Familiar Strangers

Chapter 12 - Malakai Grace

Harry stares up at me studiously like if he's trying to figure out if I'm joking or not. "Wait. Where are you going with this, Lou?" He says shaking his head slowly. "Please tell me its not what I'm thinking."

"It all fits Harry!" I yell out in frustration. Harry lifts ups his hands like in surrender and I take a breath to calm myself. "I mean I had a hunch but the more I learned the more everything seemed to come together. I denied it until it was no longer possible. And today made that impossible."

"Why today?" He asks curiously.

I clutch the chain hanging from my neck through my shirt and squeeze it. "Because I saw something that is very significant."

"What!?" He all but yells and I can feel the frustration radiating from him. I feel bad because this is the first time I've been hesitant to tell him anything.

"She has a tattoo of two keys at the back of her neck. I hadn't noticed it before do I looked closely and saw the initials L & G on it." How the hell had I not seen that sooner!? A whole month with her and it feels like I know close to nothing about her.

"So?!" Harry asks.

"You don't get it!" I yell frustrated with myself and with Kai or Gracie or whoever she is.

"Then explain it to me Lou!" He frustratingly yells at me again and I know its my fault for being vague. Harry's my best mate and yet I haven't been completely straight forward with him.

"On our last summer together we decided to put stuff that was important to us in my old lunchbox and bury it in the park close to our house as some kind of time capsule. We locked it and each of us kept a key. I still have mine..." I reach for the necklace I always wear underneath my shirt and show the key that dangles off of it to him. "They keys on her tattoo are an exact replica of this one."

Harry runs his finger through his brown curls. "Okay, um why did you guys keep the keys?" He asks and stares at the key hanging around my neck. I had never told them what it meant they all just thought I liked it.

I take the key in my hand and look at the ridges and silver color that have become familiar throughout the years. I spend a lot of time staring at it just remembering her and the good times. "Because we made a pact that we'd return in ten years on that same day and open it together. Its only been seven."

Harry shakes his head an uncertain look on his face. "I don't know Lou, it does seem to add up. But what if you're wrong?"

"I am not! Okay!?" I yell out in vexation and see Harry's startled and slightly hurt expression and take a breath to calm myself. "First, her name matches up. Kai Ellis or how I knew her back then Malakai Grace Ellis." Harry's eyes widen. "They both moved to Australia at the age of twelve. They both have blue eyes and brown wavy hair. Plus she uses glasses too! Also she had a cousin who was younger and I'm pretty sure her name was Kyle. Not to mention I've alway had this feeling she's hiding something."

Harry crushes his eyebrows together and I can see in his features his hurt by my silence. "I see you've been thinking about this for awhile."

I feel bad for not telling him sooner but I couldn't. Not until I was sure. "I had to make sure I was right about my assumptions before I told anyone." I explain and his features relax a little as he takes a deep breath.

"Right. So? Now what are you going to do?" He asks and I'm honestly not sure.

I run my fingers through my hair and sigh deeply. "I don't know. I mean I don't think she wanted me to find out even if she knew I eventually would have. She thinks I forgot 'bout her."

"Thats why she's been so indifferent." He says pensively.

I shrug and shake my head slowly. "I think so yeah. She feels hurt because she thinks I forgot her."

Harry looks up at me coming out of his thoughts. "But you didn't, you talk about her constantly." He states and I know he's right but she doesn't know that.

"I know..." I begin but a knock at the door stops me. I walk and unlock the door opening it. Kai stands there her hair now in lose waves. She looks stunning as always. Those eyes shine beautifully and I know its her. My chest constricts as I'm struck that this is Grace. This is my best friend.

"Hey." She says and smiles shyly looking down at her feet. I barely notice Kiran walking up behind her with a smile on her face because I'm too distracted by Grace.

"Hey." I finally say back and I can't help but smile.

----

Hey lovies!! I'm back! Haha I'm sorry I took sooo long I just have loads of school work to do and other things as well. I wrote this over spring break and well I hope you like it!

Thanks for reading! Please comment and vote!

Love, Kamila ;)