The Cell Phone Swap

Chapter 21 iAm Being Wooed

“Who the hell tells someone they are going on a date?” Keeley cried out in aggravation. She looked over at Nicky who was sprawled out on the floor next to her. As soon as she got home from the park, her best friend had come over on the pretense of doing homework. In actuality, she was there so they could discuss Talon.  

“The same person who manages to apologize and not apologize all in the same breath,” Nicky replied with a touch of admiration.

Keeley narrowed her eyes. “Stop sounding so impressed.” 

Nicky ignored her. “Do you think he would agree to give me lessons? I could really use that Jedi mind trick when my mom finds out I’ve eaten gluten.”

“I think she’s fully aware,” Keeley informed her. Nicky wasn’t exactly inconspicuous about her eating habits. She constantly had muffin wrappers and cookie crumbs in her backpack. It amazed her that no matter how much Nicky ate she didn’t seem to gain weight. Then again, Nicky went to the gym four times a week.

“I could be the Luke Skywalker to his Obi-Wan Kenobi.” Nicky’s eyes grew distant as she became lost in her fantasy. “He could teach me how to use the Force.”

“He is not a Jedi master.”

“Or so he wants you to believe,” Nicky countered in a knowing tone.

Keeley rolled her eyes. Someone had been spending too much time on Wookieepedia. “He can’t just order me to go on a date with him. I’m not a dog who obeys its master’s every command.” She hadn’t even forgiven him yet and he was already inserting himself into her life. She was beginning to realize that Talon didn’t understand the concept of boundaries. If she gave him an inch, he would take a mile. 

“So what are you going to do?”

Keeley’s expression turned smug. “I’m going to show him what it’s like to be controlled.” She needed to regain some control in the relationship, or whatever it was they had. Right now, he was the one making all the decisions. If she wanted to be on an even footing with him, she would need to show him that her bark was just as real as her bite.

Nicky raised an eyebrow. “How are you going to do that?”

Keeley chuckled. She had been wondering the same thing as she walked home from the park. The answer had come to her in the form of a trashcan overflowing with garbage. Peeking out from the top of it had been the personals section of a local newspaper. One ad in particular had caught her attention and a rough plan started to form in her mind.

“By giving him a taste of his own medicine,” Keeley answered. As she grabbed her laptop, she outlined her plan to Nicky. It wasn’t complicated, but it would hopefully get the message across.  

Nicky tapped a finger against her chin, watching her friend with thoughtful eyes. “I thought you were against revenge. Isn’t that what you told Zach?”

“It’s not revenge,” she replied as she logged onto Craigslist. “It’s teaching a very important lesson to an extremely arrogant boy.”

“My, my,” Nicky drawled, “interesting how people rationalize their actions.”

Her fingers stilled over the keyboard. “I’m not rationalizing,” she rebuffed hotly. The situations were clearly different. Zach had interfered in something that wasn’t his business. He had no right to play that hoax on Talon, especially given their background. She, however, had every right to. Besides, she wasn’t doing this out of revenge. It was more of a way to shake Talon up and make him realize that she wasn’t a puppy he could jerk around.

Nicky turned her head and cupped her ear. “What was that? I think I hear denial knocking on your door.”

Keeley threw a pillow at her. “So, you don’t think I should do this?” she asked, motioning to the laptop.