Keeley Brewer stepped off the Ferris wheel with her friend, "Now what Nicky?" she asked in a monotone voice.
"You don't have to be so obvious, Keeley. I know you want to go home, but come on this is the last day of the fair. The last hours. "
Keeley didn't respond. Nicky ignored the glaring and said "Show me your teeth, and I'll bring you cotton candy. I know you love them."
"Are you talking about me or about yourself here?"
"Oh, come on. What do you want to do? and don't say I want to go home. Your brother texted me a while ago asking me to drive you back home. So no escaping."
Ugh Zach. "Speaking of Zach, I need to call him to know why he's ditching me for the nth time this week. And that car is supposed to be ours."
"You want to call him now?"
"Yep, why?"
"Nooo, it would take long. I want to get my cotton candy before you call him."
Keeley looked suspiciously at her friend. "You know who's the girl he's taking in my car. Don't you?"
"I won't say. At least not before I get my cotton candy."
"Nicky, you're supposed to be my best friend not his."
"And I am, it's just I want my cotton candy."
"Nicky."
"OKAY, okay, it's Bianca."
"BIANCA, that coward, that's why he hasn't called me."
"No, he called you but he said you didn't answer his calls nor his texts that's why he texted me."
"He called me!" Keeley started searching for her phone inside her purse. "Hold this, this too, and this.."
"Keeley, your phone's obviously not there."
"Where's my phone Nicky?"
"I don't know."
"Did I have it earlier?"
"Yeah"
"So I am not hallucinating, I did have it"
"Yeah, you did. I think it is at the milkshake shop."
"We need to go there."
"But Keeley, I want_"
"Cotton candy, I got it. Come with me and I'll bring you that Oreo smoothie that you adore. And then we can get cotton candy and play some games."
"OREO... " Nicky's eyes were about to pop out of her head. "YES. Let's go."
Food was Nicky's weak point, it can get her to do anything. Literally anything.
.......
"This is where we were sitting right?"
Keeley was busy searching up and down, all over the place for her phone while Nicky was busy doing something much more important.
"mmm, yeah.... THIS IS SO GOOD."
"Nicky please, focus I need to find my phone." Keeley said upset.
Her friend was really indifferent about the whole situation.
Nicky didn't bother to look up nor answer, her smoothie was all that she could care about at that moment.
"It must be here somewhere," Keeley mumbled to herself. She was bending under the table where they were sitting earlier then she heard a male voice saying
"I got your phone."
She stood.
"There you go, babydoll."
"Thanks. A lot." She said too quickly not paying attention to anything he said, relieved she got her phone back. She turned around where Nicky was sitting "Hey Nicky, I got my phone back. This guy_" she turned to face the boy that was in front of her but he was gone.
Where's he? What just happened?
"What guy?"
Keeley didn't answer so Nicky asked again. "What guy Keeley ?"
"A guy gave me my phone. He said I got your phone", Keeley's imitation of the boy made Nicky laugh "and I took it, he said something else before I took the phone from him but I wasn't focusing because I was desperate to get my phone back and then I turned to tell you and then I turned back and he was gone."
"A lot of words Keeley, breathe, Like that." Nicky tried to show Keeley how to breathe. "He's gone just like that?"
Keeley nodded.
"Was he cute?"
"Nicky!"
"That means he was, maybe someone that can make you forget Brent?"
"I don't need to forget Brent. Plus I don't even know this guy's name nor where he went." Keeley seemed a bit disappointed.
"If it's meant to be, at the end of this day you will know his name. I just hope he can make you forget Brent."
"Why do you have to mention Brent now?"
"Because he's always on your mind Keeley and I know it, you didn't even got over the fact that he went to college. Your story with him is the typical girl falling for her tutor but your version doesn't have a beginning to at least have an ending or even a happy one."
Keeley gave Nicky a look. "I just want you to be happy Keeley, so don't give me that look. Have you even talked to him recently?"
"No, he's been busy."
"With what?"
"With his internship, I think."
"Did he even text you?"
"No."
"So?"
"So, let's change the subject please."
"If he didn't text you, maybe text him? I don't want you unhappy Keeley."
"I don't want to be clingy Nicky, the last time we spoke he told me about the internship, and I took the hint. He doesn't have time for me. I know that nothing will happen, I'm a senior in high school and he's a junior in college. He thinks of me as his little sister or a friend."
Nicky shrugged, sad about Keeley's suffering.
"In time, I will forget about him Nicky, don't worry." Keeley gave her friend a hug. "There are other guys. Right?"
"Of course, but didn't he invite you over?"
"Yeah he did."
"Are you going?"
"I can go but I'm not getting my hopes up over him, I'm going to check the campus and the college life and have an idea about what to expect next year, that's all."
"So, you thought about going?" Nicky got excited over the idea.
"I did, and you will be the first to know if I'm going." Nicky nodded, satisfied.
"So, you found your phone and I had my smoothie" Nicky patted her stomach "let's go and have some cotton candy."
"You still want cotton candy?"
"Oh yeah, what does going to a fair means without some cotton candy?"
Keeley chuckled and shook her head in disbelief and amusement.
She went to follow her friend than she realized that she needed to do something before. "Wait I need to check my phone and call Zach."
"Keeley, that it would take like forever. Let's go and you'll talk to him from there.
Keeley mumbled a low "Okay".
"I need to get some hotdog sandwich too. Nigel said it is delicious here." Nicky was way too excited.
"Who's Nigel?" Keeley asked following her friend.
Nicky quickened her steps and ignored the question.
...........
"OH MY GOD SO YUMMY .... Nigel was so right!" Nicky said after having the first bite. Keeley was standing next to her talking on the phone with her twin.
"This car is ours Zach. O U R S. Not yours. What's the matter with you ditching me for that b_girl? Especially her? Seriously Zach, all of the girls in all Edgewood you chose Bianca?"
Keeley wasn't even listening to what her brother had to say. She was beyond mad. He was so stupid sometimes. Seriously, Bianca? That girl gave her hell. But Keeley knew better, she knew that Zach wasn't serious about her, he hasn't been serious with anyone before. Every girl knew, but they kept on hanging around him, thinking they could fix him. Keeley was sure that her brother needed a miracle to be fixed, but she never commented on his lifestyle because it wasn't her place to judge. Right now, she was fuming, from all the girls on the planet he took that girl, in their car?
"I don't care Zach, I won't drive you home if you got drunk, I mean when you get drunk. When I get home, I will turn off my phone and sleep so you won't bother me."
Keeley took a deep breath and continued her conversation with her twin.
"No Zach, you're unbelievable. We both know you're not sorry. We won't talk about it later. You're going to take care of your ride back home, I don't care ask Bianca to drive you back, or simply don't get drunk. I'm tired of being your sober driver. Tonight, I will be sleeping with Tucker at my feet, your phone call won't bother me. Yes, I will bail on you like you just did. Yes I can. At least, I am giving you a notice ahead of time. Now you care about the parentals? No Zach. You're the unbelievable one. Zach, no I'm_" Keeley went silent when the line went off.
"He hung up on me that Jerk." Keeley mumbled to herself as she walked up to where her friend was standing.
"What did he say?" Nicky asked when Keeley was beside her.
Keeley shrugged. "I sometimes wish I am not his twin. Sometimes he's just ughhh."
"Well, we can try that tonight." Nicky smirked when she looked ahead.
"Try what?" Keeley wondered.
"Is that the guy from earlier?" Nicky looked ahead, pointed with her head where a tall, muscular blonde guy was standing, and the smirk was still on her face.
"How did you_? You were very into your smoothie if I remember correctly." Keeley was a bit shocked. But she knew that Nicky was observant even if she seemed a bit indifferent.
"Is that him?" Nicky asked again.
"Yes. That's him." Keeley mumbled.
"Okay, he's a student from Crosswell, so_"
Keeley raised an eyebrow and glanced at the guy then at her friend "How did you know?"
Nicky gave her a look that meant are you serious. "Keeley, hello?"
"Oh okay, Crosswell. I saw it." Keeley uttered awkwardly after she saw a big flashy sign written on it Crosswell.
Crosswell had a shack at the fair as fund raiser for this year's senior prom. Crosswell was their school ultimate rival, especially when it comes to football. Especially, when it comes to her brother Zach Brewer, Edgewood 's quarterback and J.T. Harrington, Crosswell's quarterback.
They were ultimate enemies. Keeley knew that, everybody knew that. But Keeley always wondered about the reason behind this rivalry, it was more than football. She was sure that it had something to do with a girl. Her brother is a well-known player and J.T. had the same reputation. Maybe they liked the same girl? She didn't know exactly, Keeley was never able to keep up with her brother's so-called love life and she didn't really care, high school drama was never her thing.
"As I said, he's a student from Crosswell, probably on the football team so if you tell him you're a Brewer, he will definitely not talk. Because well the whole rivalry thingy and your stupid brother."
"I don't want to talk."
"Oh yes you do, so when you guys talk, whatever happened don't say your last name."
"Nicky!"
"It just an advice. And don't say that you're an Edgewood student either."
"I'm wearing this Nicky." Keeley showed her wrist to Nicky. She wore a bracelet that spelled Edgewood.
"Remove it then"
"I bet he already saw it."
"Okay, being from Edgewood is alright but knowing that you're a Brewer will stop all communication because it will mean a direct contact with the enemy."
"Nicky you're exaggerating."
"No, I am not. You just wished to not be your brother's twin. I'm suggesting why not try it."
"I don't understand."
"Oh my God. Just don't say you're a Brewer nor mention Zach when one of these guys come and talk to us. In that way you will be denying for a little while the painful truth and you will get your wish."
"What makes you sure that they will come and talk?"
"The fact that they kept on staring since we got here to get the hot-dogs. Isn't it enough?"
"Maybe, they're staring cause we are?"
"Keeley,"
"Okay, okay, eat Nicky. We really need to get you sugar, you seem a little bit off."
Nicky's face lit up with excitement, shouted "Cotton Candy,here we come" She grabbed Keeley's hand, "Let's go!"
"You didn't finish your sandwich." Keeley said amused, removing her hand from Nicky's hold.
"I will finish it later." Nicky shrugged, wrapped the sandwich very fast and put in in her purse. "Come on." She grabbed once again Keeley's hand.
"It won't have the same taste you know." Keeley chuckled and let Nicky lead the way.
"Right now, I don't care, I want my cotton candy. I can blame you later for eating it cold. Anyways I won't forgive you 'cause you've been torturing me all night. "
"Torturing you?" Keeley stopped in her tracks and eyed her friend.
Nicky stopped too and explained "Since I got here I wanted Cotton Candy and you're keeping me from going there. First the cupcakes' stand, the milkshake shop, the Ferris Wheel, then your phone, then the Oreo smoothie, then the hot-dogs and now that Crosswell gu_?"
Keeley was again amused with her friend's unbelievable explanation, "Nicky stop talking or you won't be able to live to even eat the Cotton Candy."
Nicky laughed, then shouted "Let's race!" And she started running.
"What are you ? Five?" Keeley shouted back and followed Nicky, barely walking.
............
"COTTON CANDY..... SO YUMMY."
"Nicky stop screaming you're eating cotton candy not watching the Super Bowl."
"Who cares this is so YUMMY."
"People are staring."
"Let them stare, I love Cotton Candy. Is that a crime?"
"When you shout it is."
Nicky wanted to say something but she started to cough, chocking.
"What's wrong?"
"I... water... " Nicky kept on coughing not able to speak.
"I don't have any, I'll go get you some. Hang on."
Keeley hurried to get water but on her way there she stumbled into a muscular body.
She mumbled a quick "I'm sorry" moving away not even looking at the guy's face.
"Are you alright?" when he asked she couldn't help but look at him. Uh Oh. The Crosswell guy
"Are you alright, babydoll?" He asked again.
Babydoll, really? Weird. "I'm fine."
"Why in hurry?" he asked obviously amused.
"My friend, she's_ I need to get her water, I'm sorry I need to go." She said moving away but not so far. She couldn't. The boy was kind of blocking her way.
"If I waited for you Keeley, I would've died." Nicky's voice made Keeley jump.
"I was going to bring you something to drink, I just_"
"She bumped into me. Hi" The boy explained waing his hand at Nicky.
"Oh......Oh," Nicky quickly realized that it was the guy from earlier "it's okay Keeley there's a girl who gave me her bottle of water. I'm...I'm gonna go and finish my cotton candy."
When Nicky was out of sight, the boy asked Keeley, with amusement in his voice. "She chocked on cotton candy?"
Keeley nodded.
"Seriously? Who does that?"
"Well, Nicky." Keeley said and smiled.
"I like your smile."
Keeley's cheeks started to redden. He was so blunt. She didn't answer, actually she couldn't.
"Talon, by the way." Talon said and offered his hand.
"Keeley." And they shook hands.
"Keeley," Talon said as if he was trying out her name on his mouth. "It's a cool name. An Irish name."
Keeley was impressed not a lot of people knew that. Talon was knowledgeable. "Thank you, not really sure what to say about yours."
"Don't say it's odd, nor it's weird and don't tell me it's not cool, 'cause that will wound me." Talon put a hand on his heart for emphasis.
Keeley chuckled. "Your name's nice. Isn't it like a fictional cartoon character's name?"
"I could tell you yes, but I would be lying. It's long story that I don't tell to people I just met."
"Fair enough."
"Don't worry you will know soon, babydoll "
"Who said I want to know?"
"You don't?"
"Well, I admit I'm curious but I will survive if you don't want to tell me. We've just met." Keeley explained.
"Oh, we've met before. Remember I found your phone, gave it to you."
"Ha. ha. very funny. Thanks by the way. You disappeared I didn't have the time to_"
"Don't mention it. I noticed that you forgot your phone when you left the first time but you were gone with your friend before I could warn you. I just figured you'll be back for it, so I waited but I didn't know it would take long."
"I don't use my phone very often when I'm out, that's why it took time to realize that I don't have it on me. I'm sorry if I made you wait, but you could've kept it with the cashier or something."
"Oh no, I don't trust giving it to anyone. And I wanted to see you again."
"You left so quickly that I couldn't even thank you." Keeley beamed at him. Do I look stupid?
"I had to help my friends. I kept them waiting long enough. I'm sorry if I seemed a bit rude."
"It's okay." He apologized. That's good.
Keeley was enjoying talking with Talon, but there was a girl standing with her friends a little bit far behind Talon who seemed a little bit pissed off from their interaction. Keeley couldn't help but to notice that ever since they started talking, that girl started with her death glares.
"So, Keeley you're an Edgewood student." Talon stated, and pointed at her wrist.
"Yeah, is there a problem?" I think there is since you're a Crosswell.
"Actually no, but you have to know I'm on Crosswell's football team. Not even a normal Crosswell student." Talon said with proud and a smug.
"So it is a problem to you?"
"That you're from Edgewood?"
Keeley nodded.
"No, not at all. But our schools are rivals and some students take it very seriously, I thought you were one of them."
Keeley gave him a questioning look "Because of the bracelet?"
Talon nodded.
"I love my school and I think that we can beat you guys anytime at football but it doesn't mean that I'm closed minded nor that I'm not friendly with enemy."
Talon laughed.
"Plus we're not in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, kind of story. Our school's rivalry is kind of stupid."
"Stupid?"
"Well yeah, both schools are good at football. Both quarterbacks are very talented, but they let personal stuff get into the game." Keeley seemed unbiased.
"Personal stuff?"
"You know like their ego and manhood. You know better, you're the one who's on the team."
"Manhood." Talon laughed.
The girl standing was bothering Keeley that she couldn't take it anymore. "Talon, that girl needs you."
"What girl?"
"There's this girl behind you who's really pissed, she kept on looking my way, like she wants to strangle me or something. It's obvious she has a serious crush on you that she's crushing people with her eyes."
Talon glanced behind him to see who was the girl. Samantha. She started to cross the line. "That's Samantha. A girl from my school, she keeps hanging around, she wants me to be her boyfriend so we could be the "it couple", and blablabla, she thinks she's living in a sort of chick flick."
Keeley laughed while Talon continued "She'll keep on dreaming forever because she's just too much for me to handle."
Keeley chuckled. "Wanna piss her off even more?"
"What do you have in mind babydoll?"
"Let's take a walk."
"Okay,"
Keeley searched for Nicky to inform her when her phone buzzed. What the..
Go, don't worry about me. I'm behind u eating croissant 😜. I'll wait for u here. If I decided to move I'll text u 😉
- Nicky
Keeley glanced behind her and saw Nicky's giving her a thumbs up. She smiled.
"Are you coming?" Talon asked worried.
"Yeah"
.........
"You're very funny Talon."
They both liked "their walk". Their conversation felt natural and not overrated. Keeley was herself the whole time, not she acted differently with others and Talon was glad that for the first time, he was himself. The smart knowledgeable guy, not just the handsome football player. It was so normal being with Keeley, it felt like they knew each other for so long.
They didn't even know each other's last names. At least, she didn't know. She didn't even ask about what was his position on the football team. He could've thought that she didn't know a first thing about football but he knew better. She knew a lot about football, but she didn't ask. Maybe she really didn't care? He would find out.
"Keeley, aren't you interested in knowing what do I do on the football team?" Curiousty started creeping in him.
"The football team," Keeley eyed him "Are you the captain?"
"Is that a trick question?" Talon felt like she was testing him.
"If you're the captain, it means you're the quarterback, and if you're the quarterback it means you're J.T. Harrington, and if you're J.T. Harrington it means you lied about your name." Keeley blurted out.
Okay. He was shocked. Should he tell her the truth? He had too. He was never a liar, and he wanted to be on her good side.
"I'm the captain."
"You are." Keeley confirmed. Nicky was right. Saying that she's a Brewer would scare him off. "You're J.T. Harrington. Why lie about your name?"
"I didn't lie. My name is Talon."
"You're J.T." Keeley said matter-of-factly.
"What's wrong if some people call me J.T. and I asked you to call me Talon? Don't you feel special babydoll?"
Keeley snorted "Why would I feel special? Cause you lied?"
"Again, babydoll I didn't lie. The name is James Talon Harrington. J.T. Talon to you."
"Why?"
"Just because."
"You killed me with that answer. How many times did you do this?"
"Do what?"
"Tell the girl you're Talon and then shock her with the fact that you're the J.T Harrington, so she will be impressed. And when you do, you tell her you did it because she's special, babydoll" Keeley mocked.
"I'm only Talon for you, Keeley Brewer."
"You know my last name?" Wait?What? Now I see why he...
"It is written on your phone's home screen."
Keeley was shocked.
"I know you're related to Zach Brewer. You're his sister?" Talon stated more than he asked.
"I'm his twin." Keeley corrected.
"I didn't know that Brewer had a twin." Talon mumbled more to himself.
"That explains why you disappeared when you gave my phone back."
"I didn't think it was worth it. Due to the bad history with Brewer. But then you bumped into me so it felt that I should at least try and get to know you."
"You want to get to know me?" Keeley asked ironically.
"You're different from all the girls I know, I can see that. I think we can be friends." Talon proclaimed.
"You just pointed out that you have a bad history with my brother, what makes you think that I want to be your friend?"
He couldn't answer because her phone started to buzz. It was Nicky, She wanted to head home.
"I gotta go. It was nice meeting you Talon." Keeley uttered out, stressing on his name Talon.
"You too." And she left without even a glance.
"Why are you so disappointed Talon?" he whispered. "She's just a girl, just a girl" he reassured himself.
I just wish she wasn't related to Brewer.
......
"How was it?" Nicky seemed excited when Keeley hopped in the passenger seat.
"He's J.T. Harrington." Keeley said putting the seat-belt.
"Crosswell's quarterback?"
"Yeah"
"Did you tell him that you're a Brewer?" Nicky was curious.
"He knew."
"What? How?"
"My phone's home screen ." Keeley showed her friend.
"Oh"
"Exactly"
"So that's it?"
"I guess it is."
Or that's what she thought. Before she reached home, her phone bleeped.
Goodnight babydoll.
It buzzed once again.
it's Talon, by the way.
And then again,
P.S. You should change that option where u can call when the pattern's on. That's how I got ur number in case you're wondering.
.........
The End
of the one shot of course.
Whoever who read this far, thank you.
I had fun writing this. :)
P.S. It's 4031 without this note, kind of exceeded the word limit by 0.7%
DoNotMicrowave thank you for creating these characters and thank you for giving us a chance to explore our imagination.