The Key to my HeART

25 USB Drive

M A X

I waited at You Mocha Me Crazy at six in the morning the day after threatening Harper. My contact was late and if he didn't show up soon I wasn't going to buy him the breakfast sandwich I promised. I looked at the clock on the wall and back toward the door. I should have known better than to trust him to get up early. Someone who could sleep until two in the afternoon obviously was going to have issues waking before six to meet up.

I was ready to give up when Josh Wilson stumbled into the coffeehouse bleary-eyed with hair that was still mussed. He looked horrible actually. His eyes could barely open.

"It's so early," he groaned when he reached me. "I can't believe there's a six in the morning now."

"How nice of you to join me." I took Josh by the shoulders and steered him for the couch in the corner of the coffeehouse.

"You should be happy I even got up. You morning people are gross." He yawned, not even bothering to stifle it. I could see all the way down his throat. "If Harper finds out I met you here, I hate to think what she'll do to me. I don't want to come home and find a pound of shrimp in my sock drawer or something." He picked a piece of glitter off my shirt.

I'd have glitter on my clothes for the rest of my life. It was annoying, but I had to give Harper credit for inventiveness. She made sure she got me. My car still smelled like fish despite the air fresheners I put everywhere. And I couldn't convince Derek to fix my horn. He and his dad just laughed about it. With friends like these, who needs enemies.

"If Harper finds out you're here, it's because you're sloppy. Now, did you bring what I asked?" I crossed my arms over my chest.

Josh pulled a blue USB drive from his pocket and held it out, but he didn't let me take it when I reached for it. "You swear you're not going to embarrass my sister?"

"We talked about this. I'm going to help Harper."

"It's just, you already ruined her once. You know, she doesn't even want to play Fortress Siege anymore? That's her favorite thing in the world and you took it away from her."

I had a sneaky suspicion Harper wouldn't play after what I did. I didn't want it to be true, but it was. Fortress Siege was her bastion away from school and family and life in general. She told me when we were dating. Her eyes lit up and she took on a dreamy tone when she talked about the game. Not just as a game, but as a rod for her creativity. I hated myself for ruining that.

"This was all a huge mistake, Josh. I'm trying to make it right. I want Harper to play Fortress Siege. There are foes, right now, not being bludgeoned by her warhammer." Josh still looked at me skeptically, not putting the USB in my now outstretched hand. "I swear, I am trying to make things right, Josh. This is not some elaborate prank.

Something in my voice must have convinced him. Josh reluctantly placed the USB drive in my hand. We had already talked about everything, but I guess he was just being protective of Harper. I couldn't fault him for that.

He cleared his throat and pulled at the hem of his hoodie. "If you're lying and you do hurt my sister, I will beat you up."

Apparently, the two hours I spent texting him reassurances last night was not enough to convince him of my good intentions. He didn't look convinced of my innocence in anything. At least he'd handed over the USB drive. Now that I had that I could go about setting things right.

I looked Josh up and down. He had yet to go through a growth spurt. He was all gangly limbs and shortness. He barely came up to my shoulder. The most he could do to me was tug on the hem of my t-shirt and then I'd easily flatten him. The thought of him beating me up was comical. But I still didn't laugh. He was just trying to be a good brother. I couldn't laugh at him for that.