Push Me Away : Book 2 of the Teeth Series

12

Fallon Harding wasn't one for mincing words or biting her tongue for the sake of his feelings. That knowledge was part of the reason that Calum was so concerned as he sat alone in Dr. Stevens' office watching the clock tick with each passing moment.

Their appointment was meant to have started ten minutes prior and Fallon was rarely late. His knee bounced nervously creating a tapping noise that was annoying him endlessly but he couldn't seem to stop. This wasn't like her and he was worried.

His phone lay in his lap and he flipped it over, hitting the lock button and releasing a long sigh when the screen lit up still showing no new notifications from her. Just as he went to bite the bullet and text her, her name flashed across the top with a new text message.

Can't make the session today. Band Stuff. Sorry.

Calum read and reread the text. Eight words? She was bailing on him and all she could offer him were a measly eight words?

If she was mad at him, fine. They could talk that out with the therapist they were paying an ungodly amount of money to help them work through things like this. Rationally he was well aware that he had flown a bit off the handle a week prior when they had been attempting to talk as friends. He had let all of his raw emotions show and they had been a bit more than even he himself had been prepared for. When he stormed out she had been crying and he felt a large bit of guilt over the notion that her tears had been his fault. But in retrospect she had been the cause of nearly all the tears he had shed in his adult life.

Fuck, why did they have to be so complicated? Why couldn't they have stayed the same carefree and happy couple they had once been? If Fallon had never gotten pregnant, if they had never made stupid decisions, if they hadn't acted so rashly, then maybe things would be different. Maybe then they wouldn't have lied to each other. Maybe they would still be blissfully happy.

That's what he wanted for them. He had hoped therapy would help them get past their anger and hurt and distrust and maybe it still could. Things were definitely harder at this point though. It wasn't something they could mend overnight and he knew that but perhaps she had decided she no longer wanted to work on mending things at all. That possibility terrified him and so he stood, exiting the office after telling Dr. Stevens that they would have to reschedule and he went in search of her.

Band Stuff. That's what she had claimed was keeping her from their appointment and so he trusted that she hadn't lied and pointed his car in the direction of the studio he knew the girls were using to work on their new music.

It wasn't a long drive and he wasn't all that surprised when he showed up and the new Porsche SUV Fallon had recently bought was nowhere to be seen. The rest of her bandmates' cars were there and though it was slim, there was a chance she had simply ridden with one of the others to rehearsal and so he parked his own car and headed inside seeking a confrontation and conversation with the blue haired.

Erin Harding's voice carried out of the recording studio and down the hallway like a siren leading Calum right to his demise in the form of Fallon's sister Erin and the other two members of her band.

Wesley was the first to notice him. A large and friendly grin took over her face as she moved towards him. "Hey Cal! Long time, no see."

She took two quick steps forward, wrapping him in an affectionate embrace.

"My apologies that I haven't been by to see you all. You know I think the world of you."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Hood." Chayse countered.

"I assume you know why I'm here then." He muttered, looking away as he sucked his teeth in annoyance.

"I would assume that it's to look for my sister. Because you two haven't proven yourselves toxic enough yet." Erin scoffed and he turned on his heel to look at her.

At his side, Calum's hands balled into fists as he did his best to deal with his anger at her within himself. That was a fight doomed for the beginning and he couldn't help the dry and humorless laugh that escaped him as his eyes narrowed at the woman in front of him.

"Do you really want to talk to me about fucking toxic right now Erin?"

In a near perfect impression of her sister's defense tactics that Calum was more than familiar with, Erin pursed her lips, cut her eyes, and folded her arms across her chest protectively.

"Becuase to me it seems pretty fucking toxic to abandon your sister in one of the lowest moments of her life. It seems pretty toxic to ignore her texts, and calls, and private messages on social media like you can't be bothered to give a fuck about her."

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Erin seethed.

"Oh, but I do." Calum retorted, his skin flushing a bright red as his anger began to boil over. "Because for weeks while she and I have been in therapy trying to find a way to fix things between us she's been bawling her eyes out over you. How she needs you. How she feels abandoned by you."

"I haven't abandoned her damnit!'

"That's for you two to discuss, and for God's sake do it soon, but it's not the reason I'm here. Where is she?"

"She told us she couldn't make it today because she had her meeting with you." Chayse shrugged.

"Yeah, well, she didn't show. I bet she's at the apartment. If she isn't there I'll give you guys the heads up and we can text her or something to make sure she's alright. Wes, Chayse, it was great to see you. Erin, for the love of all that's good, pick up your phone and be the annoying, overbearing older sister I have always known you to be. She fucking needs you."

With that he headed back to his car. Determined not to let Fallon run away from this. From them and all that he still hoped they had the potential to be.

An: where's Fallon?

Erin made an appearance! Do you think she'll take Cal's advice and talk to Fallon?

How's Cal's confrontation with Fallon going to go?

Let me know!

Ily,
Sav 🖤

(P.S. I'll be on vacation through next Friday and the WiFi can be unreliable I'm not sure how frequent updates will be but I will do my best to stay on schedule!)