In a few days it would be Halloween, though I was most certainly not in the spirit for it.  Adam hadn't returned my calls or texts, and had been gone four days.  I was beginning to think that he had just disappeared when I saw his car in the driveway.  

Out of anger and excitement, I ran inside and saw Adam talking to Bridget.  When he saw me, his face contorted into a smile.  Mine stayed monotone.  

"Sorry I couldn't talk, Hadley.  I've been quite busy with my work.  You said you wanted to talk to me?" Adam was oblivious to the look of upset on my face.  I bit my lip so I wouldn't shout or say something I'd regret, and because I didn't respond right away, Bridget said, "Hadley?  What is it?" 

I took one look at Adam, nodded upstairs and he followed.  Bridget looked lost, however she didn't chase after us.  "Hadley, I-"

"I...I just wanted to know where you were.  You didn't answer my calls or texts, and I got worried."  Though I sounded like a needy girlfriend, however I didn't care.  Adam ran a hand through his hair, hiding his slightly frustrated expression.  

"I visited my parents, and then went to the studio to check on how my new EP was selling.  What did you want to talk to me about the first time you called?"

Looking down at the floor and feeling guilty, I said, "Nothing."

Adam sat down on the bed next to me.  "Well, it has to be something.  You were crying about it."  I felt saddened and irritated as his tone of voice.  "You said you wanted to quit the play."

"I'm not going to.  It's too late now.  Our play is going to be on in about a week.  But it's been getting a bit difficult to take."  Adam looked like he wanted to question me more, but I interrupted him.  "So how is your EP selling?"  He told me it was going great.  

Shouldn't I have been happy for him?  He was doing what he loved, and maybe he just needed a break from me from time to time.  I was a bit much to handle, after all.  

For once in my life, I felt uncomfortable around Adam.  I told him that I had a ton of homework, which was true, and he took my hint.  I wasn't sure if he left or not, for I heard Bridget talking to her friend on the phone the other night that they were going to a Halloween party together and she needed an idea for a costume.

But even though that day had been rough, the next was even better.

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There was no rehearsal that day, and Mack made a big show clinging to my arm after school, announcing that I was his new "study buddy".  I rolled my eyes and yanked my arm away, trying to put as much distance between us as possible.  However, he kept running after me and saying, "Wait up!  You'll lose me!" 

Bridget was alright with having Mack over, though she wouldn't be home for about forty minutes.  She trusted me.  Unfortunately, I didn't trust Mack.  

We needed to make another poster for the project.  When I was writing the words at the title, I asked Mack, "Will you pass me the blue marker?" 

He did, but when I went to take my hand away, he refused to let go.  A smirk appear on his face.  Even though I tried to pull away, he tugged me even closer.  But when I tried to push away from him I ended up with my hand on his chest, which only made that smile grow.  My heart pounded when he leaned in to kiss me.  Without warning, I smacked his cheek.  It must have been harder than I thought, but he clutched his face in pain.  "Um...ow!  What the hell?"

"Why did you do that!"

"I thought you wanted me to.  Don't deny that you've been making eyes at me everytime I watch you sing.  Lexie's told me that you've wanted to kiss me ever since you saw me in science.  So why don't you want to kiss me?" 

The words came out before I could think.  "Why would I ever want to kiss a player like you?"

Mack stared at me for a minute before turning away and letting out a large breath of air.  "What else do they say about me?"

I couldn't help but spill.  "They said that when you moved away you broke up with your girlfriend heartlessly, and she...killed herself."

He turned to look at me, and stood up.  "So that's what they believe?" he laughed bitterly, but then began to shout.  "They think they know what happened to Sarah!  Do you want to know what happened to her?  Spread more lies?" He jabbed a finger at his chest.  "I...I loved her more than I loved anyone.  She was my everything and I would have given her all I had had if I had the chance.  I twisted a guy's arm because he was trying to get with her and she was scared.  If I had laid a hand on her, even on accident, I would have broken that hand myself.  She was the one person who wasn't afraid of me.  One time we were driving home from dinner with my mom and I started arguing with her.

"It was over something stupid and I said so many horrible things.  My mom turned around to tell me to stop.  She...she didn't see the car coming."  Mack stuttered.  I covered my mouth with my hands.  How was I supposed to know?

Though I knew exactly how he felt.  

"The car was totalled.  Even though it hit driver's side, my mom was able to get out, call an ambulence and flag people down.  They kept telling me to open the door, but I was barely conscious, and I wouldn't leave Sarah.  She was pushed up against me, her head on my chest.  I had blood all over me."  Tears appeared in his bright blue eyes.  I bit my lip.  "I-I thought she was asleep, Hadley.  When...when we finally made it to the hospital..." The black-haired boy wiped his eyes, but let out a gasp.  "She drowned in her own blood.  She died right there in my arms.  It was her blood, not mine.  And the last things I said to her were so hateful."

We were silent for what felt like ages.  I didn't know what to say, even though I could feel his pain.  He was coughing quietly, trying his hardest not to cry.  "Now I've gone and done it.  I've told you everything.  A person who can't stand me.  Tell them that I murdered her, and her blood all over me.  I don't care anymore.  I just wished that that day I chose to sit on the other side of the car."  His voice broke and he hid his eyes with a hand, shaking his head.  I scooted over to him and wrapped my arms around him.  "Hadley...no..."

"A hug never hurt anyone.  I know what it's like, Mack." 

He immediately pulled away.  His blue eyes were burning.  "How!  You've never felt a thousand useless prayers and pities.  Prayers and pities don't bring back the person who made you feel complete.  You've never been so overwhelmed and miserable by condescending and sneering people that you've had to leave the only home you've known.  You've never been called a murderer."

After a moment of silence, I said, quietly, "Actually, yes.  I have."

Mack looked back up at me.  

"My mother passed away giving birth to me.  My father once blamed me for her death, and I ran away and met...well, the point is I know what you've experienced.  My dad died only a few months back, and so I came to live here with my second-cousin Bridget.  I still probably wouldn't call Owatonna my home." I took his hand.  "But Mack, that car crash wasn't your fault.  Things like that happen all the time.  It's going to be alright."  

He didn't speak again until Bridget and Adam arrived at the house.  I introduced the two of them to Mack, and Bridget asked him if he wanted to stay for dinner.  And he did.  

Rose asked me what happened that night once I came back to school the next day.  I responded calmly, saying Mack and I had more in common than I thought.  

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At the end of a rehearsal, before I got changed in the dressing room, I was putting away chairs in the back when a shadow brushed past me.  But when I turned to see it, it had disappeared.  I dismissed the thought and began to walk towards the dressing room when someone grabbed me from behind.  "I'm here...the Phantom of the Opera...I've come for my angel of music." the voice sang quietly in my ear. 

But it wasn't Daniel.  

The shadow pulled me into a fold of the curtain, making sure we weren't visible to others, though I was the last one out on stage.  

"I didn't know you could sing, Mack."

"I've been working on it," he replied.  He was wearing a suit, and the white Phantom mask, though I could still see his bright blue eyes.  I felt a bit of a blush growing on my cheeks as I realized how close we were, and though he was a bit taller than I was, we were almost chest to chest.  "So where did you get this?" I held his mask for a moment, but then quickly drew away, feeling embarrassed.  

Mack laughed.  "Well, the suit is my older brother's.  And somewhere in the school a Daniel is missing his mask."

I giggled too, but then Mack's smile grew a bit more serious.  "Hadley..." he touched my cheek, and lifted up my chin, and for some reason I let him lean in.  But before his lips met mine, the curtain parted.  A girl gasped.  

"Hadley!  You tramp!  Just because you play Christine in this musical doesn't mean every boy is your Phantom!" Lexie fumed.  I ran away from Mack, and though he told me to stop.  She yanked off his mask and started shouting questions at him.  I hurried into the dressing room, and attempted at a world record for changing.  Though a few seconds later Lexie stormed in.  "I can't believe you!"  The confrontation was even worse, for a few girls were still in the room.  Most of them stared, meanwhile a few tried their best to ignore us.  

"Lexie, please, all I want to do is go home-" I pleaded with her.  

"Why?  So you can go make out with Mack?  What about Daniel?  I'll bet you've strung along countless boys that I don't even know about.  How would Mack feel if I told him about them?"  She had me cornered, literally, and I was terrified.  The girls around us seemed frozen.  

I had tears in my eyes.  "Please-"

"What, Hadley?  Spit it out."

I couldn't take it anymore.  I ran out the door and into the hall, past Mack and up the stairs.  Into the main floor.  Out the door.  And into Adam's car.  

It took me fifteen minutes to calm down and stop crying.  And it took twice as long to avoid his questions on what happened.  But I immediately felt better knowing I was safe in his embrace.  It was as though no one could hurt me there, which was what I needed to feel like more then than ever before.