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Under Lock and Key by April Ball My track record with guys was far from good. I didn’t think I could be loved. Guys, to me, were the source of all evil. I didn’t believe in that love at first sight stuff. That all changed when the one guy I never expected tried to open up my heart one last time.br “So, Gavin and I are going to the movies tonight,” My best friend, Stacie, told me. “Do you want to come?”br Stacie and Gavin tried to include me as much as possible because they never wanted me to feel left out. They knew how I felt, and they wouldn’t allow me to sit at home and mope.br “No, thanks,” I said. “Don’t really feel like being the third wheel tonight.”br “Stop it,” she said. “You know that’s not how we think of you.”br “No,” I answered. “That’s how I feel about it.”br “That’s crazy,” said a voice behind me,br I turned around to find Gavin. Gavin was the perfect example of what a guy in love should be. He was always on time, and he always called to let Stacie know what was going on. I didn’t know why I couldn’t find someone like him for me.br “Gav,” I said. “Do you have to gang up on me?”br “That’s the only way things get done,” he said with his arms crossed across his chest.br I shook my head.br “Come on, Gabby,” he said. “It’ll be fun.”br I sighed.br “I don’t want to,” I said. “You guys are the couple. Y’all go and have fun.”br “While you’re doing…?” Gavin asked.br He had a point. I had no idea what I was going to do. Probably just sit at home with my brother and my mom. My dad had left right after I was born. I was a girl… and he didn’t want that. He wanted only boys to carry on the family name. There was six of us altogether but only me and my brother, Matt, were the ones still at home. The other four were Luke, Max, Evan, and Daniel. I was the accident and the mistake apparently. Don’t get me wrong. Even without the love of my father, I was still loved. My mom and brothers made sure of that. It just made me wonder why my dad didn’t love me.br “I don’t know, Gav,” I said. “Matt and I will probably just hang in the studio.”br “You and Matt spend too much time in there,” Stacie said.br “Yeah,” Gavin agreed. “The only difference is Matt goes out… Unlike you.”br “I go out,” I defended.br “Not since Nathan,” Gavin said.br I sighed.br Nathan was my ex-boyfriend. A regular prince charming. Too bad he was cheating on me. That’s right. Two days after he started dating me, he was also dating another. He went eight months without telling me. Eight months that I can’t get back. A total waste of my life.br “Don’t bring that up,” I told him.br “It’s true,” he told me.br “Still,” I said. “You don’t have to bring it up.”br “Maybe you could try again,” Stacie said. “Not every guy is like Nathan.”br “I’ve given up on love,” I announced.br “That’s great,” Gavin said.br Stacie looked around.br “I’m going to find you a date,” she said.br I sighed. This was going to get interesting.br “Don’t, Stacie,” I warned.br “What about him?” She asked.br I looked in the direction she was looking. Jadon Keiser. Most popular guy in school.br “Don’t even joke,” I said, looking at her.br “What?” She asked.br “Jadon Keiser?” I questioned.br “What’s wrong with him?” She asked. “He’s cute.”br “And so not my type,” I said.br Stacie rolled her eyes.br “Oh, please,” she said. “You could get any guy in this school if you wanted them bad enough.”br Now, it was my turn to roll my eyes.br “Whatever,” I said, shutting my locker.br I started to walk down the hallway, but turned to say one last thing.br “You guys have fun at the movies,” I said.br Right as I turned around, I smacked into someone. My books went everywhere. I was humiliated. I looked up to see who I smacked into and locked eyes with no one other than Jadon Keiser. Oh… Crap.br “Let me help you,” he said.br I was already way ahead of him. I was frantically picking things up and when I thought I had everything, I stood up. Without saying a word, I started to walk away.br “Wait!” He called.br I kept walking.br “What’s your name?” He called again.br I didn’t turn around. Guys were nothing but trouble and if I didn’t get involved with any, I wouldn’t get hurt. Little did I know, I had left a little part of me behind. Jadon looked at the notebook in his hands. He flipped it open to the first page. I always made sure that my stuff was labeled so that if it ever lost it could be returned. Here was one of those times that wished I hadn’t.br “Gabrielle Rice,” he said aloud. “So that’s your name.”br He shut the book and tucked it in his bag. I realized soon after I got home that I was missing a notebook.br “Ugh,” I groaned.br “What are you groaning about?” Matt asked, as he walked into my room.br “I can’t find my Chemistry notebook,” I said, going through my bag one more time.br “Did you leave it somewhere?” He asked, flopping down on my bed.br I sighed.br “I had a little run in with Jadon Keiser on my way out of school,” I told him.br “Maybe he has it,” Matt suggested.br “I don’t even want to think about that,” I said, throwing my bag on the carpeted floor.br “Gabby!!” Our mom called.br “Yeah!?” I called back.br “Company!” She yelled.br That was weird. I wasn’t expecting anyone. I eyed Matt.br “Are you expecting anyone?” I asked.br He shook his head.br “No,” he said.br “Weird,” I said, as I left my room.br I sprinted down the stairs to the living room. I stepped dead in my tracks when I saw who was talking to my mom.br “Ah, Gabby,” she said. “Jadon was bringing back your notebook.”br “Thanks, Mom,” I said, hoping she would leave the room.br She did. Thank goodness.br “I think this belongs to you,” he said, handing it out to me.br I was so shocked. I had no idea what to do, so I cautiously took it from him.br “You ran off before I could give it to you,” he added.br I nodded.br “Thanks,” I said.br There was a very uncomfortable silence that followed. I heard him take a breath.br “I’m Jadon Keiser,” he said, sticking out his hand for me to shake.br For the first time since he had got to my house, I looked at him. He had gorgeous blue eyes.br “Gabby Rice,” I said, shaking it.br He smiled. That made me smile.br “Do you want to take a walk?” He asked.br Something in me switched. I got scared. I didn’t know him. I didn’t know if I even wanted to know him. Something different in me told me that it would be okay. Just go.br “Umm… Okay,” I said.br “Why did you run away so quick today?” He asked, once we were safely on the sidewalk away from my house.br “I don’t open up that easily,” I answered.br “Oh,” he said. “Why?”br I didn’t have an answer for that.br “I don’t know,” I answered. “I’ve had bad experiences with guys, so I just try not to get close to any guy.”br He nodded, but spoke.br “But aren’t you friends with that one guy?” He asked.br So he knew of me. Who would have thought?br “Gavin?” I asked.br He nodded.br “I’ve known Gavin for a long time,” I said. “I trust him.”br “So, you don’t trust easily,” He concluded.br “Right,” I said, nodding.br For the next four hours, we talked about EVERYTHING. I learned more about him in one day, then I could have learned in four years.br “Regardless of popular opinion,” he said. “I hate being popular.”br I laughed.br “What?” He asked.br “You hate being popular?” I asked.br He nodded.br “It’s too much work,” he said. “People expect way too much out of me.”br It was my turn to smile.br “I try to be nice to everyone,” he told me. “I don’t know why I’ve never talked to you.”br I shrugged.br “Our school’s huge,” I said. “I don’t know half of the people there.”br “Yet you know my name,” he said, smiling at me.br I laughed and nodded.br “Seems that way,” I said.br “You’re a really cool person,” he told me. “I wish there was more people like you.”br I blushed.br “Thanks,” I said.br Before I knew it, we were back at my house and Matt was sitting on the porch swing with his girlfriend, Kristin. I cleared my throat. He looked over at me. He knew right away what I was trying to tell him.br “Right,” he said. “Kristin, what do you say we go watch that movie we’ve been talking about?”br Kristin looked at Jadon and I.br “Right,” she said. “Come on, Matt.”br They got up and went into our house.br “That was your brother, right?” Jadon asked.br I nodded.br “That was him,” I said.br “You guys look a lot alike,” he commented.br I laughed.br “We are twins,” I said, with a sarcastic tone in my voice.br Jadon smiled. His smile… It said something. However, I couldn’t figure out what it was for the life of me. It was innocent and sweet. I knew that he meant me no harm, but I couldn’t convince my heart of that.br “Well,” he said. “I guess this is goodnight.”br I nodded.br “I guess so,” I agreed. “Thanks for bringing my notebook back.”br “No problem,” he said. “Chemistry’s important.”br I rolled my eyes.br “Yeah,” I said.br He was leaning closer to me. I got really scared. Did I want this? I pulled away.br “I have to go,” I said, quickly.br Jadon was taken aback.br “Did I do something wrong?” He questioned.br “It’s not you,” I said, as I opened my front door. “It’s me.br With that, I quickly walked through the open door and closed it before he could question me any farther. I leaned against the door. Then, it hit me. I might have just destroyed something great. I closed my eyes and breathed. When I opened them, Matt and Kristin were standing there. I quickly filed past them to get to my room. Matt noticed something was wrong.br “Gabby,” he said.br I didn’t answer. I just continued my quest to my room. Why was I so guarded? A guy was interested, and I ruined it. Way to go, Gabby. Once I was safely in my room, I cried. I didn’t know what else I could do. I heard the door open softly, and I knew that a lecture was coming. The voice I heard was not the one I expected.br “Are you okay?” Kristin asked.br “No,” I mumbled.br “What happened?” She asked. “You and Jadon looked so happy.”br “We were,” I mumbled again.br I turned over to face her.br “We talked all day,” I told her. “He was sweet and truthful. He told me everything. When we got back to the house, we started to say goodbye. He leaned in, and I got scared. I wanted him to kiss me. I did. I’m so guarded. My heart refuses anyone, and I might have just pushed the one person that could unlock it away.”br “If he cares anything about you,” Kristin said. “He’ll understand.”br I sighed.br “I don’t expect him to,” I told her. “He could be with anyone.”br “That’s what I told myself when Matt asked me out,” she said. “I said he could have had anyone.”br I heard a voice interrupt.br “But, I knew what I wanted,” Matt said, standing in my doorway. “You can’t push people away forever.”br “I’m not trying to,” I said.br Matt sat on my bed.br “I know that,” he said. “I know that Nathan and our dad weren’t good examples of love… Especially towards you. Nathan had no right to cheat on you and Dad had no right to leave you. That would make me hate guys, but you also have five brothers. That has to count for something. Plus, we’re not all bad.”br I laughed.br “That’s true,” I said.br Matt sighed.br “I guess we kind of kept you sheltered as well,” he said. “We didn’t want guys around you. I guess that could be some of it.”br “Y’all were just doing your jobs,” I told him.br “That job is never ending,” he said, giving me his award winning smile.br I smiled, too. I loved Matt to death. He was the one person who understood me like no one else could have.br “What do you say?” Kristin asked. “Are you going to give Jadon a chance?”br I sighed.br “If he’ll even talk to me,” I answered.br “Let’s just see what happens tomorrow,” Matt said, standing up off of my bed. “Let’s go finish that movie, Kris.”br “Okay,” she said, standing up as well. “Are you going to be okay?”br I nodded.br “I think so,” I said.br She smiled and grabbed Matt’s hand as they left my room. I got off of my bed and walked to my computer. I quickly signed on and went to my e-mail. Jadon had given me his e-mail address. I breathed deep as I typed my message.br Jadon,br If you really want to unlock my heart, meet me at the fountain at 2:45 tomorrow… It’s the last day of school. I’m sorry for the way I acted today… This is kind of my way of apologizing. If you never want to talk to me again, I understand that, too. I’m sorry.br -Gabby-br I clicked the send button and sat back in my chair. I really hoped that he would show. I signed off and changed my clothes to go to bed. I crawled into my bed and fell into a peaceful sleep. When I awoke in the morning, Matt was hovering over my bed. I hit him.br “What, Matt?” I asked.br “It’s time to get up,” he said, pulling the covers off of me.br I laid there for a few minutes really hating my brother before I rolled out of bed. Matt was the morning person, and I was not. I quickly got myself ready, and I remembered what was going to happen today. Before I knew it, we were on our way to the school.br “Are you nervous?” Matt asked.br “Would you be?” I asked.br “Okay,” Matt said. “Stupid question.”br I nodded.br “Forgiven,” I said.br We pulled into the parking lot, and Matt parked the car. We both got out and headed for the front doors. Kristin, Gavin, and Stacie had joined us. Gavin and Stacie had no clue about what was going to go on after school.br “You want to hang after school?” Gavin asked.br Busted. I looked to Matt for help. I sighed. There was no lying to him… Or Stacie for that matter.br “I’m meeting Jadon after school,” I said.br “That cute boy from yesterday,” Stacie asked.br I nodded.br “I thought you said he wasn’t your type,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.br “I didn’t think he was until he came over to return my Chemistry notebook, and we talked,” I told her.br “Why did he have your Chemistry notebook?” Gavin asked.br “I smacked right into him yesterday on my way out of the school,” I said. “I thought I got everything but then, I got home and realized that I was missing a Chemistry notebook.br “Oh,” Gavin and Stacie both said.br “Yeah,” I said. “And then, he tried to kiss me, and I acted like a total jerk. I sent an e-mail telling him to meet me after school, but I don’t know if he will or not.”br “He will,” Gavin said.br “You don’t know that,” I said.br “No,” he told me. “I don’t, but he would be crazy not to.”br I smiled. Good ol’ Gavin. Looking for the good in everyone. Just then, the bell rang. I sighed.br “It’s going to be a long day,” I said, walking into my first period classroom.br I was right. It felt like my whole day just seemed to drag on. Finally, though, I made it to my seventh period. I could barely concentrate as the clock struck 2:40.br “Finally,” I said, as I packed up my stuff.br I walked to my locker and grabbed the stuff that was left in it. It was the last day of my junior year, so it wasn’t much. I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed for the fountain. When I got there, it was 2:42. Three minutes would determine the future of my love life. I sighed as I sat on the edge of the fountain. Those were the longest minutes of my life. Finally, 2:45 came and there was no sign of Jadon. My heart was ripped in half. It was over. The one guy that I might have had a chance with was gone now, too. I hung my head. I couldn’t believe it.br “Did I make it?” I heard a voice ask.br I looked up to see a panting Jadon. I smiled.br “I had to run all the way here,” he said. “Did I make it?”br I looked at my watch. 2:46.br “Close enough,” I said, standing up.br He walked closer to me. He took a deep breath to try to control his breathing.br “You gonna be okay?” I asked, whispering.br He nodded.br “I didn’t think I was going to make it,” he whispered back.br He wrapped his arms around my waist.br “About yesterday,” I started.br “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “It’s already been forgotten.”br I smiled.br “Thank you,” I said.br He smiled.br “So,” he said.br “So, what?” I asked.br “Where do I find this key to your heart?” He asked, smiling.br I laughed and leaned closer to him.br “Let’s see,” I said. “It’s located somewhere around here.”br With that, I kissed him. He kissed me back, and I smiled as Kristin, Matt, Gavin, and Stacie all started cheering. We pulled apart long enough to look at them. We both laughed and then, I pulled Jadon to me again.br “Thank you,” Jadon said when I pulled away from him once again.br “For what?” I asked.br I was confused. I should have been the one thanking him.br “For letting me in,” he said with that smile.br I smiled and for the first time in forever, I knew that something was going to be okay and Jadon and I had a bright future ahead of us. I was right…