Chapter 22 (Caroline)


    I wasn''t as cranky as I normally was on Monday. After Keegan left my house Saturday, he stopped by


    Sunday to see how I was doing. He even brought a toy airne for Preston. It was still amazing how


    much Preston liked him. They yed in the living room for almost the whole day. With Monday rearing


    its ugly head, I actually wasn''t that affected by it. I mean, I still wasn''t talking to anyone until lunch, but


    that was okay. That was my tradition. I was relieved when lunch rolled around. I couldn''t wait to see


    Keegan. I wanted to see him. I wanted to touch him and feel thatforting warmth I always feel when


    we''re touching. I slid into my seat at the table with the lunch I packed. Stacy and Mariana were the first


    to the table. They looked sullen and sad.


    "We are so sorry about what happened at the party," Stacy blurted first. I shook my head.


    "Nothing happened and I got home okay. That''s all that matters," I said. Mariana put her head on my


    shoulder and her hand rested on my far shoulder as she sighed.


    "I''m sorry too. I never should''ve let Stacy talk me into taking you to a party," she said. Stacy''s mouth


    dropped as she looked at Mariana.


    "Hey!" she protested. I onlyughed.


    "It''s okay, really. Keegan took me home and I was fine," I shrugged. Stacy and Mariana''s eyes lit up. I


    ignored their curious and pleading faces and took a bite of my sandwich.


    "Okay, I can''t take this anymore. Spill. What happened?" Stacy asked. My cheeks turned bright red as I


    thought about what actually happened. "Oh my gosh! Did you hook up with him?" she squealed. My


    eyes widened as I started shaking my head.


    "No! And keep your voice down," I said quickly. She only giggled. I sighed and looked around before I


    looked back to my friends. They leaned in expectantly. "He broke up with Natasha. And my brother


    caught him at the house and asked him to stay the night, but he slept in the guest room. And then we


    all had breakfast together and my brother questioned me about the party and I broke down. Keegan


    came to my room and just held me and it was the best feeling I''d ever had. Then, get this, Preston


    even sat in hisp. Preston loves Keegan which is so weird because you know how he is. Then


    Keegan left, but he came back Sunday to check on me and ended up ying with Preston almost the


    whole day. It was so cute!" I exined in a rush. Stacy and Mariana squealed but quickly stopped when


    Keegan and the guys came into view. We all started eating our food, pretending like we weren''t just


    talking about Keegan. They all slid into our table. Keegan sat on my right and grabbed my hand. I loved


    the way it fit perfectly into his; his fingersced waffle-style with mine. Mariana held her ce on my


    left. Gregg sat as far away from me as he could. Iughed when I realized it.


    "Hey Gregg, why are you way over there? You know I don''t bite," I said with a wink.


    "Yes you do," he murmured, keeping his eyes on the table. Mariana, Stacy and Iughed. None of the


    guys did. Gregg kept his nervous eyes down and Keegan''s grip on my hand tightened. The others just


    stayed quiet. When we sobered up, I released my hand from Keegan''s which made his eyes snap to


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    me. He was about to protest but the she-witch interrupted him.


    "Hey Keegs," she smiled as she sat on his other side, pushing Asher over in the process. He sighed


    and turned to her. I looked on confused. I thought he broke up with her?


    "Natasha, I told you, we''re not together anymore," he said sternly. She only smirked at him as she


    touched his face and leaned closer.


    "That''s not what my dad says," she said in a sing song voice. "He said you can''t do that. And you know


    you can''t be with... Caroline... she''s not like us," she added. I wondered what she meant by that. Was


    she saying that it was because I wasn''t popr like them? And what did her dad have to do with


    anything?


    "Natasha," he said slowly like he was reprimanding to a two year old. "You know very well how this all


    works. I''m going to be... in charge soon and I want what I want, so get used to it. As for us... we''re


    over," he said carefully but sternly. His voice wasced with authority. She puffed out a breath and


    stood before she pointed a finger at me and narrowed her eyes.


    "This isn''t over," she gave her final words before she left. Gregg was the first to speak up.


    "I hate to say this, but she''s right until you figure something out," Gregg said. Keegan red at him.


    "We''ll talk about thister," Keegan snapped at him with the same amount of authority. Gregg lowered


    his head and started eating again. The whole table was silent for the rest of lunch. What was with all


    the secrecy? An even better question: what the hell was going on?


    The lunch bell rang. Everyone was too happy to get out of there. Keegan walked beside me quietly to


    our Forensics ss. Before he could walk into the ssroom, I pulled him aside. He leaned up against


    the wall and waited as I tried to figure out what to say.


    "What the hell was that at lunch?" I asked quietly. He only shrugged.


    "My parents are... friends with Natasha''s parents. They shipped us a while ago and they expected me


    to stay with her, but I didn''t," he answered carefully. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair.


    "She''s not going to leave me alone. You know that right?" I said. He shrugged again.


    "She will if I tell her too," he muttered.


    "Why?" I asked confused. He looked surprised that I heard him. He ran a hand down his face before he


    sighed.


    "She just... she has to, and let''s just leave it at that," he said before he walked into the ssroom. I


    followed after him. Something told me that this was going to be a long year.