Run, Girl (If You Can)

Chapter 41: A Birthday Present

Aaron noticed Keeley's continual peeks at him as the end of the school year approached but she never spoke a word. He may have miscalculated things.

Why did she keep looking at him if she didn't want to talk? He knew she missed him. Was her pride getting in the way?

He eventually decided to bite the bullet and talk to her first on the morning of her birthday.

"Happy birthday," he said simply as he plunked a small box topped with a bow on her desk before class started.

She looked up at him in astonishment. "How did you know?"

"I have my sources."

"Right," she murmured. "Uh…thanks."

Her bewildered expression both made him want to laugh and left a tight feeling in his chest.

He had given her presents before. What was so strange about giving her one on her birthday? It's perfectly normal to give people gifts then.

"Open it," he encouraged.

Keeley's fingers trembled as she lifted the lid off the box. It was a necklace. She removed it from its cushion to examine it more closely.

The design was fairly simple—a gold double helix dotted with different colored gemstones at the edges to represent different nucleotide bases.

Aaron had it custom made before they stopped talking because when he looked up 'DNA jewelry' everything was cheap and tasteless.

He wanted it to be nice while still catering to her interests. She did say she wanted to get a PhD in genetics.

She admired it as it twisted slightly from side to side. "It's beautiful."

Aaron took it from her hand and told her to lift her hair. To his surprise, she actually did as he told.

It had been so long since he helped her put on a necklace. Too long. The sight of the back of her slender neck gave him goosebumps.

He fumbled slightly with the clasp and his fingers brushed against her skin, making him want to kiss her. The tiniest touch made him crave more, especially since he hadn't so much as brushed his arm against hers for a month.

It was a bit pathetic really. He needed her back; he couldn't keep living like this.

Keeley dropped her hair and turned around in her seat to give him a genuine smile.

"Thanks, Aaron. I really like it."

He nearly found himself smiling in return. "You're welcome."

Aaron went back to his seat happily. She accepted it. She smiled and thanked him. She even let him touch her willingly.

He knew his plan would pay off! This was absolute proof that she missed him. There was still hope for them yet.

It was a shame he had to go to the prom with someone else later that night or it would be a perfect day.

His parents had given him a list of acceptable names—prom was a visible event after all—and he chose to ask Alice Wheatley again.

In his first life she was more concerned about showing up with Aaron Hale because he was a status symbol than she was with actually spending time with him. They only danced a couple of songs together before she went off with her friends for the rest of the night, which he didn't mind one bit.

Prom was a mere obligation, like his parents' fancy dinner parties. They dictated who he went with because it was a high class event with photo opportunities.

The Valentine's dance was inconsequential so they didn't care who he went with or if he went at all, which was how he was able to get away with going with Keeley.

Originally, Aaron didn't plan on going because he thought such things were frivolous but she practically begged him to go with her.

They barely started eating lunch together every day at that point. He wasn't as suspicious of her motives for hanging out with him anymore so she had really started to grow on him.

He caved to the irresistible power of her puppy dog eyes in the end.

Keeley danced around with the restraint of a wild horse as he stood by and watched for the most part.

Her enthusiasm was oddly endearing. If it were anyone else, he would have been annoyed.

She got him to dance a few slow songs with her before the incident with the punch bowl happened.

She was thirsty and offered to bring him back some punch too before trotting off to the refreshment table. Aaron happened to glance her way right as Lacy shoved her.

It was clearly deliberate from his angle but since she used her shoulder and hip rather than her hands, Keeley believed it was an accident. She came back over to him sheepishly and asked if they could leave early because she was wet and sticky.

After what he saw, Lacy was his first suspect any time something went wrong for Keeley at school. Each incident left him more protective of his little ray of sunshine.

He should have just told her from the start that Lacy was the troublemaker instead of trying to shield her since it backfired so horribly.

Trying to solve everything himself while leaving Keeley in the dark was his biggest regret.

They were in a relationship; they should have been a team. Aaron wasn't used to trusting people so he didn't know how to rely on her until it was too late.

When she finally gave him a chance, he would tell her everything. They could work against their enemies together.

Keeley had been pretty na?ve in his last life but that didn't seem to be the case as much anymore. She seemed sharper. More alert. Sadder.

He wasn't sure what had changed but it might be a good thing. He could use someone sharp in the war against his father and the Knightons.

At least Lacy couldn't do anything tonight since Keeley would be at home. He would endure the dance like any other thing he didn't want to do.

Since she was in such a good mood today, he might even get a response if he texted her afterwards asking if she had a good birthday.