Page 31 of Sweet Dreams
The bell over the door dings, and Mr. Li’s head snaps in our direction. A small smile spreads across his lips when he sees Silas’ arm still draped around my shoulder.
“Miss Teagan, how are you?”
“Been better, Mr. Li, been better. How are you and Min?”
He rolls his eyes and waves me off. “Don’t worry about us. We good. Business good.”
“Do not speak for me.” Min pokes her head out of the kitchen, causing Silas to chuckle and say something under his breath, but I couldn't quite make out what it was. “Teagan, I’ll get your order. And for the gentleman?”
“Oh, we're together.” I watch her eyes go wide.
“A meal for two? Oh, it’s a celebration.” She claps her hands and moves back into the kitchen.
“Is she always like this?” Silas asks.
“No,” Mr. Li answers. “Teagan has always gotten meals for one, always alone.”
Silas looks at me, but I try to ignore the look. I've seen that pitying look before, which says,I feel sorry for you because you can never find anyone to do things with.I've had that look directed at me one too many times. I don't want to see it coming from the one person that I genuinelycare about.
Being in Teagan’s house as a guest feels different. When I walk past her bedroom, the night in there flashes in my mind. That’s twice now. I’ve had my hands on her as the mask but never as myself. Although I’m sure she thinks the first time was a dream, I’ll let her believe that—she needs to fix the lock on her bedroom window.
“Here, I’ll take that. If you want to grab plates.” Teagan points to a cupboard next to the sink.
I hand her the bag of food and watch her while she takes each container out and sets them on the island. She hasn’t said much since Mr. Li’s comment, andher mood shifted. I grab the plates, setting one in front of her.
“You doing okay? You had an eventful day. Did you wanna talk about it?”
I watch as she sits across from me, absentmindedly moving her plate. “Not overly. Can we eat, please?”
I know when to talk and when not to. But this isn’t Teagan. I feel like she’s keeping something from me, and it’s bothering me not being able to figure out how to support her. I want to share my past with her, but I’m worried it might cause problems between us.
“My parents weren’t there for me when I needed them. They only looked out for themselves; I was just their meal ticket to get what they wanted. I moved out when I was sixteen, and I’ve been alone since then. I’ve done some shady shit to get where I am now, Teagan. I’m not proud of it. Don’t get me wrong, taking care of yourself is important. But being vulnerable and sharing your feelings can be tough, too.” I reach out for her hand. “So many people have screwed me around; I have a hard time trusting others. I don’t intentionally mean to block you out; it happens naturally. My walls are built so strong I can’t even get overthem.”
“Silas, I just want to know you more. You can’t blame me for wanting to dig into that brain of yours, and I’m sorry for being nosey. I’m trying to respect your boundaries and not ask that many questions, but you are a mystery.”
“I answered a few questions.”
“You avoid is what you do. It’s not your fault.”
I let go of her hand and reach for the food, avoiding her. “I don’t mean to; it’s how I was raised.”
She grabs my hand, stopping me. “Silas, I want you to know I would never underestimate you for being honest about your feelings. Your feelings are important to me.”
I stare into her dark green eyes, only now noticing how they shift colours depending on the lighting. “Teagan, when you discover who I am, you’ll want me out of your life.”
“That isn’t true. You don’t know until you at least try. Why don’t you trust me?”
As the person who low-key follows your every move, I fear that confessing my creeping ways will totally derail our vibe. Yeah, that’ll definitely go smoothly. I might as well just tell her I’m a car thief for all the luck I’ll have.
“Try me.”
“Teagan, you’re pushing.” I feel myself getting annoyed.
“Good.Maybe a little push is what you need to get out of that shell.”
I slide out of her hold and position myself behind her. Gently pushing her hair aside, I lean close to her ear and speak softly. “I don’t think you want to push me. You might not like what happens.”
“I might like it,”she whispers, without looking back.