Her Men (book 2)

Chapter 10

Teagan

**************flash back***************

“Come come ! Let’s take some pictures we never got a good one at the beginning of the year we need one of you both for 11th grade” Aiden’s mom says excitedly my mom nodding in agreement, both oblivious to the fact neither of us want to do this

“I’m not really ready” I say silently hoping it works

“Teagan you look fine !” She says pulling my wrist “just one you both are growing up way to fast! Please” she begs her eyes soften. Looking at me and I smile “fine”

We awkwardly come closer together not really what to do but I make the first move knowing the faster we do this the faster we can move on, I take the lead and tuck my arm around his waist and he wraps his arm around my shoulder we’ve done this lots of times but since 7th grade only at the beginning of the year tenth grade I refused but she got one around Christmas time and I almost made it the whole 11th grade with out one but here we are, we smile our matching fake smiles and once her and my mom get one they like we pull away

“I’m gonna go change” I say leaving them all Knock knock

I hear someone at my door and I quickly push my head through my shirt and arms in,

“Come in” I say and I see Aiden walk in and shut my door with a smile

“Happy birthday” he says “hope you had a great day, your mom sent me up hope that was ok?” My mom doesn’t know he and I aren’t even friends anymore. They both think Im at school waiting for him to get off practice but I’ve been hanging out with new “friends” timing our arrival back home just perfect so neither suspect a thing he also plays along so our moms don’t know a thing.

“Thanks” picking up the necklace my dad gave me my 14th birthday, the last birthday before he passed away at the end of 8th grade year reaching around to put it on, as he sees me struggling I hear him mumble something as he gets up.

“Here” walking closer “let me help”

“I got it” I say rolling my eyes at him and turn around.

“So how was your day?” As he sits on my bed

“Fine” scoffing, I know it not his fault his mom and my mom don’t know and planned this special 17th birthday dinner to celebrate me and us almost being done with 11th grade they originally wanted to try and throw me a party but I begged my mom not to I tried to avoid any questions by agreeing to this dinner, hoping we can both play nice for a couple hours, my attitude could probably wait for a later time but seeing him act like nothing is pissing me off more than I thought

“Would YOU like to tell me anything?” I ask

“Umm no?” He questions

“Jason asked me out on a date, but he said he wanted to ask me a question first,” Aiden lefts his head to look at me but still not saying a word so I continue

“Any clue on what he would ask me?” Still no response

“He asked if I liked you? And when I told him no we were JUST neighbors and nothing more, He asked if I would make sure my curtains were closed from now on if we dated!” Aiden looks back down but doesn’t say a damn word which pisses me off

“why the f**k does he think we were more? Or that you’ve ever seen me naked through my window Aiden?”

He gets up and walks to my door turning he says “you don’t need to date that guy” and turns the knob but I slam it close the tad it open

“Aiden? Why would he think that?” I quietly ask I know I’ve had attitude the second he got in and my tone has been anything but nice but I know he has to hear the hurt in my voice he looks me right in my eyes and down at my lip that I know quivered from me trying my absolute hardest to not cry in front of him my hold back the tears threatening to fall at any second, I miss him, I miss our friendship the way we could easily talk about anything, I miss our jokes and how he stuck up for me in 2nd grade, when Scott pulled one of my braids and I punched him he was ready to stand up for me and again in 6th grade when Maranda called me stupid in front of the whole class he help me feel better he used to always be there to help me now it’s like he’s the start to all my problems, the “rumors” or looks I’ve gotten from people, I know they were from him or started by him but I’ve never straight up asked him

“Aiden,” I see the struggle he’s fight with himself as I whisper his names a silent beg for him to just be the Aiden he used to be with me before popularity made him a jerk, he looks sad. For a moment his face softens and his shoulders relax and if I hadn’t been staring at him I would have missed it, and then it disappears

“I’m sorry, T” is all he says, emotionless, and he pushes me out of the way to open my door and walk away all anger returns and I follow him

“Leave then Aiden I don’t want you here !” I shout at him as he walks down the hall I know I’m loud enough for even our moms to hear and as he gets to the kitchen he turns to look at them and then walks out the front door, I slam my door shut. A minutes later I hear the front door open again and the a knock at my door as my mom opens it.

“Honey, what’s going on?” She asks

“Aiden’s no longer allowed over here mom that’s it, I’ve tried to be nice but he’s just not the same kid anymore.” I say looking back at my notebook that I was angry doodling on

“You’re right but neither are you T” I whip my head up so fast at her. She can’t honestly think I’m the one that’s at fault I mean I know she doesn’t know the truth but I’m her daughter she should always take my side.

“Wait, hear me out” she puts a hand up and she sits in the edge of the bed,

“I think he’s the same person but Teagan neither of you are kids any more, baby, yall are teenagers who think the world is out to get you, puberty freaking sucks and life is hard. Boys are stubborn and honestly stupid most days, I think that same little boy that followed you around like a lost puppy is still in there somewhere but he’s not a kid and your not either your a beautiful gorgeous young woman, this time next year you will be graduating off to college not a girl who plays with Barbie’s and makes her neighbor play Ken, maybe he forgot a bit who he really is, cut him some slack he really doesn’t have a dad to talk these things through”

She little speech almost had me It soften my heart while listening but damn once she said cut him slack or the s**t about not having a dad..for f***s sake neither do I ! It made me mad all over again, WHY why does he get slack for whatever the hell he’s going through he’s the one being an absolute ass and for what I did ABSOLUTELY nothing to him ! And dad??? come on he’s actually never had a dad since he moved here why is that an issue now.

“Whatever mom” I say and go back to drawing,

“Come let’s eat it’s your birthday” she says

“I have homework I’ll be down in a second give me 15 minutes,”

She leaves and I pull out my book from my bag and open it to a note that’s in the pocket pulling out and my my phone I type a number and send a text

Im free tonight what to hang out ?