Tear Down These Walls

by Sarah Kay Carter

  “No,” Teagan whispers, pulling away from him, but Isaac holds onto her.

  “Teagan, I need to say something,” he replies. He pulls her close, and Teagan looks up at him. She can’t think straight. He looks at her and bends his head down.

  “No,” Teagan barely gasps, but her voice is smothered by the loud music.

  Isaac doesn’t stop, and his lips are quickly on hers. Teagan starts to freak out. Fear boils to the surface, but her head is too cloudy to think straight. She starts to push against Isaac. He stops kissing her and says, “What’s wrong?”

  “Don’t,” Teagan whimpers. “Let go of me.”

  He doesn’t release her but says, “Teagan, what’s wrong?”

  Teagan starts to panic, and she can’t breathe. Suddenly, she is pulled away from Isaac. “What in the hell did I say to you!?” Trent snaps at Isaac.

  Turning to Trent, Teagan grabs him. “I can’t…I can’t,” she cries.

  “Damn it,” Trent growls. “Come on.” He grabs Teagan’s hand.

  She doesn’t move. “I can’t, I can’t breathe.” Instantly, she is up in Trent’s arms. Teagan lays her head against him as he carries her through the bar.

  When they get outside, Trent takes her around a corner. Finally, he stops and says, “Can you stand?” Not replying, Teagan stays pressed up against him. “Teagan baby, can you stand?” She jerkily nods her head. Ever so slowly, Trent sets her on her feet. “Are you okay?” He runs his hand down her back.

  “He was touching me,” Teagan stutters. “He wouldn’t let me go. I couldn’t move. I got scared.”

  “I know,” Trent replies, quickly taking his hand away.

  “No!” Teagan cries. “You can touch me.” She steps up to him and lays her head on his chest. “Please, just….”

  Trent wraps his arms around her and holds her against him. “It’s okay, just take deep breaths.” Teagan complies.

  They hear, “Are you okay!?” and turn to see Emily and Victoria. Victoria again asks, “Are you all right!?”

  “I can’t,” Teagan whispers. “After Justin, I can’t…”

  “I know,” Victoria exhales. “He didn’t know, Teagan. He didn’t mean anything.”

  Trent snarls, “I told him to watch himself. She can’t handle it.”

  “You know!?” Victoria exclaims.

  “Yeah. She told me.”

  “I can’t…oh god….I’m so messed up,” Teagan cries, putting her head in her hands. “God, I am going to be alone for the rest of my life.” She starts to bawl.

  “That’s not true,” Emily murmurs, running her hand down Teagan’s head. “You will meet someone.”

  Angry, Teagan yells, “How!? I can’t even dance with a guy without having a panic attack!” Everyone gets quiet, and both Victoria and Emily look at Trent. Teagan realizes what she just said, and it makes something go off in her head. “I mean….Trent is different. I trust him,” she stammers. “I mean…..god….I need to go home.”

  “We will take you,” Emily replies. “We will call a cab right now.”

  “No, take the limo. I will get the guys home,” Trent says. “It’s around the corner.”

  “Okay, come on, Teagan” Emily whispers, taking Teagan from Trent’s arms. “Let’s get you home.”

  “Yeah,” Teagan sniffles. Emily puts her arm around her shoulders, and she starts to lead Teagan away.

  “Her keys are with the driver,” Trent declares. “I didn’t want us to lose them.”

  Victoria says, “Okay. Have a good night.”

  “Yeah,” Trent exhales.

  Teagan turns around. “Thank you.”

  “Just go home and rest,” Trent says. “We will talk this week.”

  She nods and then walks away. The girls lead her to the limo. The driver gets out. Victoria looks at him. “Will you take us back to her house? Trent is catching a cab.”

  “Very well,” Gregory replies, as they get in. He shuts the door and gets in to drive. “The apartment I picked you up from, correct?”

  “Yeah,” Teagan sniffles.

  “Do you have one of those privacy things in here?” Victoria asks.

  “Yes, of course ma’am,” Gregory says. In a second, the black glass cuts them off from the front.

  “How are you doing, honey?” Victoria whispers to Teagan.

  “The guys are going to think I am an absolute freak!” Teagan exclaims.

  “No, we will pass it off that you were really drunk,” Emily reassures her. “It will be fine.”

  “I am really drunk!” Teagan yells and laughs.

  “I do have to say, I’m surprised that you told the whole story about Justin to Trent,” Victoria states. “Really surprised.”

  Throwing her hands up, Teagan shouts, “I don’t know why, but I told him the first time we had lunch!”

  “Seriously? Wow.”

  “That’s why he is going to Michigan with me. He doesn’t want Justin to come within a hundred feet of me.”

  Emily nods her head. “Good, that guy deserves to get the shit kicked out of him.”

  “He has done so much harm,” Teagan cries. “I don’t know how I’ll ever get over what he did.”

  “You need to forget him,” Emily retorts. “He’s an asshole.”

  Teagan starts to fiddle with the hem or her dress. “I am never going to trust anyone again.”

  She senses Emily looking at Victoria. “I hate to mention this,” Emily starts. “But you do trust Trent. You just admitted it.”

  Not saying anything for a minute, Teagan finally whispers, “I know. I do.”

  “That means something!” Victoria exclaims. “He’s a wonderful guy.”

  “But it’s not like that with us,” Teagan groans. “We’re just friends.”

  Victoria bursts out laughing. “That’s not how two friends dance together. I need to get me some more guy friends if that is the case!”

  “Shut up,” Teagan mumbles, though she is trying not to smile.

  “Oh, come here,” Victoria giggles, pulling Teagan close. “It’s okay if you like Trent. No one would blame you. He seems like a great guy.”

  “But I promised it wasn’t going to be that way. He doesn’t want it to be that way. We are just friends and we will stay friends.”

  “All right,” Victoria exhales. “I will say this, you can’t stop yourself from falling for someone if you’re already on the spiral down.”

  “Yes, I can,” Teagan replies. “It will just take some effort.”

  “Whatever,” Victoria laughs, hugging her close. “You keep telling yourself that.”

  All three girls giggle and then are silent all the way to Teagan’s apartment. When they get there, Teagan looks at Victoria. “I’m going upstairs by myself. I just want to take a shower and get into bed.”

  “Are you sure?” Victoria asks, wanting to protect her best friend. “We can come up there and sit with you.”

  “No, I want to be alone,” Teagan sighs. “I just need to get out of this and into some comfy clothes.”

  “Try to take some Tylenol and drink some water before you go to sleep.”

  “Yes ma’am,” Teagan snickers. She scoots forward and knocks on the privacy glass. Gregory rolls down the window. “Can I have my keys please?”

  “Yes,” he says. He holds them up. “Mr. Grayson wanted me to hold onto them for you.”

  “Thank you,” Teagan replies. She turns around to her friends. “Thank you for such a nice birthday. Despite everything that just happened, I had a really great time tonight.”

  Emily hands over an envelope. “Don’t forget Michael’s present.”

  “Oh, I won’t. I need that,” Teagan snorts. “Talk to you guys tomorrow, okay?”

  “Are you going to be able to make it upstairs on your own?” Victoria asks.

  “I’m drunk, but I can walk,” Teagan laughs. “But to make sure.” She undoes the ribbons on her shoes and slides them off. “There, no tripping and dying.”

&
nbsp; “Okay.” Victoria smiles. “Call us in the morning.”

  “I will, bye,” Teagan says, hugging her and then Emily. “Talk to you guys tomorrow.”

  “Bye!” Her friends yell as she gets out of the car.

  Teagan slowly walks to her door. She fumbles with the keys but finally makes it inside. To her frustration, she realizes she has to walk to the third floor. With a heavy exhale, Teagan starts up the stairs. When she finally gets to her door, she’s exhausted. She unlocks the deadbolt and then the regular lock.

  She practically falls into her apartment. Teagan kicks the door shut and falls onto the floor. “This feels nice,” she whispers, rubbing the carpet before she passes out. An hour or so later, knocking awakens Teagan. She rolls over and rubs her eyes. It’s still nighttime, but she doesn’t know what time. There’s knocking again. “WHAT!?” She yells.

  There is a pause, and then she hears Trent say, “You’re up?”

  “I wasn’t, but now I am,” Teagan grumbles. “The door’s open.”

  Trent opens the door and then looks down at her. “What in the hell are you doing on the floor?”

  “I was sleeping,” Teagan moans, rolling over on her side. “That’s what I would like to be doing right now.”

  “You aren’t going to sleep on the floor,” Trent sighs. He walks in and shuts the door. “Come on, get up.”

  “No,” Teagan mumbles, putting her head on her arms. “I am going to sleep.”

  She is picked up off the floor into Trent’s arms. “Have you been on the floor this whole time?”

  “Mmmhmmmm,” Teagan hums, putting her head on his shoulder. “So sleepy.”

  “Let’s get you into bed,” Trent snorts. He carries her into her room and lays Teagan on the bed. “Why am I always carrying you to bed when you are drunk?”

  “Because you secretly want to get into bed with me,” Teagan giggles, as she lies down on her pillow.

  “You have no idea,” Trent mutters.

  “What’d you say?” Teagan asks softly.

  “Nothing,” Trent replies. He pulls the blanket over her.

  “Nuh uh, you said you wanted to get into bed with me,” Teagan exhales, as she rolls over.

  Trent looks at her. “No, I didn’t. You’re drunk.”

  “I may be drunk, but I am not deaf,” Teagan laughs. She pulls back the blanket on the other side of the bed. “Come on stud, get into bed.”

  “No. Go to sleep.”

  “Ssstttaaayyyy,” Teagan whines.

  “Nooooo,” Trent laughs back. “Go to sleep.”

  “If you aren’t staying then why are you here?” Teagan asks.

  He looks down at her and answers, “I had your phone and didn’t want you to be without it.” Teagan rolls out of bed and onto the floor. “What in the hell are you doing?” Trent snaps.

  “I want to put pajamas on,” Teagan snickers.

  “Just go to sleep,” Trent groans.

  “No, I am not sleeping in this. It is an expensive dress. I don’t buy expensive things often. I am putting on pajamas.”

  Exhaling, Trent runs his fingers through his hair. “Where are your pajamas?”

  “In that drawer!” Teagan hiccups, pointing to her dresser.

  Trent rolls his eyes and walks over and opens the drawer. “You want a nightgown?”

  “Sure,” Teagan quips She gets onto her knees and then stands up. It is too quick and she has to sit down on the bed. “Oh boy.”

  “All right, here,” Trent says, tossing her the nightgown. “Put that on.”

  Teagan grabs it and puts it on the bed next to her. She reaches for the zipper on the side of the dress and tugs on it. It won’t move. “Damn it,” she mumbles, trying hard to pull it down.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “My zipper is stuck,” Teagan retorts. “Damn dress.”

  “Oh my lord,” Trent groans. He comes over and sits on the bed next to her. “Let me look at it.”

  Putting her arm on his shoulder, Teagan leans into him. “Don’t break it unless you plan on buying it.”

  “If I buy you the same exact dress will you just go to sleep?” Trent sighs.

  “No, that’s a waste,” Teagan states. “Just fix the zipper.”

  It takes a minute, but Trent finally gets it to work. “There.”

  “Thanks,” Teagan says. She pulls the straps of the dress down.

  “TEAGAN!” Trent yells, grabbing the nightgown. He holds over the top of her. “You don’t have a bra on!”

  “Who sleeps in a bra?” Teagan inquires like he is stupid.

  “PUT…..THE….NIGHTGOWN….ON!” Trent enunciates strongly, as he closes his eyes.

  Snorting, Teagan rolls her eyes. “You would chop off your hand before you’d touch me, so I am not worried.”

  “Put the damn nightgown on,” Trent snaps.

  Teagan pulls it over her head and pulls the dress the rest of the way down. “There, all clothed.”

  He opens one eye and then both. Sighing, he says, “Thank god.”

  Teagan rolls her eyes. “All set for bed.”

  “Can you get under the covers now?”

  “Ssssuuuurrreeee,” Teagan draws out. She crawls into bed and draws the blanket up to her chin.

  Trent stands up and he looks down at her, “Go to sleep.”

  “Stay,” Teagan whispers. She reaches out and grabs his hand. “Stay with me.”

  “I will sleep on the couch,” Trent replies. “Go to sleep.”

  “Sleep in here,” Teagan giggles. “The bed is much more comfortable than the couch.”

  “No, go to sleep.” Trent bends over and kisses her forehead. “I will see you in the morning.”

  Exhaling dramatically, Teagan rolls over. “Whatever,” she mumbles, “your loss.”

  “Go to sleep,” Trent murmurs, rubbing her head. Teagan closes her eyes. “By the way,” Trent whispers before he walks out of the room. “It’s not that I would chop off my hand before I touched you. It’s that you’re drunk, and it wouldn’t be right. Now, go to sleep.” With that Trent shuts the door. Teagan is already fast asleep.

  Chapter 8

  Teagan wakes up and opens one eye. As soon as she sees the bright light of the sun, her stomach turns. “Crap!” She yells. She jumps out of her bed and sprints into the bathroom. As soon as she gets to the toilet, she pukes….violently. When she stops, she lays her head on the side of the toilet. “Ugh,” she groans. Suddenly, there is someone standing next to her. Teagan closes one eye and looks up.

  Trent is standing there with no shirt on, arms crossed and staring down at her. “You look like hell.”

  “Good morning to you too,” Teagan mumbles, closing her eyes. She hears him start opening and closing cabinets. “Sshhhhhh, not so loud,” Teagan whispers, wincing.

  She hears water running. “Are you done puking?” Trent asks.

  “I think for now,” Teagan sighs.

  “Sit up then,” Trent instructs. Teagan does and groans. “Close your eyes.”

  “I am all too happy to oblige,” Teagan mutters. She feels a washcloth on her eyes. “What are you doing?” Teagan snaps.

  “Taking off your make-up because you look like you got into a fist fight,” Trent laughs.

  “Shut up!” Teagan tosses attitude towards him. “I looked good last night.”

  “You looked great, and you still look good, just a bit messed up,” Trent says softly. He keeps wiping her make-up away. “Hold on,” he whispers. She hears the water running, and then there is more gentle wiping.

  “I didn’t think you were going to help me when I puked,” Teagan murmurs.

  Trent sighs. “I can’t really leave you in here by yourself.”

  “My stomach is doing back flips,” Teagan groans.

  “You drank a lot last night,” Trent laughs.

  “Shut up, so did you,” Teagan pouts.

  Trent stops cleaning her face and says, “There you look much better.”

  Teagan op
ens her eyes, “I don’t feel better.”

  “That will probably take a few hours,” Trent replies. “Let’s get something in you.” He extends his hand. Teagan takes it, and he pulls her up. She grabs the ledge to the sink.

  “I need to brush my teeth,” Teagan mumbles. “I think the after taste is worse than the puke.” She makes a face.

  “Probably is,” Trent chuckles. “I would wait to brush your teeth though.”

  “What? Why?” Teagan retorts.

  “Come with me,” Trent says, grabbing her hand. He leads her out of the bathroom and into her kitchen. There is a wide array of stuff on her counter, including her blender. “Sit down,” he says, pointing to the kitchen chair.

  Plopping down, Teagan groans, “What are you doing?”

  “Hangover remedy, my trainer made them for me a lot,” Trent replies, waving his hand over the counter to show her all of the goods. “I went shopping before you woke up.” Teagan watches him with raised eyebrows. Trent starts by putting a somewhat browned banana in the blender.

  With a grimace, Teagan asks, “What is this exactly?”

  “It will make you feel better. I promise,” Trent states. He then puts in strawberries and blueberries. Teagan shrugs because it doesn’t look so bad. Trent adds pineapple, and Teagan grins.

  When he starts to pour in soymilk, Teagan grimaces, “Soy milk, really?”

  “Yes, quiet now,” Trent hushes her with a quick gaze. He pours in orange juice and then some water. “Now, the finishing touches.” He adds cayenne pepper and a dash of salt.

  “Gross!” Teagan exclaims.

  Trent ignores her and starts blending up everything. When it is all finished, he takes it and pours it into a large glass. Teagan’s eyes widen when he brings it over to her. “Drink this.”

  “Are you sure?” Teagan whispers, looking into the glass.

  “I promise it tastes fine. It will make you feel better. Drink up,” Trent instructs. Sighing, Teagan tips it back. It really doesn’t taste bad, so Teagan easily drinks it all and burps. “That’s attractive,” Trent laughs.

  “I think we’re past the point of attractive right now,” Teagan groans. “You’re seeing me at my worst.”

  “Still beautiful,” Trent smiles. He turns around to grab something. Teagan’s eyebrows rise at that unexpected compliment. “Here you need to take these and sip some water now,” Trent states. “Those are vitamins and some Advil.”