Chapter 8
"Fancy meeting you in a place like this." A deep, familiar baritone rang out from behind her, and Meg slowly put out her cigarette and turned to come face-to-face with Darien Shields. "I didn't know you smoked."
"Darien, hey." Meg took a deep breath and leaned against the brick wall. "I don't usually, it would have a terrible effect on my track and field if I didn't control it. I just have a lot on my mind today."
Darien studied her face carefully. Ordinarily, Meg was incredibly down-to-earth and passive, but today she really did look troubled. "Did you want to talk about it?" He asked slowly. He held out an arm comedically, "Come on, I'll buy you a coffee."
"I really shouldn't, Serena and my friends are still inside." Meg said, gesturing toward the club. Darien just shrugged. "So we'll just go next door. I'll send Serena a text, she'll know that I'm just looking out for you."
Meg glanced over at her cell phone, which was still void of any new notifications. Serena had known about the unexpected series of events that have happened as of late, so this wouldn't come as a surprise. Plus, she could use the caffeine—and a grown man's opinion on the matter.
"Okay," Meg said, hooking her arm through his, and the two of them did a merry skip over to the neighbouring coffee shop. The childish gesture made Meg burst out laughing immediately, and Darien felt gratified that his cheering up was already taking into effect already. He'd known Meg since before he and Serena had even been dating, and as cool-headed and spoiled she seemed to be from her luck, constant attention and popularity, she was still just a kid inside.
"Can I have a large double-double coffee?" Darien asked once they approached the counter. He then elbowed Meg lightly with his arm, cuing her to give her order.
"I'll have a medium coffee please, two creams no sugar." Meg said warmly, before taking out her wallet.
"I told you that I would pay." Darien said immediately, but Meg shook her head and paid without hesitation.
Darien was a pretty cool guy. Meg knew of some guys who would go ballistic if they couldn't act all macho and pick up a $10 check expecting a standing ovation, other guys who would just sit there like a dead fish once the check arrived. He was neither of these.
After picking up the coffees and settling in at a nearby booth, Darien tapped on the table. "So, what's been bothering you? I can tell in a second something has to be wrong."
Meg ran her thumb cross the rim of her coffee cup, and took a deep inhale before raising her gaze to meet his. "It's about a guy."
"A guy? You? I thought this day would never come." Darien grinned, sitting back in his seat. Normally he hated listening to this chitter-chatter, but Meg was an exception. He knew exactly how selective she was.
"Yeah. Before you get too surprised, I haven't 'settled' for anyone—I'm seeing an older guy."
"Okay, and? Is it serious?"
"I think so—he's expressed his feelings for me, and I've expressed my feelings for him. But there's still this wall between us, like he can't completely be free around me. Sometimes it seems like he has one foot in and one foot out of this relationship at all times."
"Depending on how much older this 'older guy' is, I guess it's understandable." Darien said with a grin. "But you know what the best thing to do around us dumb boys are? Just come right out and say exactly what's on your mind."
Meg chuckled, shaking her head softly. "That's easier said than done, it could potentially get very messy."
"He's not married or anything, is he?" Darien prodded tentatively.
"No." Meg said, inhaling sharply again. "At least… I don't think so." She paused for a moment, wondering exactly how true she considered that last part. While sbhe didn't want to believe it, Serena and she had both had nagging suspicions this whole time that perhaps Maxfield was seeing somebody else. "He is my teacher."
Darien's eyes glazed over, and he just stared at her for a moment, dumbstruck.
"Promise you won't mention this to anyone, okay? Serena is the only one who knows." Meg whispered, pushing her hair back and taking a swig from her coffee. She knew from past experience that he wasn't the type to spill the beans, but he seemed shell-shocked from the news.
Her teacher? Meg was in Serena's homeclass, wasn't she? Maxfield was the teacher of that class, wasn't he?
Darien's head spun, and he was sure it was 20% attributable from the alcohol consumption. Maxfield wouldn't do that to Melissa, would he? Not to his good friend's little sister, right? Then he vaguely remembered some cryptic, ambiguous responses Maxfield would mutter now and again that seemed inconsequential at the time, and he closed his eyes as the pieces began falling together. "What's your teacher's name?"
Meg stared at him with wide, surprised eyes. "Maxfield Stanton… why?"
Darien closed his eyes and lowered his head into his hands, letting out a deep breath. He didn't know how to react in this situation. He wanted to knock Maxfield's teeth out. But he thought back on all the stories Maxfield told him in confidence about this anonymous suitor, and he couldn't help but understand that there were genuine feelings behind it.
How was he going to tell this to Meg? She was a tough girl, trying her hardest to be an adult, but deep inside she was still naïve and ignorant. "Listen Meg, this is going to be hard for you to hear. But Maxfield has been dating my sister Melissa… for some time now."
The door swung open, the bell above it jingling dramatically, and in stormed Serena, looking as if someone had just set her house on fire. "Darien Shields, tell me you didn't know that Melissa was dating someone!"
Well, the shit hit the fan pretty fast. Darien pushed a finger against his lips in an effort to calm her down. "Of course I knew that Melissa was seeing Maxfield, he's been a friend of mine for a long time. I just didn't know that Maxfield was…" his voice trailed off as he looked tentatively over at Meg. With the exception of slightly raised eyebrows and her eyes staring off into the distance, she looked expressionless. "I didn't know he was cheating on her with Meg."
"He's a good friend of yours?" Serena echoed, her eyes shifting back and forth between Meg and Darien. By the looks of it, Meg had not only disclosed her relationship woes to Darien, but he had already broken the news to Meg. Her thoughts swam back to what seemed to be a stand-alone random memory of Darien mentioning the new teacher was an old friend of his in passing and she groaned, slumping back against one of the chairs.
Then she scooted over and put her arms around Meg. "Are you okay?" She whispered, tears brimming in her eyes. This whole thing had started off as a one night stand in Meg's eyes, Serena knew that, but she knew without a doubt that there were other feelings that had been festering in her friend's heart. And of all things, she knew that Meg hated being lied to.
"Meg!" The doors to the coffee shop slid open, and in ran Maxfield. His eyes met Darien's in surprise, and he looked miserable. "Darien, I—"
"Come on, I'll take you two home." Darien stood up abruptly, using his body to shield Meg from the vision of Maxfield. She broke out of her trance quickly and wordlessly rose out of her seat. With Serena still on her arm, they shuffled out of the coffee shop.
Darien turned and scowled at Maxfield. "You've got some real fucking nerve." He grumbled angrily, his fists almost trembling. "Melissa's a good girl, I can't believe you would do this to her."
"I didn't mean for any of this to happen." Maxfield replied, almost helplessly.
"Well a word of advice to the fucking wise, if you want to bang new pussy then break up with your girlfriend first." Darien snapped back angrily. "And don't come near Meg for a while. The last thing you need is for her to get even more pissed off and report you to the school."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The moonlight gleamed through Meg's window and lit up her bed. It was so bright that maybe that was the reason why Meg was finding it so hard to sleep.
"Are you alright?" Serena snuggled closer in bed and lay her chin on Meg's shoulder. She had never sat with Meg through relationship trouble because Meg never had any, but she was expecting a little bit more drama than what she was experiencing. Meg didn't seem angry, she didn't seem sad or cry, she just seemed a little bit shut off from the world.
"Yes, I'll be fine." Meg turned her head to Serena. "Thank you to you and Darien both for being there tonight." She said quietly. "I really don't think I could've done it without you."
"I can't believe how… seemingly well you're taking this. It's actually concerning." Serena's eyebrows furrowed. "How can anyone be okay after what happened today?"
"I don't know." Meg sighed. "I think I feel more stupid than anything. The signs were there—you saw it, I saw it, I just didn't want to hear it. All I wanted to hear were the wonderful things that he was saying, and letting my imagination fill in the rest."
She rolled her whole body over so that her forehead touched against Serena's. Her head was bent downwards, but to Serena's horror she could see tears in her eyes.
Now that Meg was actually showing external signs of sadness, Serena could hardly bear it.
"What are you going to do about that lying scumbag?" Serena whispered, brushing the tears away with her thumb. "What if he tries to call you?"
Meg let out a deep sigh. He'd already tried calling her once tonight, but she didn't answer. "I really don't know. I don't think I'm going to do anything… it's not worth it."
What were her options? She wasn't going to waltz over there and slap the living daylights out of him. She wasn't going to sleep with all his buddies or turn his friends on him. She wasn't going to the school board and tell on him.
"I'll tell you what you're going to do. I know you don't normally date, but honestly the best way to get over one guy is to have a rebound." Serena said, a determined tone in her voice. "You're going to spend this whole weekend focusing on nothing else but yourself and your happiness—you're not going to give that fucker another thought after tonight at all. You're going to get your nails manicured, get your hair done, and then go to school all gorgeous and refreshed and you're going to find yourself someone new. I'll go with you on speed dates, or bars, whatever you need!"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Darien pulled up in the visitor parking spot so close to the curb for a moment he thought he'd hit it. Swinging the door open and slamming it angrily, his heavy footsteps thundered up the steps and he banged his first hard against Maxfield's front door.
The door opened abruptly, and the light streamed out on the front step.
"Get in before you wake all the neighbours." Maxfield said gruffly.
Darien walked in and closed the door behind him, before he sniffed the air. Man, did Maxfield look awful. He had a half-empty whiskey bottle in his hand, his hair was dishevelled, and he was stumbling around the condo.
"Care to explain to me what the hell's been going these past couple of weeks?" Darien asked furiously. "I don't get it, man. I thought we were friends—how could you not tell me this was going on?"
"Tell you what was going on?" Maxfield asked in a surprisingly sober tone, looking up and staring right into Darien's eyes. "That despite dating my best friend's gorgeous and successful sister for the past year, I was falling in love with a seventeen-year-old high school student that could cost me my job and my reputation?"
Darien stood awestruck for a moment, before being momentarily distracted by Maxfield swaying left and right and then slumping down against the wall. Did he just hear that right? "You're falling in love with Meg?" He asked again tentatively.
He'd known Meg for nearly as long as he'd known Serena, given that the two of them were best friends. He'd known that she was beautiful, smart, and talented, and over all else was mature for her age and highly selective of men that she dated. In a strange, twisted way, the two of them sort of complemented each other.
"Melissa hates me." Maxfield muttered, pushing his hand through his hair in frustration. "I broke it off with her tonight… told her there was someone else. I didn't say who."
Letting out an exasperated breath, Darien swung one of Maxfield's arms around his neck and hoisted him to his feet, dragging him towards the bedroom. Melissa was a committed, wonderful girl, but she knew what a catch she was. As bummed out as she was going to be that she just got dumped, Darien knew that she'd be on the next guy in no time if that was what she wanted.
"I thought you'd be fucking pissed at me." Maxfield grumbled as Darien released him over the bed, and his body collapsed on the mattress like a ball of dough smacking against a countertop.
"Yeah," Darian muttered, turning off the lights and leaving the room. "Me too."