what happened after unlocked

chapter twenty-four ~ linh's pov

"You're still searching for Keefe?" Linh asked in disbelief as her brother wandered into the room.

He probably didn't realize that her sister could come in at any time she pleased.

Tam flinched and turned to face his sister with a glare. "I thought you were at Marella's house?"

That was a reasonable thought...but Linh needed to speak with her brother before things got out of hand. "I know you've seen someone; you have that weird wistful smile on your face that you only ever get when someone you really, really like has spoken to you. It can't be Biana, or any of our friends, because they're all staying at the Vacker's house for the night and celebrating their midterms in the morning."

"Oh. " By the cringe-worthy grimace on Tam's face, he'd definitely forgotten about that.

"So?" Linh said expectantly, putting her hands on her hips. "What did he say?"

"I didn't see Keefe!"

Linh stared at him.

"Okay, fine!" Tam said, throwing his hands up in the air. "I saw him. And talked to him. And he forgave me...but you're not allowed to tell anyone about this! Not even Wylie or Marella!"

Linh snorted. "Tam, you do realize that I can't keep anything from them? They're not Empaths, but they always know."

Tam's legs went weak. "I feel sick."

"Um...did you eat something in the Lost Cities?"

"No, like mentally sick," Tam groaned, falling onto the nearest couch. "Keefe hates me."

"Tam!" Linh said, clasping her hands together and her eyes filling with sad tears. "Of course he doesn't hate you! He pretends to hate you! Because he really, really likes you!"

Tam froze for a few seconds. "But how do you even know that?"

"You underestimate me, little brother," Linh smirked. She was an expert on these things, but her brother was the complete opposite.

"I'm not your little brother," Tam said, turning the other way. "Anyway, you're wrong."

"If you say so!" Linh said gleefully. "Now, Tam, we need to talk about something."

"No, no, no, and no," Tam answered, knowing what was to come. "We're going to pretend the subject of Keefe doesn't exist!"

"But he does," Linh said matter-of-factly. "And if you don't admit to him you love him anytime soon, you might suffer from some serious heartbreak."

That really was true.

If Tam continued the way he did, in hopeless denial, he'd end up just like Prentice had before Sophie healed him.

Because Keefe was sure to make it clear with Sophie soon, and Tam would never be able to tell Keefe his true feelings before then.

His mind and his heart could break from that.

"I don't love him," Tam said, and it was convincing for about 0.0 seconds, "He's an irritating, stubborn, over-dramatic, self-righteous brat."

Linh smiled snidely at her brother. "You don't mean that."

"Yes, I do!" Tam said.

"Tam, I hate to break it to you, but if you never tell Keefe how you feel about him, you'll end up in a situation far worse than embarrassment," Linh said, joining Tam on the couch.

"I. Don't. Love him!" Tam said through gritted teeth.

"If you really hated him, would you have ever gone to all that trouble of searching for him, and apologizing to him over-excessively?" Linh asked him wisely.