Rags to Riches

Chapter 7: Dessert Asile

I found myself staring up to the celling at three in the morning. I've been up this entire time, wondering what Erin was doing. How was Theo even going to bust them? It's not illegal to be seen with a teenager, but it is illegal to engage in sexual matters with them. What was Theo going to do? Record them? That was just wrong and sick. But I doubt that was his plan in the first place.

The ringing of my phone startles me as I shoot up from under my covers. I answer it quickly so it doesn't wake up my parents.

"Hello?"

"You left out one little thing," Theo says on the other side of the phone.

"Yeah?" I ask, my heart pounding fast. What did he do?

"I needed an invitation!" He yells into the phone and I have to pull it away from my ear.

"Relax," I hiss quietly.

"Sorry," I hear him sigh. "Long story short, I wasn't allowed in."

I run a hand through my hair and close my eyes for a second. Maybe this was a sign. Maybe what I was doing is horribly wrong and I'm trying to be told just that.

"But, uh, I sort of need you to pick me up." Theo says and my eyes snap open.

"What do you mean I have to pick you up? Don't you have a car? How the hell did you get there in the first place?"

Theo lets out a low whistle. "So many questions..."

"Theo." I snap.

"Alright, alright. Well, when I planned on crashing the ball I didn't want Oliver to know I was there. So I parked a few blocks away and walked...." He trails off and doesn't finish.

"I don't understand the problem. Where is your car?"

"That's the thing." He pauses. "Someone may have stolen it."

"May have? Someone may have stolen it?" I ask annoyed.

"That's what I said, yes."

"Theo! Didn't you lock it? Did you forget to lock it..." I say the last part in a pitiful tone.

"No I did not forget to lock it!" He says defensively. "I'm not an idiot. But apparently I should have chosen a less flashy car in this kind of neighborhood..." there was silence. "Teagan," he says in a shaking voice. "I think I found a finger."

"Hold on," I sigh loudly. "I'll be right there. Just don't move."

***

On the car ride over to Theo's location, I began to wonder if he was just overreacting. But as I got further away from the country club and closer to Theo, I'm glad I came. If I would have turned him down and something happened to him... I don't think I would be able to forgive myself. It's not like I don't have a conscience at all.

I see Theo standing on the side walk bouncing on his heels. He wasn't hard to miss, especially wearing that very expensive looking tux.

I pull up next to him and roll down the window. "Let's go home before we both get shot."

Theo hops into the passenger side of my car and looks around with a scowl. "How old is this thing? Are you sure it won't break down on the way back?"

I roll my eyes and start up the car. "You're lucky I'm even picking you up."

Theo nods and looks out the window while I drive away. He was silent for a while before we pass a food store.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Theo says. "Pull in here,"

"Why?" I ask simply.

"Because I'm craving cookies." Theo says.

"I'm not a taxi driver, Theo." I say angrily. "I have school tomorrow and it's already four in the morning."

"Teagan don't be such a buzzkill. I'll buy you cookies too." Theo says as he practically hung his head out of the window.

"You are such a five year old." I say, but pull into the small food store anyway. I was surprised to see that it was open this early.

Theo gets out of the car and walks up the empty parking lot. I watch him walk away but he then turns around and makes a motioning gesture.

He wanted me to come with him.

Before heavily groaning I get out of the car and walk up to him. "What's your problem now?"

"Are you going to sit out there, alone, in the middle of an empty parking lot, in the dark-"

"Okay, okay! I get it. Come on," I mumble and walk around him and into the food store.

It was pretty dead, but that was suspected considering the parking lot was almost empty.

Theo walks ahead of me to look up and down the aisle. "Usually there is one big section where the desserts are. I just have to find it..."

"Will you please hurry up?" I ask as I watch him scurry down the empty aisle. "Found it!" Theo says excitedly.

I stand next to him as he looks at all his options. Honestly, I was never the one to overload on sugar. I always got horrible headaches and the pain from those is not worth the taste of the cookie beforehand.

The silence was a little creepy, so I was glad when it was cut by giggling. Well, sort of. The giggling it sounded like was the type of giggling intoxicated teens would have. Or an intoxicated anyone.

There was a small crash of what sounded like boxes from the aisle in front of us. A deep chuckle followed and a girl going, "Shh!"

I was so focused on the noises I didn't see Theo tense.

"What's wron-" I try to ask but he slaps a hand over my mouth as he pulls me away from the dessert aisle and down to the freezer section. Once he lets me go I pull away from him.

"What the hell?" I angrily whisper and he either doesn't notice or care about the anger.

"That was my brother." Theo says in a quiet voice. "And how much do you bet your friend was the girl with him?"