Dev was heading to the snack table. He reached over and nabbed a cookie. He never looked my way once.

Olivia was standing a few feet away, probably just waiting to pounce. "I knew there was something between them," I overheard her say. "I saw..." I tuned her out. I'd heard enough gossip lately.

Evidently, so had Dev, because he abruptly turned away.

"This is our cast party?" Monet asked.

"Of course not," Vanessa snorted. "This," she waved at the innocent-looking snacks, "is for the parents' benefit. The real cast party starts later."

"For a minute, I thought you'd lost your mind," she replied. "We're still all going to Wicked Jack's for dinner, right?"

She nodded. "And then to Haley's. Her parents said we could use the guesthouse, but not to step foot in the main house."

Haley's parents were loaded. Their guesthouse was bigger than my entire house. The thought of smiling and laughing and pretending to have fun made me tired. I just wanted to go home and sleep for about a week. And when I woke up, I wanted to eat a pint of Ben & Jerry's.

But I had obligations. I had already told Monet that we'd hang out at the cast party, and for once, I was going to keep a promise to her.

"I dropped off the snacks there earlier," I said. "But make sure that if Jason Brady shows up, someone frisks him for a flask."

"That guy should come with a warning label," Vanessa replied, "after what he tried with you."

"I don't think he'll be trying that again," I said. "I heard he tried to get grabby with Kaley Michaels and her brother practically tore him apart."

"Jason's not too bright, is he?" Vanessa replied. Kurt Michaels was an all-star linebacker with a notoriously short temper.

I chuckled. "Not very."

Dev was no longer in the room. I knew because my heart had stopped thrumming.

I smiled when I saw that Connor had given Angie a huge bouquet of roses. So predictable. I cherished my orchids, which were more exotic.

"I forgot to hang up my costume," I said. I gave Monet a rueful glance.

"We'll wait for you," she said. "Make sure to put it in the right place."

"I will," I said, summoning a smile. I didn't really feel like going to the party, but I would make an appearance. "Go on without me, but save me a seat."

I draped the costume over my arm and headed to the closet. I hung the dress up very carefully and in plain view.

The door opened and then I heard Dev clear his throat, but I didn't turn around. "Monet told me I might find you here."

"I'm supposed to meet her at the party."

"She told me to tell you it was okay," he said. "She said to tell you she'll hang out with you on Sunday instead."

"Instead of what?" I was confused.

"I-you know, I had the biggest crush on you in middle school." He looked down at his hands.

"You had a weird way of showing it."

He grinned. "I know," he said. "I tortured you unmercifully. But I had it bad."

"And now?" I couldn't look at him. I didn't want him to see the hope in my eyes.

He moved closer. "Now it's even worse."

"Why didn't you say anything? I just stood there," I said.

"I don't know," he confessed. "It was stupid. I thought you were giving me the brush-off. I wanted more than anything to-"

"To what?"

"To do this," he said. And then he kissed me.

Even though I was still mad at him, I kissed him back. What can I say? He was a great kisser.

A long time later, I remembered that we hadn't really settled anything between us. I wasn't up for another long session in the costume closet if, afterward, it meant weeks of Dev not speaking to me.

"Dev, we need to talk," I said. "I wasn't the one-"

"I know," he said. "I heard Olivia talking about it earlier. You didn't spread the rumor about us. I was an a.s.s to think you'd do something like that."

I thought about letting it go, but I was the new, improved Sophie. New leaf and all that.

"I might have done something like that," I said sheepishly. "If I'd thought of it."

There was no sense in pretending to be someone I wasn't. Not with Dev or anyone else. He had to like me for me, not for who he wanted me to be.

His face darkened for a moment, but then he laughed. "True."

"But that was the old me," I continued. "I've changed. Or at least I'm trying to change."

"You're perfect just the way you are," he said huskily.

"No, I'm not," I said. "But I'm glad you think I am."

We engaged in several minutes of silent communication, but then I had a thought and put my hand to his chest.

"What does this mean, Dev? I'm not going to be your closet girlfriend, someone you can just kiss and leave whenever you feel like it."

He smiled slyly. "Why would I want you as a closet girlfriend when I can have the real thing?"

I was speechless. Were we finally getting our act together?

He looked alarmed. "You're not saying anything. Sophie, I know I made some mistakes, but I really like you. Can you forgive me?"

I kissed him into silence, which I hoped answered his question.

"We're going to be late for the party," I murmured.

"Do you really want to go?" he said.

"No," I said. I sighed. "But I promised Vanessa and Monet that I'd help. And I can't let Monet down. Especially since she's given me permission to date her gorgeous older brother."

He matched my sigh with one of his own. "Just a few more minutes," he said against my lips.

"A few more minutes," I agreed.

Somehow, we'd ended up on the floor again. "This," I said, "is becoming a habit."

"A very good habit," Dev said.

We resumed kissing, but a minute later, I heard the sound of a door opening.

"Not again," I groaned.

"What is it?" he said, but his hands were stroking my back, which made it hard for me to think.

"I have a very bad feeling that we have company."

We sat up and both looked toward the door. I met Olivia Kaplan's eyes.

"You guys," Olivia said, after a long moment where she stood there with her mouth agape, "you're going to miss it. Everyone's leaving for the party."

"Have fun," Dev said. "We'll get there eventually. But first I want to kiss my girlfriend." He slammed the door in her face.

"Now, where were we?" he asked.

"Hmm, I've forgotten," I teased.

"I know," he said. "Kiss me, Sophie."

And I did.

KENNEDY HIGH SENTINEL.

"The Taming of the Shrew"

This somewhat flat production of one of Shakespeare's plays was buoyed by fine performances by Dev Lucero, the luscious Sophie Donnelly, and surprisingly, even Connor Davis. Angie Vogel provided a beautiful but somewhat listless performance of the fiery Katharina. Highlights included Ms. Donnelly's subtle and graceful Bianca and Dev Lucero's pa.s.sionate Lucentio. This reporter adored how the play ended with a riotous wedding banquet. And it didn't hurt that they served actual wedding cake at the closing-night cast reception.

Preview

All's fair in love and billiards...

For a sneak peek at another fun,

romantic novel from Marlene Perez,

turn the page!

From Love in the Corner Pocket

by Marlene Perez

I was just a girl in a pair of low riders who might give them a glimpse of my thong when I bent over to take a shot. Or that's what guys thought when they first played pool with me. They asked me for a game so they could stare at my a.s.s. Guys don't seriously think that a mere girl can beat them at pool.

A game of pool is full of deceit. Otherwise, no one would put their money on the table, would they? I mean, if a guy knows from the beginning that I'm going to run the table, why would he play?

Since my dad left, I've had a no-guy rule. It helped me focus on the game. I hadn't even indulged in a random hookup, at least, not until Alex.

The first time I saw him was at Gino's, on a hot Friday afternoon. It was late October, well after school started.