"Have you talked to him since?"

Keeley pressed the phone closer to her ear as Tucker started barking at a flock of birds. "We texted a couple times but I don't know, Nicky...things are different between us."

There was a long pause. "Do you not have feelings for him anymore?"

Tucker lunged for the birds and she tightened her grip on the leash. "Trust me that has never been an issue. No, the problem is that our texts feel stilted."

"I think that's normal. Now that everything is out in the open, you're not sure how to talk to him."

"But it's not just me. The awkwardness is on both of our parts." The ease of their relationship was gone. It showed in every word, every sentence—carefully typed and analyzed before sending. "I don't know what he's thinking anymore."

"He's probably thinking the same thing you are. And if I was in his position, I would be embarrassed that you saw that scene between him and his friends at the restaurant."

"He has no reason to be embarrassed. He didn't know what his friends were doing."

"But I'm sure to someone like Talon it is a big deal. He strikes me as the type of guy who doesn't appreciate being duped and to find out he was in front of the girl he likes..."

Keeley could see how that might muddle things up for him. Picking up the pace, she crossed the street and began walking back home.

"He's most likely trying to feel you out and see where your head is at," Nicky continued. "What did you text him after his "Hey" message?"

"Hey."

"Seriously?" she laughed.

"I didn't know what else to say! I was already embarrassed about that awkward voicemail I left. I thought I'd play it cool and leave the ball in his court."

"Geez, Keeley. He took his cues from you. No wonder he's acting so standoffish."

She groaned into the phone. "There should be an app that slaps you on the back of the head when you're being an idiot."

"There is. It's called your best friend."

"Then I want a refund. Mine seems defective," she shot back.

"You get what you pay for."

"You were free," she pointed out.

"Exactly."

She felt a prickle of awareness just as a black sedan drove down the street. It slowed as it passed her and then sped up. "This is going to sound paranoid, but I think someone is watching me."

"Have you been sneaking downstairs and watching Criminal Minds again? You know you're not allowed to watch that show anymore."

"I haven't. And for the record, that rule is completely bogus. I was not scared."

"Says the girl who booby trapped her room after watching one episode."

"It's called being prepared. If someone is going to break in I want to be able to defend myself. It's not my fault Zach opened my door and got pelted with golf balls."

"You almost gave him a concussion!"

"Then he should have read the warning sign posted on my door," she argued.

"Warning sign? It was a piece of paper that had 'You'll Never Take Me Alive' written across it."

"You act like that wasn't enough."

"In what universe is that considered enough?"

"Why am I even arguing with you about this? Obviously my app isn't working properly." She let out a loud sigh and shook her head. "I knew I should have paid for those upgrades."

As she listened to Nicky grumble about ungrateful friends, she looked over shoulder and watched as the car roll to the end of her street and turn onto the main road. "In all seriousness, this car has passed me a couple times on my walk with Tucker and every time it slows down when it sees me."

"But you've just been going around the block, right? I bet they're lost and circling the area."

"You're right. I'm probably just imagining things." But she glanced back at the street again just to make sure.

"So have you found out any new information about this Riley girl Zach is taking to the dance?"

Keeley let herself into the house. "None. At this point, all I know is that she's a junior and that's only because he told me. I looked through our yearbooks, cover to cover, but there wasn't a Riley listed. So then I got the brilliant idea to search his Facebook friends but the only Riley I found was a boy. It's like this girl is a ghost. The only idea I can come up with is that she just moved here and is new to our school."

"Or she doesn't exist."

She scoffed. "Why would Zach make up such a thing?"

"Because he doesn't want to admit that he's dateless."

"This is my brother we're talking about. Zach always has a date."

"Then maybe he's turning over a new leaf. Haven't you noticed how nice he's been to me recently? It's weird...and a little creepy. He even said hi to me in the halls." Ever since Keeley started to make a conscious effort to spend time with Zach, he'd been treating Nicky differently. His attitude toward her softened and he no longer ignored her or acted like she was a menace.

"I think Zach turning over a new life is a stretch. This Riley girl exists. We just need to find her."

"We should ask Gavin. He's around Zach all the time. I bet he would know."

"Good idea," Keeley said, wondering why she hadn't thought of that before. "He could give us inside information and snoop around."

"We should bring him some cookies though. I feel bad for eating all of his." A beat or two passed and then she asked, "Do you want to come over and bake some?"

"You feel bad? I find that hard to believe," Keeley replied.

"I do. He's a very nice boy."

"Nicky..."

"Oh all right! I just want to bake some cookies. Is that a crime?"

Keeley laughed. "I think I'm going to hang out here. I have the house all to myself today and I plan to enjoy it." Her parents were out helping some people move and her brother was at another meeting for his group project. It was the perfect time to kick back and watch TV without fighting over the remote.

After saying goodbye, Keeley stretched out on the couch and was about to turn on the television when the doorbell rang. Grumbling, she hopped back up and went to the door. She rose on her tiptoes to look out the peephole and froze.

This can't be happening, she thought to herself. This cannot be happening.

The doorbell rang again and she jumped back. Sensing her mood, Tucker barked at the door, teeth bared and hair bristled. Keeley knew she had to do something—open the door, calm Tucker, something—but she couldn't move. She was in too much shock. Her skin felt flushed, her hands clammy and her breathing was coming out in shallow pants. Was this what it felt like to have a panic attack?

They must have decided to switch tactics because the person knocked on the door instead of ringing the doorbell. The sound of knuckles sharply rapping against wood propelled Keeley into action. Without thinking, she ordered Tucker to stand down and then turned the knob and opened the door.

"Claire," she whispered, laying eyes on the girl who broke Talon and Zach's heart.

Surprise registered on her face. "You know who I am," she stated, rather than asked.

"I've heard about you."

She flinched. A small, almost imperceptible flinch that Keeley would have missed if it hadn't been for the fact that she was intently studying the girl.

"I see," she murmured. And Keeley had a sense she did see. She saw the whole complicated picture. A few uncomfortable moments passed before she asked, "Can I come in?"

Keeley's hand tightened around the doorknob. "Zach's not here."

There was nothing small about the flinch this time. Her whole body reared backed as if struck by a two-by-four. "I know. I saw him leave."

Going on a hunch, Keeley looked past her to the street. Sure enough, parked across her house was a black sedan. "You're the one who's been following me," she accused. Silently, thrilled by the news because it meant she wasn't paranoid after all.

A light flush colored Claire's porcelain skin. "I wanted to make sure you were alone. I'm sorry if I scared you."

Keeley studied the ebony haired girl. There was no doubt she was pretty. Her features were soft and delicate like a doll, but she wasn't gorgeous like so many of the girls her brother dated. However, there was something about her that made a person stop and stare. Keeley couldn't put her finger on it, but whatever it was, radiated from within.

Making a last minute decision, Keeley stepped aside and let Claire enter her home. "Can I get you anything? Water? Soda? Juice?" she asked as she ushered her to the living room. Tucker followed hot on their heels.

Claire ran a hand over her sweater, smoothing out invisible wrinkles. "No, thank you. I had some water on the drive over."

It struck Keeley funny that they were acting like a couple of adults. Clearly, they were both nervous and trying to cover it up with good manners. She sat down on the couch and motioned for Claire to follow suite. Hesitating, Claire picked the chair across the way. She smoothed her shirt again as her eyes darted around the room. Keeley patiently sat there, determined to let Claire speak first and set the tone of the conversation. After all, she was the one who showed up at Keeley's house unexpectedly. In essence, it was her show.

"You know, I've always wondered what the inside of your house looked like," Claire finally said.

"Zach never brought you here?"

A wistful look entered her eye as she smiled sadly. "He always wanted to meet somewhere else. I asked him one time if we could come here so I could meet you and he told me he wasn't ready to share me yet."

"That doesn't surprise me," Keeley replied, rubbing her clammy hands against her sweatpants. "He's never been good about sharing his things."

"Maybe," Claire said softly, though her tone indicated that wasn't the case.

When she didn't go on, Keeley asked, "So you wanted to meet me when you guys were..." What exactly did she call what they did? Dating? Two-timing?

Claire's eyes, the shade of dark honey, flashed. "Of course. You're his twin. Plus, he always talked about you. I wanted to get to know you. Become your friend." She looked away, her body tense. "But I guess there's no chance of that now."

This conversation was awkward as she thought it would be. She fiddled with the tassels of a pillow as she pondered what to say next. Finally, she decided to just go for it and address the elephant in the room. "Claire, why did you come here? I'm assuming it's because you wanted to talk to me but I'm unclear as to why. Is this about Zach? Talon? Or both?"

She didn't answer for a long time. Keeley wondered if she was going to talk at all, but then she jetted out a breath and swallowed. "I'm sure you know what happened between your brother, JT and I. It's not exactly a big secret around here."

The pain carved in Claire's face called out to Keeley.

She knew that pain.

She understood that pain.

She experienced that pain.

Knowing how devastating it could be, Keeley reached out and offered words of comfort. "It's not as wide-spread as you think. I didn't even know what happened until recently."

Claire's look of gratitude humbled her. When it came this girl, her thoughts hadn't been pleasant. In fact, they were downright nasty. She felt ashamed of those thoughts now. Clearly, this girl had been through a lot. It showed not only in her expression, but also in the way she dressed. A huge oversized sweater engulfed her body. She wore baggy jeans under it and running shoes. The only skin she bared was her hands, neck and face.

"Over the past three years, I've tried hard to forget what happened and move on with my life, but it hasn't worked." Her head tilted down so she could stare at the floor. "Something always crops back up and makes it way to the surface. Whether it be a photo or rumors or running into someone from here." Her hand trembled as she reached up and brushed the bangs out of her eyes. "Do you know how many times I've been called a slut? A whore?"

"I'm so sorry," Keeley whispered. "I can't imagine what you've been through."

Claire bit the inside of her cheek and looked up. Her face was twisted with bitterness. "The funny thing about this whole scenario is that I'm still a virgin. Ironic, huh?"

Tucker padded over to her and burrowed his head between her legs. Her face softened and she reached down to pet him. "I use to lay awake at night thinking of what I would do if I ever came face to face with JT again. I thought of yelling at him, calling him all sorts of names, punching him in the face and even stealing his stash of peeps and burning them." She gave Tucker one last scratch behind the ears before straightening. "But the truth is when he came to my house two days ago, I didn't do any of that."

Keeley's stomach clenched. "You saw him?"

"I didn't want to at first. But then I realized I still hadn't moved on from what happened. I never got closure and it was holding me back. So I agreed to meet with him."

Keeley was having a hard time breathing. Why would Talon visit her? And why would she come here after that?

"We talked for hours. About me, about him, about your brother," she lifted her gaze, "and about you. I got a lot off my chest, but I also learned just as much. And in the end I realized that our cowardice to confront our feelings left us both damaged. We were scarred by what happened and we let those scars dictate our lives."

Rich, brown eyes glowed with determination. "But this is where it stops. I'm going to stop hiding and live my life."

"I'm happy for you, but how do I fit into all of this?"

"JT told me about how he kept you in the dark for most of your relationship."

"Try all," Keeley corrected.

Claire gave her a nervous look and wet her lips. "He also told me that you broke up with him."

Keeley didn't like where this conversation was headed. She leaned back into the couch and cross her arms. "Your point?"

Claire thrust her chin out. "For those four hours we talked, two of them were about you."

"Seriously?" she asked, her arms dropping to her side. "What did he say?"

"I won't go into specifics, but he told me how you two met, how he fell for you, your time in Santa Barbara and even about your first date. A little rude considering I'm his ex-girlfriend," she laughed, her eyes twinkling with amusement, "but I didn't mind that much. Especially when I heard about all the times you put him in his place."

Keeley grinned at the memories. She had such a great time messing with him.

"The reason why I came here today was to tell you that JT has changed. He's not the same guy I knew three years ago."

Her smile faded. "Did he ask you to come here and say this to me?"

She shook her head. "He doesn't know I'm here. I've made peace with JT. He apologized for what he did and what his friends did and he accepted my apology as well." Claire learned forward in her chair, her face earnest. "I didn't have to come, but I thought if I was in your position I would want to know. I get why you broke up with him. He made a mistake in keeping things from you, but don't break up with him because you're worried he's not the guy you fell for. I'm here to tell you that he is that guy."

"But his friends and what he did to you and how he used me—"

"I know," Claire said quietly. Briefly, she glanced at a picture of Zach that was hanging on the wall. "I know all about boys who use you, but JT genuinely cares about you."

"But he cared about you too and looked what happened."

"He made a mistake—a stupid, idiotic, rage-induced mistake. I'm not condoning his actions saying it was okay, but we all mistakes, and more importantly, he's learned from them." She placed a hand over her heart. "I'm telling you as a girl, as someone who's made a multitude of mistakes, that JT's changed."

Keeley pressed a hand to her forehead as her head spun with information. "I have to be honest. You're not what I expected at all."

Claire threw her head back and laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Keeley prayed she wouldn't get too offended.

Her face sobered. "You can ask."

"Why didn't you break up with Talon when you started having feelings for my brother?" She wondered that for a long time now.

Claire looked out the window. The ends of her mouth turned slightly down. "You know I ask myself that all the time. I could have avoided a lot of pain if I had, but I think the reason is what I mentioned earlier—I was a coward." Her hands clenched in her lap. "I told myself I was doing JT a favor by not breaking up with him. He was already emotional because of his grandfather and I convinced myself breaking up would only do him more harm, but that was all a lie. The real reason I stayed with him was because I was insecure."

"What do you mean?" Keeley asked.

"I was never the girl that guys chased after, especially back then. In middle school I had these horrible braces and coke-bottle glasses..." She shuddered. "It was awful. But by freshman year, I got contacts and my braces off. Suddenly I was the one guys looked at. I was flattered and then JT came. He blew everyone else out of the water. There simply was no comparison."

Keeley's teeth ground together. Hearing about Talon and Claire was harder than she thought.

"When he asked me to be his girlfriend I couldn't believe it. All these girls were vying for his attention and he chose me. Everything was fine at first but then girls started getting more aggressive. They would do all these things to try and attract him and I felt I needed to do something extreme to keep his interest."

"Those photos."

She sighed. "Yup. Those infamous photos. Worst mistake of my life. After I sent them, I felt...dirty. Everyone thinks it would bring you closer together, but it did the opposite. I started to pull away and that's when your brother came into the picture."

She ran a hand through her hair; pulling it out from behind her ear and letting it fall around her face. "Again I was flattered by the attention. Somehow I managed to capture the attention of not one, but two incredible boys. At first it was innocent texts between your brother and I, but then it soon turned into something more. I should have broken up with JT immediately but I was so enamored by the attention, so insecure about my own worth, that I wanted to hold onto both and not let go." She turned to look at Keeley. "I was selfish. I know that now and I'm trying to amends."

Keeley nodded. She got it. She really did. And by coming to Keeley and telling her all of this she was making restitution to Talon.

Claire slapped her hands on her knees and stood up. "I should get going. Thanks for hearing me out."

Keeley echoed the thought and walked her to the door.

"Oh and before I forget can you give your brother this?" She held out a white envelope with a large bulge in the corner.

"You don't want to hand this to him yourself?" Keeley asked. She didn't need to see what was in there. She already knew it held his class ring. "I'm sure it'd mean more to him if you gave it in person."

"I don't think it would," she whispered.

Keeley battled with herself as she considered how much to tell her. Deciding Claire needed to know, she took a step closer and pushed the envelop back into her hands. "The first time I saw you was in a picture on my brother's phone."

Claire's body jerked. Her face paled as she gasped, "He has those?"

"It's not what you think. The picture is of him and you sitting on a park bench. I caught him staring at it late one night, gorging himself on pie. Does that sound like a guy who doesn't care?"

She pushed the package into Keeley's arms. "I can't."

"I've noticed you haven't said Zach's name one time since you arrived."

"So?" she asked, not meeting Keeley's eye.

"I think you still like my brother. So much so that it hurts to say his name," Keeley said, her voice challenging Claire to disagree.

"It doesn't matter. What we have is over. I just want to move on with my life and stop living in the past." The determination on Claire's face made it clear that no matter what Keeley said, she wasn't going to listen.

"I'll give it to him," she conceded, keeping the envelope. She waited till Claire was half-out the door before adding, "Good luck with everything. And Claire? Don't be in such a hurry to run to your future that you miss a great opportunity in the present."

"Your brother isn't in my present."

Keeley gave her a knowing look. "But he can be."

***

"I'm home," Zach said, throwing his backpack onto the floor and flinging himself onto the couch. Then he reached over and stole the remote right out of her hand. "Anything interesting on?"

"Yeah, what I was watching," she snapped.

He watched for a couple seconds before curling his upper lip and flipping the channel. "I think we can do better. Are Mom and Dad still out?"

"They called and said they won't be home till late tonight. There's leftovers in the fridge."

He grimaced. "Yuck. Let's go out. I'm feeling like Chinese tonight."

Keeley's leg started to bounce as she fingered the white envelope. How was she supposed to tell him about Claire's visit? Should she just blurt it out? Or subtly bring it up in conversation? "Zach, uh...I—well...here." Panicking, she shoved the envelope into his lap.

"What is this?" he asked, holding it up in the air.

"Something for you." When he narrowed his eyes, she said, "Just open it."

"You're acting weird," he muttered, but did as she directed. His face went white when he saw what was inside. Piercing eyes turned to her, holding her in her place. "How did you get this?" he growled.

"I had a visitor today."

"She was here? What did she say? Did she ask for me?" The eagerness on his face nearly broke her heart. He cared so deeply for her.

Keeley reached out and took his hand. Gently, she said, "She wanted me to give you this."

Understanding lit his face before it came crashing down with despondence. "She's moving on," he mumbled, his eyes blinking rapidly.

She stood up and wrapped her arms around her twin. She rubbed his back as his breathing turned ragged, each exhale heavy with emotion. "Maybe this is a good thing. Now you can move on too."

"I don't want to move one. She fits me."

"There's other girls out there, Zach," she whispered.

A tear dripped onto her skin. "It's not the same. I've tried, God knows I've tried, but I can't get her out of my head. Haven't you ever liked someone so much that when you make them smile or laugh, you feel like you're the king of the world? That's how I feel about Claire. That feeling doesn't just go away. It grabs hold and sticks with you."

She knew exactly what he was talking about. It was the same feeling she had for Talon. Listening to Claire and Zach made her realize that what she shared with him was special and she wasn't willing to throw it away. Not without a fight. As she comforted her brother, Keeley knew what she had to do.

Grabbing a pack of peeps and her phone, she headed to the kitchen and searched for a black felt pen. Then she drew an eye-patch on the peep and cut out a little pirate hat with a skull and crossbones logo. Taking a picture, she sent the pirate peep along with the message, "Arrrrr you free this Saturday?"

It was time to get back her man.