I raised my brow. “You really think that’s going to help?”

“Written sentiments are more formal and show a certain level of seriousness. If you take the time to write him, you must really mean it.”***After much consideration, I decided to do what Kai said. I took out some yellow-lined paper and began to write down my thoughts. After going back and forth and scratching things out, I finally determined what my message to Caleb would be.

I then went to find Maura to see if she had Caleb’s email address with the information she’d received from the university. As expected, she did ask why I would write to him when he was just upstairs, but she gave it to me without prying too much.

I returned to my room and carefully typed out my message.Subject: Unsolicited AdviceDear Caleb,While I appreciate your concern about my lack of interaction with my sister, I find the fact that you’re inserting yourself into our business very intrusive and unbecoming of someone who doesn’t know me.

You don’t know all of the details of my life or my history with my family. Actually, you don’t know me at all.

So, I would greatly appreciate it if you didn’t offer unsolicited advice on matters you don’t understand.Regards,

TeaganI read it over a few times and hit send before I could change my mind. Boy, that felt good.

I kept my computer open as I folded some of my laundry over the next several minutes.

Then I heard my email notification chime.

A message in bold showed a response from Caleb.From: Caleb Yates

To: Teagan Carroll

RE: Unsolicited AdviceDear Teagan,I’ve edited your email. I believe this is what you meant to say:Dear Caleb,I don’t like to be called out on my bloody awful behavior because it causes me to have to stop and look in the mirror. I don’t like the fact that, even though you don’t know the details of my life, you were still able to recognize something about me that I don’t like about myself—thus the attitude I gave you. I want to change, to be better, but don’t know how. You see, I’ve become very wrapped up in my own head as of late.

If I hadn’t forced you to walk away from our argument, maybe I would’ve figured out that you only had my and Shelley’s best interests in mind. But since I have my head stuck up my arse at the moment, I chose to believe you’re a tosser and write you this note instead, even though you’re right upstairs.Fuck off,

TeaganOh my God.

Oh. My. God.

My blood boiled.

Are you kidding me?

This time, I started writing without thinking first. I tapped on the keys in anger.From: Teagan Carroll

To: Caleb Yates

RE: Unsolicited AdviceDear Caleb,Are you serious right now???Send.

Ten seconds later, a new email came in. The fact that he’d been waiting by the computer for my response annoyed me even more.From: Caleb Yates

To: Teagan Carroll

RE: Unsolicited AdviceDear Teagan,You asked if I was serious. I am going to assume that’s a rhetorical question, and you don’t actually want me to answer it. Let me know if I’m mistaken.CalebAgain, I typed without thinking it through.From: Teagan Carroll

To: Caleb Yates

RE: Unsolicited AdviceNo, it wasn’t rhetorical. I asked if you were serious because I find your attitude unbelievable. I seriously want to know why you think it’s okay to analyze someone you don’t even know. Seriously!Exhaling my frustration, I told myself this fruitless attempt at communication was finished—until my computer dinged again.

I clicked on his response.From: Caleb Yates

To: Teagan Carroll

RE: Unsolicited AdviceSounds like you seriously have a serious problem with me and a serious overusage of the word serious.What?

I typed.From: Teagan Carroll

To: Caleb Yates

RE: Unsolicited AdviceThere’s no point in continuing this email exchange.Almost immediately, he responded.From: Caleb Yates

To: Teagan Carroll

RE: Unsolicited AdviceDing! Ding! Ding! She finally gets it. There was never any point to this email exchange. It never should have happened. Want to take a guess as to why?I banged on my keyboard as I responded.From: Teagan Carroll

To: Caleb Yates

RE: Unsolicited AdviceWhat are you talking about?Again, his reply was immediate.From: Caleb Yates

To: Teagan Carroll

RE: Unsolicited AdviceThere was never any point to this email exchange because…DRUMROLL...I’m right upstairs.

RIGHT upstairs, Teagan.

Why would you send me an email instead of coming to talk to me?

(Seriously!)I slammed my laptop shut. I was done. Done.

Yet over the next several minutes, as I continued to put my clothes away, I did nothing but obsess. Why was I letting him get to me? I didn’t want to react this way. He’d blown the whole thing out of proportion. The email was an attempt to get my point across without having to see him, but maybe I’d have to get in his face after all.

I stormed up the stairs and headed straight to my old room—his room. But when I got to the top of the stairwell, I swallowed the words I’d been prepared to unleash. The unexpected sight of Caleb doing pull-ups met my eyes. He used a bar affixed to the top of the door to lift himself up. He wore a T-shirt that rode up each time he rose. His hard abs were now staring me in the face, ripples of carved muscle. He had black wrist wraps on. He’d turned my old room into a home gym.