None Other Than You Read online

  I don't think I ever want to hear him make that noise. Ever. Rolling my eyes I turn my gaze to the empty street.

  Screw civility.

  "Do you have some sort of mental problem?"

  "Now that's not very nice to ask—"

  "I'm serious!" I say, meeting his blue eyes with a full-blown glare. "You throw balls at me in gym purposely, or so it seems, you mock me in the halls, and then all of a sudden you're buying me coffee and bringing me a coat outside my house because you saw me and thought I'd be cold! I don't get it! I don't get you!"

  "Maybe it's because I don't like the way you act."

  "The way I act!?"

  "Yes. You walk around the halls with your one friend like she's all you need. She's got other friends I hope you've realized. You turn down any other friendship that comes your way—"

  "What're you—"

  "Anthony Thompson? Ring any bells? Zidichowski told me he's been trying to be your friend since the first time he saw you freshman year."

  "More like trying to get in my pants."

  "How do you know that?"

  "Because Thompson said it outright himself!" I jump up from the curb, and start pacing. He's trying to get me riled up, I can tell. The jerk.

  "I don't believe you." He says, his voice monotone.

  "Who's saying you have to!? You don't even know me so don't try to judge me."

  "The same goes for you. You've labeled me as an arrogant jerk am I right? Well maybe that's just what I'll be." He stands up and holds out his hand in front of me. I stare at it, wondering what he expects me to do. "Coat." He says in a low, almost threatening voice. Glaring, I notice the smirk wiped clean off his face for the moment. At least I accomplished something here. I whip the coat off and hand it to him, folding my arms to keep them warm.

  Wrapping the jacket around his arm he turns around to walk back to his house. "I'll see you tomorrow night Delaney."

  I muffle a scream with my hands, grabbing a small handful of grass from the ground next to me and hurl it in his direction. It doesn't do anything, but it made me feel better.

  A little.

  * * *

  Panting, I place my hands on my knees as a brace. I catch my breath as the rest of the girls rush the drinking fountain and their water bottles along the mirror. Three different groups gather in little packs of bags around the corners of the dance room as they talk about the routine and what they'll be doing this Saturday night.

  Tonight. The night I have to have dinner with the one boy I can't stand most.

  I walk over to my bag, in between two of the three giggling groups and grab my water bottle and rummaging through my bag for a towel. I don't know what it is about Teigan that bugs me so much, but it just does. Every time I see him something in the pit of my stomach aches, and I can't stand it. Just thinking about him makes me sick, knowing he's probably showing off somewhere or other at the moment.

  Either that or still passed out in his bed at eleven o'clock in the morning.

  "Alright girls! One more time and then we clear out for the day!" In a frenzy of black jazz pants and a variety of colored tank tops and breathable shirts we take our positions. I've been dancing for as long as I can remember, my one escape from everything. When I dance all I think about is the moves, the way the audience will view it, and the words of the song that I'm expressing in action.

  We finish the routine, a minute and a half complete out of three, and the girls rush out, still gossiping about their plans. A few of them wave to me as they pass by my place on the floor, shuffling through my CD's. I glance up when I see Chelsea Acre and two of her other friends pause by me.

  "Duke, a couple of us are going to see a movie at four. Do you wanna come?" Her eyes give her away easily. They simply want to be courteous.

  "I can't today girls. I've got to help my sister move out and set up for this stupid dinner tonight." She sighs but doesn't look too disappointed. It's as I thought.

  "We'll have to catch you some other time then." Waving, the three of them are the last to walk out the door. Mrs. Martzel, my dance teacher since I was four, has already disappeared into the other dance room reserved for the larger classes.

  For the next half hour, this studio is mine to use as I please.

  I pick out a CD with my favorite songs on it, and start dancing. Usually I just get into a flow of movement that carries me with the song.

  Today I've got nothing. There's too much on my mind and I can't concentrate enough. After twenty minutes of attempting to come up with a routine with no such luck, I pick up my cell from my bag and promptly call my mom.

  After three rings she picks up, sounding busy. "Hello?"

  "Hey mom."

  "Oh, Hi Duke." She says cheerily. I hear clatter in the background but can't make anything distinct out.

  "Shouldn't you be on your way to get me? Ryan had to take the car today to soccer remember?"

  "Yes honey and I would be there but I'm prepping for surgery in about two minutes. I've already arranged your ride and trust me I called everyone! But he'll be there in ten minutes Delaney, don't you worry."

  "He? Who's—"

  "I've got to go Duke! Love you!" I stare at the phone in my hands as the dial picks up again.

  If you want to try this number again—

  I close the phone and toss it back in my bag. Pulling on my jacket I walk outside, taking a seat on the steps of Studio 56 and watching for any kind of familiar car. The faint music coming from inside keeps me occupied and tapping my feet until, three minutes later a car pulls up directly in front of me. Glancing around I don't see anyone else sitting outside. The car is completely unknown to me, so I don't move; just stare at the black exterior quizzically.

  "Are you going to get in here or not?" The voice is familiar, and once again the voice I want to hear the least.

  "Teigan?" I glance through the window to see his expectant face, his eyes glancing toward the door clearly telling me to get in. Grabbing my bag I pull open the door and climb up into his car, slamming the door behind me.

  "No need to get violent." He says, pulling out of the parking lot. For the first five minutes we sit in silence, the only sounds coming from the sloshing noise the tires make as they rush across the wet ground. It's rained for the past three days straight, making the town a gloomy sight. I wish it would just snow already.

  Glancing over at Teigan, I see his eyes concentrated on the road. A moment later they flick toward me and we both look away just as quick. I recall last night, and slump in my seat, folding my arms and muttering to myself my misfortunes in life.

  "What was that?" Teigan asks, his eyes set on the road again.

  "I don't understand how you got roped into picking me up." My gaze falls outside the window, stubbornly avoiding any glances he might have. Unexpectedly however, his blue eyes find mine in the window.

  Stupid reflections.

  "You're mom called mine, and my mother is too lazy to pick anyone up from anywhere. So you get stuck with me. You better be glad I'm here too because I was woken up to come here."

  "It's not like I asked you." I reply.

  "True." He says. The drive to my house is still another long twenty minutes, and I sigh, reaching forward to turn on the radio. Teigan glances at me, lifting an eyebrow. "I don't like it being silent." I say, shrugging as I fiddle with the tuner.

  "Who says I'm going to let you pick what we listen to?"

  "So I'm not allowed to touch the radio then?" I ask, sitting back in the chair and leaving the radio on an unclear station, the sound of white noise filling the car. I leave it for a moment and then flick it to a random station before sitting back again. Teigan gives me another lift of his brow in question.

  "What was—"

  "I hate scary movies, and that reminded me of about twelve different ones Ryan and Emma have made me watch." I say quickly. I stare out the window as the rain starts coming down softly again.

  "That's good to know." He says softly.
<
br />   "Why?" I ask, turning towards him. He's probably plotting some way to scare the living crap out of me at some point during the year. Halloween's already gone so that factor is out of the way.

  He shrugs. "Just because." His face is plastered with that arrogant smirk again and I glance down in my lap at the jazz shoes I've been unconsciously tying and untying together for the past few minutes. "So you take dance huh?"

  "Why do you care?" I mutter.

  He ignores the response and asks, "How long have you been taking?"

  I answer, reluctantly, "Since I was four."

  Whistling low, he says, "That's a long time."

  "It sure is."

  "You're probably not any good though are you?"

  I turn to stare at him incredulously, "What?!" Now I honestly think he's just trying to piss me off on purpose.

  He shrugs and looks at me as we stop in front of my house. He smirks, pulling up the parking brake and turning off the car in two, quick motions. Furious with his stupid, arrogant remarks and smirks and stupid little quirks, I open the door, grab my stuff and slam the door shut. I hear another slam directly after mine and look to my side to find Teigan, hands shoved in his pockets, walking calmly beside me, smirk still set on his face.

  "Where do you think you're going?" I demand.

  He looks at me and smiles with his dazzling white teeth and says, "I'm going to practice with Ryan." I stop dead in my tracks.

  "You're what?"

  "Didn't Ryan tell you? He and I are going to try and start a band together." Still staring blankly at him he chuckles and places his hand on my back, pushing me lightly forward toward the door. "Did your brother forget to tell you we've become good friends? Well what do you know, and I thought you two told each other everything." With one last smirk he rings the doorbell and I close my eyes, wishing all of this could be a dream, and that tonight I could be doing anything but having dinner with the Teigan family.

  Anything.

  Chapter Six: Careful What You Wish For

  Remember that saying, 'be careful what you wish for?' It's said repeatedly whenever someone wishes for something, and it shows up in movies all the time. Usually wishing never amounts to anything, but apparently when you don't choose your words correctly and the fates decide to have a little fun with you, they give you the worst possible outcome.

  And that's exactly what just happened to me.

  Now I'm stuck trying to finish doing something 'nice' with my hair as my mother requested so that we can go out to eat at a fancy restaurant because the Teigan family decided twenty minutes ago they couldn't come. The Teigan family minus the one I really can't stand of course. So now it's off to dinner at who knows where, with my mom, Ryan, and Darren Teigan.

  Oh this night is my dream come true!

  Not.

  After three minutes of trying to get my hair up into some kind of decent looking messy bun like I've watched Emma do time and time again I throw down my brush and try not to scream. Glaring at my reflection I fight back the urge to march downstairs and tell my mom I'd like to help Sarah and Brent pack up for their move.

  Which she'd never let happen but hey, it could be worth a try, right?

  Not really.

  Suddenly I see a small ray of shining light as Emma pokes her head into my bathroom door. "Need some help?" She asks, walking in with a smile on her face.

  "My mom asked you to come didn't she?" She nods and I tilt my head toward the ceiling. "Thank you mother, thank you for giving me at least one saving grace tonight." Emma giggles and grabs my fallen brush in the sink.

  "Sit." She commands, and I obey. When Emma sets in to do something you let her do it. "You look pretty." She says while yanking my hair into some elaborate hair-do.

  I laugh, "Thanks." I didn't think I looked all too great. I had on the black dress my mother demands I wear to any special occasion and, to my disgust, heels. Looking at Emma's reflection in the mirror I see her choice of clothing; a dark blue dress similar to mine. (Probably because we were together when my mom bought them for us.) "You look good too. Thanks for helping me out."

  "Hey, no problem. I get to have dinner with Ryan." She says, whispering the last sentence to me. We both laugh and she sets down the brush on the counter. "Ta-da!" Lifting up a mirror behind my head I see the finished product of a quick, stylish and easy up-do Emma is famous for.

  "Thanks Em." I say, standing up and wobbling in my heels. Glaring down at they I say, "I will never get used to these things."

  Emma smiles, "You will someday," and loops her arm through mine as we walk downstairs.

  "Okay Em, just so we're both clear on some sort of plan here," stopping her halfway down the stairs and lock her eyes with mine, "if Teigan tries anything funny—"

  "What is he gunna try Duke?"

  "I don't know!" I say exasperatedly, "Maybe he'll fling soup into my hair or something. Just please, have my back?"

  Smiling, Emma drags me down the stairs saying, "I always do, and trust me, you'll be fine. Don't forget to have my back with Ryan too, okay?"

  "Ah, of course." I say smiling. When will they ever learn that all they need do is just tell the other they like them and voila! Instant 'item of the year' material will develop.

  I just wish that at least one of my two thick skulled and love struck friends would come to realize this.

  Speak of one of the devils, downstairs my mom is fixing Ryan's tie.

  "Incapable of tying a tie oh brother of mine?" He sends me a glare as mom cinches the tie right up around his throat. She's kind of anal, for lack of better word, about being appropriate and dressed exactly right

  Coughing, he turns to me, "Hardy-har-har Duke." He loosens the tie a bit as mom's back is turned and Emma giggles. "Like you could even tie one in the first place."

  "I can and I have before. Yours too if I recall…" Emma laughs again and mom walks up to the three of us, purse and keys in hand.

  "Ready to go all?" She asks.

  "What about Darren?" Emma asks.

  I glare at her. What if mom had forgotten about him? Then we'd have a Teigan free night and all would be right in the world!

  But of course, the world doesn't like to agree with me on such matters.

  Sorry, she mouths to me as mom answers, "He went home to change. He'll be here in a moment right Ryan?"

  Glancing at his watch Ryan nods. My eyes linger on the watch as mom starts talking to Emma about something. That watch used to be Dad's. I don't remember him at all because he was dead before I was even born. I know it was Dad's because mom said that for the month Ryan was born before Dad died, he always played with the watch. Mom kept it after he died and gave it to Ryan just last year.

  Emma suddenly nudges my side and I'm knocked out of my reminiscent trance just as the doorbell rings. "What was that about?"

  I shrug. "You know me. I daydream." She gives me a funny look and turns toward Ryan as Teigan walks into the room. He doesn't look bad. He's wearing black slacks and a black dress shirt with a silver tie with his black hair still looking perfectly mess—

  Wait a minute. Don't I despise him?

  "Duke." He says, smirking as he walks up next to Emma and I.

  "Teigan." I say, glaring straight into his blue eyes.

  I hear my mom huff behind me. "His name is Darren, Delaney Rose." I stand still, embarrassed that she would use my middle name in front of the enemy. Even though she doesn't know he's the enemy. How could she?

  "Darren." I practically growl. He smiles, laughs lightly, and walks back over to Ryan.

  So he thinks it's funny huh? I make to walk after him when I feel Emma's arm loop through mine and pull me back. "Heel Duke."

  "I am not a dog."

  "You're acting like my uncles hunting dogs when they want to go after a bird." I look at her.

  "Seriously?"

  "Seriously." Sighing she pats me on the back and we walk arm in arm to the car. We tend to do that a lot when one of us needs some kind of comfort.
It's kind of like a reassurance that the other is there for the other if they're needed.

  You know what I mean?

  At the car, my mom's white Infinity FX, she tells me to climb in shotgun. Which means Emma will be in the middle next to Ryan.

  If there's one good thing about my mom, it's that she can do some wicked matchmaking.

  As long as she doesn't use it one me, I love her for it.

  She's been more successful than me in the plan to get Ryan and Emma together. She's invited Emma to dinners and family events, even when I wasn't there one time, just to get the two of them closer. She's also made sure that Ryan is home when Emma's over as often as possible.

  And the best part, is that neither of them realize she knows they like each other, or that she's trying to get them together.

  It's brilliant I tell you, brilliant.

  "So where are we going anyway?" Teigan asks as we pull out of the driveway. He's in the seat right behind me and I can feel his knees through the seat digging into my back.

  "Le Restaurant De Fantaisie." Mom responds with a mock French accent. I stifle a laugh as she says, "It's a new Restaurant in town and I was hoping to try it soon. It's a good thing I called ahead a few minutes ago too, they're booked pretty full!"

  Don't think I'm a bad person after I say this, but my mom, you know the big hot-shot doctor, has a kind of dumb blonde side a lot of the time. Yes she's smart but honestly, why would you go to a restaurant with a name that simply means 'The Fancy Restaurant'?

  "Sounds like it will be a very fancy place Mrs. Knight." Teigan responds coolly in the back. I cough in another attempt to hide my laugh and mom looks over at me worriedly.

  "Are you okay Duke?" I nod, covering my smile by turning toward the window where I can see Teigan's smirk in the mirror. I shake my head and he smiles wider.

  He has dimples, I notice. Cute.

  No! Not cute. I turn my head forward on the road and listen off handedly as Emma and Ryan start up a conversation about the dance committee.

  "You're on that too?" Teigan asks, looking past Emma to Ryan.

  "You are?" Teigan nods, his black hair bobbing forward and back as Ryan laughs. "That I did not expect."