(37) A Key

M- did you put a key in my locker?

T- what? A key?

M- well I didn't stutter

T- okay sassy pants. No I did not put a key in your locker

M- well no one else has access to my locker or knows my combination

T- I'm pretty sure Grace knows it

M- how would you know that? Lol

T- I'm taking an educated guess. She's your best friend. What kind of key?

M- idk like an old key

T- just a key?

M- well there was a note too. It said to take the key to the game tonight

T- well are you going to?

M- I don't know! It's kind of creepy! What if some creep put the key in my locker and they want something weir from me

T- okay the odds of that are very slim

M- you can never be too prepared

T- okay, so be too prepared and take the key to the game

M- My final guess is that you put the key there. Did you?

T- no I didn't lol

M- you're lying to me

T- you literally have no proof of that lol

M- you were just in my locker the other day! Literally no one else has my combo

T- do you know how stupid easy it is to get that information from the office? So easy

T- anyone could pretend to be you and say they forgot the combo and the office would give it to them

M- well then it has to be a female

T- idk all I'm saying is you should take the key

M- I'll think about it

T- What is there to think about? Lol

M- idk, I don't want something weird to happen

T- you're over thinking this lol just do it

M- fine. But you're still under investigation. You're the main suspect

T- why would I give you a key?

M- idk. I have to consult with my investigative partner. I'll get back to you. Don't leave the county

T- Yes, Detective. Whatever you say, Detective. Are you going to have to handcuff me? 😉

M- Go to class, Theodore the Third

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"Did you bring the key?" Grace practically screamed in her ear over the sound of the Braxton High Academy Marching Band who played a fight song in preparation for the game. In just a few minutes, the Wolverines would enter the home field and warm up for the game.

Makennah withdrew the old fashioned key from her back pocket to show Grace. "Yeah, I'm still suspicious!" She yelled over the drums. "And you swear you didn't see anything?"

"No! Why would I lie!" Grace shrugged and looked away, avoiding eye contact.

Makennah narrowed her eyes at Grace. She was acting suspicious.

"Gooooood evening, ladies and gentlemen of the Braxton High Wolverines! Welcome to the field for another Friday night under the lights!" The announcer's voice blasted from the massive speakers. "We have a very special treat for you all this evening, but first we would like to welcome theeeeee Braxton High Academy Senior Football Team to the field! Put your hands together and let 'em hear it for the Wolverines!"

In the end zone, all of the students stood to their feet, buddle up in jackets and hats and scarves due to the sudden drop in temperature. The blanket around Makennah's legs fell to the chilled green grass around her feet. She clapped and cheered loudly along with her friends as the Wolverines ran out onto the field.

Makennah fixed her hat as she sat back down in the lawn chair that the Sinclair's provided. Josh let her borrow a black Carhart winter hat that matched her black winter vest. She felt pretty cute for being bundled up.

The football team collected around the sidelines and four of them stayed in the center of the field. Including number six, Theo.

Her stomach jumbled with nerves. She felt a little nauseous. This just didn't seem right.

Suddenly, Grace reached over and grabbed Makennah's hand, holding on fiercely.

"What is going on?" Makennah asked.

"My hands are cold!" Grace explained with a smile.

Makennah narrowed her eyes. "You're wearing gloves."

She shrugged. "I'm just saying!"

"As I previously mentioned, we have a very special event for everyone tonight! Earlier today a young lady was given a key."

"No!" Makennah yelled. She didn't know what was happening, but she didn't like it.

"Listen!" Grace shouted at her aggressively.

"That special key unlocks this box that the Wolverines are carrying onto the field right now." As the announcer said, a football player carried an old wooden box about the size of a football onto the field where Theo stood. Theo took off his helmet and tucked it under his arm. "That special key unlocks this box that will lead to a very important decision! The lady with the key, Makennah Thomas, would you please join the players on the field?"

"No!" Makennah yelled as loud as possible.

Because she was already holding her hand in preparation of her getaway, Grace reeled Makennah out of her seat and propelled her onto the field. "This is a very special moment. Do not ruin this!"

"You knew!" Makennah growled. "And you didn't tell me!"

Grace laughed haughtily. "I don't ruin surprises, sweetheart."

Two of the other players on the field were gifted with two long white boards. They held them rectangularly in their arms, facing the crowd. The guy with the box knelt on the ground beside Theo, holding out the box.

"She seems a little apprehensive...let's give her a round of applause!" The announcer asked of the crowd in the stands that was growing by the minute. Even though none of them really knew Makennah, her face glowed red hot. She lifted both of her hands to cover her face.

"This is so embarrassing!" She whispered to Grace.

"Look at him! He is so happy to see you! This is a good surprise, Makennah!" Grace pointed to Theo who indeed stood proudly beside his little display, waiting for Makennah to walk all the way across the field from the end zone.

She knew what was happening but she wanted to deny it. This whole display was something she both anticipated and despised.

As Grace finally led Makennah to a stop in front of Theo, Grace patted her on the back and disappeared back to the end zone. When Makennah halted, the announcer continued. "Shall we reveal the signs, gentleman!" The two players with the white boards turned them over to the other side. In big bold black letters, one said 'yes?' with an empty box beside it. And the other read 'no?' with an empty box beside it too. "Hopefully, Makennah has that key because she'll have to open the box now!"

"I hate you," she whispered to Theo. "I can't believe you're doing this to me!"

Theo looked at her with shining bright eyes full of happiness. If it were possible, his smile grew even bigger. "Suck it up, baby. Get the key."

From her back pocket, Makennah got the key and held it up high for kicks and giggles to show the entire stadium which was cheering wildly for her.

"Now the question that Makennah has to answer comes directly from number six, Theodore Rose III. The question is Kennah, will you go to homecoming with me?" The crowd started to chant 'yes' over and over again.

She couldn't stop the smile on her face as she unlocked the box with the key and opened the top. Inside there was a black sharpie marker.

"What do you say?" Theo asked. "I told you I would find a way to make you go to homecoming. You're on court now and you need a date. You need an escort for all the fancy stuff and I'm offering. You gonna go to homecoming with me, Thomas?"

Makennah was utterly annoyed at the amount of affection she felt blooming in her chest for Theo. This whole display was not up her alley but she appreciated the amount of work he put in. She would never live this moment down, never live this day down. She doubted any other girl felt as special as she did in the whole entire world.

Makennah picked up the marker and started walking towards the boards with the empty boxes beside the two possible answers she was provided with. As a joke, she paused in front of the 'no' board and the crowd booed her. She laughed and went over to the 'yes' board. Uncapping the marker, she drew a big check mark beside the 'yes' option. The entire stadium, Wolverines and the visitors, burst out in applause and cheer for her decision. The band started to play a song and before she knew it, Theo was picking her up, throwing her over his shoulder, and twirling her around and around.

"Stop it!" She beat her fists on his back.

When she slid back down to the ground, she righted her hat and held onto his arm for balance. His hand softly cupped her elbow. "It will be the best night ever. I won't let you down." Suddenly and unexpectedly, Theo bent down and hugged Makennah, wrapping his arms tightly around her. Even though a huge shoulder pad and protective gear was meshed in between them, Makennah felt close to him, maybe closer than ever. For just a second, she breathed him and relaxed her shoulders. Truly, she believed him and his promise.

"The surprises aren't over," he whispered in her ear.

She groaned. And when she lifted her head, a cheerleader was flouncing across the field holding a huge bouquet of flowers that was handed off to Makennah with a smile. She accepted them gracefully with gratitude. "You went above and beyond, mister," she told Theo.

"Hey, what'd I say?" He answered quietly.

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered under her breath, feeling more like his girl than ever before. "You won the date. Now go win your game."

Theo saluted her as his teammates carried their things off the field to prep for the game. "Yes, ma'am. This one's for you, baby."

Rolling her eyes with a smile, Makennah tucked the ginormous beautiful flower bouquet into her elbow and walked back to the end zone. All of her teammates and classmates, familiar faces and friends, clapped for her. A residual heat lingered in her cheeks but now it felt like happiness rather than embarrassment.

"That was the single cutest thing I've ever seen in my life!" Penny exclaimed, running up to Makennah and throwing her arms around her neck.

"Literally, no other male on the planet can live up to that!" Grace shouted.

Makennah could feel all of the eyes glued to her. Not only did she make it onto court as the new girl, but now her date was one of the hottest and most sought-after guys in the school. They probably wondered what magic spell she cast over the school. She was starting to wonder herself.

Makennah tried to downplay the entire thing. "It wasn't that big of a deal."

"Are you kidding me?!" Grace slapped her on the arm. "That's disgraceful!"

"Alright alright. Everyone is staring. Let's sit down." Meredith wrapped her arm around Makennah's shoulders and led her to her seat. Gratefully, Makennah silently thanked Meredith for helping to squander the fire that Theo set ablaze of everyone's attention.

"Cutest couple ever. That's all I'm saying," Penny pointed out her opinion before taking her seat and tucking her blanket around her legs.

"And flowers? I can't get over it!" Grace fingered the sweet gentle flower petals of her bouquet. Her hands were already cold from being exposed to the wind, but she didn't want to let go of her bouquet.

Never in her life before had she been given flowers. She felt like an angel, miraculous and praised. Her heart soared with warm feelings. Although she didn't like the public attention, a piece of her mind told her to enjoy this. There was a little niggle of worry in the back of her mind that told her to consider Matt's feelings. Her mind replayed the moment when he expressed his opinion about how weird it would be if Theo and Makennah liked each other.

For some reason, at the moment, the risk didn't seem so bad.

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Now that Makennah has a date, what dress do you think she should get?! Comment your color suggestion below!

Xoxo

W. Carolina