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Teagan nodded, and understood. Nat was the kind of person who wanted to show people how much they meant and do for them, not just settle on words.

"You know..." she said, taking up a glass for orange juice. "I wasn't sure you'd ever resolve the problem... I mean, how long were you here, moping around?"
Teagan gave a light laugh. "I don't know how you plucked up the courage to even dance with her."

"Well that's a good thing. So, how ya gonna do that whole happiness thing, Nat?" Teagan scooted around him to snag some pancakes and the other foods she had been barred from until they were finished. Really, Teagan was hoping he would say the magic words, that he would do that by staying with her. But, her stubborn heart was geared for disappointment.

"Right..."
Teagan nodded, and tried not to seem disappointed. Really, though, it near broke her heart. It all did.

Breakfast passed, and Teagan gave Nat some outside work to do. The sun wasn't too bright that day, so he she thought he should be fine. Really, Teagan just wanted to get him out of the house.

A few hours passed, until it was near evening. Dinner had to be started, but Teagan was frustrating herself over an arrangement for a baby shower. The happy couple had a new baby girl, so the small pink flowers and snapdragons she was working with were perfect. So then why wasn't she feeling the joy she should have been feeling for such a work?

Nat. It was all because of him. Teagan cut a flower rather aggressively before jamming it into the vase. It looked fine, untouched by her rough hand once she pulled away. Why couldn't she be like that?
Because of all the hints, she thought. Because of all the signs and interactions, the laughs, the trust her and Nat had. It all should have meant something by then, but nothing had come of it. And try as she might, Teagan could not bring herself to admit that she was falling in love with the young man she was housing in her guest bedroom.

Her frustration piqued, and she took it out on a small box at her feet. With a fierce kick, it went flying right out of the room to who cared where. It didn't help anything. Just made her one box short.

Teagan turned away angrily and continued working on the finishing touches of her arrangement. It only needed a few more sprigs and a ribbon.
"Nothing. Nothing's eating me. And maybe the box did deserve it. I don't care!"

The spool of ribbon was nearly ripped off its dowel as she pulled what she needed towards her. When she got like this, it took a lot to get her to come back to normal cheeriness.

Teagan stopped for a breather. She still looked agitated, and wouldn't look at him.
"Led me on and made me think something could happen when it couldn't..."

It was whispered with such venom and sadness that Teagan regretted saying it almost immediately. But, it was better than keeping it inside.

That made Teagan even angrier than she'd been before. Nat wasn't stupid, she knew that. By all means he should have taken the hint and reacted in some way instead of making another joke.

"Oh, yeah. One active box alright. Used to be thrown all over the damn place, trying to get away from something, though it never got far 'cause it was filled with crap. And now, once the box is empty, look at how far it flies!"

Teagan strung the bow around the vase, and lifted it up for the cooler. He might not have noticed it, but her hands were shaking badly.
It was only after the vase was safely inside the cooler that Teagan turned and looked at him in the eye with her own misty ones. She wouldn't cry, but the sadness was hanging there.

"Are you gonna keep flying away, Nat? 'Cause if you are, I'd appreciate it if you just..." Her voice caught, but still she held back on crying. She told him he'd never see it.
"Just stop messing with my hopes and leave me be, or tell me what the hell you're after!"

"Lonely state!?" Teagan took the closest object to her, a roll of tape, and threw it to the ground with a cry. "Who was it that was dancing with me, telling me I was beautiful, kissing the back of my hand like a prince? Who was it telling me I was talented and kind for all those weeks? Huh? You tell me!"

Her cheeks and ears were red as she grew furious. All that had happened after he said they couldn't be together, and that was what made Teagan so incredibly angry.