couldn’t see what happened after that, but you screamed … and then you woke me up.”
Rebecca shuddered, but tried her best to soothe him. “It really was just a dream, Justyn. I’m right here and I’m fine. We both know you would never hurt me. After all we’ve been through, I don’t think anything can hurt us now.”
“I hope you’re right,” Justyn whispered. “But I will promise you this—I would kill anyone who dared to lay a hand on you.”
She saw his face fall into shadows, and she knew there was nothing else she could say to calm him down. Instead, she took his hand to lead him back to their bed. He didn’t argue. He seemed grateful when she lay down beside him, gently massaging his neck and his sore shoulder to try to rub away any remnants of pain. After a while, she felt his heartbeat slow to a steady rhythm, and she knew he had finally fallen back to sleep. As she checked to make sure he was really out, she traced first the beautiful tribal tattoo on his right shoulder and then the puckered scar that marred the left. It made her think again about Justyn’s dream. Much like his mother Darlene, his premonitions often hinted at the future.
She shivered. Suddenly, even though she was exhausted, Rebecca found it impossible to fall back to sleep.
Chapter Five
Justyn and Rebecca waited in the theater with the thirty-or-so other students who were fortunate enough to have made callbacks. Their presence meant they were all guaranteed a spot in the production, even if it was only in the chorus. Rebecca wasn’t sure whether to be elated or terrified. She and Justyn had practiced half the night, yet she still felt like a novice in the midst of professionals. Like Justyn, most of her competitors had been performing practically since infancy. Only Rebecca had made her singing debut less than a year ago. Unless of course, she counted all the time she spent singing in the shower. Her being stamped a musical savant only made it that much worse, because she had no idea how she would live up to a reputation that had been unwillingly thrust upon her. She was on the verge of a complete and total nervous breakdown. Beside her, Justyn had his legs up on the seat in front of him, lounging as though it were a day at the beach. She had no idea how he was so calm. She was absolutely petrified.
“Deep breaths, Becca,” Justyn teased. “Everything’s going to be fine. You made it this far, didn’t you?”
She nodded, too nervous to even bother arguing with him. To make matters worse, Livy flounced down the aisle with her two flunkies in tow, giving Rebecca a demeaning stare as she passed. Despite the fact that Chad and Scott constantly lavished her with attention, Rebecca couldn’t help but notice the beautiful Goth’s gaze kept drifting over to Justyn. She didn’t like it. For the first time, she started to appreciate what she had put Justyn through with Tom. At least Rebecca didn’t have to compete against the much more voluptuous girl. Justyn was already hers.
“Hey look, it’s Jerseylicious!” Chad suddenly exclaimed. Rebecca blushed and turned an even brighter red when he wagged his tongue at her in the most inappropriate way. “Didn’t think I’d see you here….”
“ I didn’t think I’d see you ,” Justyn countered. “I didn’t realize this was a daycare center.”
“What?” Chad puffed out his chest. “What did that mouthy freshman just say to me? I should—”
Justyn stood from his seat. “You should what ?”
Rebecca took hold of his arm and gently pulled him back down. The last thing they needed was a fist fight. She didn’t want Justyn getting expelled the first week of school.
“Justyn, don’t. Just ignore him.”
“Oh, so you need your girlfriend to protect you?” Scott laughed sarcastically and wiped his nose on the back of his hand. “See that? Big man on campus is hiding behind his pretty little girlfriend.”
“No one’s hiding, you ignorant piece
Rebecca shuddered, but tried her best to soothe him. “It really was just a dream, Justyn. I’m right here and I’m fine. We both know you would never hurt me. After all we’ve been through, I don’t think anything can hurt us now.”
“I hope you’re right,” Justyn whispered. “But I will promise you this—I would kill anyone who dared to lay a hand on you.”
She saw his face fall into shadows, and she knew there was nothing else she could say to calm him down. Instead, she took his hand to lead him back to their bed. He didn’t argue. He seemed grateful when she lay down beside him, gently massaging his neck and his sore shoulder to try to rub away any remnants of pain. After a while, she felt his heartbeat slow to a steady rhythm, and she knew he had finally fallen back to sleep. As she checked to make sure he was really out, she traced first the beautiful tribal tattoo on his right shoulder and then the puckered scar that marred the left. It made her think again about Justyn’s dream. Much like his mother Darlene, his premonitions often hinted at the future.
She shivered. Suddenly, even though she was exhausted, Rebecca found it impossible to fall back to sleep.
Chapter Five
Justyn and Rebecca waited in the theater with the thirty-or-so other students who were fortunate enough to have made callbacks. Their presence meant they were all guaranteed a spot in the production, even if it was only in the chorus. Rebecca wasn’t sure whether to be elated or terrified. She and Justyn had practiced half the night, yet she still felt like a novice in the midst of professionals. Like Justyn, most of her competitors had been performing practically since infancy. Only Rebecca had made her singing debut less than a year ago. Unless of course, she counted all the time she spent singing in the shower. Her being stamped a musical savant only made it that much worse, because she had no idea how she would live up to a reputation that had been unwillingly thrust upon her. She was on the verge of a complete and total nervous breakdown. Beside her, Justyn had his legs up on the seat in front of him, lounging as though it were a day at the beach. She had no idea how he was so calm. She was absolutely petrified.
“Deep breaths, Becca,” Justyn teased. “Everything’s going to be fine. You made it this far, didn’t you?”
She nodded, too nervous to even bother arguing with him. To make matters worse, Livy flounced down the aisle with her two flunkies in tow, giving Rebecca a demeaning stare as she passed. Despite the fact that Chad and Scott constantly lavished her with attention, Rebecca couldn’t help but notice the beautiful Goth’s gaze kept drifting over to Justyn. She didn’t like it. For the first time, she started to appreciate what she had put Justyn through with Tom. At least Rebecca didn’t have to compete against the much more voluptuous girl. Justyn was already hers.
“Hey look, it’s Jerseylicious!” Chad suddenly exclaimed. Rebecca blushed and turned an even brighter red when he wagged his tongue at her in the most inappropriate way. “Didn’t think I’d see you here….”
“ I didn’t think I’d see you ,” Justyn countered. “I didn’t realize this was a daycare center.”
“What?” Chad puffed out his chest. “What did that mouthy freshman just say to me? I should—”
Justyn stood from his seat. “You should what ?”
Rebecca took hold of his arm and gently pulled him back down. The last thing they needed was a fist fight. She didn’t want Justyn getting expelled the first week of school.
“Justyn, don’t. Just ignore him.”
“Oh, so you need your girlfriend to protect you?” Scott laughed sarcastically and wiped his nose on the back of his hand. “See that? Big man on campus is hiding behind his pretty little girlfriend.”
“No one’s hiding, you ignorant piece
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