He's a Keeper

Chapter 8

           

Shane

I've felt heartbreak before.

My dad got into a car accident once.

That broke my heart. My dog died. That broke my heart. I cried for both things.

But this.

I've never felt this before.

I went to her house. I went all the way back to Chicago and I went to her house.

She wouldn't open the door.

She won't answer the phone for anybody. Her family is okay. Steve got arrested and her dad got out of the hospital.

Everything is okay.

But she's not.

She won't talk to anybody.

I gave in and went home for Christmas.

I'm not talking much. I've only been here for two hours.

I'm sitting around the couch. My entire family is here, and I'm on my phone.

I'm on her Instagram.

My brothers and cousins are crazy.

I normally joke with them. Play around with them.

We're all crazy.

But today is not the day. It's December 23rd.

I'm on a photo of Felicity with Tori. She looks happy.

I haven't cried.

I want to. I want to sob. I want to break things.

"Whoa. Who is that babe?" My oldest brother, Chase asks. He rips my phone from my hand. "She's really hot bro. Who is she?"

He starts showing everyone the photo.

"Give me the fucking phone!" I snap.

He frowns.

He's calmer now.

"Why?" He asks.

My brothers can be insane, but they're always there for me.

He hands it to me.

"Who is she?" He asks quietly.

"It doesn't matter."

"Is that Felicity?" Mom asks.

She's the only one who knows.

I sit back down on the couch.

"Yeah." I mutter.

"What happened?" She asks.

"Who is Felicity?" Dad asks.

"It's complicated."

"Where is she?" Grandma asks.

"I don't know."

They all look concerned.

"You should call her." Chase says.

I shake my head.

"Tell us." Aunt Teresa says.

I take a deep breath.

"She works for me. Or...she did."

So I start to explain her. Her boss. Her quitting. Her ranting. Her working for me. Her getting drunk. What happened that night, me kissing her, how she's guarded, all her reasons for hating guys, all her walls, swapping phones on accident, going to New Orleans, everything that happened at her Mom's house.