The Exception

Chapter 68: A Penny For Your Thoughts?

The week passed by in a blur. I apologized to Evan, and asked for a rain-check on that coffee. Not that I'd actually really be up for it. Keith and I had remained at the lake till dusk, and then returned home. My mother was kind enough to keep Mrs Rondo company, and every day, directly after school, Joey drove me to the Rondo's house. We kept them company, the whole time.

Keith was mostly quiet after that day. I had not seen him shed a tear since, but I guess, that was just the way he was. He kept his feelings to himself mostly, but I made him swear that the next time he wanted to disappear, he'd come to me. He smiled at that.

The only time I saw him smile for the entire week.

Now, I was sitting next to him at Grammy's funeral. Apparently her full name was Elizabeth Hugh Rondo. It was a beautiful name, and she was a beautiful woman. I was sad myself that I only had the privilege to meet her once. But those hours spent together, was worth every single second.

I saw Keith clench his jaw as the music started playing, and I grabbed his hand. He glanced at me and tried his best to give me a half-hearted smile. I glanced at Lisa, who was crying hard, and Joey...with his poker face, and Cara, who was also crying. They all knew her. I barely did.

Soon the speeches were given, and the service was over. Keith vanished away from the crowds, but I kept an eye on him, and followed him to the back of the building.

"You think you can hide?"  I asked him. He turned around and leaned on a tree.

"Not with you...but maybe I should hide in a closet, your sister seems to think it's the best way to hide from people..."

I smiled, and realized it was his first joke in a while. I tilted my head. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"How bout a dollar?" Keith asked, his brows raised.

"If that's what it takes to get you to talk to me..."

"I know that the moment the funeral is over...that people are just gonna move on. The world will keep on spinning, and I will just have to keep moving...as if nothing happened..."

I nodded. "It's the world's greatest injustice, and greatest mercy...it's  a paradox, I guess."

Keith took a deep breath and sighed. "A mercy?"

I shrugged. "If you could stop the world, at any time, to focus on one's constant grief and pain...the whole world would be frozen for eternity..."

Keith nodded. "Yeah, I guess that is true."

"But that doesn't mean you shouldn't allow yourself to grieve..." I muttered. I leaned against the tree across from Keith.

"How are you?"

I raised my brow. "You're asking me that?"

"It's just that, with everything going on...I realize, I never thought to consider your feelings, in all of this..."

I gave a half laugh and shook my head.

"What?" Keith asked, looking puzzled.

"We're at a funeral to dedicate one of YOUR beloved family members, and you're asking me, how I am? You don't have to...for once, this is about you and your family in this dark time..."

"Yeah, except this happened on the early aftermath of your breakup with Evan," Keith spoke. "It was kind of thoughtless of me to get so much attention, and not think twice about it."

"I chose to be with you and your family, this whole time, not yours...besides, every day I am further apart from Evan, the clearer things become..."

"About what?"

"About how toxic that relationship actually was...about how much he pushed me into a decision, and not actually me making the choice out of my own free will...including my first date....and when we got together...right after I nearly drowned..."

"Wait, what, you nearly drowned?" Keith frowned and I grimaced.

"Dang it, I never told you..."

"Told me what?"

"Shortly, after you left the pool party...there was an incident...a group of dumb students fell on top of me in the pool...I nearly drowned..."

"Oh..." Keith bumped his head against the tree. "I should have been there."

"NO! No, no, na ah, no, no....you are sooooo not putting this on yourself... you are not a freaking future reader, you could not have known...besides, Evan pulled me out..."

Keith nodded. "I guess that's one thing I can be grateful to him about..."

"Yeah..."

"Because the thought of losing you..." Keith smiled. "I don't know what I'm saying...I must be exhausted."

"Hey guys! We've been looking everywhere for you," Joey appeared. "Hey, bro, I'm so sorry..." Joey shook Keith's hand, and he nodded.

"Thank you..."

"Do you want me to bring you guys some coffee? Some snacks?"

"I'm not very hungry," Keith spoke. "But the coffee sounds great."

"Same," I responded. 

"Perfect...just be aware, you guys might get pounced by Lisa and Cara...they are also searching for you two..." Joey turned around.

"So, what happens next?" I asked Keith.

"The will, I guess, sorting out all of my grammy's belongings...then it's back to work, for me...I guess,"

I nodded, and looked at him. He was yet again, trapped in his own mind, deep in thought. However, he was not alone. And that was good enough for me.  However, a plan formed in my mind. After everything he had done for me, it was truly time to return the favour.