Just One Year(28)

“That’s because you’re spending more nights at Veronica’s lately.”

Her voice held a hint of disdain. Or maybe it was my imagination.

“Does that bother you?” I asked.

“No. Why would it bother me? She’s your girlfriend. I was just pointing it out. If you’re there, you can’t be here, thus the lack of studying.”

Despite her claim, her face turned red.

“Of course,” I said.

Teagan got up shortly thereafter and opened the window in her room, though it was freezing out. I found this a little bizarre and wondered if she was lying to me.

Thankfully, after a few awkward minutes we returned to normal. Teagan quizzed me on my history questions, and things seemed as comfortable as they usually were. However, deep down I was still fixated on how red she’d turned before. Did Teagan have feelings for me that went beyond our friendship? I felt an uncomfortable excitement. I knew nothing could ever come of it, but the thought of being with someone unattainable was arousing in its own forbidden way.

We managed to keep our noses in our books for a while. Then I gave incorrect answers to nearly half the questions on the second round of quizzing.

“You’re off your game tonight, Yates.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll do better next time. This day has thrown me off course.”

“Well, your exam is tomorrow, and it unfortunately doesn’t care what kind of day you had.”

“Can I borrow your brain?” I asked. “I promise I’ll take good care of it.”

“Hmmm. I don’t know if it wants to spend the entire day in your head. I might end up having a little too much fun and get in trouble for being overly snarky or something.”

“Very funny, Dolphina.” I crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it at her.

“Oh, is that my name?”

“It is now, yes. In fact, I think I might have an uncontrollable urge to get to the dolphin show this Friday so I can see you in that getup. That is the day you hand out the tickets, yes?”

“Yes. I hand them out to actual people who want to see the show, not to annoying friends who want to make fun of me in my costume.”

“How much money would I have to pay to get you to let me take you to dinner in the North End dressed in your dolphin suit?”

She laughed. “Seriously? I can be bought.”

I lifted my chin. “How much?”

She scratched her head. “A thousand dollars.”

“Really?”

Teagan bit her bottom lip and smiled. “Yes.”

“That’s somewhat doable, at least.”

“You’re not serious, are you?”

“I don’t know. I might be.”

She shook her head and returned her attention to the computer screen. “You’re crazy.”

If she only knew all the ways I was scheming to come up with that money.





CHAPTER ELEVEN




* * *



TEAGAN




I hadn’t intended to spend Saturday afternoon out with Archie.

When I woke up this morning, I realized Caleb had once again spent Friday night at Veronica’s. Archie had been eating breakfast in the kitchen alone when I walked in. He’d asked me if I felt like showing him around. Unsure of how to get out of it, I’d agreed.

I took him to all of the typical places: The Public Garden, The Museum of Fine Arts, Copley Square. As I talked to him, I realized he was just as charismatic as Caleb. Maybe there was something in the water where they grew up that made them that way. Archie made me laugh a lot. Not to mention, he and Caleb were equally gorgeous—Archie in a slightly darker, more mysterious way.

The only difference, I suppose, was that I didn’t quite trust Archie the way I did Caleb. I mean, sure, we’d just met, but it was more than that. I couldn’t put my finger on why. Sometimes it’s just a feeling you get. Oddly, spending the entire day with his friend had made me miss Caleb.

By the time we returned to the house, it was late.

“Thank you for agreeing to be my tour guide,” Archie said.

“No problem. Anytime.”

He ran a hand through his thick mane of black hair. “Yeah? I’d love to go out again sometime then.”

Is he asking me out?

Unsure of what to say, I answered, “Maybe, yeah.” I turned to walk away. “Well, I’d better go check on my…room.”

My room? Did I just say my room?

“Ah, yes. The room can be very needy.” He grinned.

I smiled and went downstairs, feeling like a total moron.

***

The following morning, I knew my dad, Maura, and Shelley had gone to an early church service. My family wasn’t particularly religious, but a few years back, Maura had started volunteering at a liberal congregational church and began attending services there as well. My dad and Shelley went along with her.

Sundays were therefore typically quiet in the mornings. I was just about to head upstairs to grab some breakfast when I overheard two voices in the kitchen—two British voices. Caleb must have come home from Veronica’s either late last night or early this morning.

“Didn’t expect to see you this morning...” I heard Archie say.

Caleb’s tone was bitter. “Why is that? I live here.”