Early Bird | ✓

25 | falcon

❁

           "COME again?" Lizzy asked for the millionth time, confident that she was suffering from hearing loss.

           Reece sighed and covered his face with one of his hands in exasperation, losing his patience rapidly with Lizzy and her disbelief. "Teagan. Asked. Me. If. I. Wanted. To. Go. On. A. Date. With. Her. Yesterday," he drawled out, enunciating each word slowly and carefully for Lizzy while bracing himself for her incredulous reaction. He was sick and tired of it and wondered why Lizzy didn't just take him at his word.

           "Teagan? As in my Teagan?"

           "Yes, your Teagan," Reece clarified, his eyes sliding to the ceiling warily. Couldn't she just give it a rest and believe him? What was so surprising about his being asked out on a date by her friend?

           Lizzy wished she could tell him why she was suspicious, but she didn't know what kind of scheme Teagan had up her sleeve; she couldn't piece together any valid explanations. She vowed to wait until she interrogated Teagan before breaking any sort of disappointing news to Reece—like the fact that the Teagan Lizzy knew had been in love with Mateo for years and years. Teagan was still in love with him yesterday according to Lizzy's memory and she wondered what had caused Teagan's spontaneous request of meeting up with Reece.

           "Well then. What a lovely surprise. Sorry for asking so many times but she never mentioned anything like this to me yesterday, so I figured I'd just make sure we're on the same page. I hope you guys have fun and everything works out. When is your date?" Lizzy casually inquired, resisting the urge to pluck her phone out from her back pocket and frantically text Teagan about what had transpired yesterday.

           "I think we're eating at Philip's Pizza Palace on Friday night. I would invite you to come join us but—well—I think it's a date and—"

           Lizzy swiftly interrupted him, grateful that their shift was about to end. "I wouldn't dream about crashing your date, trust me. I was just curious. It sounds like fun. Teagan's a great girl and deserves the best so if you hurt her, you'll have me to answer to. Is that clear?"

           Reece gulped, suddenly nervous because of Lizzy's rapid mood change from suspicious to threatening. "Uh, yeah, I'd never hurt her," he sputtered out, his gaze tracing to the clock just like Lizzy. Both were apparently eager to depart as soon as it was permissible—so much for reverting to their previous friendship and eliminating the tension between them. Lizzy figured she'd relax as soon as she talked to Teagan, but right now heaps of thoughts whirled in her head like a dust storm.

           The fresh breeze that greeted her when she exited Once and Floral allowed Lizzy to breathe once more, clearing her whirring head and focusing on her mission of finding Teagan. Lizzy climbed into her car, adjusted her mirrors—a habit from when she took driver's training—and rolled out of Once and Floral's parking lot, traveling in the direction of Teagan's house. Cars leisurely rolled beside her like a lazy bowling ball inching little by little toward the pins. Lizzy sighed in relief when she reached Teagan's colonial home, surrounded by giant walnut trees, their fruit splattering the ground like paintballs. She strolled to the front door speedily before knocking, waiting impatiently for Teagan to answer.

           Teagan's oval-shaped face materialized as she opened the door, her legs clad in pajama pants, clearly planning a night lounging in bed with no one except Netflix. Lizzy watched as Teagan's face slowly morphed into recognition of Lizzy and then confusion at the reason why Lizzy had arrived at her front door without any previous warning. "How may I help you?" Teagan asked tiredly, yawning and resting her heavy head on the door so her arms could dangle lazily. "This better be good—you interrupted my date with my favorite show."