Growing up Socially Awkward

Part 5

They both walked out of the store together as the bell above the door rang. "Hey, look, it's the-," One guy spoke and cut himself off, seeing that Keeley was with another person. Owen wasn't particularly intimidating, but he was tall, and the group was a least smart enough to know they didnt want any witnesses. "Let's go," the guy Keeley had punched said with a scowl. He had a bruise on his face now. "Wait, bro. What about-?" the guy with the bruise cut him off. "Let's go!" he snapped. Keeley watched the group as they rode away on their bikes, then looked up at Owen. His face was stiff with a glare as he watched them disappear into the distance.

"I hate guys like that..." he grumbled, "causing issues for no reason," he continued as he looked down at Keeley. "Alrighty, lead the way" Owen swung his arm forward in a sort of bowing fashion. "Uh... mhm," Keeley mumbled and began walking in the direction of her house as Owen followed. "Your Nath's sister, Keeley, right?" Owen asked Keeley. She tensed up slightly. She didnt thinks he remembered her. Since meeting in 7th grade, they hadn't spoken much, nothing more than a "thank you" or "sorry" if they held doors for each other or bumped into each other in school. Keeley probably said sorry more than anyone else in her school. She would apologize for everything; bumping into people, forgetting to hold the door for people, sitting in a seat next to someone's friend, making the leg of her chair squeak against the floor, the list goes on and on.

"Seems like someone taught that jerk a lesson. He had a bruise on his face" Owen grinned as he and Keeley walked. "Yeah... I.. punched him.." Keeley stammered. Owen's eyes widened, and he froze in place. "Whoa! For real?" he exclaimed. Keeley stopped and turned around to face Owen. "Yup..." she mumbled. "That's dope! Good for you!" Owen congratulated Keeley as he began walking again. Keeley also started walking again as her face grew hot.

They arrived at Keeley's house, and while standing in front of it on the sidewalk facing each other, Owen asked, "Can I walk you to the door?" in his usual soothing baritone voice. A mildly frantic "No!" escaped Keeley's lips, and she covered her mouth. She didnt means to sound so rude, but she had to get him to leave so she could climb back into her window without her parents noticing. As she opened her mouth to apologize for her rudeness, she heard her front door slam open "Keeley Louise Marthan!" she heard her mother declare, and she trudged down the stairs of their front porch and up the pathway to Owen and Keeley. Keeley's mom grabbed her arm and began pulling her back toward the house. "Mom!" Keeley cried out as she ripped her arm from her mother's grasp. "You're embarrassing me...!" she whispered. "Embarrassing you?!" her mother shouted. "What's embarrassing is finding your daughter snuck out of the house when it's dark to meet some boy!" she declared as she gestured towards Owen. "He was just...." Keeley began to speak, but her voice quivered as she started crying. Keeley couldn't say anything else, and she looked at Owen. His face was utterly shocked and full of pity. She wouldn't stand in front of him like this and ran into her house sobbing.