Crescendo

Chapter 21

Santa Fe to Austin

DAY TEN

FANGIRLS

Yes. She's a chicken. A big, fat, guilty chicken.

Erin openly admits this in the comfort of her safe bedroom. It's safe because here, she won't have to face Derek. She's a coward, hiding up here after she blatantly stood him up this afternoon. She never showed and Derek's called her, but she refused to pick up. Because the second she meets Derek face to face, she'll burst into tears. She has no idea what he's going to say to her, and quite frankly, she has no desire to find out. Thankfully, Erin's sucked out of her emo ponderings by her mother calling her from downstairs.

She pops her head out of her bedroom door, yelling back down. "Yeah?!"

"Come here."

Groaning, Erin drags herself down the stairs. Hitting the bottom floor, she calls out to her mom. "What is it, Mom?" She rounds the corner and goes into the kitchen before her mom has time to fully answer her. She regrets it instantly.

There he is.

Derek Evans is sitting at her kitchen table, chitchatting with her mom. He's in her house—HE'S IN HER HOUSE! And he's just sitting there—like he comes here all the time! He looks cozy: lounging in their country kitchen chair, with a glass of sweet iced tea in his hand.

How is this happening?!

Erin's still stunned in the doorway when her mom and Derek notice her standing there.

"Erin, look who stopped by," her mother says, too cheerfully for Erin's liking. Derek's managed to charm her mother the same way he does with everyone else. And clearly, Gina's thrilled to have such a hot guy paying house calls to her daughter. Give it up, Mom. I already have.

"Ah, oh," Erin mumbles, swallowing nervously as Derek's eyes lock onto hers—and stare into her very soul. They've lost a bit of the humor they had when Derek was talking to her mom. They're more calculating and she's hating this already.

"Hey Erin," he says, remaining light and easy, although he's giving off: "We need to talk. Don't run away—or else" vibes. Oh shit...

"Hey," Erin says so quietly, she's not sure if she makes a sound or simply ends up mouthing her words instead. Erin's mom frowns. She crowds Erin, making her reflex mothering move, holding her hand up to Erin's forehead.

"Honey, are you feeling okay? You look flustered." Out of her peripheral vision, Erin swears she sees Derek hide a slight smirk.

"No, um, I'm fine." She offhandedly motions her mother away from her.

"I was telling Derek how nice it is to meet him. You've been talking about the paper so much, how great the editors are, and it does seem like Derek's a very nice boy."

"Thank you, Ms. Lee. It's nice meeting you too," Derek says, all parent-proper. "And thanks again for letting me visit, especially since I dropped by unannounced—this tea is great, by the way."

"Aw, you're so sweet! And it's no problem. You're welcome any time." Gina gushes before glancing dreamily between Erin and Derek.

"Mom," Erin says.

At last, Gina shakes herself out of plotting her daughter's wedding. "Well then," she begins sweetly. "I'll let you two talk."

"I was thinking, it's so nice outside today. You want to talk out there, Erin?" Derek asks meaningfully.

This is not a yes or no invitation.

Erin bites her lip.

"Yeah. Here, we can go onto the back porch." She points in the direction of the back door.