by Jenna Lehne
“We tried!” Teddy shouts through the glass. “It’s locked, too.”
Henry runs to the front door and from the sounds of his fist meeting wood a couple times, it’s locked as well.
“What is going on?” I ask. A tree branch crashes into the side of the house, narrowly missing Teddy and Peyton. I look around and grab a meat tenderizer out of Mom’s unnecessarily large container of kitchen utensils. I hold it above my head and aim for the sliding glass door. “Mom’s going to kill me.”
Before I can bring it down on the glass, Teddy finally gets the door to slide open. Teddy and Peyton spill into the kitchen, soaking wet and a little bloody, but all in one piece.
“Are you okay?’ I grab Peyton’s hand and pull her into the kitchen.
“Yeah, I just slipped on those stupid stairs,” she says. “We didn’t even get all the way down them before the wind picked up. It knocked me right on my ass and I fell into a freaking bush.”
“Is it always this nuts out here?” Teddy dries his head on a tea towel. “That storm came out of no where.”
“Peyton?” Henry runs into the kitchen, shrugging off the coat as he goes. “Are you alright? I saw another first aid kit downstairs. Do you want me to fix you up?”
Peyton looks between Teddy and Henry before she slowly smiles. “That’d be great, babe.”
Henry scoops Peyton up and carries her toward the stairs.
A rock forms in my stomach when Teddy’s cheeks turn pink. I will it to dissolve. Teddy can do whoever and whatever he wants.
“Night, guys.” Peyton waves at us over Henry’s shoulder before snuggling into his neck.
“Do you want to go to bed?” Teddy swallows half his beer in a few mouthfuls. “I honestly wouldn’t mind. It’s been a weird night.”
“Sure, I’ll meet you in there.” I double-check that we blew out all the candles and wander back toward the patio door. I lock it and give it a tug. The door slides easily off the locking hitch and glides open. That door has always had a shitty lock. A crawling sensation overtakes my body and I scurry into the room before Teddy has the chance to switch the lights off.
CHAPTER NINE
I wake up before anyone else does and start the obligatory post-séance cleanup. No one in the house makes a peep until I’ve redistributed the emergency candles and scraped the wax off the floor.
“Morning.” Henry shuffles into the kitchen and fumbles around the drying dishes for a clean glass.
“Morning,” I say. “Headache or a hangover?”
“Both.” Henry guzzles back a glass of water and swallows a few Tylenol. “I was tanked last night. I’m sorry I brought up Sam.”
I flinch involuntarily. “It’s okay. I don’t want him to be this taboo subject forever.” I yank the fridge door open and grab the ingredients for omelets.
“What’s a taboo subject?” Teddy saunters into the kitchen, barefoot and shirtless, and yawns.
“Nothing,” I say. “Can you start the coffee?”
“Good morning to you, too, sunshine,” Teddy says.
“How’d you sleep?” he asks Teddy.
“Good,” Teddy says. “It’s hard to have a bad sleep when you’re wrapped around someone as snuggly as Daisy Grace.”
I roll my eyes so hard they almost disappear into my skull. “What happens in the bedroom stays in the bedroom.” I woke up early and let Teddy spoon me, but he doesn’t need to broadcast it like he scored a homerun or something.
“I’m going to go see if Peyton’s up.” Henry shoulders past me and stomps down the basement stairs.
I set the carton of eggs down a little harder than necessary. “Why do you act like that around him?”
Teddy flicks the coffee maker on and stretches. “Because he likes you even though he’s with Peyton.”
I burst out laughing. “Is that what you think? Henry doesn’t like me like that. Trust me.”
“Then why is he such a bitch every time I get close to you?” Teddy asks.
I don’t want to talk about this, but I owe Teddy an explanation. Especially if he thinks Henry likes me.
“I used to go out with Henry’s best friend, Sam,” I say.
“Ah,” Teddy says knowingly. “Now Henry’s following the bro code? Keeping dudes away from you to keep his friend happy?”
“Let’s go with that,” I say.
Teddy is silent for a few seconds before he asks, “How do you feel about that?”
“I haven’t really noticed until you brought it up. No guys at school bothered hitting on me after Sam.” I crack eggs into a bowl and dump in some salt and pepper. “It’s never been an issue until now.”
“Until now because you have a guy trying to woo you all the time?” Teddy gives me an adorable smile.
“No one says woo anymore,” I say.
“Then what am I doing?” Teddy rests his scratchy chin on my shoulder.
“I don’t,” I sigh. “Trying to pass the time with the only single girl here?”
“What?” Teddy takes the whisk out of my hand and chucks it in the sink. He spins me around and sandwiches me between his bare chest and the counter before I have the chance to blink. “You think I’m only acting like this because I’m bored? You don’t think I like you?”
I look away from his charmingly ruffled bed head and stare at the dusting of hair on his chest. “I don’t know what to think.”
Teddy grins. “Then maybe I’m playing a little too hard to get. Usually girls only let me get away with it for a few hours before they’re pouncing on me. You’ve made it two whole nights without trying anything.”
I can’t move sideways, so I pull myself up onto the countertop. “I don’t chase guys, Teddy.”
“Fair enough. Is it totally inappropriate to ask if you’re still, I don’t know, pining Sam?” He asks.
“No. He didn’t break up with me, Teddy,” I say.
“So you broke up with him?” Fire dances in Teddy’s eyes and an annoying half smile takes over his face. He runs his hands over my bare legs and squeezes my thighs. “You’re so busy focusing on who you let get away that you’re missing on whose standing right in front of you.”
“Sam’s dead,” I say flatly.
Teddy’s hands fall to his side. His smile turns into a frown. “Fuck. I’m so sorry.”
Don’t let him pity you.
I force out a happier tone. “Did you ever think maybe I’m just not interested?”
Teddy gives me a grateful smile, happy to be off the hook, before he leans in, closer and closer, until I can smell the lingering traces of spearmint mouthwash. He moves even further in, until his lips brush against mine when he whispers, “I highly doubt that.”
Thoughts of Sam keep me pretty much blind to other guys, but I can’t ignore Teddy. I can’t ignore the way he makes me feel. And why should I? It’s not like Sam is coming back. The thought makes my heart ache, but it’s true. I’m done sitting around waiting for something that’s never going to happen. I take a deep breath and look Teddy in the eye. He’s still grinning. I lick my lips and lean the tiniest bit forward.
“Good morning, lovers,” Hayley sings.
“Morning, Hayls.” I push Teddy back gently. “Want some breakfast?”
An hour later we’re all stretched out on the dock and covered from head to toe in sunscreen. The air smells like pine-tinged SPF. The sun beats down in merciless waves, heating the shallow parts of the lake up to near bathtub temperatures. Even though it’s warm, it remains clear enough that I can see the weeds threatening to snag my toes.
“I want to live here,” Peyton groans as she flips onto her stomach. Today’s bikini is scraps of pink crocheted material that hide only the most scandalous inches of her body. It makes my simple red bikini look like a freaking one piece.
“Enjoy it while you can,” I say. “None of your parents will let you come here again. Speaking of parents, my mom and dad are probably on their way up the mountain now.”
“When we’re do
ne being grounded, you can just lie for us again.” Oliver grabs a beer out of the cooler and presses it against his forehead. “Anyone else going to jump in? I’m melting.”
“Yes, please,” Peyton says. “My make-up is actually dripping off my face. It’s disgusting.”
I shake my head. Only Pey would wear make-up when it’s just us, especially since she’s using Mom’s back-up stuff, which is the complete wrong color. I spare her my snarky comment and dive into the water. One by one, everyone jumps in until Hayley is the only dry one left.
“Are you coming in?” I splash her legs.
“No way,” she says. “In case none of you have noticed, I’m afraid of the water.”
“No you’re not,” I laugh. “What about all those times we hung out around my pool at home?”
“Yeah, we hung out around the pool. Not in it.” Hayley swings her legs over the edge of the dock and dunks her toes in the lake. “I’m not afraid that something’s going to eat me or anything. I’m scared of drowning or getting lost like those divers on that shark movie.”
“Don’t let Korku hear you talking like that,” Teddy says. “You never know what the so-called demon of fear will do with that little bit of info.”
“Thanks for reminding us.” I splash Teddy. “I never want to use one of those Ouija boards again. That scared the crap out of me.”
“Yeah, we could’ve done without the theatrics, dude.” Henry punches his friend in the shoulder.
“I wish it was an act,” Teddy says. “But it wasn’t. Something weird happened last night, whether you believe me or not.”
“He’s telling the truth.” Oliver sits up from his sunny catnap. “Hayls wouldn’t have been so drained if we didn’t connect to someone. Or something.”
“You’re not honestly saying we talked to the demon of fear, are you?” Peyton asks.
Hayley shrugs. “Maybe not the demon of fear, exactly, but we were definitely communicating with a spirit.”
“Ugh, that’s so freaky,” I say.
“You’re not really afraid of demons or whatever, are you?” Teddy pokes me in the side. “I mean, I know something happened last night, but there are a million other things it could’ve been.”
“I’m not not afraid of them, but they are scary,” I say. “What are you afraid of?”
Henry uses the opportunity to insert himself between Teddy and I. “I’m afraid of going blind. My grandmother had a rare form of eye cancer when I was a kid. She lost both of her eyes and had to wear glass prosthetics. My parents and I stayed with her one summer and I remember walking into her room before she put them in. She stared at me with her fleshy pits and I lost it. I ran out of the room, crying like a baby. Since then, the idea of losing my eyes has freaked me out. So I guess you could say that’s what I’m afraid of. That and those weird porcelain dolls old people collect. What about you guys?”
“Bees and fire.” Peyton jumps into the water beside Teddy. “When I was a kid, there was a huge bees nest in our backyard. My dad and I built a huge bonfire to smoke it out. The nest caught on fire instead. The bees lost it and started stinging us. I couldn’t see because of the smoke and I ran right into the fire pit. So I was covered in bee stings, and burnt on top of it. It wasn’t a good day. What about you, Olly?”
“I’m afraid of heights,” he says. “Not like airplanes or tall buildings, just heights I can fall from. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m afraid of falling to my death. And birds. I freaking hate birds.”
“What else freaks you out, Murphy?” Hayley asks from her dry little perch.
“After last night? Ouija boards,” I say. “And dying alone.”
Teddy slides his arm around me. “I won’t let that happen.”
I roll my eyes but I can’t help but smile too. “That’s comforting. Thanks, Teddy. Now what freaks you out?”
Teddy clears his throat. “I’m not sure if this scares me or just worries me. I guess I have a super hero complex—I’m worried that when something bad happens, I won’t be able to protect the people I love. And bears. Yogi Bear gave me nightmares. I don’t know why everyone thought he was so cute.”
Oliver does his best Yogi Bear impersonation and Peyton and Hayley burst out laughing. Teddy and Henry start to wrestle and swear at each other. The sun gets even hotter and somehow my drink gets colder. Everything just seems so right. If anyone else were at the lake, they never would’ve guessed how close to death we all came.
CHAPTER TEN
We stumble up the stone stairs a few hours later, sun drunk.
“Dibs not making dinner,” I yawn as I walk into the kitchen.
“Ditto.” Peyton stretches. “I say it’s the boys turn. The girls can clean up.”
“Fine with me,” Oliver says. “I hope you guys like macaroni and hot dogs.”
Hayley wrinkles her nose. “You can do better than that.”
“Not without a little inspiration.” Oliver flops down at the table and pulls out his ever-present weed kit. He busts up some pungent grass and twists himself a joint. “Anyone want a hit?”
“No thanks,” I say. “And smoke that outside. My parents will kill me if you skunk the cabin up.”
Teddy unloads the cooler into the fridge. “I’ll have a puff or two with you.”
“Not me,” Peyton says. “I’m going to take a nap.”
“Me too,” Hayley says.
“Me three.” I bump Teddy with my hip. “Have dinner waiting when we wake up.”
“Of course, your highness.” Teddy snaps my ass with a tea towel.
I flip him off over my shoulder and lock the bedroom door behind me.
I wake up to a high-pitched, unmanly yelp followed by thundering footsteps. I jump out of bed, dizzy and dry-mouthed, and stumble to the door. I open it and follow labored breaths into the living room. Teddy stands in the middle of the living room with an old-school Yogi Bear dangling from his hand. Half of its matted fur is missing and its outfit is filthy.
“Not cool, Murph.” He flings the bear onto the couch.
I rub my eyes. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
“This is your house. Who else would know where to find a creepy ass bear?”
“You found that in here?” I take a step closer and look at it. “Where?”
“On my bed,” Teddy says. “I went up to lie down upstairs since you locked me out. It was sitting there on the pillows.”
“I’ve never seen that thing before,” I say. “Seriously.”
“Henry.” Teddy spits his name out like a curse. “I’m going to pound that fucker.”
I laugh and run my hands over Teddy’s crossed arms. “Are you okay?”
“Not really. I was pretty freaked out,” Teddy says.
“Anything I can do to help?”
Teddy pulls me closer to him. “I can think of a few things.”
I look up at him. His eyes make me forget why I haven’t given into the urge to kiss him yet. “Like what?”
“How about I show you?” Teddy leans down slowly, until his mouth is hovering above mine. His nose brushes against mine but he doesn’t kiss me.
Ah, what the hell. I stand up on my tiptoes and press my lips against Teddy’s. While I may have forgotten what it felt like to be kissed, my lips haven’t forgotten what to do. It feels nice… better than nice. It’s good. When Teddy traces my lips with his tongue, it skyrockets to great. Teddy sinks his fingers into my hips and squeezes, hard. Chills erupt over my skin. Our tongues collide and I involuntarily moan against his mouth. Then, of course, he pulls back.
“I’m going to go nap now.” He runs his thumb along my lower lip. “I’ll see ya in an hour or two.” He saunters into my room and closes the door behind him.
Teddy hassles Henry all throughout dinner about the bear, but Henry swears he didn’t put it on the bed. No one else fesses up either.
“Then how did it get there?” Teddy sits on the couch next to me. His fingertips brush the back o
f my neck.
“Maybe it was Korku.” Henry stares at Teddy’s hand and rolls his eyes. He twists the cap off a bottle of tequila and passes it to Hayley.
“We could always ask him.” Hayley takes a swallow.
“Too late.” I grab the bottle. “I burned the board.”
Hayley’s mouth drops open. “Seriously? What if we need to communicate with him again?”
I swallow a mouthful of gold-colored gasoline. “Then we can do a séance and you can let him possess you.”
Oliver plops down next to Hayley. “No way, man. I like my girl to stay, you know, a girl.”
“Rather than a demon?” Henry takes the bottle out of my hand. “I don’t blame you.”
“So what are we doing tonight?” Teddy asks.
“I have an idea,” Peyton says. “Let’s get wasted. Again.”
I roll my eyes. Henry sighs.
“Hear me out,” Pey says. “Murphy’s parents could show up at any minute. They will know we all lied about where we were going this weekend. And we totaled the van. That’s going to be worth at least a solid month of grounding.”
“Try year.” Henry’s face pales considerably.
“Exactly.” Peyton snatches the bottle and holds it up in the air. “So, in celebration of our second last night of freedom, I dedicate tonight to the Romans.”
Smiles slowly spread over everyone’s face, except for Teddy’s.
“What’s she talking about?” Teddy asks.
Peyton takes an excessively long chug of tequila. “It’s toga time, bitches!”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Pass me a safety pin.” I twist the corner of a hot pink sheet and tuck it near Peyton’s hip. Hayley passes me a pin and I secure the sheet, finishing off Peyton’s toga.
“I love it.” Peyton twirls around. The toga is made out of a spare twin sheet. The bottom wraps around her waist, only covering the tops of her thighs. The top covers her boobs, halter-top style.
Hayley chose the linen queen size sheet and made herself a more traditional over-the shoulder toga. I took an old navy blue sheet and cut it down the middle halfway. I crisscrossed the torn fabric over my boobs and tied it around my neck. Now that we’re all ready, it’s time to party.
