“Aww, Luke, we’re definitely getting some of these.” She just called me Luke. Only my mates called me that and she hadn’t met any of them yet. I liked it way too much.
I reluctantly looked away from her to see what she’d added to the pile. Hats. Two of them. If she thought I was wearing a hat with an animal on it she had another thing coming. “Tegan, I am not wearing this.”
“Of course, you will, they’re cute.”
“Yeah, cute’s not really the look I’m going for.”
After picking up eight sticks of rock, she was finally ready to go. I didn’t like any kind of shopping unless it was for cars or car parts so I was bored out of my fucking mind in the gift shop. When she walked over to the tills I could’ve kissed her and the woman serving.
Tegan rummaged in her bag, looking for her purse. I handed over my card.
“Lucas, no. You can’t pay for all this.”
“Too late,” I replied, smirking at her as I started to punch my pin number in the machine.
“But you paid entry. It’s fine, really.”
“I know it is.” I took my card back and grabbed the bags. Tegan’s eyes didn’t leave me as we left the shop and headed to the car park.
“You shouldn’t have paid for all my stuff,” she said, frowning.
“I wanted to. I brought you here.”
“I know but…” Sighing, she replied, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I had a good time.” Despite being at a zoo over the age of eight.
“I enjoyed it, too, actually.”
Actually? She didn’t expect to enjoy it?
She pulled the hats out of the bag, putting one on herself and holding the other out.
“Oh, no. I’m not wearing that.”
“Yes, you are. Lighten up and stop being a baby.”
Ironic her telling me to lighten up when she looked like she was fighting for every damn breath.
She reached up and put the cap on my head. Perfect. I kept it on because I was rewarded with a rare smile. I’d handle looking like a dick if it meant she didn’t look so sad for a while.
“See, you look good,” she said, laughing at me. I looked like an idiot.
“Just get in the car!”
We got home an hour and a half later. She had put the hoodie on and had the snake around her neck. I knew she was only seventeen but for the first time she looked it, too. This was how you were supposed to be when you were a teenager, carefree and acting stupid.
“They should pay you for all the advertising.”
“Oh, whatever. I look great and you know it.”
She did.
I pulled into the drive and the front door opened. People came pouring out. My heart froze. Dad? Leaping out of the car, I prepared for the words I never wanted to hear.
“What?” I said.
“Where were you? We were worried,” Mum said.
The relief was overwhelming. Dad was okay. “Sorry, traffic was bad on the way back.”
Alison smiled at Tegan but got nothing back. You didn’t have to be a genius to see that their relationship was rocky. Tegan barely looked at her mum, or Ava for that matter. I didn’t know what the deal was but I wanted to find out.
***
After a restless night’s sleep, trying to think of ways I could help, I finally had an idea. But they were leaving shortly so I wanted to get Tegan’s number and move the plan to texts.
She just needed someone impartial to talk to. I’d imagine her friends and family were too close but I wasn’t. People found it easier to talk to someone they barely knew and right now I was definitely someone she barely knew.
“Ava,” I said, stopping her outside Grace’s room. I took her bag. “Think I can get Tegan’s number?”
She smiled, shoving her hip out and tilting her head. “Did she already say no?”
“No,” I replied, trying not to laugh. “Look, I want to try to help her but I have a feeling she’d just shoot me down if I asked now.”
Ava flicked her eyebrows up. “Well, none of us can get through so you might as well try. Right now I’d pretty much do anything to have my old sister back. I’m not that fond of the hard bitch she’s being.”
I felt like I should defend Tegan but it wasn’t really my place and I could tell from the bitter atmosphere between them that Ava wasn’t overreacting. She took my phone and punched Tegan’s number in.
“Good luck, Lucas.” She took her bag from my hand and walked downstairs.
Her ‘good luck’ didn’t fill me with much confidence.
I followed shortly after Ava and headed outside where my family and Tegan’s were saying goodbye. She gave me a wide birth, having little issue giving my mum, Jake and Grace a very short, almost awkward hug goodbye. When I stepped closer she tensed her body and turned slightly away.
What the fuck was that? I wasn’t about to grope her. Rejection stung and it wasn’t just because she didn’t want to be anything more than friends, she couldn’t even give me what she gave my siblings.
“Tegan,” I said, once everyone was distracted walking Alison and Ava to the car.
“Don’t,” she replied.
What have I done now?