My entry for DoNotMicrowave writing contest. Enjoy!

Just got to the Ferris wheel before closing time, damn that was fun! - Nicky

Keeley had just boarded the public bus, when her best friend, Nicky, texted her. But, it was merely minutes after they had parted ways. And, Nicky was supposed to be driving safely.

Let's keep my best friend alive, shall we? Keeley thought.

Yes, it was. Now keep your hands on the steering wheel and your eyes on the road. - Keeley

I will, I will. But, we almost missed the Ferris wheel because your breath smells :P - Nicky

Blame the chili cheese fries you forced me to eat! - Keeley

Blame me! Those chili cheese fries were delicious! - Nicky

Whatever, have a safe drive home, will ya'? - Keeley

Yes mom... - Nicky

A quiet chuckle escaped Keeley's lips, as she stuffed her cellphone into her purse. She could've supervised Nicky with her terrible driving, but for now, she only wanted peace. The moment where no one bothered her with their blabbering, where she could be in serene solitary. She leaned the side of her head against the glass, and let her eyes wander to the sights of houses and cars passing by. Clouds loomed around the bright, round moon in the center of the dark sky. Just like how Keeley liked it, nice and quiet.

However, it didn't last long.

Her cellphone rang a beat, something she didn't want exhausted and frustrated passengers of the bus to hear.

"I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world," her annoying cellphone sang out loud. Keeley instantly rummage her purse and answered it.

"Hello?" Keeley said, or hissed—it was a more appropriate word. Because the background noise was all a blur of euphoric music and talking voices, Keeley couldn't help but turn her forced smiling lips upside down into a cruel frown. "What is it?"

"Keeley, I need you to drive me home tonight," Zach said, his speech a little slurred.

"What? I thought you're giving Bianca Campbell a ride," Keeley said with an accused tone. She didn't even want to think about it. Maybe, Zach was asking her to drive with them smooching their lives out in the backseat. Ew.

"Plans change," Zach said, before hanging up on her. Keeley stared at her cellphone with disgust visible on her face.

Here she was in a bus, and about to head to the place she hated.

•••

Awful, just awful. It reeked of sweat in there. Keeley pinched her nose close, as she looked around. But, it was nothing but bodies dancing around to the music. Some dancing a little too vulgar for her eyes to see.

What's even worse, it's dark and blinding at the same time. Blaring, colorful lights and dimmed corners of the room were gruesome.

Right there, someone accidentally shoved her by the shoulder. "Watch it, hot ass!" That someone said, as Keeley felt a surge of confusion in her thoughts, and probably a hint of disgust.

She did not understand how her twin brother could stand having fun in that kind of places. Whatever he liked, she didn't have to like it too.

Keeley walked off to a dimmed, secluded corner of the room and fished out her cellphone. Dialing Zach's number, she held it against her ear.

"Hellooo?" Zach's voice cooed.

"Zachary Andrew Brewer, where are you?" Keeley shouted over the deafening music, and covered her ears with her free hand.

"Oh, I'm here with a couple of very sexy ladies," said Zach, "and they're such a lovely company."

"Zach, stop kidding around. I'm here to pick up your sorry ass," Keeley snapped, as she grew drowsy from everything around her. Parties were definitely not for her. And, she didn't mind disliking it.

Before Keeley could say a thing, Zach yelled at the phone, "What the–I'm all wet now!"

Sure, you are Keeley thought, as she rolled her eyes. Now, what?

"Hell, I'm gonna take the car and go home straight away if you don't stop beating around the bush," Keeley threatened, her eyes as sharp as a dagger.

"Nice muscles, you've got there, Zach. Mind if I feel em'?" A very unZach voice, sounded much like a girl, said.

An exasperated groan escaped Keeley's lips. She couldn't believe it. It's overly frustrating. The problem was that she couldn't leave him either. It's a twin thing for her, especially that they had promised to take care of each other no matter what. Keeley loved him, but at the same time, she hated him that day. To her dismay, she still needed the car keys from him.

Heaving a sigh, Keeley knew what she should do. Find him herself using that twin intuition. If it didn't work, at least she would prove the world wrong.

Keeley hung up the call, and stuffed the cellphone into her purse once again. She pressed her lips into a grim, but determined line and swam through the grinding bodies.

Muttering came from Keeley. "Dummy, idiot, blockhead, fool, kook, dunce, imbecile–"

Her hand shot up, piercing the air, and reached for a familiar shoulder. "Cory! You're one of Zach's teammates, right?"

"Oh, Keeley!" He exclaimed, forcing a smile because he was quite shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm, um, looking for Zach," Keeley said. "Do you know where he is?"

Cory scratched the back of his head, and seemed to be in thought for awhile. Before Keeley grew impatient, Cory said, "I think he's around the pool at the back."

Took you a long time to think about it Keeley thought, as she shot a grateful smile. "Thanks, Cory," said Keeley, as she turned away and headed towards her next destination, the swimming pool.

Passing through people, she had finally made it. However, finding him wouldn't be as easy as she expected.

A beach ball went over her head, and she squealed in surprise. "What is this atrocity?" Keeley said to herself, as she stepped out of the way. The pool was crowded with people from her school, and they were behaving slightly off the school standards. Well, they'd all be back at school before anyone knew it. Literally just one week.

Her eyes searched the crowds, and they finally spotted Zach for her. His legs dangling from the edge of the swimming pool, and his arms were hugging the waists of girls. One of them included the queen bitch Bianca Campbell.

"Zach!" Keeley exclaimed out loud, then rushed towards him. He turned his head, and soon removed his hands from those skimpy waists. He got up rapidly, splashing pool water at Bianca Campbell. That's hilarious! Keeley thought, as she couldn't resist a grin. A disgusted expression flooded her face, and she glared at Keeley. But, Keeley was just grinning at his running brother.

Just like that, Zach ran for her. And, they both crashed into a hug.

"What's up with the hugs, Zach?" Keeley said, as she smiled and patted his back. It was quite a nice moment, even when they're surrounded by chaos. Everything was just a blur for Keeley, because she knew she loved her brother dearly. She got his back and so did he.

"Let's go home," Zach murmured into her hair. "Get me away from Bianca," he said with a quieter voice.

Keeley shook her head and laughed slightly. Then, she slowly pushed him away and grabbed his hand, just like the old times in childhood. "Well, let's go. But, the keys please?" Keeley said.

"Ah, right!" Zach said, as he rummaged his pockets and fished out the keys. Keeley took them, and led him through crowds of people. When would they get tired of dancing?

With Zach in her hold, Keeley made a stop when the whole front door was crowded with people roaring out yells and cheers. Zach asked, "What's that?"

Zach let loose from Keeley's grip and marched towards the crowd. He pushed through them, but no one really cared about being shoved off. However, it wasn't the same for Keeley. The moment she closed up on the crowd, they were built like a wall against her. A big tough wall made of bricks.

Keeled groaned in exasperation, and moused through the crowd for a way out. Right there, she escaped the overwhelming crowd and feast her eyes with toilet paper floating in the air. "What the–" said Keeley, before a great amount of the toilet paper landed over her head. She pressed her lips into a grim line and yanked the toilet paper off her hair.

"Throwing toilet papers at our house, not a cool move, Crosswell!" Zach yelled, like his slur dissipated instantly. He was almost sober.

As Zach said that, Keeley became alert. Crosswell? She thought. Keeley switched her glance towards the group of people, foreign and untouchable. Crosswell High's football team.

There stood male humans, prideful and glorious—and nasty. Toilet paper, Keeley thought they should've gone with tartar sauce or guacamole. Their game was weak. Trying to pick a fight before the game? That was low, even for Keeley.

But, who stood out the most was the guy standing right in front of the battle line. He had this wide smirk that showed off everything that he's made of, confidence. What's even more marveling was his blue eyes. As deep as the ocean, as lively as a blazing fire. Zach was sure to pull out each and every strand of that guy's untainted blonde hair. But, those eyes bothered Keeley. They're familiar to those warriors who battled in war. But, she wasn't living in the Middle Ages. The only thing closest to war was the ... football games.

Before the fact could click, the blonde haired guy was even faster. "Zach Brewer, did you like my present?"

Zach didn't answer him, and merely glared towards him. But, Keeley could only think about one thing. It was quite normal to see this kind of rivalry at the field, but up close, it's quite frightening.

"What's the matter?" Blue eyed blondie asked with a tempting smirk. "Do you not like the gift? I can rewrap it with a bow if you want."

"JT, are you trying to pick a fight with the Bulldogs?" Zach said, emphasizing the word 'the' as expected. His pride as a leading player in the Bulldogs was as high as the clouds.

JT snorted, his blue eyes filled with mischief and his arrogance dripping off the corners of his smirking lips. "Of course not," said JT, full of sarcasm. He bumped his fist with his friends, and laughed, as if he were mocking Zach. Keeley couldn't believe this man!

"Fine," Zach said, "let's settle this before the big game, shall we?"

Right there and then, JT and all of his friends had a what? look on their faces. But, Zach's fist came crashing to JT's nose before he even knew it. Just like that, a brawl began with the roars of Edgewood High's deranged drunkards.

Fists and fists came crashing from all directions, and Keeley was just helplessly stuck in the middle of chaos. Groans and battle cries filled the cold, breezy night air. The sound of flesh being punched and bones cracking could be clearly heard.

But, Keeley's focus was only on her brother who's currently in a brawl with JT himself.

It may be stupid, but Keeley went on and stomped her way towards those two fighting boys. Dodging sudden punches was hard, but she was lucky to succeed. "Stop it!" Keeley screamed, trying to push each of them away from each other.

Even a stupid person knew that her action was to no avail. It was just a very foolish, very foolish act.

"Back off, Keele–" Zach shouted, before a punch landed on his stomach. He was cut off with a groan, coming from himself. Keeley could only gasp in terror and shot a glare towards JT.

"Don't touch my brother!" Keeley yelled at him, and threw weak punches at him.

For a second, just for a second, JT glimpsed at her. His blue eyes sent chills down her spine, and she stopped, like she's under a spell. They were so deep, Keeley couldn't function at all.

Zach had fallen to the ground, and he couldn't find his way back up. Keeley, on the other hand, noticed and was just about to help him up. But, it never happened.

"Look out!" JT exclaimed at her.

Keeley took too slow to notice another guy toppling over and towards her. Her eyes widened in horror, and she screamed. She braced for the impact, yet instead another impact, but it's not something she would've expected from being crushed under the weight of a full-grown guy. That's why she didn't know what that was, her eyes were closed the whole time.

Her eyelids fluttered open, even though the brawling roars were still vivid in her ears. It was fairly a mistake to be curious at that moment.

JT had her in his arms, and he was staring at her—through her. Their faces were merely inches away, and his blue eyes engulfed her completely. She could feel his warmth, his strong protective grip around her, and his eyes staring down at her.

Bizarrely, her cheeks warmed a red blush and her throat gulped.

Harshly pulled out of a trance, Keeley was yanked backwards by a familiar hand which belonged to Zach. "You," Zach threatened JT, "fight with me, not touch my sister."

Then, JT merely smirked. "She's one pretty baby doll," JT said, and winked at Keeley. Her cheeks undeniably reddened.

"You little–!" Zach lifted a fist, but was interrupted by the sound of sirens. Everyone stopped fighting upon hearing the police sirens.

"Everybody run!"

Instantly, all the crowds dispersed. But, the police officers weren't slow either. Keeley stood idly by, watching it all unfold in her sight.

"Damn, I didn't do anything wrong!" Zach's voice cut through the skies, as he was forced to kneel down on his knees with his hands at the back of his head.

Stunned, Keeley thought of what to do. Tell the officers that it's the Crosswell team's fault? Say that Zach had nothing to do with that? Putting the blame on JT?

Then, before she realized, a hand grabbed her and pulled her away from the crime scene. She let out a yelp, yet unheard by the officers. She went tumbling towards the hiding grounds, which were the darkness behind a silver BMW. The silver BMW.

"What are you doing?" Keeley scoffed, as she faced her captor. And, it's freaking JT!

He was crouching on the ground, and hid behind her car. His Crosswell High fingers were touching Zach's car. The twins' car. Not to mention, he was Zach's biggest rival. No one would've dreamt of an enemy touching their car.

"Saving you, baby doll," JT said in a quiet voice, then he turned to Keeley with a bewildered expression in his face. "Why didn't you run when you obviously had to run?"

"Why did you save me?" Keeley asked sarcastically, before rolling her eyes. "It's your whole fault. Who told you to throw toilet papers?"

Then, JT looked at her blankly. "It's called a prank. Ever heard of that? It's supposed to be funny," JT said, and kept an eye out for the police officers. Then, a wide grin formed on his face. "Zach's going to stay the night in a jail cell, hell yeah!"

With that, Keeley smacked him in the shoulder. "This is your fault," Keeley said.

"Too bad for you, but too good for me!" JT teased, then chuckled. "Oh, look at him! He's riding away to the night."

Her brother was stuck in a police car heading to the police station. What a night! She thought, as she discreetly glared at JT.

Then, a brilliant idea came to her mind. "You're coming with me to the police station," Keeley said.

"What?" JT replied, with a pinch of horror paling his cheeks.

"You heard me," Keeley said, "Now, get in the car."

"What car?" JT asked.

The silver BMW made a hoot, which startled the heck out of JT. And, Keeley merely smirked.

"This."

•••

"Oh darling! Why did you get into trouble at midnight?" Keeley's mother berated Zach, who's behind bars and glaring at an unwanted company.

But, the unwanted company was barely shaken. He stood like a soldier at ease. His expression was void of emotions, or he held something deeper and resentful inside for Keeley.

"How did this happen, Keeley?" Her dad asked her with a worried expression.

"Oh, um ..." Her gaze steered off to JT, who had an unreadable face expression.

This seemed like the first time she wasn't sure about telling the truth. If she told the truth, her brother would have to do extra chores which could pretty much benefit herself. But, he's her brother who protected her, who loved her, and she sure did love him back. But, if she was gonna lie, what should she say?

Fortunately, she didn't have to answer that. A police officer interfered.

"Some neighbors called the police for the ruckus they were making, and when I arrived at the location myself, they're biting each other's heads off."

Then, his gaze averted to Keeley and JT. His eyes narrowed, making wrinkles around the ends of his eyes. He fixed his hat and seemed to be in deep thought.

"I could've sworn I've seen you two in the party earlier."

"Oh, no. Sir, I'm just here because of my brother," Keeley answered, and glanced at JT. Should she cover for him too?

Expectedly, the officer glanced at JT, who kept a poker face. Keeley groaned internally and said, "He came with me because he's worried about Zach too."

JT snapped out of his emotionless trance and widened his eyes at Keeley. He should be thankful!

"But, why is your face bruised?" The officer pried on, forcing Keeley to cover up for JT more.

Unexpectedly, JT was the one who answered, "I ran into a pole."

Keeley wanted to face-palm herself, but she couldn't in front of the officer. Who's gonna believe that? She thought, as she glanced at JT.

Before the officer could ask any more questions, Keeley's father interrupted. "Alright, officer, where can I take care of Zach's papers?" He said.

The officer stopped, and cleared his throat. "This way, sir."

They both left. Keeley, JT, Keeley's mother, and Zach were the ones remaining there. Keeley's mother glanced back and forth at Zach and JT. Undeniably, she would've noticed the connection. Both of their faces were bruised, their knuckles too. What's even more obvious was Zach'a death glare which was permanently directed towards JT.

Keeley's mother sighed and said, "We have a lot to talk about, Zachary."

Then, she turned to Keeley. "Take the boy home, Keeley," said her mother with a stern tone.

•••

"Why did you do that?" JT asked, after suffering a long moment of silence in the car. The negative energy radiating off Keeley was immensely huge, because she had to take the culprit home.

Just why did she have to do that? He could've just taken a cab home, but it was also by her will that she had taken him to the police station in the first place. She had been planning to put him behind bars for causing the whole thing, but she didn't. She covered for him, but she herself did not know why.

The other option wasn't preferable as well. Her parents and Zach would be having an argument in the car, a very tight space. But, the culprit was here in the passenger seat of her silver BMW!

"Do what?" Keeley asked, her hands stiff on the steering wheel and her eyes fixed at the road ahead. A hint of anger started to boil in her blood, but nothing had happened yet.

"I thought you're going to turn me in," JT said. "That's why you brought me to the police station, right?"

No matter how fitting she was to have all the answers of the world, she did not know any answers. Maybe, she felt a little grateful about his actions. She dodged a danger, because he pulled her away from it. She dodged another danger, because he took her away. But, that's just an assumption.

"I was going to turn you in. What else would I have done?" Keeley frankly said. "You're the one who caused everything in the first place."

But, silence told the truth better than anyone would've. The fact was that Keeley didn't turn him in, but she covered for him.

Then, JT cracked a smile. " Name's Talon," JT said. "What's yours?"

"I thought it's just JT," said Keeley, confused. What's a Crosswell kid doing talking to her, the sister of his rival?

"James Talon Harrington the fourth, at your service," JT said.

Doubt brewed like an imminent storm. Should I really tell him my name? She thought. He was her twin brother's nemesis. Was it really right?

"It's Keeley," she said, feeling the instant regret in the pits of her stomach. Was it such a bad idea?

"Baby doll, your name suits you perfectly," said Talon, who smirked at Keeley. But, all Keeley could wonder was why he called her 'baby doll'. Even though she wanted to ask, her lips never formed the words.

The drive went a little quiet again, until Talon turned to her. "Can I borrow your cellphone?" Talon asked. "I have to call my parents."

"Why?" Keeley said, full of disbelief. "You have your own cellphone."

"Baby doll, my phone's dead," Talon deadpanned with a serious face, but then cracked another smile.

"But, I'm driving," Keeley argued. She had no idea why she wouldn't give her phone to him, but she called it a female instinct.

"Please? My mom will be furious," pleaded Talon, surprisingly.

Keeley bit back a frown, as she digested what he said. Maybe his mother would be furious like he said, but it didn't make sense if he could even 'toilet paper' a house while having a curfew. Maybe, it was true. She didn't know why but she trusted him.

"It's in my purse," answered Keeley.

After that, he made the call. It was a quite long conversation, but Keeley wasn't paying attention. She was exhausted, sleepy. It took all her focus to keep driving. Finally, they reached the destination.

"Thanks for the ride, baby doll!" Talon said, as he exited the car.

"Yeah sure," Keeley said, her voice drowsy.

He trotted, yet stopped for a second. He looked over his shoulder and smirked, before nodding in respect.

Keeley watched him walk to his house, open the door, and the door closing behind him. Left with an empty feeling, Keeley warmed up the car's engine.

Then, a beep sounded. She picked up her cellphone and let the white light glow on her face in the darkness.

Drive safely and have a good night's sleep. Goodnight baby doll. - Talon

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