Keeley took the envelope but didn’t peek inside. She knew it was Zach’s class ring. “Why are you giving it back now?” Claire had kept it for almost three years.
“I think I held on to it so I wouldn’t forget the bad choices I made. But forgiving JT made me realize I have to forgive myself, too.” Claire paused, her hand lingering on the door frame. “Good luck, Keeley.”
Keeley went back to the couch and sank down, trying to absorb everything Claire told her. Had Talon changed? Could she truly trust him now? After all, Claire, the girl he hurt the most, forgave him. Did that mean she could as well? She was in the same spot when Zach finally returned.
“I’m back,” Zach yelled, tossing his keys on the dining room table. He put the bags of Chinese food on the coffee table in front of Keeley. “You won’t believe how long the line was.” He took out the containers and opened them. “Can you get the plates, Keels?”
She clutched the envelope in her hand. She almost wished Claire had kept his ring. This was going to bring up a lot of memories for him. Ones she wasn’t sure he was ready for.
“Keels?”
Keeley’s leg started to bounce as she fingered the white envelope. “Zach, uh … I — Well … here.” She shoved the envelope into his lap.
“What is it?” he asked, holding it up in the air.
“Something for you.” When he narrowed his eyes, she said, “Just open it.”
“You’re acting weird,” he muttered, but did as she directed. His face went white when he saw what was inside. His piercing eyes turned to her, holding her in her place. “How did you get this?” he asked.
“Claire stopped by while you were out.”
“She was here? What did she say?” The eagerness on his face nearly broke her heart.
Keeley hesitated, unsure of what to tell him. “She wanted to talk about Talon and she wanted me to give you the envelope.”
Understanding dawned on his face. “She’s moving on,” he said, his eyes blinking rapidly. “This is her telling me goodbye.”
Keeley stood and wrapped her arms around her twin. She rubbed his back as his breathing turned ragged, each exhale heavy with emotion. “Maybe this is a good thing. Now you can move on, too.”
“I can’t get her out of my head. Haven’t you ever liked someone so much that when you make them smile or laugh, you feel like you’re the king of the world? That’s how I feel about Claire. That feeling doesn’t just go away. It grabs hold and sticks with you.”
“Yeah,” replied Keeley sadly. “I know exactly what you mean.”
Keeley’s fingers tapped the table as she stared at the school library door waiting for Gavin. How long did it take to get here? She’d been patiently waiting for thirty minutes and the morning bell was about to ring. They were running out of time.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Nicky asked.
“Positive,” she stated. She knew Nicky didn’t agree, but she was through caring what other people thought. She believed what Claire said. Talon had changed and so had she. Keeley still didn’t know what she wanted to do after high school, but she knew what she wanted right now. A lot more Talon in her life.
Keeley shook her head and went back to staring at the door. She was getting nervous. Hell, who was she kidding? She was way past nervous and heading straight toward worried. Her whole plan hinged on this. What if he didn’t follow through? The library door opened and Gavin walked in.
“Do you have his phone?” Keeley asked.
Gavin pushed his hood down and set his backpack on the floor. He pursed his lips and stared at her for a couple beats before saying, “I want to go on the record and say I don’t like this. Not one bit.”
“Aren’t you the one who said I needed to make up with him?” She remembered when Talon told her about his girl cousin who played football. Keeley had said she didn’t think she could make a big statement like that, but he pointed out it just had to be big to her. Well, this was her big statement. She was letting all her emotions out. She just hoped he felt the same.
“Yes, but I thought you’d just talk to him. Not this.” He handed her the phone. It seemed a lifetime ago when she last had it. Back when Talon was just Talon, a mysterious voice on the other end.
“How’d you get it?” she asked.
“I pretended to forget a book at his house and ran over there this morning. He almost caught me going through his stuff, but luckily his mom called us downstairs. I still don’t understand how this is supposed to get you two back together,” Gavin said.
“You’ll see.” Before she gave Gavin her phone last night, she’d made a few changes to her settings. When Talon used it, he would constantly be reminded of her. It could be pictures of them on her background, or alarms randomly going off with inside jokes and heartfelt messages, or ringtones that held special meanings. Hopefully her phone showed Talon what he was missing.
Nicky eyed her. “Do you want to look through his texts? See if he has any other secrets?”
“He told me he has nothing to hide and I believe him.”
“You sure?”
“Absolutely.”
Keeley sighed. Talon hadn’t texted her yet and she was getting worried. It was already the last class of the day. She’d set twenty-five alarms to go off. There was no way he could turn them off without the password, which he didn’t have. She’d expected a voice mail or something by now. Had she waited too long? Was there no hope of getting him back?
No. She couldn’t believe it. Not after he reads the messages she posted with those alarms. Keeley had poured her heart out into those messages, spending hours last night writing and rewriting till each one was perfect. She had never been so honest in her life.
A wad of paper hit her forehead. “What?” she mouthed to Nicky. She quickly glanced at Mrs. Miller, but she was writing on the whiteboard.
“It flashed,” Nicky mouthed back, pointing to Keeley’s lap. Keeley was nervous as she discreetly looked at the phone. Was it finally him?
Talon: What the hell I like you? Why do I have your Keeley’s amazing?
Damn it! What did you do to my Keeley’s amazing?
She wanted to laugh, but she pressed her lips together, holding it in. It seemed her prank was working. She’d gone into her phone settings and changed a few keywords so that every time he typed a certain word or phrase, the phone would autocorrect to whatever she’d programmed. Her name automatically changed to “I like you” and “phone” changed to “Keeley’s amazing.”
Aww thank you! And no need to gush … I already know how amazing I am. ?
No! This is not happening. I want my Keeley’s amazing back.
Well, if you insist …
I like you! This is not funny. Change. This. Immediately.
I know! Feelings and emotions aren’t funny at all. They need to be taken very seriously, which is why I take your confession to heart.
You are the most beautiful girl I’ve ever met!
Keeley struggled to keep quiet. She knew he would use the word “impossible.”
Your words are making me blush.