Half of My Heart ✔️

20 | little white lie

"Wait," he says, pulling away just enough so our noses are still touching. "I got a gift for you too."

I look down as he pulls out a small keychain from his pocket. One of the tacky ones you get at a gas station with palm trees and an animated sun pictured on it. Then front and center — my name. The first I've ever seen.

"You found one?" I ask, taking it from his hands. I laugh at how excited I'm getting over such a small gift. But it means the world to me.

"Of course I did," he says, looping his finger in the metal ring. "I only had to go to eleven gas stations, but I'd say it was worth it."

"It's now my most prized possession," I say, flipping it over in my hands. Upon closer inspection, I realize that the last 't' in my name is written in thin black Sharpie. Like the keychain only said 'Scarlet' and Jack had to fix it. I smile wider at the tiny imperfection and decide that it's my favorite part of the gift.

Looking back up at him, I see that Jack's eyes are on me, nervously gauging my reaction to the gift. When he sees my smile, the nerves disappear.

I examine it closer. "Look," he says. He pulls another keychain out of his pocket. "I was going to get us matching ones, but I kind of had to improvise."

I look at the other keychain, nearly identical as mine, and press a hand over my mouth to keep from laughing. It looks like it originally said 'Jackson' but Jack tried to cover up the last three letters.

"It's not funny," he says even though he's laughing as well. "It was probably the only gas station in the country that doesn't have my name on a keychain."

"Well, I hope it was a humbling experience for you," I say. "Even though neither of us can really use them," —because of Archer— "I love them."

He kisses me again. His arms wrap around my waist, pulling me so close to him that I need to hold his shoulders for balance. Neither of us even hear someone walk in.

"Oh shit, didn't mean to interupt," Levi says, and I whip around. "Just looking for . . ."

There's a moment of silence, and I raise an eyebrow. "Snacks?" I suggest.

Levi runs his hand through his hair. "Yeah, snacks. Right."

I point toward the pantry. "Should be something in there," I say. "My parents eat pretty healthy, so you might have to look pretty hard."

"Actually," Jack says, "I'm pretty sure I left Oreos somewhere in there last time I was here. I'll get them for you." Then he heads into the pantry.

A second later, Jack comes out with a pack of Oreos and tosses it to Levi, who catches it easily. "Thanks, man," Levi says casually.

I feel like my mind is imploding. Just three days earlier, they were pushing each other like children. And now they're exchanging niceties.

I don't know whether to be freaked out or overjoyed. It feels almost too good to be true.

I clear my throat awkwardly as Levi walks out, leaving me and Jack alone again. Relief floods me; of all the people to walk in, Levi was probably the smallest threat to mine and Jack's cover.