Teagan
I was seriously regretting kneeing Noah Messina in the balls this morning – not the biting his tongue part because that he had most definitely deserved, but I’d gone too far. Thankfully I hadn’t seen him all day, but I knew my good luck wouldn’t last forever. I felt on edge. He'd messed with my head by kissing me.
What the hell had that been about?
And why the hell had I enjoyed it…
My last class before break was dismissed early so I bought my lunch and sat at our usual table and waited for Hope and Ash to join me. The cafeteria filled quickly – and noisily – and I played with my apple while I waited for the girls, rolling it between my hands absentmindedly.
I found myself looking up when the chattering around me seemed to die away. Countless pairs of eyes were watching me…whispering and pointing at where I was sitting.
It didn’t take a genius to guess someone was standing behind me, but I didn’t bother turning. Instead I continued rolling my apple around aimlessly, purposefully ignoring the hushed whispers and stares.
Someone cleared their throat behind me and then I felt an electric surge penetrate my shoulder when that someone touched my shoulder.
Leaning over my shoulder so close I could feel his stomach against my back, he whispered in my ear, "Teagan, can I have a word outside?"
Noah's fingers lingered on my bare shoulder and I jerked away, the feel of his skin on mine too personal, before forcing myself to turn and face him. "There's nothing to talk about, Noah," I told him stiffly. "I shouldn’t have kicked you. I know that. Move on."
Noah exhaled impatiently and his minty breath blew into my face. "Just come outside, will you?" he snapped before running his hand through his hair. "I need to show you something – explain something."
I wasn’t going anywhere with him.
God only knew what trick he had up his sleeve. I had wrecked his car, his iPad, and his prospects of fatherhood. The guy was out to get me.
I could see Hope watching me from the cafeteria line, along with the rest of the room and I didn't want to make a scene. "Not a chance," I replied slowly. "So go away and leave me alone."
"Fine," Noah spat before straightening up to his full height. "Fucking suit yourself." With that he spun around and stalked out of the cafeteria.
"Hey, Teagan, how's it going?" Jason Graham, an arrogant blonde douche from my English class said seconds before sliding into the chair opposite me.
I didn’t like this guy.
There was something incredibly off about him. Of course my immediate dislike for him may have stemmed from the fact that I'd spent a huge chunk of the summer having to endure watching him suck Ellie's face off. He was all up in Ellie Dennis's space, which made him no friend of mine.
"What were you and Messina talking about?"
I stared back at him and gave him my best why-are-you-talking-to-me-we're-not-friends look.
"Looked pretty intense?" Jason added, clearly not getting my drift.
"It was," I responded dryly. "We were trying to decide which position to have sex in tonight."
"You and Messina were talking about sex?" Jason's eyes widened and I rolled my eyes at his sheer stupidity. "Are you…" his voice trailed off and he looked around the room before looking back at me. "Are you serious?"
"Uh-huh," I added sarcastically. "Noah says I won't get pregnant if we have sex standing up. I told him that wasn’t true. What do you think?"
"I think you're too good for him and every other douche in this school," Colton Carter added with a chuckle as he slid into the seat beside me before winking devilishly, his blue eyes dancing with mischief. "Hey beautiful."
"Hey Colt," I said in an amused tone. I'd quickly learned in the short time I'd been in Colorado that Hope's brother was an incorrigible flirt.
For a junior in high school, Colton had an impressive way with the ladies. Along with the fact that he was drop dead gorgeous – as were his brothers – Colton had a way of making you feel like you were the only girl in his world. Thankfully I could see through his charm thus making me immune to such lethal personality traits.
"Back off, Colt," Hope added, shooting her brother a warning look as she and her brother Cameron joined us.
"Jason Graham," Cam sneered as he flashed Jason a dangerous looking smile. "What the fuck do you want?"
I snickered and Jason's face paled.
Hope smiled sweetly at Jason's red face. "Seriously," she said with a grin. "What do you want?"
"I was talking to Teagan," Jason, clearly finding his balls, growled, glaring at the Carter siblings.
"Yeah," Colt chuckled nudging my arm. "About Messina's dick."
"Screw you, Carter," Jason snarled, jerking out of his seat, red-faced and fuming.
"No thanks, dude, I like pussy," Colt shot back with a teaspoon in his mouth as he tore the cover off his yoghurt.
"Ugh. Christ, Colt, I'm trying to eat here," Cameron groaned before tossing a French fry at his brother. Colt caught it mid-air with his mouth and chewed with relish.
"What's up with him?" Ash, who'd just joined our table, asked, pointing at Jason as he stalked out of the cafeteria.
"It's his time of the month," Colt mumbled before putting a spoonful of yoghurt into his mouth and groaning in pleasure. "Mmm," he purred. "This is the first half-decent thing I've eaten since yesterday."
"Are you dieting, Colton?" Ash teased.
"More like protecting the lining of his stomach," Cam scoffed before explaining. "Mom cooked us a casserole before she and dad left for Vegas – and she put four more in the freezer."
All three Carter siblings shuddered.
"Poor Logan," Hope mused. "He needs to learn…"
"Excuse me."
A tall, curvaceous red-head stood at our table looking obnoxiously smug. I immediately recognized her from Ellie's gaggle of geese. I think her name was Rice or Reese or something like that.
"Yes?" I responded in a tone as equally condescending as she'd used.
"You own the red car in the parking lot, right?"
"I'm sure there's more than just one red car parked outside, but yes," I replied drolly, knowing full well she knew exactly what car I drove.
"You may want to look on your car." She narrowed her eyes and smirked spitefully at me. "Looks like someone really did a number on it."
Dropping the spoon I was using to stir my coffee with, I shoved my chair back and stood up.
"And you wouldn’t happen to know who that someone is, would you?" I snarled as I stormed past her towards the door, not waiting to hear her answer. Goddammit, I'd only replaced the tires. What the hell had they done now?
I knew the Carters and Ash were following me – I could hear them calling my name – and probably half the school, but I didn’t care. A really bad feeling had settled in the pit of my stomach and I broke into a run when I reached the front door of the school, stumbling down the steps in my rush to get to the parking lot.
When I reached the back of my car I was out of breath and panting. My car looked fine, the same as it usually did. I checked the back tires before walking around to check on the front ones.
Something on the hood of my car caught my eye and I glanced upwards. When I realized what was lying on top of my car, strings burst, wooden body smashed to pieces, a scream ripped from my throat.
"Shit," I heard someone say from behind me.
"Teagan," Hope said as she slipped her arm around me. I shrugged her off. I did not want to be touched or consoled right now.
Martin…my guitar, the last thing my mother had ever given me…all I had left of my mother…destroyed, smashed into pieces.
Anger fused through my body. I swear I could feel my heart cracking into pieces. This was so unfair.
All I had left of her…
I didn’t need Rice or Reese or whatever the hell her name was to tell me who did this. I already knew.
I left Martin on the porch this morning…
I forgot to bring him inside…
"Son of a bitch," I screamed before grabbing what was left of my broken guitar and turning around, glaring at the crowd of students who were standing around watching me. I didn’t care about any of their faces. I only cared about finding one face and when I found it my lip curled up menacingly.
"Are you proud of yourself?" I demanded as I stalked towards where Noah was leaning against a car with his arms folded.
He didn’t look proud.
He didn’t look anything really.
He stared emotionlessly as I came towards him with my trashed guitar.
"You're jumping to conclusions, Thorn," Noah said coolly, about two seconds before I smashed my broken guitar over his head.
Well, I had aimed for his head but he was a lot taller than me so I connected with his shoulder instead. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Ellie and her friends standing a few feet to the side of us.
"Goddammit, Teagan, calm down," Noah snarled as he jerked to his feet and grabbed me by my arms. "Stop it."
"You're a cruel, heartless bastard," I screamed, tears pooling in my eyes, as I shoved free from his hold and lunged for him.
"And you're a hypocritical little bitch who jumps to conclusions," Noah roared, chest heaving, clearly livid, as he glared down at me. "You automatically assume I did this."
"You're a foregone conclusion, asshole," I hissed as I scratched and slapped every part of him I could reach.
Someone grabbed me from behind and lifted me away from Noah kicking and screaming. I realized that someone was Colton when he whispered, "Calm down, Beautiful," in my ear.
I tried to break free from Colt but quickly gave up when I realized his arms were like bands of steel around my body. All of a sudden I felt so defeated that the fight went out of me and then I did something I really hated doing.
I cried.
I heard Colt sigh heavily before turning me and wrapping his arms around me.
Hope, who was standing nearby, stepped forward and picked up what was left of Martin before turning to Noah. "Did you do this to Teagan's guitar, Noah?" she asked him in a level tone.
"No, Hope. To put the record straight I didn’t do it," he snarled as he wiped blood from his cheek – where I'd scratched him, I realized. Noah looked over Hope's head and stared directly into my eyes. "But I wish like hell I had."
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