“Hey, want to get out of here?” he asked.
She wasn’t sure that was such a great idea. She felt comfortable at Java Hut. “And go where?”
He jerked his head to the pier. “We can walk around. See what’s happening.”
She nodded. It was worth a shot. Then she remembered Nicky and their plans. “Actually, I’m supposed to meet my friend at the arcade after this.”
“So you don’t want to go, then?” he asked. She couldn’t tell if he was disappointed.
“Um, well … you could come with if you want. I’m supposed to meet her in half an hour.”
“Sounds good to me. Better bring your A game. I dominate at air hockey.”
They left the safety of Java Hut, and Keeley felt as awkward as before. She cleared her throat and tried to think of something to say. “So ... how was football camp?” she said as they walked toward the beach.
“Exhausting, but worth it. We got a new kid who’s a great punter.” He paused. “Wait. Are you a football fan? We never really discussed that.”
“I kind of have to be since my brother plays.”
“I didn’t know he played.” Then Talon gave a short laugh. “I love that I don’t know. Everyone wants to talk football, but with you …”
She completely understood. He saw her, not Zach’s sister. “It’s nice, isn’t it? I love my brother, but I don’t want to always be talking about the great Zach Brewer.”
Talon stopped abruptly. “Brewer?”
“We’re twins. Everyone says we look the same, except Zach got the dimples and I didn’t. See?” She pointed to her cheek and grinned.
“Shit,” he muttered. He glanced at her, his eyes widening as if seeing her for the first time, then looked away.
She bit the inside of her mouth. He looked angry. Did he know Zach? Had Zach done something to him? Worried, she reached out to touch him, but he flinched. Her hand dropped and she felt her heart do the same. “Are you okay?”
Jamming a hand in the front pocket of his jeans, he pulled out her phone and gave her an unreadable look. Grabbing his phone from her hand, he said, “It was nice meeting you, Keeley.” Then he placed her phone in her open palm and strode away.
“Where are you going?” she called out. She thought he was going to turn back, but he didn’t. Soon, he was no more than a speck in the distance.
Confused and hurt, Keeley called Nicky from her own phone.
“He just left? With no explanation?” asked Nicky.
“Like he couldn’t get away fast enough.” Keeley ignored the people milling around. Java Hut was starting to get busy, but she stayed where she was. Maybe a small part of her was hoping Talon would come back.
“It was probably for the best. Did you really want to hang out with someone like that?”
“Someone like what?”
“You know, the overconfident guy who has testosterone to spare.”
“He’s not like that.” Or he was, but it wasn’t all he was.
“Is he hot?”
Silence.
“My point exactly. His looks are blinding you.”
It wasn’t just his looks that caught her attention. There was something else that called to her — a complexity she hadn’t noticed at first. She thought of his willingness to help her. She thought of his issues with his father. Yeah. There was depth. “He ... surprises me.” Keeley tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Pretty stupid, huh?”
“Not stupid if that’s the way you feel.” Nicky cleared her throat. “Maybe you should call him.”
“And say what?”
“‘Hey, Talon, want to be friends?’”
She thought they were friends. What a joke.
Keeley sighed a little as she pulled into the school parking lot. First day of senior year and her last first day at Edgewood High. She wanted to savor the experience, but her heart wasn’t in it.
Zach glanced over. “Nervous?”
“Didn’t sleep much last night.” She’d been rereading her texts with Talon. Maybe she’d imagined their connection.
“That’s what happens when you procrastinate. You did finish the stats homework, right?”
She didn’t correct him. Better he thought it was about homework than a guy. “Everything’s done.” Thanks to Talon. She couldn’t have finished without him.
Zach gently tugged a lock of her hair. “You sure you’re okay? You look sad.”
His concern touched her. “Yeah, I’m fine. And hey, good news. You can take the car. Nicky’ll take me home.”
“You sure? Cort said he would drive me after practice.”
“I want to go with Nicky. Haven’t seen her much.”
“I noticed. What’s up with that? You’re usually joined at the hip.”
She didn’t want to explain. Not to him. “You wouldn’t get it.”
“Try me. Back in the day, we were the ones joined at the hip.”
The memory made her smile. “We even shared the same blankie. Mom had to cut it in two when we were old enough for our own beds. But I would always sneak in when I got scared.”
“And you hogged the covers. Man, you used to come to me for everything.”
“Yeah, I did,” she said fondly. Then she playfully nudged his arm. “But then you got into football and became too cool.”
His grin faded. “We better go. Don’t want to be late.”
They got out and she handed him the keys. She was halfway across the parking lot when he called her name and said, “Catch.”
With her lack of hand-eye coordination, she completely missed, but luckily it landed by her feet. It was Zach’s Batman eraser. The one he’d given her the first day of kindergarten. It was a nub now, barely enough to use. She hadn’t realized he’d kept it.
“For luck,” he told her. “This is our last year together. Let’s make it the best, okay?”
She pushed her sadness to the side and gave Zach a firm nod. They’d make this the best year yet.
Keeley could feel the excitement in the air as groups gathered in the hallways and friends rushed to find one another. When she got to her locker, Nicky was already there. She was wearing a cute dress, but wore sneakers so they could match. Nicky pulled a paper out of her binder. “Brace yourself. We only have one class together.”
“How do you know?”
Nicky waved the paper in front of her face. “I got your schedule when I picked up mine.”
“Don’t you have to show a photo ID?”
“I might have lied and said you had a bad case of the Cochin.”
“Cochin?” Keeley frowned. “What is that?”
“I made it up. Told the administrator it’s a rare type of virus that you can only get through chickens.”
“So now people think I’m infected with some type of chicken flu?”
“You’re welcome.”
Keeley shoved a couple of notebooks into her locker. “And you’re crazy. How did you even come up with that?”
“Well, you are too chicken to call Talon.” Nicky folded her hands under her armpits and started flapping her arms like wings.
“I am not!”
“Did you call him?”
Keeley slammed her locker shut. “Forget about him.”