Saving Stephenie

Saving Stephenie - Chapter 16

                “I would like to say the Barbados but you know, I’m not completely sure. Nevertheless, they promised me a huge gift is waiting in the wings for when they come back,” Teresa said while starting to make her famous hot chocolate. She would always make it when I was sad or upset or needed some comfort. It was the best she could do, and it was just what I needed at the moment.

                “Teresa’s parents are big business people. Very important, so they travel. A lot. Especially now that their little girl is all grown up and can handle herself in this huge house,” I explained to Derek, my voice turning to a baby one by the end.

                “And they trust me to never throw a party or anything,” Teresa said glaring at me obviously referring to the one time I got her to throw that party.

                “Oops!” I giggled hopping off the stool and going to help Teresa. Derek was just staring at me in amazement and that feeling in my stomach and my heart caught me off guard. I did my best to ignore it for the time being. There was only so much I could take tonight.

                “So you’re Derek, I don’t believe I’ve heard about you,” Teresa said changing the subject and leveling a glare at me. “So you claim to be my best friend’s best friend?”

                “I don’t claim to, honey, I am. We’re so in love,” Derek said almost seriously.

                “Shut up you jerk,” I said throwing a balled up paper towel that Teresa had left near the sink. “He’s just some idiot who wouldn’t get out of the car when I told him to.”

                “Right, I’m just some random guy,” Derek said sarcastically.

                “I’ll admit, I’m confused,” Teresa said looking between us.

                “Derek’s just a friend, who I called to pick me up after our school dance,” I said wording it carefully.

                “Oh was this the dance you and that kid Trey were going to go to together? He sounded cute,” Teresa winked and I immediately seized up. I knew I had told Teresa about the dance and about Trey, but that was only because she was desperate for information and it seemed like a normal girl thing to gush about over the phone to her information starved best friend.

                “Yeah, that dance,” I muttered distracted as I noticed Derek’s eyes darken and a tiny bit of hurt was shown in his face. I was completely thrown off and couldn’t take my eyes off of him. Derek… hurt? What was going on?

                “So,” she dragged out the ending obviously trying to get me to say more. When I wouldn’t bite, she added, “So how was it?”

                Dances were Teresa’s thing, so it was natural for her to be excited about one. Even one she didn’t go to. It was sort of like her fairytale dream that the perfect guy would either ask her to one or she would meet one there to be swept away into a storybook romance. However, all the dances so far had proved to be disappointments, but regardless she wasn’t disheartened like most would have been.

                “It was interesting,” I said screwing up my face.

                “Tell me,” Teresa said sensing a story there. I couldn’t lie to her, but I couldn’t go through it detail by detail like she wanted me to – especially with Derek sitting in the room.

                “Later,” I sighed tiredly. I could feel Derek staring at me. Yes, he knew the gist of what happened, but with Teresa there wanting a play by play I’d have to come to terms with the emotions that caused everything and I wasn’t sure I could still keep it together. Derek had seen enough of my vulnerable side and enough of my tears already.