Read Online Circle of Lies (Red Ridge Pack) by Sara Dailey, Staci Weber - Free Book Online

back to normal. At least, as normal as it ever was in my life after we moved to Red Ridge.

16.
    Teagan
    Unbelievable! I’m not sure I could have imagined a more embarrassing moment than the scene on my front porch. Things could have only been more humiliating if the whole neighborhood had been out to watch. Why couldn’t Aiden have just driven off? No, he’d had to sit and watch the drama unfold. I was just glad he hadn’t stuck around long enough to see my dad follow me inside.
    Guess he got lonely out there on the porch, Dad, and when he came in I had the pleasure of witnessing his verbal abuse at its best. I think he managed to call me every name in the book before I safely escaped to my bedroom. Thank God for doors that lock.
    I’d refused to give him the satisfaction of tears, but as soon as my door slammed the flash flood began. I cried about everything: my loser dad, my missing mother, my screwed-up existence. I also cried because I felt like such a fool. What would Aiden think of me now? Who would want to get involved with someone like this? Then I cried some more for having had those thoughts. Aiden wasn’t even in my realm of boyfriend possibilities, anyway. Not for keeps. His kind didn’t mix with mine. And even if they did, I’d most certainly seen my fate sealed with the night’s little escapade.
    It didn’t matter. If Aiden Wright wouldn’t want to be with someone like me, what did I care? I didn’t want to be with someone like him—someone who judged everyone by their social standing, by their place in the pecking order, by their physical beauty. Someone who only worried about popularity, about the Who’s Who of Red Ridge High. Tonight had been just a coincidence. Happenstance. He’d just been acting nice by driving me home, but he probably wouldn’t even look my way at school tomorrow.
    Damn it! I hated myself for giving two shits whether he liked me or not. But I did. I also couldn’t stand not knowing if he’d told Alli what had happened. She was one of the very best people at Red Ridge, and I hated the idea of having to be embarrassed around her.
    It took me ten minutes just to figure out what to say, but finally I decided on playing it safe and texting her:
    Teagan: Hey, Alli. Got ur text earlier. Was at work. Sorry I couldn’t text back. But ur brother gave me a ride home tonight from work. Will you thank him for me?
    Seconds later, she replied:
    Alli: Sure will. BTW, that’s what I texted u about. I get the feeling he likes you. Just in case...
    Before I could stop myself, a smile spread across my face. My finger trembled as I tried to type a response. He liked me? Seriously, he liked me enough that his sister was commenting on it? I didn’t know what to say, so I put the ball back in her court:
    Teagan: Just in case what?
    No answer. I sat on my bed, staring at my phone and willing it to chime. What was taking so damn long? Finally, her text came through, and I suddenly couldn’t decide if I wanted to read it or not. What if she got my hopes up and was wrong? But a second later I decided that I couldn’t possibly not look.
    Alli: In case you’re interested. Trust me. I know when Aiden’s smitten. And his face practically lit up the room when he told me he got to drive you home. He just got back.
    I had to ask. I had to know. It was really bothering me.
    Teagan: Did he mention anything else?
    Closing my eyes, I prayed that he hadn’t told Alli about my dad.
    My phone chimed again, and with my heart pounding and my fingers fumbling with the stupid little buttons, I rushed to read her response.
    Alli: No, why? What happened?
    Thankful, I replied quickly.
    Teagan: Nothing. Just wondering. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.
    Unable to control myself, I felt another smile creep across my tear-and-mascara streaked face. I must have looked like I belonged in a loony bin. Was I crazy? I was certainly walking the line to think that someone like Aiden would be interested in someone like