At the end of the day, he found Payton putting her books away in her locker. Since no one was in the hallway, he snuck up behind her and put his hands around her waist. "Hey…I missed you."

She quickly turned around in his arms and pushed him away. "Danny…not here. Someone will see."

Danny smiled at her and put his hand on the small of her back as he guided her into the broom closet next to her locker. "Is this better?"

She relaxed a little in his arms and looked up at him. "Yeah…better." She started to tingle all over when she felt his hands make contact with her skin. And then before she could say another word, she was swept into a passionate kiss. Danny pressed her against the door as she tugged at him to get closer. As he trailed kisses down her neck, she said, "I almost forgot how good you were at this."

"I've been waiting all summer to remind you. I was going out of mind," he replied as he pressed his forehead to hers and caught his breath.

Payton started to unbutton his trousers as she started to kiss him again, but Danny stopped her. "Wait a second. I…uh…I was thinking we should talk before we start all this again."

"Talk? You want to talk? I have a better idea. Let's talk later," Payton said as she tried to initiate again.

"Payton…baby…I've been doing a lot of thinking this summer, and I think, you know, we should become an official couple. That way this wouldn't feel so…"

"Feel so what, Danny? I think it feels pretty damn good just the way it is. You can't tell me you don't enjoy our time together."

"I do…I really do, but I missed you this summer. I didn't just miss this…I missed you."

Payton stopped touching Danny and pushed him away. "Danny…think about what you are saying. I mean…you said yourself…Trevor would go ballistic."

"You said you didn't care what Trevor thought. You said that it was over between the two of you."

"Danny…"

"Baby…listen…what's the harm in just testing the waters. I was thinking we could go to Homecoming together. We wouldn't have to tell anyone we are dating. We could just go to one dance together. If the world doesn't end, then we'll know we are OK."

Payton looked at Danny in disbelief, and then she started to laugh. "You can't be serious, Danny. We can't go to a school dance together."

"Why not?" Danny asked trying not to sound hurt.

"Because…because that's not something I would do. This is my year to get Homecoming queen. I'd never get it if I went with you," she said seriously. "I'm going to Homecoming with Trevor. I like you, Danny. I really like our time together, but no one would accept you and me as a couple. You have to understand that."

Deep down, Danny knew. He knew all along that she was just using him. He knew that she would never want to be seen with him. But part of him was hoping that he was mistaken and that she really did care about him. "I understand. I…uh…I don't know what I thinking."

"If you want to go with someone, I could set you up with Sarah. She's nice…then maybe you and I could hook up after…you know…after Trevor passes out."

"Yeah…maybe…" Danny replied trying to mask his hurt and disappointment. And then Payton was kissing him again. He knew he should stop her. He knew he should tell her that he valued himself more than that. He wouldn't let himself be used by her or anyone, but he didn't…because deep down he didn't feel like he deserved any better.

The weekend before Homecoming, Danny met Katie Mason in the lobby of her apartment building on the Upper West Side. They were going to a production of Romeo and Juliet. His teacher told him that if he went to the play and wrote a paper on the experience, that he would throw out Danny's failed test score. Katie offered to go with Danny to help interpret the whole thing.

"Hey," Danny said as he approached Katie in the lobby.

"Hi. Are you ready to have your horizons expanded?" Katie asked.

"I'm ready to get rid of the failing grade. Beyond that, I can't make any promises," he replied with a smile. Danny liked Katie. She was probably his best friend at Brentland. But walking into her opulent apartment building, he quickly realized that Katie was just as rich as all the other kids at Brentland. He skeptically wondered why she didn't mind being seen with him.

As they started to walk out the door, Katie stopped in her tracks. "Oops. I forgot the tickets. I have to go back upstairs."

"I can wait down here," Danny said.

"No…come up. There's something I'd like to give you anyway."

"Okay," he replied as he hesitantly followed her into the elevator.

When Danny walked into the penthouse apartment, he did his best not to look blown away. It was bigger than any house he'd ever seen, and the view was spectacular. Katie led him back to her bedroom to retrieve the tickets.

"Have you lived here your whole life?" he asked.

"Yep. Born and raised here. We spend summers in the Hampton's, but mostly this is it."

"It's nice. I mean…I bet it's nice to live in the same place forever," he said as he took a seat on her bed while she searched for the tickets.

"I like it. It's nice…I guess. I've never known anything else. You live in Brooklyn, right?"

"Right. I live with my foster parents. Honestly…it's the best place I've ever lived…probably in my life. So I am pretty happy with it."

"Do you like them? Your foster parents? Are they nice?" Katie asked as she put the tickets in her bag and then picked up a book off of her bookshelf.

"Yeah. They're really nice. They let me do my own thing as long as I stay out of trouble and help them around the house. It's been a good situation."

"How long have you been with them?" Katie asked as she took a seat next to him on the bed.

"Not long….a little over a year."

"And before that?" Katie asked curiously.

Danny looked in her eyes. He felt like he could trust her, but he still wasn't sure. He wondered if he'd ever be able to trust anyone completely. But he found himself admitting, "Group homes, mostly. I was in one other foster home, but it was pretty bad. My parents died when I eleven…so I've been on my own since then." He silently realized that he didn't mention Raffi. It almost felt like Raffi didn't exist to him anymore.

Katie could tell this was a tough subject for him, so she changed the subject. "I have something for you," she said as she handed him a book. "It's Dumas – The Count of Monte Cristo. I read it last year. I think you will really like it. It's not as cryptic as Shakespeare, but there's a lot a symbolism. Something about it reminds me of you."

Danny looked at the book and then smiled at Katie appreciatively. "Thank you," he said quietly. No one had given him anything in long time. They held each other's gaze for a few moments. Danny leaned in to give her a light kiss on the cheek, but then there was a knock at the door.

The door opened quickly and Danny and Katie jumped. "Katie…good…you're still here. On your way home from the play, can you stop by…" Katie's mother started, but then stopped as soon as she saw Danny sitting on the bed next to Katie.

As soon as her eyes went to Danny, he immediately stood up. For some reason, the look on her face made Danny feel guilty, even though he'd done nothing wrong.

"Mom…this is Danny Taylor…a friend from school. We are going to the play together. I forgot the tickets and had to come up to get them."

Danny held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Mason."

"You go to Brentland?" Mrs. Mason asked as she limply shook Danny's hand.

"Yes ma'am."

"Well isn't that nice. Would you mind giving Katie and me a moment?"

"No ma'am. I'll wait outside," Danny said as he walked out the door.

Danny stood out in the hallway as Mrs. Mason addressed Katie.

"Kathryn Elizabeth Mason…you know better than to bring a boy up here."

"Mom…I told you I left the tickets. We were in here for two minutes before you came in."

"Why were you on the bed, then?"

"God mother….get a grip. We weren't doing anything. Danny's just a friend."

"He really goes to Brentland? He looks much older than you, sweetheart."

"Of course he goes to Brentland. He's 17…"

"What about his family? I haven't heard of any Taylor's at Brentland."

"What difference does it make? He's a kid just like me and we are going to watch a play for school. It's no big deal."

"Answer the question, Kathryn."

Katie gave her mother an exasperated glare. "He's on scholarship. I don't know about his family. He lives with foster parents in Brooklyn."

"Oh dear god, Kathryn. We know nothing about this boy. He could be trouble. He could try to take advantage of your sweet nature. I don't think…"

"Mother…stop it. Don't be such a snob. Danny's a nice guy and we're friends. I'll be home by 10."

Danny quickly walked down the hall so Katie wouldn't know that he listened to every word. He wondered what he was doing at Brentland…in a world he apparently had no right to be in. Between hearing Mrs. Mason and the way Payton treated him, Danny was beginning to question whether trying to change was worth it. Maybe he would be better off if he just went downhill like his brother. Making the right choices wasn't really getting Danny anywhere.

Katie approached him in the front foyer. "Hey. Don't mind my mother. She's…"

"Don't worry about it," Danny replied wearily. "Look I can go alone. You don't have to come with me."

"I want to come. Don't you want me to come?"

"Whatever…let's just go," Danny said more than ready to leave the huge apartment.

They arrived at the theater and sat down in relative silence. Danny had barely spoken since they left the apartment, but when they sat down he smiled at her not wanting her to think he was mad at her. As they sat in the dark theater, Danny started to get caught up in the tragic story. He realized Katie was right. Shakespeare is much better on stage than on the page. During an especially emotional scene, Danny looked over at Katie. She was crying. She quickly wiped away the tears when she caught Danny watching her.

After the play, they stopped at a diner to get dinner.

"Tell me, honestly. What did you think?" Katie asked once they sat down.

"It was good. I mean…I think I really got it. You were right. It makes more sense when I see it performed. You actually feel all the emotion and pain. Clearly, you felt the emotion…"

"Ha ha. Don't mock. I can't help it. I cry every time. They had this perfect love, but there were just too many obstacles. It's really sad to me."

Danny thought for a moment about him and Payton. He wondered if he weren't from the wrong side of the tracks if things would be different between them.

Out of the blue, Katie asked, "Are you thinking about Payton right now?"

"What? What are you talking about?" Danny asked, playing dumb.

"I know that you and she are...," Katie started but was too embarrassed to finish.

"Are what?" Danny asked in an annoyed tone.

"Never mind. It's none of my business. It's just…you know that she and Trevor are still an item. Don't you? I mean…"

"How do you know?" Danny asked.

"It's…I…um…"

"How the hell do you know about me and Payton?" Danny asked again in an angry tone.

"Look Danny…I don't know how you feel about her, but she's…she's only out for herself. She tries to come across as this perfect little debutante, but she's not. I heard her talking about you with some of her friends."

"What did she say?"

"You don't want to know."

"Yes…I do," Danny responded still angry.

"She said that she had you wrapped around her finger, and that you do whatever she wants whenever she wants. I've seen you with her, Danny. I've seen you go into the basement with her. She's using you…"

"How do you know I'm not using her?" Danny asked trying his best to sound callous.

"You wouldn't..."

Danny laughed lightly. "Actually…I would. You don't know me. You don't know anything about me," he said as he stood up from the table.

"Danny…don't' go. I didn't mean to upset you. I just…Payton is going to hurt you."

Danny knew she already had hurt him. "Payton can't hurt me, Katie. I don't care about her or about anyone else at that damn school. Payton's easy…that's why I'm with her. Don't mistake me for some hero in one your books."

He watched as his words stung Katie. Her eyes filled with tears…and Danny wished he could take it back, but all he could do was walk out. Truthfully, he was ashamed…ashamed that Katie knew about what he was doing with Payton. Ashamed that Payton was obviously telling her friends about their escapades. Danny felt like he was drowning.