"I'm sorry," Ann stated. Keeley whipped herself around to face Ann. "About what? That was kinda embarrassing but not a big deal." Keeley reassured. Ann smiled and jogged up to meet Keeley. They began walking again, the bell rang behind them, and both girls turned to look at the store's front door. Owen was standing with his backpack on one shoulder and jacket hanging over his arm. He looked mildly out of breath. Every puff becoming a small cloud in the cold air. He strolled over to the girls and stopped a few steps before Keeley. "Can I get your number?" he asked, his face blotched with pink on his cheeks and nose. Keeley couldn't make out whether he was blushing or just cold. Ann bumped Keeley with her shoulder breaking her out of her frozen stare. "Yes!" Keeley said abruptly, grinning. She pulled out her phone and pulled up her contact "here," she murmured as she handed Owen her cell phone. He held her phone in one hand and his own in the other, glancing between the screens and copying her number. He handed her back the phone. Their eyes met, and they stared at each other for a moment. Owen broke his eyes away and looked down at his phone. He began typing something. A second later, Keeley's phone made a dinging noise, and she looked down at the screen. Its glow stung her eyes, which had adjusted to the darkness outside. A single notification sat on the screen, staring up at her. Her heart swelled, and her lung felt constricted.
It was a simple text. Just a "Hi," but because of who she received it from, it made her heart race and her stomach fill with butterflies. She opened the text chat and sent a "Hi" back, then glanced at Owen as his phone dinged. He grinned as he looked down at his phone screen and then turned his phone off. "Thanks," he said "mhm," Keeley hummed in response.