The thought made her sick. “Wait, Zach.” She grabbed his shoulder, but he shrugged her off. “I never got those,” she called after him, but he didn’t stop.
It was that boy. Talon. He was the reason Zach was mad. Rushing to her room, Keeley dialed her own phone — which he had — but it went to voice mail. Five seconds later, a text popped up.
Can’t talk right now. Only text.
You hung up on my brother?!
He called at 2 a.m. Of course I hung up.
You should have told me. It was important.
More important than my beauty sleep? I don’t think so.
I don’t give a damn. He drove home drunk because he couldn’t get a hold of me.
Not my problem.
How could you not care? What if he got in an accident??
Why are you mad at me? Your bro is the one who drove drunk. Hasn’t he heard of Uber?
Of course he’d heard of it. But it wasn’t like he could use Uber when their parents got the monthly bill. They would spot the charge in an instant. Talon had no right to judge.
What time are you free? We need to exchange our phones. The sooner, the better.
Can’t. Left with my team for football camp today.
She must have read that wrong. Keeley blinked and then started to panic.
Why didn’t you tell me this yesterday? We could have met this morning.
Bet you wish you hadn’t laughed at me now, huh?
She didn’t have her phone because he wanted payback? Of all the stupid, selfish reasons. If her parents found out, they’d never buy her a phone again.
What I wish is that you didn’t exist. When are you coming back?
In a week.
What am I supposed to do till then?!
Dream of me. Word on the street is I’m pretty impressive, if you know what I mean. ?
She stared at the winking emoji. He was obnoxious, but she had to admit he was also a little funny. In that annoying I-want-to-smack-you kind of way.
And I’m sure the hefty fee you paid some girl to say that was well worth it. I need my phone.
Stop worrying. We’ll just forward the texts and voice mails till I return.
Hell no! You’ve already proved you fail at that and there is no way I’m allowing you to go through my phone.
It’s cute you think I already haven’t. BTW, only 20 numbers? Pretty pathetic.
There was a knock on the door and then her mom came in. “Oh good. You’re up. Breakfast is ready.”
When she got to the dining room, Zach was sitting at the table. She tried to catch his eye so she could explain the whole Talon debacle, but he pointedly looked away. An ache formed, but she pushed it away. He wasn’t ready to listen to her. That was fine. She’d try again later.
Her mom walked in with a stack of pancakes. “Aren’t you going to sit?”
“Just seeing if we need syrup or anything,” Keeley replied. Forcing a smile, she took her usual seat across from Zach.
Breakfast was uncomfortable. Zach acted like she had the plague or something. If she was reaching for pancakes, he made sure he was nowhere near the syrup. If she grabbed a sausage, his hands would suddenly be far away from the ketchup. It was ridiculous and it ate away at her. Keeley grabbed her plate and stood. “I’m done.”
“You can leave that there. Zach’s doing the dishes,” her dad informed her.
“It’s okay. I can —”
“Leave it,” her dad ordered.
She glanced at Zach, but his eyes were glued to the tablecloth. She couldn’t say anything, not with their parents there, so she set down the plate and went into the living room. Out of habit, she checked the phone for news from Nicky, but what she found was a flood of texts from Talon.
Did I hurt your feelings?
Still ignoring me?
99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around, 98 bottles of beer on the wall.
98 bottles of beer on the wall, 98 bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around, 97 bottles of beer on the wall.
97 bottles of beer on the wall, 97 bottles of beer ... I can do this all day you know.
She shook her head and scrolled through the other twenty texts saying the same thing.
You’re like the song that never ends.
Where’d you go? I missed you.
Aren’t you supposed to be playing football instead of annoying me?
I’m on a bus. 3 more hours till we reach camp which means I’m all yours. Only 77 bottles to go. ?
There were at least seventy-seven other things she’d rather have than him. Zach talking to her, for starters.
Keeley jumped when her mom sank into the couch next to her. She quickly silenced the phone and flipped it over. Her mom would become suspicious if she saw that many texts, especially since they were coming from her own phone.
Her mom pushed some hair out of Keeley’s face. “Is everything okay? Your dad and I noticed something was off at breakfast.”
No matter what problems she had with Zach, she would never rat him out. “It’s nothing to worry about.”
“Was it about last night?”
“Seriously, Mom. It’ll blow over. You know how Zach and I are. We fight and then make up five minutes later.”
Her mom stayed put, clearly hoping Keeley would say more, but when Keeley didn’t, she patted her knee. “Okay. Well, I’m here if you want to talk.”
Keeley waited till she was out of the room before checking the phone. Twenty-one texts. It was a good thing she had unlimited messages.
56 bottles of beer on the wall, 56 bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around, 55 bottles of beer on the wall.
Don’t you have teammates you can go bother?
You know most girls would die for the chance to text with me.
Then go annoy them.
I can’t. You have my phone, remember? I’m starting to think you have some serious memory issues.
My only issue is you. Since we’re stuck with each other, I think we need to promise we’ll forward each other texts and missed calls.
I already offered and you turned me down.
She scrolled through their texts. Crap. He was right. She’d been so upset about Zach that she blew him off when he suggested it.
I’m agreeing now.
You snooze, you lose, baby doll. Looks like I’m the one holding all the cards.
That’s where he was wrong. He controlled her phone, but she controlled his.
If you don’t forward all my texts, I won’t forward yours.
That’s fine.
Wait. What?
You don’t care?
Already told my parents we’d have spotty reception so we’re communicating via email.
But … what about his friends? Then again, if he was anything like Zach, most of his friends were on the team. Damn it. Now what? She refused to beg.
Guess you’ll have to think of another way to get me to agree. Flattery will get you everywhere. ?
As if she would add to his ego. She’d rather eat dirt.
I am not that desperate and you’re not that lucky.
I think you just threw down a challenge. Game on, Keeley. Game on.