things she wanted to ask: to find out what it was like being in love with a girl, to ask Abbey how she knew that was what she wanted.

Abbey's voice broke Hayden's reverie. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, of course, I'm okay. But I feel bad for you. You must be really hurting inside. Can you tell me what happened?"

Abbey told Hayden the whole story about how Ann was her professor and how they hid their relationship for so many years and how things had been rocky since the incident with Jackson last Christmas.

Hayden looked over at Abbey thoughtfully. "How can you love someone one minute and cheat on them the next?"

"I ask myself the same question every day. I know relationships can be difficult at times, but when you love someone, you find a way to work it out."

"Do you think it was hard for Ann, you being so far away because of your job?"

"I don't think it helped our situation, but you have to understand, we were used to adversity. We always had to hide our relationship. I thought the secrecy made our relationship special, more sacred, I guess."

"How so?"

"Because even though we were apart a lot, when we finally came together, it was magic. I had no doubt that we truly loved each other...until now."