Just One Year(5)
“Alright, well, you know what you do? Send him something in writing, like an email. Nip this in the bud. Tell him that while you appreciate his concern, you don’t appreciate him sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong when it comes to your personal matters.”
I raised my brow. “You really think that’s going to help?”
“Written sentiments are more formal and show a certain level of seriousness. If you take the time to write him, you must really mean it.”
***
After much consideration, I decided to do what Kai said. I took out some yellow-lined paper and began to write down my thoughts. After going back and forth and scratching things out, I finally determined what my message to Caleb would be.
I then went to find Maura to see if she had Caleb’s email address with the information she’d received from the university. As expected, she did ask why I would write to him when he was just upstairs, but she gave it to me without prying too much.
I returned to my room and carefully typed out my message.
Subject: Unsolicited Advice
Dear Caleb,
While I appreciate your concern about my lack of interaction with my sister, I find the fact that you’re inserting yourself into our business very intrusive and unbecoming of someone who doesn’t know me.
You don’t know all of the details of my life or my history with my family. Actually, you don’t know me at all.
So, I would greatly appreciate it if you didn’t offer unsolicited advice on matters you don’t understand.
Regards,
Teagan
I read it over a few times and hit send before I could change my mind. Boy, that felt good.
I kept my computer open as I folded some of my laundry over the next several minutes.
Then I heard my email notification chime.
A message in bold showed a response from Caleb.
From: Caleb Yates
To: Teagan Carroll
RE: Unsolicited Advice
Dear Teagan,
I’ve edited your email. I believe this is what you meant to say:
Dear Caleb,
I don’t like to be called out on my bloody awful behavior because it causes me to have to stop and look in the mirror. I don’t like the fact that, even though you don’t know the details of my life, you were still able to recognize something about me that I don’t like about myself—thus the attitude I gave you. I want to change, to be better, but don’t know how. You see, I’ve become very wrapped up in my own head as of late.
If I hadn’t forced you to walk away from our argument, maybe I would’ve figured out that you only had my and Shelley’s best interests in mind. But since I have my head stuck up my arse at the moment, I chose to believe you’re a tosser and write you this note instead, even though you’re right upstairs.
Fuck off,
Teagan
Oh my God.
Oh. My. God.
My blood boiled.
Are you kidding me?
This time, I started writing without thinking first. I tapped on the keys in anger.
From: Teagan Carroll
To: Caleb Yates
RE: Unsolicited Advice
Dear Caleb,
Are you serious right now???
Send.
Ten seconds later, a new email came in. The fact that he’d been waiting by the computer for my response annoyed me even more.
From: Caleb Yates
To: Teagan Carroll
RE: Unsolicited Advice
Dear Teagan,
You asked if I was serious. I am going to assume that’s a rhetorical question, and you don’t actually want me to answer it. Let me know if I’m mistaken.
Caleb
Again, I typed without thinking it through.
From: Teagan Carroll
To: Caleb Yates
RE: Unsolicited Advice
No, it wasn’t rhetorical. I asked if you were serious because I find your attitude unbelievable. I seriously want to know why you think it’s okay to analyze someone you don’t even know. Seriously!
Exhaling my frustration, I told myself this fruitless attempt at communication was finished—until my computer dinged again.
I clicked on his response.
From: Caleb Yates
To: Teagan Carroll
RE: Unsolicited Advice
Sounds like you seriously have a serious problem with me and a serious overusage of the word serious.
What?
I typed.
From: Teagan Carroll
To: Caleb Yates
RE: Unsolicited Advice
There’s no point in continuing this email exchange.
Almost immediately, he responded.
From: Caleb Yates
To: Teagan Carroll
RE: Unsolicited Advice
Ding! Ding! Ding! She finally gets it. There was never any point to this email exchange. It never should have happened. Want to take a guess as to why?
I banged on my keyboard as I responded.
From: Teagan Carroll
To: Caleb Yates