Sorry for not updating. Hopefully this little nugget of the story will lift your spirits. I beg for reviews. I need to know Im going on the right trail...
Teddy had been busy all week. Her schedule was full with volunteer events and clubs and tutoring. Her mom was worried that she was pushing herself too hard but the only reason she had signed up for a nonstop week is because this week was going to be the hardest. It was the first week without PJ and she needed to throw herself into school in order to keep focused and not have a melt down. But now that it was the weekend, she found herself with little activities and she had already gotten her homework done Friday.
She texted Ivy and asked if she could hang out but Ivy couldn't because she got a D in a class. Letting out a sigh, Teddy fights to gain control of her emotions as she lies down on her bed. She misses PJ a lot. She misses the way he would barge into her room when he wanted something or try to make her laugh to screw up whatever she was doing. Deciding to do something to keep her mind off PJ, Teddy drags her laptop from the bottom of her bed and gets onto Facebook. To her surprise, PJ's update is the very first one on the news. She kind of expected him to stay off of it to separate himself from his old life. But what surprises her more is the update from him. It reads:
'New family and a new life: I will forever hold everyone from my old life in my heart but it's time to move on. And what an awesome new life this will be. :]'
And it has a couple photos of PJ on his new car with his puppy. Her heart feels like it is about to burst because that post means he is really is trying to move on. She closes her eyes as the tears struggle to get out. She can't cry every time PJ posts on Facebook, that would be pathetic. Instead of staring at a beaming PJ with his brand new life, Teddy clicks on his album titled Family. She knows sometime soon PJ will change that and the pain will sting more. Her eyes soften and she lets the tears freely roll down her face as she looks at pictures of her family with PJ.
Nearly half way into the album, she nearly starts crying when a picture of just her and PJ shows up. It was taken by her mom but it looks like a professional did it. She can't stop the sad chuckle that comes out when she remembers that when her mom heard PJ's friends all liked it, her mom went around the house all week pretending like she was a professional photographer. But the picture was amazing… It had the suns rays glaring only slightly in the camera and the field around them was lightly out of focus. Teddy lets out a small smile at the look on her and PJ's faces. She is actually on PJ's back and he is almost laughing as they look like they are about to topple over.
A wave of nostalgia nearly physically hurts her. She desperately wants to see PJ but he is somewhere she can't reach. All the memories of their childhood hit her but another emotion arises. There is a tickle in the back of her mind that insists that she can't live in the past but she really wants a different future. That thought scares her so she quickly stops looking at the computer and jumps up, ready to help with dinner or whatever her mom needed; Anything to keep her mind off that trail of thought.
Teddy races down the stairs and finds that she was bursting on a tense meeting. Her parents were holding hands and their knuckles were white. They glance at her with paled faces. She looks at them quietly before staring at the couple on the other side of the room. The woman is short and very professional looking while the man is tall and has a comb over. The woman gazes at her with some suspicion in her eyes but then it disappears. She hesitantly walks closer and sits on the only empty seat, near her parents.
"You must be Teddy." The man says, getting straight to the point and his tone gave no indicators of him being nice. She just nods as she feels the blood drain from her face. It must be about PJ if her mom's eyes are starting to redden and her dad is getting angry. The woman then stares more closely at her, like she is looking for an answer that Teddy might have. She nods and again the expression disappears.
"You are very pretty, I can see why PJ was so torn to leave." The woman says briskly. Teddy's face crumples in confusion as she tries to understand what the woman just implied but her dad setting a hand on her knee grabs her attention.
"These are PJ's social service agents. They are just here so we can finish up on some paper work. You don't need to be here for this." Her dad's eyes stare into hers, pleading with her to leave but she wont have it. If anything is going to be discussed about PJ, she wants to be there. She also noticed that there were no papers on the table or with the agents.
"I am okay here but thanks." Her voice remains strong despite her inner fears making its way up to her mind. Her mind is filling with questions but no answers take their place.
"As we were saying, PJ clearly has stated that no financial aid is needed so we must honor his wishes." The man begins again. More questions start to form that need answers. She sees out of the corner of her eye that her dad is fuming.
"I know what he said but I want to support my boy." His voice is raised with a tone that says he is not backing down and PJ is definitely still his boy. It reminds Teddy that her parents feel the pain of losing PJ just as much as she does, probably even more.
The woman shakes her head, clearly at the reference to PJ as her dad's son. The woman is starting to get on her nerves. Why can't the woman just be caring and understand that her parents need more time?
"Where is PJ?" Her mom's voice is smaller than she's ever heard before. Once again, the woman shakes her head.
"We are not able to disclose that information, I'm sorry." At the reply, she feels some of her hopes die and the shallow breathing that is a precursor to crying begin. For some odd reason too, the man is watching at her with debating eyes. And by debating she means that the man was clearly debating something in his mind that showed in his eyes. It makes her shift nervously and she starts gazing at pictures placed around the room as the tears trail down her face.
She zones out after that. She can't listen to the conversation because it to too agonizing to hear her parents beg for any information about how PJ is. The man and the woman keep rejecting their pleads and insist on her parents answering trivial questions. She doesn't notice that an hour goes by and soon the man and the woman stand up. Her senses kick in and she springs up too as she refocuses. Her parents hesitantly stand up and follow the couple to the door. Her dad can't look them in the eye as they all shake hands. Just as the couple are about to leave, the man looks back at her again. She's had enough of the couple's weird attitude so she will let this guy have it.
"What? Do I have something in my teeth or are my teeth not straight enough to be apart of this family?" Her words are harsh and her parents are staring at her like she is crazy but she ignores them. The man raises a hand at her parents and walks over to her. For a second, she is scared that he is going to take her away for back talking him but she stiffens and holds her ground.
"Don't worry, Teddy. PJ is fine. Don't give up." His words shock her because she expected to be chewed out for her manners. A hand is reached out to her and it completely catches her off guard so she shakes it without saying anything else. Her mouth just opens and closes as she feels something slip from his hand to hers. She does nothing besides grasp it and try to hide whatever he handed to her. His eyes sparkle for a moment before they return to their dull hazel color. And just like that, the couple leaves.
She stands there a moment and lets the shock wash over her. She glances at her hand and then bolts upstairs to her room. She hears her mom start yelling at her for the way she talked to the man but she shuts her door. Her heart feels like it is going a hundred times more than it is supposed to be. The thing in her hand turns out to be a piece of paper that wont stop shaking but then she realizes it is her that is shaking. Taking a deep breath, Teddy opens the carefully piece of paper.
Colorado Springs.
Dun dun dun! Didn't see that coming or did you? PLEASE REVIEW!
