The Little House of Paints

Chapter 12

After a few more programs, Dad and I resolved to order some take out. We decided on pizza and after the 20 minutes of wait time was officially over, my dad headed out. As soon as I hear the rattle of the Bronco exiting the driveway, I click on Teagan's contact. I have kept the girl waiting for long enough.

Taking her advice, I hit facetime. Some conversations, you just have to have face to face. Since I am a few hundreds miles away, this will have to do.

"You nasty little bitch," rings out through my phone's speakers. By her bright tone and dimpled smile, I know she isn't mad, "what happened to calling me as soon as you could? Unless you have been very busy during these last two hours. In that case get it girl." She raises what looks like a glass of wine at me as if congratulating me on winning some kind of reward. Being that we have both been through our fair share of losers in the past two years, she might actually be serious.

"Oh, shut up. I've been hanging out with my dad." I resettle myself on the couch, giving Teagan a front row seat to my double chin as I slump down into the couch's corner.

"Ugh, boring. How am I supposed to live vicariously through you, if you ditch the guy for your dad?" She huffs with a shiver. Her and my dad are friendly to each other, but they aren't overly close. Being that they only have met a handful of times, mostly in passing, I would be a bit concerned if they were.

She continues on, "So, what happened? Hold on, side note, I request a new photo of him if you can manage. I have to add it to our wall, you know?"

The Boyfriend Board is something that Teagan and I have been doing ever since we moved in together. The whole thing started as a joke, but is actually kind of fun. Every guy we have ever gone on a date with, has gotten a picture on the wall. These photos range from ones off of their social media to candid awkward selfies. The wall also features a winner's circle, aka the boyfriends at the time, and a penalty box, no explanation needed there.

For Teagan no one usually lasts more than three months in the winning spot. The record holder for her was this guy named Jack from my art history class with the one and only Blackward. They met one day when she came to meet me and clicked. And by 'clinked' it was a fun three months and then she moved on. I love my friend, but she isn't really looking to settle down right now.

"So you do remember him then, Miller Cassidy?" After giving me a 'duh' look, I am staring up at the ceiling while she shuffles around some paper.

She reappears on the screen with a photo in hand. It is from one of the albums that I took up over last break to show her. "This is him, right?" She switches around the view of the camera, bringing the photo in question into focus.

Staring back at me is the familiar gray eyes of Miller. This photo must have been one that Mckenzie had asked me to take of her and her brother. After his games, she would always want a photo of them together. Since she dragged me to all his games with her, I was the one taking the photos. Miller is mostly the same. There are no real stark differences between his face staring into the camera and the one that was staring into my eyes a few hours prior.

"Girl, you got it bad." I hear Teagan comment as she turns the camera back on herself.

"What do you mean? I didn't even say anything." I immediately began to prepare my denial.

"I can tell just from the starry eyed expression. So, is it safe to say that he is going in the winner's circle?" She reaches for the tape, when she sees the change in my facial expression she pauses. "Ken, what's wrong? You look like I just told you that I hit Jericho with my Civic?" Right on cue, Jericho chimes in with a raspy little meow.