Page 39 of Echoes of Us

I text her instead.

EMMALINE 7:58 AM

Teagan. Where are you? Are you ok?

Minutes pass and nothing. I try to call her. After two rings it goes to voicemail. Great…she’s avoiding me. I really messed up… again.

The day drags on painfully long. All I want to do is get home and talk to Teagan. I was just in shock at the whole situation. He told her I mentioned Sean was gay and I knew she was going to be pissed. Then, he called her a dyke and I panicked. I wasn’t jumping away from her exactly. At least I don’t think I was? Something just… happened. I mean, I am still a little freaked out about Saturday morning. I woke up to Teagan carefully rolling out of bed. When I realized I had been spooning her, I froze to ensure she thought I was still asleep. I spent the whole weekend avoiding her, crying and praying about Devan and about Teagan. I am not sure what happened, but I know it is wrong.

I pull into the garage and quickly exit the car. Mom is standing in the kitchen starting dinner. I run past her, flying up the stairs. I try her door, and it’s locked. I go to the bathroom, and once again, she’s blocked it. “Teagan!” I start to knock loudly. “Just talk to me, please!” Nothing. Eli comes up behind me and nudges my leg with his head. I slide down the door onto the floor. Eli lays across my lap, knowing something is wrong. “I really messed up this time, boy. I don’t know if I can fix it,” I say to him, rubbing his ears.

I sit against her door for fifteen minutes trying to coax her into talking to me, but there is only silence. She must have her headphones in or something. I give up and go downstairs. EJ is in the living room watching TV, waiting for Mom to finish dinner. I’ll just watch TV with him so I can corner her when she comes down to eat.

“Dinner!” Mom calls from the kitchen. “Em, can you come help me set the table, please?” I stand and start for the kitchen, pausing when I hear footsteps coming down the stairs. Teagan sees me in the hall, drops her head and continues into the kitchen. I start to follow her but stop when I hear her talking to Mom and Dad.

“Hey Ethan and Eve, do you mind if I go eat with Sean tonight?”

“Sure, sweetie. I was wondering though, why don’t you invite Sean to church with us on Wednesday and Sunday?” Mom asks.

“He doesn’t really do church, either. We just weren’t raised like that,” she replies.

“I know, that is why I think it would be good to invite him. Just think about it,” Mom pleads.

“And Teagan, I know I say this every time. No going to the Mason house, okay?” Dad says.

“I know, I know. We are just going for milkshakes,” she says innocently. “Be back later.”

I know she just lied to them. I hear the front door open and close. I move to the window, watching her walk down the walkway toward Sean’s truck. I have to find out where she is going.

I start toward the kitchen but stop when they begin talking again. “Shelly Graham called me earlier. She said there was a rumor going around that Teagan’s friend, Sean is… gay,” Mom tells Dad, sounding disgusted.

“Oh, Eve. You can’t listen to anything Shelly says. Her daughter is the biggest gossip at that school,” Dad replies.

“Regardless. I don’t want one of our kids hanging out with someone like that. I figured if he came to church with us, we could help him follow the right path and repent,” she states.

“Until we have proof, I am not going to make Teagan’s life harder than it is. Leave her best friend alone, dear,” Dad demands.

Shit. I can’t listen to this right now. I have to follow them. I run through the kitchen and toward the garage door. “Headed to Mills’s for a bit. She’s having a horrible day. Be home soon!” Before they can answer, I race to my car.

I catch up to them before we exit the neighborhood. Thank God for the guard gates being so damn slow. I follow the truck all the way to Trenton. They pull into the driveway of an older house. The garage is open where the three boys from the truck that night are setting up musical equipment. This has got to be Sean’s house. Why did she lie about coming here? And why does my dad not want her to be here? He lets her hangout with Sean, so his house can’t be that bad. Maybe he is worried she will get into trouble in her old neighborhood? I contemplate going home. I shouldn’t be following or watching her. This is totally creepy. So naturally, I park my car down the street, watching her and Sean enter the garage.

For thirty minutes, I watch them as the boys play music, Teagan reads on the futon, tapping her feet to the beat. They pass around a joint, each taking a slow drag as they share laughs and enjoy playing music together. I can’t stop watching Teagan. She looks so peaceful and comfortable in this setting. I wish I could see this side of her more. Okay, woah. Snap out of it, Emmaline. You can’t think that way about another girl; it’s disgusting just like mom said earlier.

I should head home and stop being creepy. I put my car in drive when, suddenly, another old pickup truck pulls up and parks across from the house. A tall, muscular man gets out and wobbles up the driveway. I can see a large bottle in his hand as he passes through the headlights. He stands behind Sean’s truck, taking a large swig from the bottle. Tucking the bottle under his arm, he begins to clap as he walks toward the garage.

Something tells me this is about to be really bad.

Chapter 43

Teagan

The guys are playing one of their new originals. We’ve gone through two joints already and I am feeling amazing. After the day I had, I need some release. Song after song, the guys are absolutely killing it. These new originals are easily some of their bests. The song ends and they all start to cheer when a loud, slow clapping comes from the driveway.

We turn to see a large figure standing behind Sean’s truck. Sean squints his eyes trying to see into the dark to make out who it is and his face drops. Owen Mason, Sean’s father, steps into the driveway light. He is clapping slowly with a half empty bottle of whiskey under his arm and an evil smile on his face. “Wow, Sean. I didn’t know fairies could play music like that.” Owen steps closer and takes a swig of the bottle.

Sean winces but moves to face his father. The other guys begin to step in between Sean and Owen. Sean steps forward and puts a hand on Zeke’s shoulder to stop them from blocking him. “What are you doing back? You said you were gone for good this time,” Sean asks flatly.

“You didn’t miss your old man?” Owen says walking closer.

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