by Samolu Pearl
I begin heading towards the bathroom down the hall from the kitchen when Teigan's hand catches my arm.
"Delaney, please listen to me."
I turn to face him and begin yelling at him in a harsh whisper. "Teigan you can't go spending money on a present for me when I just barely got used to the idea of possibly dating you last night. I still don't know you that well and I know that we're going to try to get to know each other better but I'm still not that trusting of a person towards anyone and accepting this gift from you, to me, means that I would be trusting you which is definitely not something that I think I can do right now!" I take a deep breath from my rant.
"You can trust me, Delaney-"
"Yeah, like I haven't heard that before from guys trying to hit on me."
"I don't just want to hit on you, Delaney Rose." Teigan says fiercely though his voice is hushed. "I know we were childhood playmates, but when I saw you at school I had no idea you were that silly little girl I had my first crush on, but I knew I was attracted to you. I don't just want to go on one or two dates and blow you off, Delaney." Teigan's blue eyes are fierce and intense. "I'm not a one-night-stand kind of guy. If we're going to date I want a relationship with you." He reaches his hand up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear. His hand gently, barely touching my skin, brushes from my ear, down my jaw line, and back. My eyes flutter at the sensational feeling and my heart races to speeds unknown.
"Who knows, with the way you make me feel, we could be even more." I lift my eyes to meet Teigan's and I stare at him with the same intensity he keeps showing me.
After all these years of watching my family drowning in failed relationships and broken hearts, I'm starting to see the appeal of trying, and trying again even when it seemed as though they wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball and forget they ever fell in love.
But how do you forget a feeling like this?
My heart speeds up every time I'm around him and I can hardly think straight when he's close. He makes my stomach churn in knots. I can't stop thinking about him, even when he's nowhere close to me. Everything seems to remind me of him and even though he seemed awful at first-it was because I wanted to believe he was awful. I wanted to stay away from love.
Now that I've had a taste of the beginning, I want more. I want to know how it feels to give someone your heart.
To have their heart in return.
"Darren." I whisper softly, our eyes still connected in an intimate, intangible embrace. His eyes widen.
"That's the first time you've ever called me by my name." He whispers softly in surprise.
I smile softly, keeping our gaze locked. "Darren." I whisper again.
"Ahem." Both Teigan and I jump at the sound of someone clearing their throat. We turn to face the intruder to find Jessica leaning against the fridge in between Dan and Sean, a smug look on all three of their faces.
"H-how… How long have you…" Teigan stutters.
"Just a second, but long enough to notice something you dorks didn't." Jessica says. Her arms are folded but she nods her head towards something above us. Teigan and I look up at the same time to see the plant dangling from the ceiling above us.
"Mistletoe." Teigan whispers, staring at the green leaves and red berries that hold so much meaning for couples at Christmas.
"You know the rules little bro." Jessica says.
"Ugh." Dan says.
Sean shudders. "I don't wanna see him kiss my little sister."
"But you're going to let him?" I ask, my eyebrow raised at my normally abnormally protective brothers.
They look at each other, shrug, and nod. "Yeah." They say before exiting the kitchen.
"Well?" Jessica says. "I'll leave you to it, but there better by some kissing going on in this hallway in about three seconds." I think I catch a subtle wink to Teigan before Jessica walks out of the kitchen behind my brothers.
"Teigan-
"Delaney," My eyes immediately lock with Teigan's and my heart speeds up for the millionth time today.
Teigan's hand wraps around my waist and pulls me close to him as his other hand clasps the base of my head gently, swiftly pinning me to him. In less than a moment later his lips have found mine, his hand on the back of my neck guiding my movements gently as his mouth moves delicately across mine. I take in his delicious scent and breath deeply through my nose. As my chest fills with his smell, it brings me closer to him, and his hand around my waist pulls me even closer to his body. My hands slide between our bodies to wrap around his neck. I clutch at the back of his head and run one hand through his tantalizing silken hair.
In the back of my mind I recall that I have never been kissed like this-that I have never been kissed, and that I shouldn't know what to do at all. Yet my hands seem to move on their own, memorizing every detail of Darren Teigan's physical delicacies both with my hands and with my mouth.
My lips part as his passion increases and his tongue darts between my lips and then further into my mouth. I melt wholly into his arms as I register his taste; a mixture of my two favorite things, cinnamon and honey. I pull him as close to me as I can and allow my tongue to wander into the confines of his mouth. Our tongues dance around each other as our bodies seem to dissolve together into one creature consumed with passion.
We break apart after a long moment, out of breath and both of us astonished at our actions.
"I've never kissed anyone like that." Teigan remarks after his breath has slightly returned to normal.
"I've never kissed anyone." I say, my eyes open wide in shock at my own reaction to Darren Teigan himself.
"Really?" He says, a hint of his arrogance dripping into his voice. "And would you like to indulge again?"
My eyes look up to meet his, merely centimeters away. I recall the absolute bliss I was in only moments ago. "Absolutely, Darren." And his mouth once more covers mine earnestly and completely as we dissolve into a tantalizing embrace.
Chapter Seventeen: Whenever You Need Me
"We should probably go back…" Darren Teigan says, slowly moving his face away from mine: his voice softer than a whisper.
My eyes capture his and I smirk. "Probably," I say before capturing his lips with mine once again. I can feel his grin as he kisses me again and I close my eyes. I never thought a kiss could make me feel so wonderful.
"Well," a new voice says at the end of the hall. Teigan and I snap apart, looking at Eleni's disapproving form. "This just proves my point from earlier. Our family is full of whores."
I can feel Teigan tense as his arms are still wrapped around me. "What are you--?" Teigan starts.
"Don't worry about her Teigan." I say grabbing his hand and intending to lead him away from the inevitable ensuing argument. "Let's go back—"
"You really don't want a girl from this family as your girlfriend." Eleni says bitterly, blocking our exit.
"Who says I care about any of that?" Teigan says boldly.
"Do you even realize that Delaney is a bastard child?"
"Eleni!" I shout incredulously.
"Yeah. Delaney told me herself, and you know what? I don't give a damn. She's an amazing girl that I care a lot about. I don't care who her parents are. I care who she is. You obviously don't know her if you honestly think she could possibly be described as a 'whore'." Teigan spouts. The anger in his words is evident.
I can't help but stare at Teigan. My entire life, everyone in my family-all of my friends-they have always felt awkward about my situation with my parents. For him to say he doesn't care… at all…
"You know what? This doesn't have anything to do with you. She'll just dump you soon anyway—"
"You really should get to know your sister. She isn't like that."
"Teigan." I say, still looking at him.
"See." Eleni snarls. "She's telling you you're wrong."
I turn my eyes to Eleni in a glare. "I was going to tell him to let me fight my own battle. You have no right to judge me, Eleni. I have my own life and
it's a good one. I put everything I have into everything I do and when I need help, I ask for it. I have never been in a relationship in my life—nor have I been kissed before today so you have no right, no right whatsoever, to call me a whore."
Eleni and I stare each other down, Teigan merely a presence I can feel at my side.
"Your blood is still tainted with that asshole's—"
"You don't think I think about that everyday? I know that I'm not Patrick's daughter and for that I am constantly jealous of you—but the way you treat your family members, your own flesh and blood, you would be a disgrace to him."
"How dare you—" Eleni makes a move to hit me, but Teigan steps in between the two of us and she hesitates. "Move."
"Back off, Eleni."
"I said, Move."
"And I said back off."
"Eleni," I plead, "please just let it go and we can bitch each other out tomorrow. I want to work this out between us, but I don't want to upset mom or anyone on Christmas—not when she's so happy with Allen."
"Fine." She snaps. Turning back down the hall. She stops and turns back to us once more. "Just know, that Patrick would be disappointed in your choice of career. He never thought the arts were worth any time. Your dancing is a waste if you want to impress mom or Patrick's memory." With that she turns, smirking, back into the living room.
I stare after her blankly.
It takes a minute for the words to sink in, but when they do, I know Eleni just delivered the lowest blow possibly.
I have put my everything into dance, to going to college-for dance. Everything-for dance. And I did it all in hopes that I would do something amazing, utterly my own, that mom would be proud of-that Patrick would have been proud of.
According to Eleni, none of that mattered.
And how was I to know she was wrong?
A tear rolls down my cheek but I hardly notice it. "Delaney?" I hear Teigan say faintly. I'm sure he must be right in front of me but I feel miles away.
Mom can hardly ever make it to my dance performances with her busy schedule at work. Sure she gives me the money for dance lessons, but now that I look back at it, mom never really seemed enthusiastic about my choice for a hobby.
She keeps trying to steer me towards different colleges too. She wants me to go into something more useful.
She really isn't proud of me. She doesn't care…
"Delaney." Teigan's voice snaps me back into the present. I look up at his face, full of concern—and bolt.
"I-I have to go." I mutter before turning and running through the living room, past my bewildered family and friends, through the front door into the cold; my feet carrying me to my house as fast as they possibly can.
I slam into the front door before opening it and throwing myself up the stairs and onto my bed.
Less than a minute later I hear footsteps thudding up the stairs. "Delaney." Teigan says, out of breath. "Please, talk to me." He takes a seat beside my shaking form on the bed and rubs his hand against my back. The rhythmic movements calm me down after a while until my tears dry on my cheeks.
"Wasn't worth it." I whisper.
"What?" Teigan asks as I sit up. His arm wraps around me comfortingly.
"None of it was worth it. All those years in dance class, all that hard work—" I trail off as I look at the various parts of my room so obviously linked to dance. Old shoes hanging on the wall, my headshots, a picture of my first solo—
"Don't say that." Teigan says adamantly. "Trust me. Your dancing does matter. You didn't see how proud your mom was at that recital, or your brothers and your sister."
"But—"
"No buts, Ace. You have a talent, you use it, and your family is proud of you. Even if it doesn't seem like your mom is all the time."
I look at him in awe. "How did you…?"
"Your brothers were talking to me earlier. They said your mom isn't very good at expressing her feelings. Especially with you."
"Because I'm just another mistake—"
"No. Because you have a talent that she admires and she isn't sure how to tell you. I think you and your mom just need to sit down and sort everything out."
Still staring at him, I feel a fresh set of tears dawn on my face. I bury my head in my knees as Teigan, confused and horrified that he made me cry, tries to console me.
"I'm sorry, what did I say!? Duke, please, what did I do wrong."
"Nothing." I say after a moments, smiling through my tears. "You didn't do anything wrong." I turn and throw my arms around his neck, burying my face in his neck. I laugh and mutter into his warm skin. "This is definitely a new side of me."
Teigan laughs lightly and holds me close. I can tell he is still confused. I pull away, reluctantly, and wipe the tears from my cheeks. I'm not usually one to cry, so a red tinge of embarrassment rises to my cheeks.
"Look," I start, "when it comes to Eleni, we've always fought. She knows just how to hit my sore spots and sometimes, even though I know some of what she says isn't true, she still has this way of getting into my head." I look up into his eyes and give a weak smile. "I'm sorry I freaked out—"
"Don't be."
"But thank you for being here." Teigan's face lights up with his amazing smile and I can't help but grin wider.
"I'll be here whenever you need me." I nod and rest my head on his chest again and sigh.
"You know, she's probably just jealous that I was kissing you."
"I can't imagine why she wouldn't."
I smirk and give his shoulder a little shove. He chuckles. "She's never been able to hold down a relationship for long. She's too confrontational. She gets picky over the smallest things."
"So she's jealous you found someone?" Teigan asks slowly.
I nod. "Pretty much. I think, anyway."
"Well then, let her be jealous. I think you're amazing, if that counts for anything."
"It does, Teigan." I say honestly.
"What happened to 'Darren'?" I stifle a giggle.
"That will take some getting used to. Darren." He smiles brightly at his name and my blush deepens. "But really, what you said to Eleni, about not caring about my dad… it really does mean a lot."
"I realized that after what you said. I honestly don't care, Delaney. Just so long as you're giving me a chance."
I smile. "So far it doesn't seem too bad." I mutter.
"Doesn't seem too bad, eh?" Teigan says. I look up to see his smirk seconds before he leans in, his lips connecting with mine in a kiss that sends chills down my spine.
The kiss is gentle and short and I find I want more once he pulls away. "How is that for not to bad?" I answer by leaning forward and kissing him again. Honestly, who knew I would like kissing none other than Darren Teigan so much? Teigan places his hand behind my head, gently pulling my closer as his arm wraps around my waist, practically pulling me into his lap. I can feel my blush in my cheeks but I don't stop kissing him. His inviting smell won't let me let him go.
A thud downstairs jolts the two of us apart.
"Seems like we keep getting interrupted today don't we?" Teigan asks, a bit out of breath. I nod, running a hand through my hair as the realization dawns on me.
"We didn't lock the door." I breathe.
Teigan glances at me, looks around the room, and finds an umbrella. He looks at me and whispers, "just in case," before edging down the stairs. I follow right after him even though he shoos me back with his hand.
We hear footsteps in the living room when the thought strikes me that this is incredibly stupid. What if it's just someone from my family coming after us? I put my hand on Teigan's shoulder to tell him so when we hear a curse from the intruder-one that I definitely don't recognize.
Teigan shrugs off my hand and steps out into the living room with me creeping behind him. He lifts up the umbrella like a baseball bat as we advance on someone-definitely not anyone from my family. Teigan's foot steps on a squeaky part of the floor startling the intruder. He turns around and I gasp-i
t's one of the boys I met at the Milovich party last night.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I ask in wonder while Teigan growls out the same words in anger.
"You know him, Duke?" Teigan asks. I can tell he isn't happy.
"We met last night at Tyler—"
"I didn't ask you." Teigan growls, glaring at the intruder. He holds his hands up and motions for me to speak. Teigan's eyes remain trained on him while I respond.
"I met him last night at the Milovich's. Kevin?" The boy nods. "Remember, he walked in while we were talking in the room?"
"Is that what you were doing?"
"Shut up. I want to know why you're here." Teigan says, his voice getting deeper and his anger is climbing.
Kevin shrugs. "Just wanted to get to know my half-sisters." My eyes bulge.
"Wha--?"
"Kevin Mason. Ring any bells?"
"Oh my God." I breathe, a hand flying to cover my mouth.
I can hear Teigan swallow. "Come again?"
"My half-sister." Kevin says slowly, as if we didn't understand him. I take in his hair that looks like mine-same color, same texture-his eyes, and several of the contours of his face. "Delaney Rose Knight is my half-sister."
"Get out." I whisper.
"What was that, Sis?"
"She said, get out." Teigan growls.
"I want to hear it from her." Kevin says calmly, looking directly at me. I raise my gaze to meet his, my eyes blazing.
"I said, get. Out." My voice is clear, loud, and filled with hate.
"Can I have a hug first?" He says, a smirk playing on his face. His smirk is arrogant, but nothing like Teigan's caring, knowing smirk. Kevin's smile is filled with hatred and mocking scorn.
"Get the hell away from her." Teigan says as Kevin nears me, pushing his chest so that he will back off.
Kevin looks at Teigan, his smirk growing wider. "You shouldn't have done that." Kevin throws a punch at Teigan but before it can hit, Teigan catches the fist in his hand. He brings it down and plants his other fist in Kevin's eye with a loud thwak.
I gasp and Kevin's hands go up to his eye as he hisses in pain. "What the hell, man?"