The Exception

Chapter 54: A Blissful Moment

I wish I could honestly get sleep, but it keeps evading me. My mind is restless, and I sit on my bed, watching the stars from my window. Thoughts of Tyler hitting me, and an image of Keith in pain, in hospital...I was guilty of googling what exactly it meant to have a punctured lung...and it was serious. The thought that this happened to Keith made my heart want to wrench. Then I thought of Evan, despite having just take a beating, smile so widely when he saw me. He was happy, and relaxed. We spent the last few hours, just with each other, mostly in silence. It was so serene...

Except that my mind could not stop tormenting me. Even now. I climbed out of my bed and went to my desk. I grabbed some pens and started working on my assignments.  Hours flew by, and I got startled by a knock on the door. I frowned as I checked the time. It was 7:00. None of my parents would be awake or Mila. I jumped out of my chair and headed towards the front door. I opened it cautiously.

"Keith..."

Keith turned around as he was facing the street. "Hey..."

"Hi..."

"Hey..."

I gave a small laugh. "Look, we can say hi forever, but it still won't explain why you are at my doorstep so early a Saturday morning..."

"Can we go for a walk?" Keith asked motioning back to the street. "I think it's time I just really clear things with you...and I'd like to walk too..." He nodded. I smiled. 

"One moment," I went inside to grab a pen and a notepad. I scribbled a message to my mom and dad and pasted it on the fridge. I grabbed another hoodie and a water bottle before walking outside again.

"I was wondering whether you were just gonna close the door and go back to sleep...not that you look like you've been sleeping though..."

"Was it the baggy eyes..."

"More the hair..."

"Ah," I said. We started walking down the street. Our footsteps filling in an awkward silence. I snuggled in my hoodie. I was not going to start the conversation, but as I stared at Keith, he needed to build up some confidence. 

"About a few days back..." Keith started then stopped. "I mean, the thing, that happened...Well, those years back..."

"Look, Keith," I spoke. I couldn't bare his jumping back and forth anymore. It was already wearing my patience. "Ellie told me yesterday, that you were in the crowd that bullied her. However, you did not take part of it. Then, you got involved when Evan thrashed the guy that did hit her though...and that you got hurt..."

Keith raised his brows. "You've been doing your research?"

"What else did you expect me to do? Just ignore the last few days?" I stood still and Keith turned around. "Now, I heard her story...what's yours?"

Keith took a deep breath and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "A  few years back,  father left  my mom for some Accountant at his work. But being a bigger douche bag, he kind of made me feel that it was my fault...that my mother's focus and attention on me was what made them fall apart..."

"Keith..."

"Please, just let me finish,"

I stood there and nodded. He frowned as he carried on. "Soon after that, you could say, I lashed out, started hanging with the wrong crowd...and really didn't care what my friends did or said to others. Then the Fletchers came to our school. One of my friends, decided it would be fitting to pick on the girl...Ellie. And I just stood there and watched..." Keith inhaled and exhaled. He started walking down the road, and I followed him. "I wasn't there when the guy hit her, but when I heard about it, it was a bit of a wake up call...but not enough, I guess."

He sighed and shook his head. "I didn't know that her brother stood up for her, nor that he was really hurt for it until after the big incident."

I knew he was referring to the big fight where Evan did win. I took a deep breath, trying to focus hard on what he was saying.

"Then, one day, out of the blue, Evan punched this guy...and things got nasty real fast. It was in the parking lot, and the teachers, well, it took them a while to get there...I didn't know that this guy was Ellie's brother, so I tried to defend my friend...and not in the right way...but, I ended up on the ground, punctured lung and all." Keith took his hands out of his pockets and rubbed them together. "It was terrifying. Not being able to breath you know? Each breath was painful..."

My thoughts reflected on my close drowning, and I nodded. I understood him better than he could even imagine.

"After that, I was in bad shape," Keith stammered. I blinked away the tears as I saw Keith grimace. He was really struggling to tell me this. I saw his eyes grow glossy, but he rubbed it and swallowed. "My mom thought it best to pull me out of normal school, and start home-schooling. And boy did I need it. Time...time to heal, time to realize the messes I made. A whole mess that I had to shift through...I got a job, started to pull things straight. We, me, Evan, Ellie and the few guys who were there, agreed not to discuss this...to bring it up, and to start over. But, I don't think any of us, truly have started over." Keith looked at me. "And the reason why I didn't tell you, was because I was scared you'd think of me differently...badly.."

"Keith, I'm dating a guy who literally calls himself a jerk, why on earth would you think that I'd judge you?" I asked as I crossed my arms.

"I don't know, I don't know," Keith knelt down as he covered his face. "I'm just such a mess, Agnus..."

I knelt down next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He took my hand and shook his head, but I stayed quiet. 

"Keith, I'm so so sorry," I whispered. We stayed quiet for a while, and walked to a tree to take a seat. Keith rested his head on the trunk and I watched the cars driving past.  For a while, we just listened to the birds, city noise, and wind rustling in the trees. Or well, I was, anyways. My heart broke for Keith. He had been through so much.

"I don't see you as a bad guy, Keith..."

"I was apart of the crowd that bullied Ellie. That bullied a lot of people. I kept quiet...I didn't do anything...I'm just as guilty, if not more for standing up for them..."

"Yeah, WAS being the key word here. You changed, Keith...the guy you were then, and the guy you are now...two different people...one guy let his hurt make him lash back at the world...this guy, this guy that I got to know, let it make him stronger, wiser, kinder..." I said. A smile formed on Keith's lips.

"I don't think I'm wiser..." Keith spoke.  He glanced at me. "I hurt you. Any one who does that is an idiot."

I laughed. "In all honesty, Keith, I think I hurt you too. I guess, it's just bound to happen the moment you let someone in...but you didn't really hurt me Keith...that day, with your grandmother...it was just a build-up of everything that happened since I came here. The cherry on top...I'm just sorry, you were the one to see it..."

Keith nodded, and as he smiled a weight lifted from my chest. "You're not going to lose me, Keith...and I really appreciate you opening up to me...I can't imagine how stressful that must have been."

"Well, if I bald at an unnaturally early age, I know exactly who to blame..."

I punched his shoulder and we both laughed, and for a split-second, I was truly happy again. Not confused, not hurt, not angry. Just happy.

That moment was bliss.