Page 31 of Echoes of Us

She nods quickly and quickly shuts the door. I laugh and turn to lay back in bed. As I listen to the shower running, I see her face and how red she turned looking at me in my typical sleepwear. You would think she would be used to half-naked girls in the lacrosse locker room, but maybe she is just that tightly wound up. She is one weird girl.

Down at breakfast, Emmaline never looks up from her plate. I notice her cheeks redden again as I sit down across from her. I giggle to myself and start to eat. “Teagan!” EJ yells as he enters the kitchen, “the science lab is bringing in reptiles today. I am going to hold a huge snake so you should come check it out!”

“Nice, dude. Maybe I will come down there later today. I have always wanted to hold a snake,” I reply.

“You better be careful holding those animals, EJ. They can actually bite you,” Eve chuckles. She looks at her watch and her eyes go wide. “Kids, you better get going. It is already 7:30.”

We quickly get up from the table and take our plates to the sink. Emmaline is washing her plate off, so I reach around her and place my plate into the sink.

“Can you rinse that off for me, please?” I ask. She stills and takes my plate slowly. Honestly, what is her deal this morning? Before I can ask why she is acting weird, EJ grabs my hand and starts to pull me to the car.

“C’mon, Teagan. Emmaline hurry! I don’t want to miss them bringing in the snakes,” EJ says exasperatedly, “Oh and don’t tell Mom, but I am totally going to wrestle an alligator if they bring one.” I absolutely love this kid.

The car ride is quiet at first. Emmaline put on her normal mix of alternative and indie music, but the volume isn’t as high as she usually keeps it. EJ breaks the silence in the worst way possible, “Teagan, what is your tattoo for anyway?” My stomach drops. Emmaline’s head whips to face me. Our eyes meet, and her brows furrow in confusion.

“Why didn’t you ask me at lunch?” I ask, looking back at him.

“Everyone was asking questions and then you gave me your ice cream so I forgot. Soooooo. What’s it for?” he replies nonchalantly.

I meet Emmaline’s gaze again. She has gone from confused to wide-eyed…again. I guess this is her signature face today. “You ate lunch with him yesterday?” Emmaline asks.

“Yeah, Em. She comes to see me at least once a day at school. More than you ever have. Ohh, wait. Teagan! My friend told me you were at his piano practice yesterday, too. He was so nervous to play with you there,” he exclaims.

Well, now my face is the one turning red. Emmaline looks at me contemplatively but looks away as we pull in front of the elementary building. EJ jumps out. “Bye, guys. I am headed to wrestle an alligator. Woohoo!” After he shuts the door, Emmaline starts driving toward the senior parking lot.

“So, what is the tattoo?” she asks.

“I thought we agreed to just leave each other alone until I leave?” I reply.

“Stop being so abrasive and just tell me,” she retorts.

“My mom’s initials and ‘I love you’ in her handwriting. I got it off of an old birthday card I found when moving into my aunt’s,” I reply softly.

“Can I see it?” she asks as she parks the car.

I nod and reach my arm toward hers, palm up. She slides my bracelet down to reveal the tattoo. I keep the bracelet on to hide it from the world. To me, it is my last connection with her, and I don’t want to share it with anyone else. Why am I showing it to princess after all she’s done to me? We sit in silence for a moment. Her thumb lightly brushes across the writing, sending a jolt through me and making my chest tighten.

“You must really miss her. I am sorry she is gone,” she says softly.

I nod, tears stinging the back of my eyes. Nope, not again. I am not about to cry before school. I pull my arm back.

“Sorry. I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” I whisper. She leans over slowly to grab my hand again. Instinctively, I grab my backpack and exit the car. Emmaline calls after me but I ignore her. I head straight to AP Latin, lucky enough to have my books already in my backpack. I sit at my desk and press my fingers to the ridge of my nose, trying to stop the tears from falling. What just happened? I mean, that is the last conversation I expected to have this morning but that isn’t what is freaking me out so much.

I actually wanted to open up to Emmaline and that can’t happen.

Chapter 36

Emmaline

The rest of the week and weekend go by in a blur. Teagan and I don’t talk much, unless we were working on calculus. I am surprised she is still willing to help me after what happened the other night. We get along really well during the study sessions. I even find myself wanting to talk to her more, but I can’t seem to start a conversation. Since that morning in the car, I have this weird desire to know her.

On the way to school all week, she didn’t speak unless EJ asked her questions. On Saturday, she spent the whole day with a friend her friend, Sean. This hot and cold act is really messing with my head. I wanted nothing to do with her, but now I can’t stop thinking about her. I constantly feel anxious around her and find myself hoping she talks to me. She never does.

This morning at church, Teagan quietly followed me to Sunday School. She sat in the back of the room and did not participate in the lesson. The Sunday School teacher called on her a few times to read a passage, but she would simply shake her head and look down at her phone. At service, she sat on the opposite side of my parents, the furthest seat away from me. This is ridiculous. I am just going to go talk to her.

After the service, our Sunday school teacher pulls Mom aside as we are leaving. The rest of us continue to the car. Twenty minutes later, Mom gets in the car.

“Teagan, Ms. Cole said you sat on your phone during Sunday school and ignored what was happening. Is there a reason you don’t want to participate?” Mom asks cooly.

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