Death of a Waterfall (The Hayden Falls Saga) (18 page)

"Whatever," Teghan grumbled.

~ * ~

The second week had been harder. She constantly wondered if he was hurting as much as she was. Occasionally, the thought would creep into her mind that he had gotten involved with someone else, but she refused to let it blossom into a full-fledged idea. The emptiness she felt was unbearable and the loneliness was devastating. Whoever said that time heals all wounds was a fucking idiot. Teghan sat crossed-legged on her bed, her cell phone in her hand. She dialed Donnie's number and her finger hovered above the send button, but she couldn't bring herself to actually push it. She flipped her phone closed and tossed it on the bed next to her. Clutching her head in her hands, she fought back another round of tears as the sound of her phone ringing startled her. She sniffled and wiped her face. "Hello?"

"Teghan? Is that you?"

"Hey, Alex. What's up?" She tried to sound calm and collected, to sound as if she weren't dying inside.

"You okay? You sound...um, strange."

"I'm fine," she lied. It was the first time she'd heard Alex's voice since he'd left her that message. He sounded nervous.

"Look, Teeg, I'm sorry. I never should've..."

"Never should've what, Alex? Bet me? Lied to me? Tell me about it on my voicemail?" She wasn't sure why she was yelling at him, but it made her feel better, took her mind off the gnawing pain in her chest.

"Yes," he said. "In my defense, we were drinking. A lot. And I barely remember it."

"Doesn't make it right," Teghan said.

"I know. And at the risk of putting myself higher on your shit list, you're not exactly innocent. You did lie to me about seeing Donnie."

She sighed. They were both at fault, and the sooner they both apologized, the sooner they could move on and hopefully rebuild what remained of their friendship. "I'm sorry, Alex."

"Me too."

Teghan sat silently, chewing on her pinky nail. Why did things have to be so awkward?
Well, let's see, you broke his heart, scolded him for getting close to Beth, lied to him about fucking his roommate
...
Oh, shut the hell up!

"There's something I need to tell you," Alex said. "You'll probably never speak to me afterwards, but..."

"Just tell me." After everything they'd been through, she highly doubted anything he said could make her ever stop talking to him.

"That night of the party, when Donnie and I got into a fight." He paused and sighed heavily. "When Annabelle came to talk to me, I kissed her."

"What?" she whispered. She felt nauseous. Alex and Annabelle? That wasn't possible. Annabelle would never do that, nor would Alex.

"Don't be mad at her, Teghan. It was all me. I was so pissed at Donnie and I felt betrayed by you that I--"

"Alex," Teghan said, trying to wrap her mind around this revelation. She didn't know how she felt about Alex kissing Annabelle. It was a shock. "Knowing what I know now, I understand why you were pissed at Donnie. But you had no reason to feel that way about me. At that time, Donnie and I weren't dating. Besides, you and I haven't been together in months. You have to let go."

"I know," Alex said. "I just didn't expect seeing you with someone else to hurt so much."

Teghan closed her eyes and hesitated. An image of Alex and Annabelle flashed through her mind. She asked the one question she didn't really want the answer to. "So, are you and Annie?"

"No. It was just that one time and she made it very clear it wouldn't happen again." Alex laughed. "Are we okay, Teghan?"

She paused. "I need you to be my friend, Alex. Nothing else."

"I am," he said. "I give you my word I'll never act like this again."

"Me either," she said with a short laugh.

~ * ~

"Teghan," Annabelle whispered. "Put the damn phone away."

Teghan and Annabelle were in class, taking a biology exam. If the professor caught Teghan with her phone, she would get an automatic F on her exam, but she just couldn't stop herself. What if Donnie called or texted? Teghan rolled her eyes and did as Annabelle said. She could go forty-five minutes without looking at her phone. Maybe. Somehow, she managed. The moment class was over, her phone was firmly clutched in her hand again as she and Annabelle headed toward the dining hall.

"Still no Donnie?" Annabelle asked.

"No," Teghan said.

"Why don't you just call him?"

Teghan grunted. "Yeah, right."

"Don't be so damn stubborn. You know he's waiting for you."

"If he's willing to wait, then why isn't he willing to call? It was
him
who betrayed me,
him
who broke a promise, and
he
owes
me
an apology."

"Yes, he does owe you an apology. Betting on you like that was immature and a real dick thing to do. And trust me, when I see Alex, he's going to get a piece of my mind too. But all that aside, I don't blame Donnie for not calling you. Every time he's tried to get close to you, you've pushed him away."

"Whose side are you on?" Teghan asked. Annabelle was always so damn fair all the time it bordered on annoying.

Annabelle stopped, grabbed Teghan's elbow, and spun her so they were facing each other. "Jesus, Teghan. Think for a minute, will ya? Donnie is crazy about you. He
loves
you! Everyone who's been in the same room as you two can see it. Alex can see it, for Christ's sake. Why can't you?"

Teghan yanked out of Annabelle's grasp. She chewed on her bottom lip and refused to meet her friend's gaze, knowing that Annabelle was about to give her another lecture that would make so much sense, Teghan would have no choice but to listen.

"Donnie's right. You've lived your entire life doing what you knew was going to make other people happy. The only time you've ever done what
you
wanted was when you broke up with Alex."

"And look how that worked out for me."

"Oh, stop feeling sorry for yourself, Teghan. Grow some damn balls and do whatever it is you need to do to get what
you
want." Annabelle poked her in the chest.

~ * ~

Donnie kicked the corner of his bed and cursed. It was going on four weeks now since he'd last seen or talked to Teghan. She really wasn't going to call. He couldn't believe it. How could he have been so wrong about her? He'd been so sure that she would've called or texted. God, it was killing him not being able to talk to her or see her. Maybe he should just call her, beg, grovel, do whatever he had to get her back.

"Take it easy on the furniture, man," Alex said.

"Sorry," Donnie mumbled.

"I talked to Teghan a few days ago."

Donnie stopped pacing the room. He felt the familiar rush of blood through his body, erupting on his face and raising his body temperature a few degrees. "You did?" Alex nodded. Donnie wanted to demand that Alex tell him exactly what was said, but instead he simply asked, "How is she?"

"Miserable," Alex said.

Donnie plopped down on his bed, elbows on his knees, head hung with his fingers bunched in his hair. He didn't think it was possible for his heart to break anymore. If she was so miserable, then why hasn't she just called? He'd go to her with a moment's notice. He loved her, and nothing mattered but Teghan. "Man, I really fucked things up," Donnie groaned.

"Look, I know her better than you do. Let me help you."

"Now why in the hell would you want to help me? It's your fault I'm in this mess." Donnie looked at Alex. "If anything, you should be happy about this."

"Let's get something straight. I love Teghan. I always have and I always will. For that reason and that reason alone, I will do whatever it takes to make her happy. Even if that means helping
you
get back in her good graces." Alex stood up and pointed at Donnie. "It's taken me a long damn time to get to this point so I suggest you shut the hell up, and take my help before I change my mind."

Donnie's jaw dropped. "Okay," he said after a pause.

~ * ~

"C'mon, Teghan," Annabelle whined. "Classes are officially over for the semester. We survived. Let's go celebrate. Have some fun."

Teghan rummaged through the papers on her desk, looking for a phone number she'd jotted down last night. She sighed with frustration. "I'm not in the mood, Annie."

Annabelle threw her hands in the air. "I've had it with your moping. It's been six damn weeks. Call him already."

Teghan shook her head. She'd gone from crying all the time to just being numb. She went through the motions of the days and that was it. "I'm
not
calling him."

"Suit yourself," Annabelle said. "But I can't sit around here anymore and watch you cry."

"I know. It's okay. Go. Have fun."

"You sure you don't wanna come?"

"Nah. I'm tired and not really feeling so well. Gonna call it an early night." Teghan waited for Annabelle to leave before curling up on her bed and closing her eyes. She was physically, mentally, and emotionally drained.

~ * ~

Donnie sat in the basement of Jake's house drinking beer and watching his old high school buddy shoot pool. Donnie hadn't wanted to leave college and go back to Pennsylvania for the semester break, but it was the holidays and he couldn't bear the thought of making his mother spend them alone. Besides, staying in an empty dorm was depressing. Still, it had been a difficult decision to go home because, what if Teghan called?

"Sure you don't wanna play?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"You've been such a downer since you've gotten home. What's up, man?"

"I'm dropping out of college," Donnie said, flipping his cell phone around in his hands. He'd been toying with the idea since he left CIT, but it wasn't until Christmas came and went without a call from Teghan that he'd finally made up his mind.

"Dude, you can't be serious." Jake tossed his pool stick on the table and sat next to Donnie.

Donnie rubbed his forehead. "Yeah," he said. "I'm serious."

"Your uncle would kick your ass if he heard you talking like this."

"Leave him out of this." Donnie's face became hot with anger. "I just can't go back there."

"Why the fuck not? CIT was your ticket out of this hell hole, man. What happened to all that talk about getting an education and a job so you could have a better life? You were gonna conquer the world one chick at a time." Jake laughed. "Until you found the one, that is. Then you were gonna get married and have babies. I swear, you sound like such a vagina at times."

"It was just talk."

"Oh, so that's what your pissy attitude is all about. You found her, didn't you? Tell me."

Donnie flashed him a dirty look. "There's nothing to tell." He got up off the couch, tossed his beer can on the counter and headed for the stairs. "Just drop it, Jake." Donnie was in no mood to talk about Teghan or what he'd done to royally fuck things up.

~ * ~

Teghan stood in her father's den, fuming like she'd never fumed before. "I can't believe you!" she screamed. "You promised." This was just like her father.

"Calm down, Teghan. I'm not breaking my promise, I'm simply asking you to wait," her father said.

"So, if you're asking, that means I have a choice in the matter?" She put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot in irritation.

"No."

"God, I hate you!" Teghan stomped out of her father's den, slamming the door hard enough to make the photos on the wall rattle. Her father had only required her to get a 3.8 GPA and he'd let her go wherever she wanted for a week. She finished the semester with a 3.98 GPA. It shouldn't surprise her he was backing out on his deal, though. They'd had a similar argument when she'd graduated from high school and wanted to go to London. Her father refused to let her go unless she agreed to take a bodyguard along with her--which went against the original deal they'd made. She really needed to stop making deals with her father.

"Teghan!" Her father came out of the den. "Get back in here right now, young lady."

She stomped back through the foyer and into her father's den. Her arms were tightly folded over her chest, her eyes were tiny slits and her lips were pursed in a scowl.

"Are you on drugs?" Her father closed the door behind him.

"What? No!" Teghan shook her head. "Why would you ask me something like that?" She idly wondered if he was on drugs. Jeez, where the hell had that question come from?

"You've got all the classic signs of being a drug addict. You're barely sleeping. You don't eat. And your moods. One moment you seem fine, and the next you're either crying or snapping at people. So, if it isn't drugs, then what is it?"

"I'm not on drugs, Dad." Teghan glanced toward the door. She wanted out of the room. It was suffocating her, and the stench of old cigar smoke hung in the air.