Trailing Stars (Trailing Stars #1)

Chapter 4

I take my phone back from her, clutching it to my chest like it might stop my heart from pumping blood to my cheeks. "I didn't mean to—"

Clara puts her hand on my arm. "Hey, it's fine. I get it: poetry can be boring sometimes." That's not where I was going, but I let her explain for me. "Anyway, I gotta get back out there before Nathan throws a tantrum. But stay back here for as long as you like. If anyone questions you, tell them I brought you back here."

Clara walks back into the main room, the door swinging shut behind her. I let out a breath and sit on one of the couches, making the leather groan beneath me. I immediately open up Morgan's Messages. Any embarrassment I feel about being so attached to my phone disappears as I start to read.

Me: I think Payton Mistgold's looking for you. Correction: he just told me he's DEFINITELY looking for you.

Morgan: Tell him I'm out of state. Across the country.

Me: What'd you do?

Morgan: May or may not have dented his car with my bike.

Me: You're gonna die. I'll say nice things about you and make sure your grave doesn't get robbed.

Morgan: Haha. Funny. I'd appreciate it if you actually did something. Please.

Me: Please? Wow. You must be desperate...

Morgan: Are you gonna help me or not?

Me: I just told him you'll be at the library, so if you're not stupid, you know where to avoid.

Morgan: You're a good sister. You know that, right?

Me: The light is too bright.

Morgan: You could be more modest about it.

Me: Yeah, yeah. Update you later.

"Are you reading a poem?" I inhale sharply, almost dropping my phone. Nathan's eyes widen, and he takes a step back. He's holding a mug in each hand, but he lifts a few fingers up to show he doesn't mean any harm. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"You're fine." As long as he didn't see what I was reading, that is. I turn off my screen and slide my phone into my pocket. "Is the open mic over?"

"Almost." He walks around the coffee table to sit on the other end of the couch, holding one mug out to me. "We always have a fifteen-minute break after about an hour and then we go into the second half." I nod, taking the mug from him with a quiet thank you. He nods, smiling. "What'd you think so far?"

"Everyone was really good." At least I think they were. The few snippets I caught were interesting. "There were a lot of different stories in each performance."

Nathan's smile widens. "That's why I like these nights so much, especially when someone's sharing a poem. You can interpret it any way you like from a lot of different perspectives."

I laugh. "I think a lot of English teachers would disagree with you."

He rolls his eyes. "Well, I disagree with them. I know the poet's perspective is the 'right' one, but the reader should relate to the poem however they want to, you know?"

"Sure, but... not in English class."

He laughs, taking a sip from his mug. "Okay, Mona..." He sits back. "Which performance was your favorite?"

"I'd say yours." It's the only one I really listened to after all.

His eyes light up, but he tries to hide his smile with another sip. "You don't have to say that just to make me feel good about myself."