I haven’t heard from Asher all week, his calls stopped, his texts stopped and I want to punch myself in the face for what I did. Teegan laughed at me when I told her but she quickly added that I was right, I had taken too long to tell him. Still I want to go over there, and say sorry and beg for him to forgive me.
“You ready Emery?” Teegan asks popping her head into my room.
“Yeah sure” I sigh, checking myself one last time before leaving. We arrive at Devlin’s house finding no parking I leave my dad’s care on the next block and walk around. I put on my black mini dress, and heels, according to Teegan I have legs for miles and need to show them off. My heart picks up speed when I see Asher’s Jeep parked in the driveway.
“Lover boy is here,” Teegan sings swinging her hair around.
“I know he is here Teegan it’s Devlin’s birthday,” I retort sounding annoyed even though I don’t mean it. She rubs my arm and gives me a sad face, “sorry” I mutter, and we walk around to the back of the house. The music is loud and there are disco lights flashing colors all over the yard, the pool is covered and the whole garden is packed with bodies.
Making my way into the house I find Devlin manning the keg.
“Happy birthday Dev,” I sing hugging him tight.
“Holy shit Emery you look hot, if Brandy dumps me can you be my rebound girl?” he laughs taking the gift from my hands.
“Funny, add it to my list of other girls I am” I say then introduce my cousin to him.
“Come on let’s find my woman,” he says pulling me by the hand out into the crowd. “Look who I found,” he announces as we reach the back of the garden where a small group of people sit, including Ash and Emily. As soon as our eyes meet he stands up watching me as my own eyes find Emily resting her hand on his leg. Teegan jumps in and introduces herself to everyone, while Brandy barrels into me grabbing my face in her hands. She had to physically break my connection with Asher.
“Hi I am so happy you came, I thought you wouldn’t want to be here.” She says searching my face.
“Why? Devlin is still my friend,” I ask nodding in his direction.
“We should go Emery” Teegan announces from my side, looking at her I laugh.
“We just got here and you were the one dragging me out of the house.”
Teegan looks at me, and then Brandy takes my hand, leading me away from the group.
“Emery you know I love you right?” she asks and I nod, “so what I am about to say will kill you,” her eyes plead with me.
“Okay” I say eyeing her suspiciously.
“Ash is with Emily” she blurts out in supersonic speed, swallowing hard I stare at her, my body is so still I swear I am a statue rooted to the spot by utter shock.
“No he wouldn’t do that to me,” I whisper moving my eyes from hers to the group we just left. I don’t see him but I see her, smiling with my friends taking my spot in the group.
“I have to go,” I whisper moving my lead filled legs away from Brandy, who tries to hold me back.
“Stay Emery, Devlin is your friend too,” she begs holding my arm, “please for a little while.”
Teegan grips my arm and brings me over to the bar, handing me a drink.
“I don’t want any booze tonight,” I tell her.
“It’s soda Emery you’re driving remember,” she scolds, pressing the drink into my hands. We stay in the house for a while, Teegan says it’s not hiding – it’s spying. Every few minutes she peeks out into the darkened yard giving me updates of what he is doing.
“Taking a drink,” she says. “Standing with some dude,” she goes on.
“Okay Teegan I get it he’s acting like I never existed” I moan taking another sip of my soda.
“Emery” a husky male voice interrupts my thoughts, turning I find Ty standing looking at me.
“Oh hey Ty,” I answer not really wanting to bother with him. I introduce him to Teegan who instantly squints her eyes and growls, yes growls like an animal at him before walking away.
“Weird” I say looking after her. Ty takes my hand in his leading me towards the back patio where a slow song plays through the speakers.
“Dance with me Emery,” he smiles twirling me around before capturing my waist with his hand. His body presses against mine holding me hostage as we move slowly together. I can barley breath he has me so close my chest pressing into his; taking a step back I give myself some room.
“So what are you doing after the summer?” I ask trying to shake the nervous feeling I have, something about the way he holds me tells me he wants me to be his.
“I have no plans as of yet” he smiles leaning closer to me, but I turn my head resting it on his shoulder and close my eyes against the urge to find Asher. We dance for a few songs before someone changes the music to a faster beat; stepping back I smile at Ty.
“Thanks for the dance.”
He wont let my hand go as I move away and flashes of me underwater, dance in my head, “let me go” I say through my teeth stepping closer to him, he brings my hand up to his mouth and kisses it.
“Thank you,” he smiles then brushes my hair of my shoulder before walking away. Looking around I search for Teegan, I can hear her sexy laugh so I follow it. Finding her sitting with my friends at the back of the garden, when I arrive I see Asher fuming. His hand clutching the beer bottle until his knuckles are white.
“Hey what are you doing here?” I ask her.
“Oh Emery sit,” she pats the seat beside her and I look down at the sliver of space then back at her, she bumps up on the lounger knocking into Emily. “Oh sorry Amy can you move a little my cousin is here.”
“It’s Emily and I am sure Emery can find a seat somewhere else,” she smiles at me, rakes her fingers through Asher’s hair, he jumps up from his chair, and points to it.
“Take mine,” he says walking away from the group. Sitting down I catch Brandy watching me, she shrugs telling me she doesn’t know what is going on with him. I listen to Teegan telling stories of the summer she spent with me, telling everyone how Asher would write me letters from camp and call me every Sunday.
“That was years ago” Emily complains rolling her eyes, “Get over it.”
Her words are directed at me. My eyes are looking for Asher though but I can’t find him, I do however, spot Ty watching me like some kind of predator. He raises his cup in mock salute but I pretend I don’t see him and cast my eyes around again. I sit with my friends for a while, Asher doesn’t come back, and I feel so sad.
“You ready to go home?” I ask Teegan after an hour.
“Yeah we are up early anyway,” she smiles at me, I say goodbye to everyone except Emily; I know I am being childish but I don’t care. Walking around the side of the house we leave the party and walk down the dark street, our heels clicking on the road.
“So what happened to lover boy?” Teegan asks after a few minutes.
“I don’t know he just left,” I shrug crossing my arms over my chest. Teegan looks up to the sky and sighs.
“Almost a full moon,” she mumbles as we round the corner to my dad’s car. Climbing inside I start the engine resting my head against the headrest closing my eyes.
“It’s okay Emery we will work something out,” Teegan says, causing my dam to burst wide open. Tears stream down my face and I reach over to hug her. “Shh, it’s okay, everything will be okay,” she whispers holding me close.
After a while I wipe my face and put the car into gear, I drive home with Asher on my mind. Why did I say that stuff to him, I have completely lost him now and that is the one thing that I never wanted.
The next morning Teegan is dragging me out of bed at five for our run, I stay quiet as we run through the forest feeling the dirt under my feet. Keeping my thoughts on the run I block everything else out, Teegan stops by a tree for a drink, her face is somber.
“Why did you stop?” I ask because usually she makes me run and drink.
; “No reason just wanted to” she smiles at me, “have a seat,” she says pointing to a fallen tree.
“Yeah sure,” I sigh collapsing onto the trunk pulling my own water bottle from around my waist.
“Do you believe in wolves?” she asks taking a seat beside me.
“Sure, I guess, I mean aren’t they up in the wild and stuff” I answer. Teegan laughs at me.
“No silly Werewolves?” she asks watching me from the corner of her eye. Taken aback I laugh at her.
“Seriously? Werewolves, like people who sprout hair and fangs on a full moon.” My laughter carries on the wind, Teegan smiles at me.
“Yes that kind” she says looking me in the eye, my laughter fades away and I frown at her.
“What are you saying?” I ask and she shrugs.
“Just that I believe, that’s all” her head is hung low and she is twisting her water bottle round and round in her hand.
“Teegan are you trying to tell me something here?”
“I suppose I am” she says sighing, “look Emery if you notice anything strange tonight just stay inside and ignore it” she looks at me in the eye.
“Why would I ignore it? If there are some crazy half breeds out there shouldn’t we tell someone?” I ask feeling a little odd.
“No why would we do that? So they can be killed and held in a lab for experimentation” she asks getting angry, standing she shoves her water bottle away, “let’s go!” she snaps and what sounds like ‘I knew you wouldn’t understand.’ We run for another half hour before arriving home, Teegan goes to her room slamming the door behind her. Leaving her alone I take a shower then curl up onto my bed with a book, by eight AM I hear shouting and laughing from the street. Kneeling up on my bed I look outside finding Devlin, Brandy, Emily and Asher all standing in his yard.
Grabbing my phone I call Brandy.
“Hey you why are you up so early?” she asks.
“I get up a five every morning Brandy so this is like noon for me, what’s going on?” I ask, watching her move away from the group so she can talk to me.
“Where are you?” she asks looking up to my house, shoving my hand through the blind I wave at her. “Oh okay” she laughs. “We are going camping for a few days, Asher said he needs to get away for a while.”
“Oh really” my voice betrays my hurt.
“Yeah I’m sorry Emery I think he and Emily are kind of dating now,” she says looking up at my window.
“Okay thanks for telling me, where are you guys going?” I ask failing to stop the tears.
“I don’t know Asher says it’s a place he goes too.”
“Okay I know where it is, you will have fun,” I say sniffing as I wipe my tears.
“Oh my god Emery don’t cry, please don’t cry. I’ll stay if you want I really will.” Brandy is a good friend like that she would stay if I asked her too.
“No go have fun I’ll see you when you get back.”
She hangs up the phone and blows a kiss towards my window. I catch Asher following her gaze as he loads the last of the gear in his Jeep. Walking across the road he knocks on my door, Teegan opens it and I hear her tell him to leave me alone he already broke my heart and she will hurt him if he tries to hurt me again.
“Babe” he calls running up the stairs bursting into my room, Teegan grabs his collar yanking him back out slamming the door as she goes. I can hear her yelling at him to get the hell out of the house and not to return until he learns to treat me right. The front door slams and I watch him walk back over to his Jeep, climbing inside and speeding away.
Lost for words