From Conundrums to Kisses | ONC 2020

Chapter 11: A Sticky Situation

Colton's POV

Colton sat in the music room with Teagan, the rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He hadn't felt that way about singing in a long time. He looked at Teagan. The sunlight had peaked through the window, highlighting the bronze glow of her face complimenting her dark locks and the warm look reflected in her hazel eyes. She held her chin in the palm of her hands, having a bright smile on her face. She had never looked so stunning.

"What? What is it?" Teagan asked, noticing the way he was looking at her.

He turned away, covering his mouth. "Oh, it's nothing."

Teagan narrowed her eyes at him. "Weren't you staring at me just now?"

He stayed silent, then let out a sigh. "Guilty," he said with a bashful smile.

Teagan looked at him with a puzzled look on her face. "Why?"

Colton shook his head. "It's just..." he shrugged. "The way you gaze to the side with your chin in the palm of your hands. It's cute."

Teagan fought back a blush. "Thanks. You... aren't so bad, yourself."

Colton chuckled. "Is that a compliment I'm hearing?"

Teagan shot back an expressionless look, detecting a hint of teasing in his voice. "Don't push it."

Colton saluted her. "Yes, ma'am."

The two were silent for a few minutes till Teagan quickly got up. "Shoot! I completely forgot that Ire wanted us to hang out at the mall today," she said, shooting Colton an apologetic glance. "Do you want to come with us? It could be fun..."

Colton looked to the side. "I wouldn't want to intrude..." He began.

"Nonsense." Teagan interrupted. "You wouldn't be intruding. Plus, the more the merrier, right? Come on, let's go."

The two rushed off to meet Ire, shielding themselves from the sun's intense rays when they got outside. A few feet away, they saw Ire with her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.

Teagan slowly walked up to Ire and looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry, Ire. I got distracted and−"

"It was my fault." Colton blurted out. The two girls looked at him as if he had grown a second head. He boldly continued. "I was the one who took up Teagan's time, so if you should be mad at anyone, blame me."

Ire looked at her two friends in silence.

Colton took that as his cue to leave. "I know when I'm not wanted, so I'll catch you later, Teagan." He turned around, about to take a step forward when Ire stopped him in his tracks.

"Nibo ni iwọ nlọ? Where do you think you're going? Come here." Ire demanded, causing Colton to slowly turn around.

Ire took in his appearance, sucking her teeth with her lips. "So you're the one who kept me waiting for my best friend?" she asked, tapping her foot.

Colton nodded, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead.

Laughter tumbled out of Ire's mouth. "I knew it. I knew there was only one person that could hold Teagan's attention for so long. My friend, you have nothing, absolutely nothing, to apologize for."

Teagan gave her a pleading motion. "Ire, please..." she said, with her hands folded together as if she was praying.

Colton gave Teagan a lopsided grin. "Is that so, Teagan?"

Teagan muttered something under her breath, causing him to laugh. "Don't worry, Teagan. I think the same about you as well." He softly grabbed her left hand, kissing the top of it.

Ire sent him a warning glance, standing in between the two of them. "There will be none of that nonsense while I'm around, or I promise you, I'll wipe that grin off your face. Do you understand?"

Colton's grin dropped, muttering something about Ire being a stick in the mud. In that moment, he had never seen Ire whip her face back so hard. He was surprised she didn't get whiplash. She stood nose to nose with him. "What was that? You had better be talking about yourself, Colton."

He gulped, nodding his head.

Ire gave him a triumphant grin. "Thought so. I may be strict at times, but that's because I want what's best for the two of you." She rubbed her forehead. "I feel like I'm the mom of our friend group, despite me being two years older than you guys." she thought out loud, prompting Colton to stifle a chuckle.

The three friends walked to the mall together, with Ire walking in between Teagan and Colton to make sure no funny business occurred. While the three were on their way to the mall, Teagan stopped by her house. She unlocked the door, seeing her mom fixing dinner in the kitchen. Her mom didn't look a day over forty, with her luxurious brown locks and a warm smile. She hummed to herself in the kitchen, as Teagan watched her dad sneak up behind her and give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Evening, love," he said, ruffling her brown hair and making it look frizzy as a result. Teagan's dad complimented her mom's compassionate nature. He didn't look a day over fifty, his round face looking as young as hers. The other day, Teagan's parents had shown her a photo album full of pictures from when they were young. Wow, mom looks just like me when she was my age. Teagan remembered looking at the pictures in awe, hoping that she would look as young as they did when she grew older.

A warm feeling filled Teagan's body as she looked at her parents in admiration. She hoped to have that kind of relationship with her significant other when she got married. "Hey, Mom, Dad. I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to hang out with Ire and Colton at the mall," she called out, getting her parents' attention.

Her parents looked at her and her friends, with her dad staring at the boy behind her. He raised an eyebrow and pulled Teagan off to the side. "Sweetie, I know you like hanging out with your friends, but−" Her dad looked over at Colton, who waved hello to him. "Just make sure Colton keeps his hands to himself. I know he has a habit of flirting with you and only you. Just make sure it doesn't get too far." Her dad warned.

Teagan laughed it off. "You've got it all wrong, dad. Colton's just a good friend."

Her dad froze, a faraway look in his eye. Teagan waved her hand in front of her father's face. "Dad, dad? Hello?"

"Just a friend. Just a friend. I called my wife, "just a friend". All of those years of being so blind." He thought out loud, causing his wife to look at him in concern.

"Are you okay, honey?" her mother asked.

Colton walked up to her mom, looking her in the eye. "I think he's what we call 'shook' right now."

Teagan's mother spared her an apologetic glance. "Sorry, sweetie. He's just remembering when we used to be best friends. He was kind of oblivious to my feelings for him back then." She walked up towards him, giving him a peck on the lips.

Teagan giggled.

Her father snapped out of his stupor, looking around the room. "What−what just happened?"

Teagan's mother laughed. "You were beating yourself up for not recognizing my feelings for you sooner, but I've already forgiven you for it. You weren't obligated to return my feelings for you. We're together now, isn't that what truly matters?"

Her father looked down at her, chuckling at the height difference. "You're right, Mads. Besides, even after all those years, I'm still taller than you." he boasted.

Her mother gave an unappreciative frown, knowing that he used their height difference to his advantage. "That's it. You're sleeping on the couch tonight. Hmph!" She walked away, giving her daughter a teasing grin.

Her father bulked at the sight, giving his wife frantic apologies. Colton chuckled, stopping when Teagan's father gave him a look that said, Not a peep out of you, mister.

Teagan's parents turned to her. "You guys can go to the mall, but stick together as a group and no wandering around by yourselves, okay?" Her mom said, giving her husband the silent treatment.

Teagan and her friends nodded as she closed the door behind them, excited to get out for some fresh air.