Protect My Heart

Getting ready for dinner that night with John, Liam, and Natalie, Teagan sat down in front of her mirror and stared at the reflection of herself. Her heart was beating rapidly, and her nerves were close to getting the best of her. She tried to take deep breaths to calm herself down, but nothing was working.

“Hey Teag,” John called from behind her. She didn’t even hear him enter the bathroom that connected both of their bedrooms. “Are you alright?” he asked, as he placed both of his hands on her shoulders.

“Uh, y-yeah. I-I’m fine,” she stuttered out.

John rolled his eyes. “Oh, don’t pull that ‘I’m fine’ card on me, Tee. I’m not dumb.”

She let out a light chuckle, trying to lighten the mood and obviously trying to get out from having that conversation. “Well then, why are you still asking?”

But John wasn’t having it. “C’mon Teag, I’ve known you for nine years. Obviously something’s not alright,” the brunette boy said in a serious tone, looking at her straight in the eyes through the mirror. “What’s up?”

She sighed, finally giving up and letting down her guard. “I’m just nervous,” she told him quietly.

“Nervous?” He chuckled. It almost seemed like a laughing matter to him. “What’s there to be nervous about? It’s just dinner with Liam and Nat. No big deal.” He spun her around, so she was now facing him. “Jesus, Teag. Your hands are freezing,” he said, as he held her hands in his. “Are you really that nervous?”

She nodded her head. “I-I don’t know John. I just have a bad feeling about tonight, y’know?”

“Just… Just calm down, okay?” He smiled reassuringly. “I’ll be there, and I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said as he pressed his lips to her temple and pulled her in for a hug.

She rested her head against his chest, breathing in his scent. “Thanks, JohnO. I love you.”

“I love you too, baby girl,” he said, kissing the top of her head once more. “Now, let’s go. We don’t want to keep the love birds waiting.”

She groaned. “Don’t remind me.”

John laughed. “Everything’s going to be all right. I promise you that.”

He took her hand in his as they made their way out of their flat and into his car. It was already 6:55 and the two of them were supposed to meet the couple at Monti’s at 7 o’clock since Liam made reservations. The drive to the restaurant was quiet, with Wilco playing softly in the background. Looking out the window and into the streets of Arizona, Teagan tried to drown out the anxiety that was bubbling inside her and tried to think of other things but failed miserably.

Once they finally reached Monti’s, John parked the car and they both got out of the vehicle. Before they went inside the restaurant, Teagan reached out for John’s hand. Upon feeling her cold and clammy hands, John gave them a reassuring squeeze as he looked at her and flashed her the crooked smile that she had grown to love.

“JohnO! Teagan!” They both turned their head to where the voice was calling out and found Liam waving his hand at them. “Over here!”

With every step she took towards the table with John beside her, she tried to take deep, calming breaths once again in hopes of being able to compose herself. She wouldn’t want to make a fool out of herself in front of Liam and Natalie.

When they reached the table, Liam and Natalie stood up and hugged both of them before settling down again on their respective chairs.

“So, JohnO, how was tour?” Liam asked, immediately striking a conversation.

“Well, tour’s tour,” he said, before shrugging his shoulders. “Great music, great crowd, lots of hot girls.” He smirked, and Teagan couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him. Boys will be boys, she thought. “Y’know, the usual. But it’s really great to finally be back home.” John smiled. “How about you? How’s that engineering thing going for you?”

“Eh, it’s quite busy over at my uncle’s firm. Lot’s of projects, but I manage. All thanks to these two lovely ladies,” Liam said, before he flashed a smile to his best friend, then another one to his girlfriend.

The conversation continued between the four of them as the night progressed. Teagan’s nerves were still whack, but she tried to act as normal as possible because she wanted her best friends not to worry about her. She just wanted to have fun since it was John’s first day back home from tour, and she didn’t want to ruin it for him.

As they started eating, John brought up the reason why they were all there in the first place. “So, what was it that you wanted to tell us?” he asked, directing the question to Liam and Natalie.

Liam set down the utensils he was holding and chuckled nervously before looking at his girlfriend beside her. “Oh, about that…” he trailed off.

Natalie also tore her gaze away from her food and looked at Liam. She smiled at him as he brought his hand over hers. Teagan looked at their hands and could not believe what she was seeing with her own eyes.

It was an engagement ring on Natalie’s finger.

“Please tell me that’s not really what I’m seeing,” Teagan thought, keeping her musings to herself.

“We’re getting married!” Natalie gushed with excitement washing over her face.

John felt Teagan tense up beside him. Keeping his promise, he brought his hand under the table and held her. He felt her grip onto him tightly. “Oh, no. So this was what she was so nervous about,” John thought.

“Congratulations, you guys!” John smiled at the couple in front of him.

“Congratulations,” Teagan said, feigning excitement. It felt weird for her to be put in that situation. She flashed a smile to the newly engaged couple in front of her. She slumped back in her seat and let go of John’s hand. “Excuse me, I need to go to the rest room.”

Liam and Natalie looked up at her retreating figure with confusion in their eyes. “What’s wrong with her?” Liam asked John.

“I have no idea.” Oh, if only you knew.