Fallin' From The Tree (StemxStud)

39

[ Valentine ]

"We should make it there in two hours or three. Wanna...I don't knowww, talk..?" I suggested after the longest hours of my life out of Houston to wherever the hell this mansion was.

"Sure," Teece responded lifelessly.

A dark thought crossed my mind: Would she be better off dead than emotionless?

I made a short detour at a little coffee spot I randomly saw. Teece's brows raised for  second before settling back into her permanent neutral expression. I parked in the gravelly lot in front of the place and looked over at my friend. Maybe some coffee and donuts would cheer up my best homie. I hopped out of the car and went to get her wheel chair.

The rehab facility said it was up to her what we used to get her to and from places, but once she was healed up, she'd probably only need a cane. I rolled it around to her side and helped her out of the car. She looked away from my face as she settled into the cold, black chair. I went back and closed the trunk then rolled her towards the door.

The man inside looked surprised and yet pleased to see some customers. I rolled Teece up to a table and went back to stare at the menu attached to the high counter. I peeked back at her and saw her look away. I can't stand us being like this. Teece means too much to me.

"Can I have two medium coffees and a dozen donuts?" I could bring back some donuts for Dom and Anaela. I smiled to myself thinking of the new thing that her and I were.

"Sugar? Cream?"

"We'll just take the packets," I shrugged.

I paid and went to go sit down in front of Teece as our food was being made. "It smells great in here," I commented, taking in the sweet scent of the establishment. Teece stopped staring down at the thin, wooden booth table and looked up at me.

"I'm sorry for being so distant...so much has changed," she admitted wearily.

"I understand. I'm only trying to cheer you up," I said, placing my hand over hers. "Don't act like it's the end of the world- we can fix this."

She pulled away quickly, "Valentine, it might seem like all of this is silly to you because I can heal from this but it doesn't feel that way. Just because something can be fixed doesn't mean I'll enjoy it being broken," tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm not saying for you to enjoy it, I'm saying don't stress about it," I told her, reaching out for her hand again.

"Valentine," Teece said patiently, with a little smile on her face that I couldn't decipher.

She was now calm.

"I'm not saying....Look, I don't want any of this for me. I didn't want rehab, to be in a hospital, to not be by your side while everything was going on. To not be there to give you tips on life...like I usually do. I hate that this all happened to me, is what I'm saying. I'm not stressing, I'm just uncomfortable and sad. I'd be this way whether this could be fixed or not. No matter how good I'll be able to function after I heal, I'll always remember this time in my life."

"My life feels stolen away from me, Valentine. I feel like I'm a liability and like I'm so behind in all of this Keris, and Anaela, and Dominique drama. I don't like being left out, so I'm not acting all bratty or spoiled or whatever you might think. This all just sucks and since I'm the one who kind of took this crap for you, I kind of deserve to mourn a little bit of myself that was left at that hospital. Being like this has taught me a lot- it's changed me for the better because of something that was...not the best."

I didn't know what to say, I just looked across the table at my friend. "Well, I hope this new Teece is as fun as the old one," I joked, trying to bring light to our serious conversation.

Teece chuckled, "Not being able to walk has actually put some more tricks up my sleeves," she smirked.

The man brought our drinks and box of donuts out to us. Teece pushed the box away from her once the man left with a look of mild distaste. "I don't really like sweets anymore. It's something about being addicted to hospital yogurt and pudding that does it to you. I just didn't wanna be an ass and bring that up when you ordered," she chuckled. "Just save some for everybody else," she added.

I shrugged, "More donuts for me."

"Hey, hey. Remember Anaela and Dominique," Teece laughed. I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, yeah. I'm sure they've already eaten anyways."

My new phone rung as I was just about to take a bite into a jelly filled, glazed donut. I wiped off my sugary fingers and pulled out my device. The tune was unfamiliar to me since it was a different model but I noticed that it was a phone call. It was Anaela calling. I frowned, already sensing something was wrong before I answered her call.

"Hello?"

Teece tried to read my expression as I listened to Anaela frantically tell me everything that was happening. "What?" I whispered when she got to the Dom part. "Please? Before you get back just try to look for her. I don't know if she's trying to leave for good...or if she's just pissed and off for a walk but I can't go and search for her. I don't know this area by foot and I don't know where a cop or an agent could be lurking."

"I'll try my best to look for her on my way back. Call your mom, and hope she isn't too busy with the Sissy mess, and see if she can get some guys to look for Dominique."

"I'll try," Anaela sighed, "but you look for her first. Me and my mom kind of...had a weird issue when we last talked. I'd rather use her as a last resort."

"Anaela...this is our friend we're talking about. She's officially missing and now she's actually missing again. Set all that aside."

"I'll call her right now," Anaela said somewhat frustrated, then hung up. I wondered if she actually would. I glanced over at Teece. "Damn. That's bad," she commented awkwardly. She let out a breath. "Okay, we have to look for Dominique. Before anybody official finds her. She might be smarter than she was before, or so you claim, but she's still a naive teenager who doesn't know her way through the world." There goes my old Teece, always knowing what's best for everybody.

I looked down at my uneaten donut, but now it's time for me to do what's best for new Teece.

"I suppose everybody gathers that about Miss Dominique."

I looked up and gasped.

Well shit, who knew it would be this easy?