Chapter Ten

164. 9 TOTALLY HANGING OUT WITH TEGAN’S FAMILY

We all climb out of Dana’s van, Tegan going straight for the back to get the wheelchair. I’m a big ball of nerves as I step out of the car, still shocked that I’m even here with him. After he pulls the chair out, Tegan tries to help Timmy get out, but he pushes his hand away.

“I can do it. ”

“I know. ” Tegan steps back, holding the chair and letting his brother pull himself into it. It’s amazing to watch him. How well he can get around. His mom

reaches in and pulls out a basketball before closing up. It’s an old, rundown basketball court on the same side of town as the gym. Metal bleachers are next to it. There are other people in wheelchairs already on the court. Tegan holds out his hand, and Dana passes him the ball. He dribbles over to the court with Tim, as we walk to the bleachers.

A minute later, Tegan’s passing Tim the ball and joining us.

I can’t take my eyes off them. They’re all teenagers except for the coach who is in a wheelchair himself. They’re not playing a game or anything, but running

drills like they would at any other basketball game: shooting, passing, stuff like that.

“Pretty cool, huh? ” I’m in the middle of Tegan and his mom, but I notice him much more.

“Yeah. It’s incredible. ”

“They haven’t played games or anything yet. Ed, the coach, he does this on his own. It’s not a real league or anything, but he’s working on it, trying to find people for them to play.

I’m in awe. How did I not know this went on? I can’t take my eyes off Tim and the guys, passing the ball around and shooting. They’re good. Better than I could

ever hope to be. “I think this is probably the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. ” I’m envious. That they’re out there, no fear, and going for it. I could never do that. It’s inspiring.

I manage to tear my eyes from the court to look at Tegan. He’s studying me so intensely that I know he’s discovered something. Some deep, dark secret to me that

I never knew was there.

“We can thank Tegan for finding it for him. We never would have known about it otherwise. ” Dana smiles at her son.

“You found this for Tim? ” My insides turn into mush. Not the blubbery kind either. This is dangerous territory, but I’m feeling like a rebel. “That’s…sweet. ”

He doesn’t reply, only turns to look at his brother again so I do the same. We don’t talk any more. Their practice only lasts about forty-five minutes and afterward everyone else packs up and takes off except for Tim. He waves his brother over.

“I’ll be right back. ”

He traipses down the bleachers. A minute later he’s dribbling the ball around his brother. You can see the concentration on Tim’s face, waiting for the perfect

time. Then he strikes, stealing the ball from Tegan. He doesn’t dribble it, but holds it on his lap as he wheels toward the basket and shoots.

“Lucky shot! ” Tegan harasses him.

It’s awesome to watch. He’s awesome. I can’t help but say it. “He’s amazing. ”

It takes a minute before I realize I just called him amazing in front of his mom. She doesn’t flinch, tease or anything. She only smiles, lost in her boys the way I just got lost in Tegan. Well…maybe not the exact same way.

“He is, isn’t he? ” She sounds almost sad. “He tries to do everything. Thinks he can hold up the whole world. He’s so smart, funny. God he used to love life. A

little troublemaker, but nothing bad. Now he’s like a fifty-year-old guy trapped in an eighteen-year-old body. Works like crazy. Even when he was still in high school.

Always packing money away for college, to help me, even though I won’t take it. Goes to every appointment of Tim’s that he can. I think he thinks he can try and

give his brother back everything we lost. ”

The wall is completely down now. Any doubts I had about him, vanished, eaten up by his mom’s words. He’s more than amazing. Part of me hopes my silence

will fuel her to fill it. To give me more information on him, but then I feel guilty. I want whatever I know about Tegan to come from him.

Tim saves me. “Annabel. Come down and play. Tegan’s already wussing out on me! ”

“Yeah right! I don’t even know how to dribble a basketball! ” I call back, but stand anyway. Then I remember Dana was talking, but when I glance back, she’s

waving me toward them. Tim tosses me the ball when I get to them.

“Everyone can dribble. Just do it and see if I can get it from you. ”

Tegan steps back, smirking at me, but I ignore him. This is for Tim. I start to bounce the ball and he wheels toward me. When he gets close enough, I pick it up to turn around.

“Hey! That’s cheating! ”

“It is? Crap, sorry. ”

“Yeah, you can’t move your feet with the ball in your hand. It’s traveling. ”

I dribble again, concentrating on what I’m doing. Tim comes toward me again and I slowly jog away, still dribbling the ball. It doesn’t bounce off my foot or

anything. “Hey! I’m pretty good at this, ” I laugh, but then he pokes his hand out and the ball slips away from me.

Maybe not…

“Okay, wait. I’m trying that again. ” Determined this time, I dribble again. I head down the court, not too fast, but Tim is right next to me. When I get to the basket, I stop, unsure of what to do. ”

“You’re supposed to shoot! ” Tim is so close now and duh. How could I have not thought of that? I toss the ball up and hit bounces off the rim. Hard and flies

right back at me. I duck because balls flying at my head is so not my thing.

Tim busts up laughing. I can’t help it. I start too. I’m grabbing my stomach for cracking up so much. “Oh my God. I suck. ”

“Totally, ” Tim agrees.

“Hey! You’re not supposed to agree with me. ” I playfully push his arm.

Tim yells toward his brother, “Did you see how bad she sucks, Teag? ”

Tegan! I forgot he was there. He and his mom are standing outside the court watching us. Dana is smiling. Tegan’s eyes burn into me. Automatically I take a step

back, thinking I did something wrong, but then he shifts and I see something else.

Thanks. His look seems to say.

My pleasure. And it was.

***

It’s not often I watch TV downstairs. Well, it’s not really often I watch TV at all, but that’s beside the point. Em’s with her mom and I don’t feel like being cooped up in my room so I’m sitting downstairs using the TV for background noise while really, I’m mentally dissecting my life.

No matter how many ways or times I run it over in my head, I still can’t believe I hung out with Tegan and his family. I’m looking for a reason, in it. I need a

reason for it, but I can’t find one. Besides the obvious that they asked I mean. But why?

And Tegan. At first it seemed like he didn’t want me to go, but then he asked. I’m not an idiot. I’m pretty sure that only happened because it’s Tegan’s way of

giving his brother what he wanted, but still.

He asked.

And then he watched me. Watched me in a way he never had before. Unfortunately, I’m not as good at dissecting boys as I am myself so I have no clue what his

look meant, but God, I want it to mean something good.

My cell chirps, making me jump. It’s a text from Tegan. I know because I totally saved his number the last time he texted me.

Hey, Annabel Lee. What ya up 2?

I giggle. Giggle over a stupid, freaking text. Not much. Just hanging out. You?

On a break at work. Listen, just wanted to say thx for hanging out. For playin with Timmy. That was cool.

Some of the air seeps out of my balloon. Of course he only wanted to talk because of his brother.

No problem. Had fun. Tim’s awesome.

Don’t tel him that.

I don’t text again, because I’m not sure how to reply. There’s not really much else to say.

You stil there? Tegan texts a couple minutes later.

Yeah.

Gotta head back to work. Just wanted to say hi and… See you soon, Annabel Lee.

No matter what his reason for texting, I still can’t help but smile. See you soon.

Behind me, the front door slams. I turn to see Mom walk in. She heads straight to the kitchen. Maybe I’m a glutton for punishment. Maybe I just want to talk to

her. I’m not sure the reason, but I get up and follow her. “Hi. You’re home early. ”

“I have some work to do, but all my notes are here. What are you doing? ”

I shrug. “Not much. Did you get a new client or something? ”

“No. It’s pageant stuff. ”

Pageant stuff. Again, glutton for punishment? Riding a high from Tegan’s text? Whatever it is, it forces a lie to come out of my mouth. “I had fun helping the

other day… The pageant thing… it might be kind of fun. ”

No, hell hasn’t frozen over and I don’t want to participate, but I want her to offer. I want it so bad that I would probably actually say yes if she did.

Mom shakes her head. “Oh, come on Annabel. You don’t have to pretend you like it. I know better. ”

I know better too. I shouldn’t have even brought it up.

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