Awakening (Awakening, #1)

Chapter 3

After I drop Teegan off at her house to change, I go home and do the same. I turn on the shower head and step inside. The water is so relaxing. I close my eyes and rest my head against the cold tile. I reflect back on what Sam had said to me, and it makes me feel like shit. Did he really think of me that way?

Was I really just some hypocritical bastard to him? I hated that he thought of me that way. All I want to do is be there for him. Dad left when he was only fourteen, and I was fifteen. Mom has such a busy job at Wayview Medical Center as a nurse, and Sam's my responsibility.

I hear the door open and I hope it's him. I put a towel around my waist and go downstairs. But actually, it's mom. 

"Hey, mom, how was work?" I hug her.

"It was fine, how was school?" She asks.

"Fine. Hey, Sam and I got into sort of an argument and he didn't ride home with me." I say.

"I talked to him, he's at Devin's." She says.

I nod and head upstairs to get dressed. I don't have time to dwell on Sam right now, as long as he's okay. I'm clearly not someone he wants to speak to right now.

Ten minutes later, I'm dressed and in my car. Mom said she had to head back to work for a double shift and she left me some money for pizza later for dinner. I pull into Teegan's driveway to see her sitting on the front porch with her purse on her lap.

"Hey. I was just about to call you." She says as she gets into the car. She seems in a hurry. Usually I would have got out and opened the door for her, but she didn't even give me a chance.

"Everything okay?" I ask her, concerned.

"Yeah, everything's fine." She smiles. But it seems forced. I decide to ignore it, and not press any further. I put the address of the party into my GPS and it gets us there in five minutes. 

There's already cars lined along the street and I can feel the bass from the music all the way out here, when I step out of the car. I go to open Teegan's door, and we head inside. I can smell the alcohol thick in the air.

"Stay by me, and don't take drinks from anyone, okay?" I tell her.

"Not even you?" she teases.

I laugh. "Seriously. I don't trust any of these guys."

"Do you want a drink?" she asks and walks away. I'm the driver, so I might only have a sip. Teegan's not acting like herself and I don't understand what's going on with her. She comes back with a red Solo cup full of a dark amber colored liquid. I've never been a drinker, but I take a fairly large sip and just hold the cup.

"Let's dance." She pulls me into what looks like the living room and starts dancing like I've never seen her dance before. I won't question it. I move with her, but she takes the lead. We dance like that for about fifteen minutes and I start to feel really woozy and awkward. I can't be buzzed already; I only took one sip of my drink and got rid of it.

My head starts to feel thick and heavy and everything starts spinning. I stumble and Teegan looks at me for a second too long then asks, "You okay, Jonah?"

I can't find words to speak, I don't remember where I am. My vision clouds over and I reach for something to help me stay upright. Teegan walks over and puts her arm across my back and helps me stand.

"Come on, let's get out of here." She says.

"N-...no, I- I," I can't speak. I'm not even slurring my words, I can't make words. Someone must have put something in my drink. But Teegan got me my drink..

I start to panic and I try to wiggle out of her grasp. She couldn't have done that...she has no reason to do something like that to me..

I make a loud grunting sound in an attempt to call out for help. A long trail of drool comes out of my mouth and suddenly I can't move my legs. There was something in my drink. I can't walk, I can't talk. Something's wrong. I fall to the ground, and she just stares at me, then looks around as if to see if anyone's watching.

Tears fill my eyes, and I'm helpless. Helpless as really strong hands wrap around me and lift me off of the lawn and take me away. I black out. But the last thing I see is Teegan walking back into the house and not even once looking back.