Stepping Up to the Plate

“You’re not stupid.” Stacy rolled his eyes but Darian set a hand on his shoulder and told him, “You’ll pass, I know you will. You better.”

At the tone of warning in his friend’s voice, Stacy looked up to find Darian grinning at him. “You weren’t the only one who lost sleep last night over that kiss.”

A little before seven that evening, Darian called it a night. On the way home, he stopped by the bookstore near Wal-Mart. “What are we doing here?” Stacy asked as he climbed out of the cab. The parking lot was almost empty—another few minutes and the bookstore would be closed. Darian waited as Stacy came around the front of the truck, his hands deep in his pockets so he wouldn’t be tempted to take one of Darian’s.