Faded (Rock Star Trilogy)

yourself falling in love with me?” I literally hold my breath as I wait for his response.
    Stephan looks surprised at my question, and he thinks for a few seconds before he replies. “Do you really want me to answer that question in study hall?”
    I bite my lip. “Maybe.” Okay, definitely, but I don’t want to sound too eager.
    He laughs silently and shakes his head at me. “I will tell you this. You, and only you, have my whole heart. Forever. Take it however you want it, but I am not going anywhere.”
    I like the sound of forever coming out of Stephan’s lips. Maybe forever seems unrealistic for a nineteen year old girl, but I have no doubt that he is my forever.
    “Every day I spend with you makes me wish for a million more,” he continues. “I know that you are the girl I want to spend the rest of my life with. And I hope that doesn’t scare you away, but it’s how I feel.”
    I suddenly feel like crying. “It doesn’t scare me away.”
    Stephan looks relieved by my words. “Good, because I seriously couldn’t imagine my life without you in it. You complete me.”
    As if my heart wasn’t beating fast enough already, it kicked into overdrive at his words. How can one guy be so perfect ?
     
    12:03 PM
    Pass the salt.
     
    I don’t understand high school. Why is it socially acceptable to put so many teenagers in one place? Wouldn’t it be safer to keep us all separated? And as if school isn’t bad enough, there is lunch, where they put five hundred of us in one room, and expect us not to kill each other. I think they’re asking too much.
    Stephan and I take a seat at our usual table, and Peter shakes his head at us.
    “You two are boring. Why don’t you sit with other people ? Maybe try to converse?” he suggests. “At least pretend like you like it here.”
    “Who would I talk to?” I ask him. “Everybody here either hates me, or they’re obsessed with me.”
    “Sit with the people who hate you,” he quickly says. “That is an absolute genius idea, Scarlett.”
    “It wasn’t my idea.”
    “Of course it was. Now, go, mingle. And take Stephan too.”
    I roll my eyes. “Come on, Stephan. Peter won’t leave us alone unless we do what he says. Let’s just get this over with.”
    Stephan grumbles, but he agrees. We walk over to the “ popular table ”.
    “Hey, guys,” I greet them. “Mind if we sit with you?”
    Mona snarls her nose. “You can, but not him.”
    I force a smile. “I’m not sitting here without him, and if you let him sit here, you’ll be on TV.”
    I can literally see stars in Mona’s eyes. “Fine. But he’s not allowed to speak to me.”
    Stephan looks at me, and I can tell it’s taking every ounce of his strength not to smack Mona across the face. The feeling is mutual.
    Mona scoots down so I can sit beside her, and on the other side of her, Ethan is sitting. Stephan squeezes in beside me. By the way he’s flexing his jaw, I can tell he’s way pissed about us sitting here. I feel bad. I should have stood up to Peter. I guess after doing what I’m told for so long, I still haven’t learned how to stand up for myself.
    “So, Scarlett ,” Mona starts out. “Are you excited about your reality show? I mean why wouldn’t you be? It’s awesome! Your life is like a dream.”
    More like a nightmare . “It’s a documentary,” I correct her. “And it sucks having cameras follow me around 24/7. I like my privacy.”
    “It seems like a small price to pay. I mean, you’re Scarlett Ryan.” Mona flips her dark brown waves behind her back. “So you’re best friends with Alec Torch, right? Rumor has it he’s been staying at your house. What is he like?”
    “He’s annoying, especially in the mornings, and he spends more time in the bathroom than I do,” I answer truthfully.
    She giggles. “So are you two sleeping together? I bet he’s pretty wild in bed.”
    Her question makes me angry, and I fight to keep my voice at a reasonable level. “One, STEPHAN is my BOYFRIEND . He’s the only one I am interested in sleeping with. Two, your question is really inappropriate. And three, Alec is my best friend. I’m not sexually attracted to him now, nor will I ever be.”
    Mona starts to say something, but Ethan cuts her off. “So, Scar, how is the new CD coming along?”
    “It’s good,” I say, grateful at the subject change. “I find out soon if the record company is going to approve my new songs.”
    “Why wouldn’t they approve it?” Of