Let Me Explain

The day finally came for me to say goodbye to my family and friends for three weeks. I was really going to miss their faces every day. I had five suitcases packed, a duffel bag, my backpack and my softball bat bag. The bus would be here to grab me in an hour. Baylen said they were not going to let me take all of these bags, but mom said she would drop off whatever I couldn’t bring on the bus. They rented us a charter bus. I packed my headphones and planned to watch a movie on the way. It was less than a two hour drive but we had four more girls to grab from the airport.

Baylen was helping me carry my bags when he stopped in my doorway. He turned and his face grew somber.

“Brees, I have to tell you something. I’m not supposed to say a word, but I saw how heartbroken you were the other night and I can’t keep watching my baby sis be sad,” he said.

I was unsure of how my demeanor should be at the moment. I felt a wave of sickness come over me. I knew what he was going to say and it was turning my stomach. Keegan had chosen Jada and there wasn’t much that I could do. N

“Ok Bay. Lay it on me,” I said, plopping down onto my bed and sighing deeply.

“So Jada has been with Keegan a lot lately right? At our house even,” he started.

I nodded and clasped my hands together tightly. You could see the redness of my knuckles start to drain away and become more pale. Just get this over with Bay. Rip off the band-aid. Tell me they are in love and meant to be. Tell me they want my blessing and whatever other bullshit you think I need to hear.

“Well there is a reason for it. Jada has never told her father that she and Keegan weren’t dating any more. Her father only approved of her to date Kee and no one else. So when a neighbor mentioned her being with a boy on their porch a few weeks ago, her dad freaked out and threatened to take her car away. Jada told him that her and Keegan were back together and it smoothed things over for a bit. So Jada asked Keegan if he minded faking it until summer was over. Keegan didn’t want to at first, but Jada’s mom wrote him a check for $5,000 to keep up the charade,” Baylen stated.

“So he isn’t in love with her?” I asked.

Baylen shook his head. “No, quite the opposite actually,” he said.

“But why him? Why Keegan?” I asked, repositioning my ponytail over and over out of nervousness.

This whole conversation still wasn’t making sense. As I opened my mouth to ask more clarifying questions, I heard a knock at the door. My mom popped her head in and said to Baylen, “Do you want her to come in?”

Baylen nodded. Who? Who was coming into my room? Maybe Quinn was here already. She did say she could come and help me pack. I saw a shadowy figure in the hallway and as she got closer I saw the dark hair. It was Jada! Baylen has to be fucking kidding me! I didn’t want to see her.

“Hi Baylen. Thank you for asking me to come,” she said stepping into my room

I rolled my eyes and looked up at the ceiling. No way was I about to converse with her after what I have witnessed this week with her and Keegan. Fake or not she kissed him and he let her!

“Brees, can we talk girlie?” she asked,

I reluctantly nodded. Baylen walked out with two of my bags and left us alone.

“I want to apologize for what you saw with Keegan at your party. He called me immediately afterwards and demanded to know why I kissed him. Before I could explain that my dad had been watching us and asking questions that showed he doubted we were together, he hung up. It wasn’t until Baylen called me that I knew you still have feelings for Keegan,” she said, grabbing my hand.

“That wasn’t his place to tell,” I said, pulling my hand away.

“But Brees, it was something I needed to hear. I have been seeing this kid named Squaller from my school,” Jada shared.

“Squaller?” I inquired, with a raised eyebrow.

“Well it’s Liam Squaller, but we all call him by his last name due to there being four Liams in my school,” she giggled.

Her tone changed and her face lit up talking about him.

“He is a senior and goes off to college soon, so there’s no reason to hide him after the summer. But Brees, had I known…” she started.

I cut her off, “Jada, you may not have known but Keegan certainly did. He could have filled me in and he chose to keep me in the dark,” I said.