A/N: Thank you all for the reviews on the first chapter! This one is a bit Sara heavy, but hopefully that will just make you fall in love with her character even more. :) Enjoy, and I look forward to reading all of your reactions!
Also, just a little bit of information. They aren't related at all, they're in their senior year of high school, Tegan is 18 and an only child, Sara is still 17 yet, and has an older sister named Casey who's off in college.
Sara's POV
The cafeteria at Crescent Heights High School was split into two parts. There was the normal section, which looked like any other high school cafeteria, then was the other section, where I sat, that also doubled as a small stage. They were part of the same room, of course, but no doubt separated. I didn't mind sitting apart from a good amount of the student body, especially since I sat with a whole table full of friends, who are currently talking about a big rave they want to sneak into this weekend. Normally I would be just as excited and be planning where to meet up with everyone, but I had been preoccupied with other thoughts this week.
I scan the lower part of the cafeteria, each long, white table filled with students. After a minute, I finally spot her sitting with her friends. She's the only one at her table with a lunch bag and little clear plastic containers filled with food that is sure to be healthier than what they serve here. I smile and look down to my own paper bag filled with goldfish crackers and other unhealthy snacks, also the only one at my table with a lunch from home. I look back to Tegan and see her laughing at one of her equally preppy friends. Her eyes catch mine and she smiles that same gummy smile she flashed me on Monday, after our first tutoring session.
I stick my hand up and give her a small, subtle wave, thinking about how much we have talked since she texted me after listening to the CD I gave her. She said she loved every song, and that her favorite one, was also mine.
My friend Stacy nudges me in the side with her elbow and I look away from Tegan, now looking back to her friends and munching on a baby carrot.
"Huh?" I turn to Stacy, wearing a stupid smirk on her face.
I roll my eyes at her and shove a handful of my goldfish crackers into my mouth. Typical Stacy. We have been best friends since grade school and when she came out as bisexual during our sophomore year, we had always had a little bit of chemistry. We never officially dated but there had been a few sleepovers that resulted in us making out somewhere secluded, away from our other friends. Those same friends always urged us to date, and even though I loved her to death and her long wavy brown drew out her sharp features, she just wasn't what I wanted romantically, and she made sure to make a big deal whenever I did happen to show interest in someone.
"Who is she?" She questions, watching Tegan.
"My tutor," I blush and she chuckles.
"So that's your type, hey?" She teases and shovels some mashed potatoes into her mouth.
"What?" I pout, resting my elbow on the table and my chin in my palm, wondering what was wrong with my attraction towards her. "She's so adorable and loves Florence and The Machine just as much as I do."
"Wow, your dream woman," Stacy laughs. "Is she gay?" she continues to eye Tegan.
I shrug, "She doesn't look like it, but who knows. I'll probably cry if she isn't though."
Stacy chuckles then squints her eyes, still inspecting Tegan. "Wait. What did you say her name was again?"
"I didn't, but it's Tegan Quin." I eye her suspiciously. Did she know something?
"Oh! Isn't she like the star of the hockey team? That's a good sign she plays on the same team as you!" She giggles, covering her mouth.
"Uhm, I don't know if she is? That would be kind of hot though," I look back to Tegan, picturing her in her entire uniform, looking tough, and then her in just her oversized red and navy jersey looking innocent yet sexy all at the same time.
"You might want to pick your jaw up from the floor before you drown the school with your drool," Stacy snorts as the bell rings. My face goes multiple shades of crimson and I elbow her in the side before picking up my trash and throwing it away, heading off to trudge my way through the rest of the day in a haze, picturing Tegan in only that silky jersey...
Tegan's POV
"For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen." The words ring out through the church, echoing into the high beamed ceilings graced with intricate stained glass windows. The entire congregation raises their heads and unclasps their hands as one. Father Jared blesses us one last time and we rise, smoothing out our Sunday dresses and suits before crossing ourselves at the end of the pew.
I follow silently behind my parents, my short heels clacking against the hardwood floor. Thoughts run through my mind about today's sermon, feeling like it was no coincidence that it happened to be about homosexuality, and same sex marriage and how recently it was all over the news, both the positive and negative aspects. Father dwelled on the negative more, or I suppose the positive in the Church's case, and how the tragic ending to some people's lives over their "sinful" lifestyles was just God's will. I didn't agree with his, or my parents, opinions on most things but I was their child, what choice did I have but to do as they asked?
"Good morning, Tegan." Father greets me after briefly talking to my parents by the doors exiting out of the church, crossing himself and bowing his head.
I repeat his actions, "Good morning, Father Jared."
"I can expect to see you at Bible Study this Thursday night, correct?" He clasps his hands together and smiles down at me warmly.
I think about all the homework, practice, and university research I have to do this week but nod and smile anyway. "Of course."
"Marvelous. Have a safe and God filled week, Tegan. Peace be with you." He dismisses me, turning to the person in line behind me.
"And also with you," I say quickly before catching back up to my parents and follow them to the car for the short drive to the same diner we go to every Sunday after church for brunch.
I order the same thing every time, a short stack of blueberry pancakes and a small bowl of apple cinnamon oatmeal. I tried to order the chocolate chip pancakes with ice cream once, but my mum was having none of that and forced me to order something healthier. You would be surprised over the things I would do to just divulge in something like a banana split, or even just an Oreo cookie, but my Mum has me on a strict diet so I can be at the top of my game, in everything.
While we're waiting for our food to come, two young men, probably in their mid twenties, come walking in with their hands linked together. I watch as my father's face turns into a scowl while he watches them and then he scoffs. "People like that shouldn't be allowed in public."
"Dad, not so loud." I whisper, pleadingly.
"What? Don't tell me you believe people like that are even close to normal." He folds his arms and leans back in his seat, narrowing his eyes. I glance to my Mum, hoping she'll surprise me and come to my rescue, but she just looks at me with the same face as my dad.
"Just because you don't agree with them doesn't mean you have to say anything. They're just people like us." I say gently, praying my answer isn't too offensive for him.
"People?! They're abominations! It's disgusting. I thought I taught you to know better than that, Tegan." He spits, scolding me with his words.
"Sorry, Dad." I sigh, looking down and distracting myself with a loose string on the hem of my dress until our food comes.
I immediately go for the maple syrup once my pancakes are placed in front of me, delighted to finally have some sugar, and start pouring a hefty amount on top.
"Tegan Rain! Are you trying to give yourself a cavity? Your father didn't pay thousands of dollars for you to have nice teeth only for you to go and ruin them! And think about all that extra sugar and calories!" My mum berates me, grabbing the syrup out of my hands and setting it on the table, out of my reach.
"Sorry, Mum." I grumble, feeling like a broken record.
I could never seem to please my parents. I got straight A's in school, participated in clubs, was captain of the hockey team, volunteered, did my chores, never partied or snuck out, but it never seemed to be enough. I didn't mind doing all of those things, but somedays I just wanted to hang out with my friends and relax, not having to worry about anything.
The bill comes and my dad hands me his card, telling me to go pay for it. I get in line and wait patiently, feeling a tap on my shoulder and a questioning, girly voice behind me after a minute of waiting.
"Tegan?"
I turn around and see Sara standing behind me, smiling, wearing her usual skinny jeans and hoodie.
"Sara, hi. What are you doing here?" I ask stupidly, and feel my ears grow warm from embarrassment. This was a public diner, obviously she was here for food. For as intelligent as I was, I felt like I could be so stupid sometimes.
"I was hungry." She laughs, motioning to the boxes in her hands.
I laugh along with her awkwardly, still feeling like a fool for asking such a stupid question.
"Cute dress," she pushes her sunglasses up, making her bangs stick up every which way, checking out the dark blue, simple nautical style dress with a lace collar fitted snugly to my body, partially covered by a soft, cream colored cardigan. "That color looks nice on you."
"Thanks," I blush, fiddling with the receipt and debit card in my hands. "So.. uhm, you really like pie, huh?" I point to the five homemade pies, already in to-go containers, stacked in her arms.
"What? Oh, no. I just know a lot of people that do." She chuckles and shifts her weight, straightening the pies back out.
"I see." I nod, raising my eyebrows and urging her to elaborate.
"You're up." She nods her head toward the awaiting cashier, deflecting my question.
"Huh? Oh, right." I whip my head around and smile at the girl, dressed in her green apron uniform and back to Sara. "Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow at school. Maybe I'll actually help you learn something."
"I look forward to it." She laughs, and pushes her sunglasses back down, shielding her sparkling eyes from me.
Sara's POV
I watch Tegan interact with the cashier until it is my turn to check out. She looks so cute and sweet in that dress, and it stirred something inside me knowing she would go from wearing something girly like that to a badass full on hockey uniform, if Stacy was right about her being on the team. I'll have to make sure to ask her about it tomorrow during tutoring.
She smiles at me as she walks back to her booth in the back of the restaurant. She slides onto a bench and I try to peek to see who she's with. Her parents? Her boyfriend?
The cashier clears her throat, and I give up, placing the pies on the counter for her to ring up and handing her cash. She places them in a big plastic bag and once outside, I carefully situate them in the basket of my Grandma's old red bike. I put my headphones in place, crank up the volume, and hop on my bike, peddling away.
I pull up to Harvest Gold Manor and park my bike in the rickety old bike rack, not bothering to lock it, and hoist the pies out, carrying them inside. My coworker, Jen, spots me and quickly runs over, helping me carry the pies into the kitchen.
"You didn't pay for all of these out of your own pocket, did you?" She asks, wide eyed.
"It's fine," I chuckle, placing the pies into the huge refrigerator. "There was a special going on and I know how much of a treat it is for the residents."
"You're a sweetheart Sara, I hope you know that." She pats my shoulder, smiling a smile that causes the wrinkles on her face to become even more pronounced, and walks away to resume her previous task.
I smile to myself and shove my backpack into my little cubby and clip my name tag onto my hoodie and begin my rounds to my designated rooms, helping the residents getting around, eating, cleaning, or just hanging out with them.
At the end of my shift, I hop back on my bike and pedal to the cemetery just a mile away from the nursing home and lock my bike up to the tall chain link fence. Over the past three years, I've grown accustomed to this cemetery, but now that the days were getting shorter and the fog was thick, it sent a shiver deep through my body.
Expertly, I weave my around the tombstones, knowing I could find the correct one even with my eyes shut. I dropped my backpack and sat down in front of my Grandma's grave and began my usual process. I always brushed the dirt off the stone first, so I could clearly read her name, then removed any of the dead leaves or flowers that had fallen around it, and straightened out the small decorations and plant pots my family had set in front. I knew it was a silly ritual, but I knew it would bother her if it looked messy.
"Hi Grams, I love you and miss you." I greet her grave the same way I do each time I come here, at least once a week to get things off my mind. It was probably silly that I not only treated her grave like she could actually see it, but that I also talked to her like she was still here, still alive.
"Your friends at the nursing home were talking about you today and how you always used to cheat during poker night and bingo night. I guess that's how you were able to leave me such a generous college fund," I laugh to myself. "It was pretty entertaining though to see their impressions of you trying to play innocent, and to just hear their fond memories of you. Mum and Dad are doing fine, working and just being their usual selves, I guess. I haven't talked to or seen Casey in a while, so I'm not sure what's up with her, but being the perfect daughter she always was, I'm sure she's just fine. Uhm.." I pause, trying to think if there was anything important that had happened with my parents or sister but I can't think of anything, so I continue on with what I really came here to talk about. "I got a new tutor at school this week. I know, I know. I don't need one but I can't bring myself to care about school. She seems really cool though, her name is Tegan. Weird name, huh? We ended up talking about this band we both love. I made her a mixed CD, and she said she really liked it. She's cute too, Grandma. But I know not to get my hopes up, she's definitely not gay, but I'm hoping we'll at least be good friends. Otherwise, nothing much has been going on. I hope you're in peace, where ever you may be. I'll come back in a few days to replace your flowers."
I stand up and brush the dirt off my pants, then bend down to lightly peck the stone, and the cross necklace around my neck that used to belong to her, and whisper my goodbyes. I walk out of the cemetery and back to my bike, heading towards my other safe haven; the old dock by the lake near my house.
I reach into my backpack, pulling out a little baggie and glass pipe. I pack a small bowl as my feet dangle over the water. Laying back, I flick the lighter and inhale my first hit. Always the best. My mind involuntarily wanders as the natural drug takes its effect. Slowly my thoughts are led to those of Tegan.
How intimidated she was by me at first then eventually came to relax as we talked about music. The way she would end her texts at night with a smiley face and "Sweet Dreams!" if we had managed to text that long. How pretty she looked in her dress this morning, and how awkward she acted. And I just couldn't stop thinking about that smile...
Stop it, Sara, I scold myself yet again. There was no way I was going to let myself get googoo over a girl I didn't even know.
But that smile...