Keys and Kisses: Untouchable Book Three

by Long, Heather

  Fuck. Now I wanted Girl Scout cookies, and it was forever until February.

  “Jake said to give him time, so I’m giving him time. But I’m worried about him.” We were almost to the doors, so I pivoted to face them as we all came to an abrupt halt. “So, if you guys are keeping some other secret…or something you don’t want to tell me about him, I’d really like to hear it now and not in some note stuffed in my locker or a post online.”

  I hadn’t been on Instagram in days, and I’d shut off the notifications on my other social media outlets. There were probably messages waiting. Fine. Let them wait.

  I’d had enough of having their past rubbed in my face. I knew it happened.

  “Let’s just say I don’t want another bite of the bad decision bagel.”

  “Bad decision bagel?” Archie lifted his eyebrows.

  “Our last summer,” Coop surmised, and I nodded.

  “For what it’s worth, Frankie, I don’t know any secrets about Bubba that have anything to do with this. I think it’s all him. Now, that said, I haven’t seen or spoken to him since Saturday morning.”

  Coop pursed his lips then scuffed a shoe.

  “But apparently Coop has?” Archie’s tone held more of a question than a recrimination as he eyed him.

  “Just give him some time, Frankie,” Coop said. “Okay? We should head in, they should be out of practice and getting changed.”

  That was it.

  When I didn’t move right away, he sighed. “I would do anything for you. But they’re my friends, too. If Archie or Jake tell me something and trust me with it, I’m going to keep my mouth shut the same way I do with stuff you tell me.”

  “Except for the parts you decide everyone else needs to know.”

  “When it comes to you being safe or any of them? Yes.”

  Uh huh.

  “Okay.”

  Turning, I grabbed the door before one of them could and held it open. Archie had his own bag and the rest of the coffees, and Coop gave me a look as I just stared at him.

  “Thank you,” he said with a wink, but I didn’t feel like smiling much. I lagged a little as we walked, turning over the whole situation in my head. The not knowing was making me nuts. I half wanted to start a fight with Coop over the fact he was keeping a secret.

  But that would be the bitchy thing to do. Then again…not talking about how I felt and swallowing my aggravation got us into this mess. The harsh reality of dating all of them hit me as we walked into the cafeteria. I couldn’t talk to them about them.

  Coop was going to defend him or at least counsel me to be patient—which he did. Archie would be skeptical and wary. Jake wanted to distract me and I think buy Ian some time to come around. But he’d also been pissed on my behalf, too.

  Or maybe it was on his.

  Truthfully, it wasn’t always about me.

  “There you are,” Rachel said, as if she’d damn near apparated into being next to me. There was no way to disguise my jump, and she grinned. “Someone was lost in thought.”

  “Yes,” I told her. Not like there was any point in lying. “Hi.”

  She grinned. “Hi. Nice save, you didn’t even slosh your coffee.” Hooking her arm through mine, she walked with me toward our table. “I’ll let you put that down before I demand to see pictures.”

  “Of my coffee?”

  Snorting, Rachel shook her head. “Of the dress…”

  We’d made it to our usual table where Archie placed the coffee tray then gave Rachel a dour look. “Why are you here?”

  “Not to talk to you, asshat, so shut up.” The words just rolled right off of her as she grabbed a chair and pulled it out for me, then dropped into the chair next to it as I sat. “C’mon, Cheryl told me you tried on a bunch of gorgeous ones, but she said I had to wait and see what you picked. So spill…let’s see it.”

  Archie glared at Rachel for a second, then shot a look at Coop, who raised his hands. Nope, he wasn’t wading in.

  Setting the coffee aside, I slid off my backpack and then pulled my phone out of my pocket. “I’ll show you, but try to be nicer to the guys okay?”

  Rachel rolled her eyes, then tilted her head. “I’m here to talk to Frankie, asshat, so please shut up.” The last she added with the barest hint of a smile.

  “Meter’s running,” Archie warned her.

  I shouldn’t laugh. I really shouldn’t, but she had this butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth tone, and she’d actually batted her eyes. Across the table, Coop started snickering, too.

  “Bitch bitch bitch,” Rachel retorted.

  “Just what I was thinking,” Archie clapped back, then smiled when I raised my eyebrows. He even touched his finger to the corner of his mouth. “See, I’m being nice. I’m even agreeing with the bitch.”

  I giggled, and Rachel smirked. “Bring it on, asshat, I can take you.”

  “Yeah, no thanks,” Archie informed her. “I’m good right where I am.”

  “Fantastic, then give us a little less of this.” She held up her hand and tapped her thumb to her fingers as if miming talking. “K? Thanx. Bai.”

  I swore I could almost see the emojis in the too sugary tone. “Anyway…” I said before they could launch into each other again. I opened up the photos on my phone. At least I’d saved the image after I showed Marsha the day before. But the first image to pop was my scholarship notice and Rachel leaned a little closer before I swiped to the next one, which was the dress. “This is the dress I picked out.”

  She studied it critically as she let out a low whistle. “I like it. Simple but sexy. Good color. What are you doing for jewelry? Cheryl said she told you where to get shoes, but you need other accessories.”

  Kill me. “I actually know a place.”

  “Okay, if you need help, happy to give you backup. What about hair and makeup, have you figured it out?”

  From the corner of my eye, I caught Coop leaning toward Archie and throwing an arm around him as he mocked wiped a tear. “Look, she’s turning into a real girl.”

  “Yes, actually,” I told Rachel as I flipped Coop off, which set the pair of them laughing their asses off.

  “Just ignore them,” Rachel said, tapping the screen with my dress. “How are you doing the hair? Yourself? Your mom? Someone?”

  I didn’t flinch at the mention of my mom. While Rachel had really come through for me the previous week to cover up the red mark on my face—which had faded, thank you very much—we weren’t at confiding about my mother stage. I could barely talk about her with Coop and the guys. “Marsha at work made me an appointment with a friend of hers.” Sure, I had to make the appointment, but that was just a technicality. “She even gave me the day off so I could go and get done up right—her words, not mine.”

  “Good,” Rachel said. “Perfect. Okay. So, shoes and accessories. I know a couple of other places that Cheryl would never recommend because they aren’t trendy but they do have great shoes and not at kill me now prices.”

  That was good to know.

  “If you want to get something dyed to match the dress, you’re going to need to order them soon.”

  “Cool, well I’ll check the places she gave me…” I could do that later today or tomorrow, I guessed. Did Ian and I still have our standing homework date for tomorrow? I really had no idea.

  “Call me,” Rachel said as she glanced to her right, and I followed her look to see Jake striding toward us. “I love the dress,” she said passing the phone back. “Seriously, you’re going to look fantastic.”

  “Thanks, Rach.”

  “Anytime.” She gave my shoulder a squeeze and then headed away. Coop and Archie weren’t chuckling anymore. If anything, Archie’s frown grew as he stared to where Jake was.

  “Bitch,” Jake said almost conversationally as he passed Rachel.

  “Dickhead,” she replied with a smile, then glanced back at me as she kept walking with a finger pointed to her smile like see, I was polite.

  I groaned and shoo
k my head, even as I laughed.

  What was I going to do with them?

  “Hey,” Jake said, claiming the chair Rachel abandoned and reaching for his coffee.

  “No Bubba?” Good thing Archie asked, because I wasn’t going to. Not after he promised he would talk to me today.

  We had a lot of hours left in today.

  “He got waylaid by Coach,” Jake said, but it was the worried frown he shot me that had me suddenly wary.

  “Is he in trouble?”

  “No, not exactly. He’ll be here as soon as he can,” Jake said, but he needn’t have bothered. There was Ian walking through the doors with Patty and Sharon framing him as they chattered away.

  Waylaid by Coach?

  “I need to go get some stuff done for class,” I said as I picked up my coffee. “I want to get ahead this week. I’ll see you guys later.”

  I really didn’t want to have this conversation or supposition or anything. Ian hadn’t glanced toward us once.

  His whole focus was on them.

  Wow. That hurt way more than I expected.

  I was halfway down the hall before Archie caught up to me. “It may be nothing,” he cautioned.

  “Yep,” I said. “It may absolutely be nothing. But I really do have homework.”

  Thankfully, he didn’t keep pressing the point.

  I wouldn’t borrow trouble. Ian said he’d speak to me today.

  Lots of hours left in today.

  Lots.

  Somewhere a Clock is Ticking

  Archie: I don’t know what’s going on with you. But get your shit together. You’re better than this.

  Bubba: Long story.

  Archie: ?

  Bubba: Class. Talk after.

  Archie: Right.

  At the same time…

  Jake: She okay?

  Archie: Fake it ‘til she makes it.

  Jake: Fuck.

  Archie: Bingo.

  Coop: Should I grab her after calc?

  Jake: I’m closer.

  Coop: K.

  Archie: He say anything?

  Coop: Just Coach assigned him.

  Jake: Homecoming crap.

  Archie: Explain.

  Coop: No clue, just committee

  stuff.

  Jake: He didn’t volunteer.

  Archie: Sharon and Patty are on that

  committee?

  Coop: Apparently.

  Archie: Fuck.

  3rd Period

  Bubba: So am I on everyone’s shit list or

  just Frankie’s?

  Jake: …

  Archie: Yes.

  Coop: No.

  Bubba: Thanks for clearing that up.

  Coop: Do not miss lunch.

  Archie: Or do.

  Coop: Arch.

  Jake: Off campus?

  Coop: Yes.

  Archie: Sure why not.

  Bubba: …

  Jake: You can’t?

  Coop: …

  Archie: …

  Bubba: Meeting at lunch.

  Coop: *sigh*

  Jake: Talk to Frankie…

  Coop: Before lunch.

  Bubba: Where? In the hall?

  Jake: Any fucking where just talk to

  her before she gets that from someone

  else.

  Archie: You talk to her or we do.

  Coop: Arch, that isn’t helping.

  Archie: Not sure I want to help him.

  Coop: What?

  Jake: Fuck, just talk to her B.

  4th Period

  Bubba: I texted.

  Coop: You didn’t talk to her

  Bubba: When?

  Coop: Dude, you had 2nd period, why

  didn’t you talk to her then?

  Bubba: Pop quiz.

  Then Jake showed.

  Coop: Look, the longer you

  wait, the worse this is.

  Bubba: Don’t you think I know that?

  Coop: Not sure you do.

  Bubba: I thought you understood

  Coop: I do. I don’t agree. But

  I understand. She doesn’t.

  Bubba: I promised to talk to her today.

  Coop: Arch is getting pissy.

  Bubba: I noticed.

  Coop: Jake doesn’t get it either

  Bubba: No shit.

  Coop: Ever think you’re overreacting?

  Bubba: No.

  Bubba: Look, they’ve always been the

  type to just take what they want. But what

  they want is going to end up hurting her. In no

  world does this end well for her.

  Coop: You don’t know that.

  .

  Bubba: I know she’s more important

  than a casual thing.

  Look what’s already happened…

  Coop: I have. She needs us.

  Bubba: I’m not walking away.

  Coop: It looks like you are.

  Bubba: What happened to

  you understanding?

  Coop: Like I said, I get it.

  But it also looks like you are.

  Throw in the thing this morning?

  What is she supposed to think?

  Maybe think about that.

  Bubba: I’ll fix it.

  Chapter Four

  First Cut’s the Worst

  Maybe I was just being stubborn, but I refused to be distracted today. Seeing Ian with Patty and Sharon had pissed me off. But I buried that down deep, not wanting to admit it aloud. Bad enough Ian had dated the second bitch.

  Yes, I said it. The second bitch.

  Ugh. I did not want to be one of those girls who blamed other women for her problems. My mother blamed the rest of the world enough for both of us. Things always happened to my mother. She was never responsible for her own issues.

  Getting pissed at Sharon—and now by extension, Patty—felt a lot like the same thing. Except Sharon took some delight in my misery. That earned her label for me. Patty had just been rude, but the brush seemed to be all encompassing. It didn’t help that from the moment Archie left me at calc to when Jake showed up like seconds after class let out—had he just ditched the end of his second period?—Ian and I didn’t get to talk. Like at all.

  The pop quiz was more of a long test to gauge where we were, and it took nearly the whole hour to work every problem. I worried about Ian when I came across some of the variable formulas. Those were his least favorite, and it took effort to slap my thoughts back on point.

  I needed the grades in these classes. My GPA was great, but we only had a short few weeks before class ranks would be announced, and I needed all the lift I could get. That scholarship Marsha secured for me was a gift, but I still had to get into Harvard.

  After the bell rang, Ian barely had his mouth open when Jake appeared. With a sigh, he’d said, “I’ll find you later, okay?”

  If I thought about it too much, it bugged the hell out of me. Worse, was the text Ian sent when later got there almost at the end of third period.

  Ian: Don’t be upset.

  Not an auspicious beginning.

  Ian: Can’t do lunch today. Coach has me on Homecoming committee helping out as team rep. They are meeting over lunch.

  Wow.

  Yeah, I tried to not be upset. Wasn’t really working.

  Me: I understand. See you later.

  No, I so didn’t understand. But he talked to me, so points for that. Coop hovered during lit. Not literally, but he was sticking close, and when Ms. Fajardo called me up for conference—I wasn’t that special she was calling us all up individually for a quiet five minute conference to go over where we were—his stare drilled into me.

  Worry radiated off him enough to make me twitchy. Fortunately, Ms. Fajardo had also had a chance to look at my essays. She loved them both and had some terrific feedback. Her quick skim of my journal earned me a single concerned look, but I told her I was okay.

  Like I said once, if I said those words enough, maybe I would begin t
o believe them.

  Lunch wasn’t so bad, but it was weird not to be squished in the backseat. Like there was too much room. Archie got shotgun on the way to lunch, and I sat with Coop in the back. The guys tried to make up for the absence, but it was like they were feeling it, too. I kept catching Archie checking his phone.

  We made plans for after school, though Archie suggested we bypass our normal diner hangout and head back to his place after for the pool and dinner. We could all celebrate there and just relax. No huge party, just us.

  Sounded ideal—except I confessed about the message from my mom. To be honest, I didn’t want to run into his dad either.

  “I can handle Edward,” Archie promised me.

  “We’ll be there,” Coop volunteered. “We can always go lock ourselves in the media room. Archie’s got that place fortified for the next twenty years on snacks.”