Apparently, the last saturday of spring break was supposed to be wild. Especially for seniors. I had no knowledge of this, so I thought I was going to be lonely just sitting at home watching Netflix. How pathetic was that? I came to realize that the only reason I was invited to parties was because of Erin. She was the popular one. Not me.
So that's what I do for a good handful of hours. It's three in the afternoon and I've been sitting on my couch watching The Walking Dead since ten in the morning.
My phone dings beside me and I'm so shocked by the noise I jump a little. I look down to see that it was Kat.
You should come to my focus group tonight.
Just as I am about to make up some stupid excuse as to why I couldn't make it, something stops me. Do I really have anything better to do?
The answer is no.
Sure. I reply.
I'll come pick you up in a half hour. Kat writes back.
I obviously couldn't show up to the focus group wearing sweats and an oversized t-shirt, so I head upstairs to shift through my closet.
My phone dings again telling me I have another text message.
I look down and see that this one is from Julia.
This is the most popular I've been in the last week.
Sadly.
Hey, it's the last saturday before we go back to school. Come get crazy with me!!!!!
One too many exclamation points for taste. Uh... I reply
Teagan, you have to stop sulking over Theo and you also have to stop watching that freaky zombie show. Next thing you know, you'll be one of those crazies who prepare themselves for the apocalypse. I'll take you out tonight to prevent that from happening.
Take me where? I ask.
Out. She replies and I roll my eyes even though she can't see me.
Wow. Specific.
It will be fun. I PROMISE. You don't have a choice and I'm coming to pick you up at nine.
She says nothing else and I find myself in a difficult situation. It's probably another one of her parties, which don't end up too bad. You just have to stay away from the druggies and the red solo cups. I'm usually not the one to be peer pressured into things, but I sort of wanted to go. I really didn't want to spend my last weekend sulking on the couch like Julia said.
I need to just get over myself.
****
I couldn't really back out of Kat's invitation because I didn't want to be a complete ass to her by blowing off the focus group event. Although, I really didn't want to go to some strangers house and talk about Jesus for two hours then go out partying later. But if you think about it, there really wasn't anything wrong with that.. Right?
"We are meeting at Alec's house today-" She begins and my blood runs cold.
"Wait... Did you say Alec?"
Kat frowns. "Yeah... I know it didn't work out between you two. I should have told you. I'm sorry, I totally forgot-"
"No, no. It's fine." I lie and step out of the car. Does Alec even know what his father is doing? Or did Alec just 'like' me because his father told him to? Well, that last part wouldn't really make sense. I wasn't involved in any of this when Alec asked me out.
"Come on," Kat smiles as she walks up the stone steps of a very enormous house. There was a fountain in the middle of the front yard and I'm pretty sure that looked like an eight car garage. I didn't even know those existed. Once we get inside, I'm not exactly shocked but confused. It seemed like Julian was very well off, so I don't understand why he would be willing to commit murder for more money. I guess enough is never enough.
"Hello ladies,"
I internally force myself not to jump at the voice. "Hey, Alec." I say, still a little guarded.
The easy smile on his face made it hard for me to tell if he knew everything. Although I'm sure if he did he wouldn't be making it obvious.
"I haven't talked to you in a while, Teagan." Alec frowns. "Where have you been?"
"Busy with college applications. Sending them in last minute, you know me. I'm a big procrastinator." I say with a light laugh and Alec smiles back.
"Well, I'm glad you came tonight." He says, his voice sounding sincere.
Someone calls his name from where I'm guessing we are all meeting, and he looks over his shoulder before giving both of us an apologetic smile. "I have to go, but I'll see you in a bit." Alec says without taking his eyes off me, and they lingered longer then they needed to.
Once he leaves Kat nudges my arm. "He likes you," she grins at me and I shoot her a fake one too. "Yeah, I guess."
She rolls her eyes playfully before dragging me into the living room. No surprise it was larger than the entire first floor of my house.
Couches and chairs were set up in a circle with a table of food in the middle. I guess this focus thing was for people of all ages, because not only did I recognize some of my peers but older people that looked in their twenties were also present. My eyes scan over the room until they land on someone that not only makes my blood run cold, but makes my heart stop.
Oliver.
What the hell is he doing here!?
I suck in a big breath and get ready to bolt. "Kat, I'm not feeling too well."
She looks over at me with a frown. "What? Are you okay?"
Anything but okay.
"Yeah, uh, I just feel a little sick all of a sudden-"
"Teagan?" Oliver's deep voice sounds from across the room. "Ah! It is you."
Shit.
"You two know each other?" Kat asks, confused.
Oliver smiles at Kat as he walks over. "We met once or twice. She's been hanging out with my little brother."
"Oh," Kat says, still surprised. "Well I'll let you two talk," she smiles down at me. "I'll see you in a few."
"Kat, no-" but she's already walking away and greeting another group of people.
"How have you been-" Oliver can hardly get the words out before I glare at him. I really wasn't a fan of the famous Oliver Bartholomew.
"What are you doing here?" I ask.
He raises an eyebrow of his perfect sculpted face. "I come every Wednesday and Saturday."
"I didn't think you were that religious." I narrow my eyes.
Oliver tilts his head to the side and still manages to look intimidating. "There is a lot you don't know about me, Teagan Carter. In fact, you assume a lot about me that I believe is false."
I cross my arms. "Oh really? I highly doubt that."
"Alright everyone," I hear Alec call from the weird couch circle. "Let's begin now."
"I think we need to have a little talk." Oliver says, giving me a look that said I didn't have a choice. All I wanted to do was crawl under a table and hide. How can one person have the power to do that with just a single look?
I swallow nervously. "Too bad focus is starting."
"I think you very well know I mean afterwards." he narrows his eyes. Without another word, he walks over to take a seat.
Kat motions for me to come over and I reluctantly follow. This was going to be a long night.
****
I was never a religious person. Sure, my parents always used to go to church on sundays and take me with them, but I never found myself devoted to one religion. To any religion, really. They were just belief systems.
So it was safe to say I spent the first hour of Jesus talk mentally biting my finger nails. Oliver made it a point to move his seat so he was sitting right across from me. Any chance he got, he would shoot me a look.
Apparently the last half hour or so was just about socializing. And call me a coward, but I really didn't feel like having small talk with Oliver. He's the type of guy to get away with murder and I'm also not sure where we stood. All I know is where we stood wasn't on friendly ground.
When the meeting finally ends, I practically shoot up out of my chair.
"Teagan, wait," Alec says and I silently curse. I turn around and plaster a smile on my face. "Hey, Alec."
He shoves his hands in his pockets and looks a little nervous. "I heard you were going out with us tonight."
I look at him with confusion. "What?" I ask.
"With Julia and the group." He says, now sounding confused himself. "She mentioned you were coming with us."
Julia made it sound like it was just me and her, but I think I knew in the back of my head I was getting into something out of my league. I wasn't sure exactly who was in this group, but I had a pretty vague idea.
"Oh, right." I lightly laugh. "Yeah, I'm excited." That wasn't the exact word I was thinking of, but it's what came out of my mouth.
Alec grins. "Cool." he nods and goes to say something else but stops mid sentence. I'm about to ask why until I get a whiff of the expensive cologne Oliver was wearing tonight.
"Mind if I steal her for a bit?" Oliver asks and Alec shrugs. "Sure. I'll see you later, Teagan." Alec gives me a small wave before joining some of his other friends.
"You got a hot date with Julian's boy?" Oliver raises an eyebrow with amusement.
I feel bold enough to shoot him a glare. "No. And it's none of your business if I did, anyway."
"As that may be the truth, that's not why I have come over here" Oliver says while straightening his tie. "When school begins again, I would like to have a civil conversation with you." Oliver then clears his throat. "I promise a conversation is all it will be. I just want to talk about some things with you."
Did I really have a choice? "We'll see." Is all I say.
Oliver chuckles. "Alright. Pleasure talking to you."
Can't say the same.
I nod before walking away and rushing out to Kat's car.
****
Theo
The sound of a doorbell pulls me out of my sleep. My eyes flutter open and adjust to the bright television screen in front of me. I push myself up only to realize I've fallen asleep on the couch.
The doorbell rings again, then after a few more seconds it continues to ring once more.
Whoever the bastard was is going to get a piece of my mind. Sure, it was only- I look over at my clock- okay, it was ten at night and I fell asleep on the couch. That was pretty sad. But the point was that whoever it is just wanted something from me, and they were waking me up from a very fantastic dream about Teagan.
The doorbell doesn't stop ringing and I run a hand through my hair to at least try and look half decent. I didn't exactly care anymore. I had no one to impress.
"I'm COMING." I snap as I walk down the hall from out of the living room and toward the foyer. This better be good.
I jerk open the door with an angry expression plastered on my face. "What do you-" My eyes widen at the sight of old brother dearest. "Oliver? What the hell are you doing here?"
Oliver raises both eyebrows as he gives me a once over. "Seriously?"
I don't hold back anything when I shoot him a vicious glare. I didn't look that bad, I just woke up for Christ's sake. "If you want the evidence I'm not giving it to you-"
"That's not why I'm here." Oliver says, still using his 'business man' tone.
I cross my arms and continue- well, I try- to stare him down. "Well? Spit it out."
"I met Teagan today." Oliver says and I already feel my hands curling into fists.
"She doesn't have anything. Look, I don't know what you've-"
"Theodore, relax." Oliver says, his tough expression slowly dissolving. "I didn't do anything with her. All I did was talk to her. She was at a focus meeting."
That almost made me laugh. The last place I would picture Teagan was at a focus meeting talking about Jesus.
"And this couldn't be said over a phone call?" I say dryly.
"May I come in?" Oliver asks, and just when I'm about give him my reply he stops me. "This is relating to your girlfriend so if I were you, I would rethink your answer."
"She isn't my girlfriend." I mutter.
Unfortunately.
I step aside anyway, not being able to resist. It seems that anything that had to do with Teagan made me weak. I had no idea what she was doing and for some reason that bothered me.
Oliver walks into my foyer and heads straight toward the kitchen. It's weird to think that he's only been here once. And that was three years ago.
"I see you kept the place nice." Oliver remarks as he enters the kitchen and takes a seat at the counter.
"Enough with the smalltalk, Oliver. What's going on?" I ask, making sure to be on the other side of the counter. Far away from his as possible.
"Julian's son, Alec, seems to be going out with Teagan tonight. I think it's with a group of people."
The fact she was hanging out with another guy made my blood boil. Especially because the boy happened to be a Slater.
"Why are you telling me this?" I ask. "Just to rub it in my face? Maybe to show me-"
"Theodore, no." Oliver sighs, and now that I get a good look at him, he seems extremely tired. His brown hair was disheveled and there were slight bags under his eyes. I shouldn't care for his well being, but I did. And that only made me angrier.
"I'm telling you this because I'm not exactly sure if Alec knows about his father's plans. I certainly don't agree with them, and I'm going to make sure you inherit that company as soon as you come of age." Oliver runs a hand through his already messy hair. "But this could be dangerous."
"Dangerous for Teagean, you mean?" I ask.
"Yes. And I know you care about her." he looks up at me and gives me a pointed look. "A lot. So I suggest-"
"She isn't my concern." I blurt out, still hurt from the rejection. The reason we couldn't be together was sitting right across from me.
Oliver narrows his eyes at me. "That's bullshit. You care about her, which automatically makes her your responsibility." he snaps and I'm a little shocked to see him so fired up about this.
Then I realized why. "She isn't going to end up like Vivian, Oliver! She's responsible!"
Oliver shoots up from his seat. "So was Vivian!" he yells.
"Obviously not enough!" I yell back at him.
I could tell Oliver was trying to keep his composure. Why did he always have to be calm and collective? Couldn't he just act out for once?
"Theodore," Oliver says calmly. "Go get her. She went to a small club in town, not too far away from here. I'll give you the address."
"You want me to follow her." I give him a blank look. "And how the hell do you know where she is?"
"I followed her." he says it like it's no big deal. "The group she's with isn't exactly showing up at those focus meetings every week, either."
Oliver stands up and throws me his car keys. "Bring her home, bring her here, I really don't care just get her out of there."
Why the hell does he care so much? When did Teagan become his fucking concern?
"Is this about your teenage play toy?" I snap and Oliver shoots me a look that's nothing less than menacing.
"Don't call her that." he snaps back at me. "I will admit that this is partially for her. She may think she doesn't need Teagan, but I can already tell Erin has forgiven her."
"Forgiven her for what? Teagan's done nothing wrong." I glare at him.
Oliver sighs. "Whatever, Theodore. That isn't my point. My point is that as much as I love her, I'm doing this mostly for you. I haven't been the best big brother, but I do love you. If something happens to her, it will haunt you. You're never going to come back from it." he pauses for a moment. "I know I never did."
And just like that, he was gone.