-XX-
My Only Wish
Chapter Nine
When Kelly gets to her house, she parks in the driveway and is annoyed to no end that Payson isn't there. She complains out loud to herself as she walks through the thick, un-shoveled snow. That stupid trick of hiding a house key somewhere in the yard is starting to sound more and more like a good idea. Kelly even entertains the idea of breaking a window when there are headlights in the driveway and it's her car.
The second she gets out of the car, Payson returns Kelly's BlackBerry and she's so happy to be reunited with it that she almost hugs Payson. Yup. The little things like that are red flags that Kelly Parker is losing her mind a little more by the hour. It makes her even more desperate to get back where she belongs.
They go inside and Payson tells her that Austin should be there in a bit. Kelly wants to say something about that, but holds back. Maybe it would be a better idea to not mention how Kelly might have totally told Nicky that Austin is in love with her even if it could one day possibly be true.
Once inside the giant, dark house, Kelly turns up the thermostat and Payson turns on lights, going deeper into the house. After taking off their coats and unzipping boots, the two gymnasts go to the kitchen. Payson and Kelly sit at the dining table on opposite sides from one another and both have their concentration on the tiny screens of their cell phones.
"Everyone is calling me and it kills me that I can't answer," Payson says. She lays her phone down flat on the table and leans back in the tall chair, trying to ignore the way 'home' flashes across the screen as she lets it ring.
"Well, no one is trying to call me. No one at all," Kelly says, carelessly dropping her precious BlackBerry onto the table. She looks at Payson with miserable, tired eyes and a weak laugh that gets stuck in her throat. "Wanna trade?"
Payson actually laughs out loud. Never let it be said Kelly Parker doesn't have a sense of humor.
"If only it were that simple," Payson says. She leans further back in her seat and sees the way her phone continues to vibrate against the table. This time it's Emily. Sent straight to voicemail. "So Nicky called me and he might have heard Austin's voice in the background and completely freaked out and got all overemotional."
"Nick? Overemotional? Interesting. Wish I was me to hear that," Kelly says. Her elbows are on the table and she rests her head in her hands. "Explain something to me, Keeler. I don't get why girls get off on using other guys to make the guy jealous."
"Beats me." Payson shrugs. "I do know that it just goes to show how much Nicky cares about you."
"Yeah, I know," Kelly says softly. "I talked to him too."
"How?" Payson asks. "I had your phone."
"Oh, I did it the old-fashion face-to-face way. No technology necessary. I stopped over at Denver Elite before I came here," Kelly explains. Payson's eyes widen, but Kelly doesn't look too concerned or even attentive, looping blonde strands around her finger.
"As me?"
"Relax, Keeler," Kelly says. "I was all reserved and I didn't swear once. God, I wouldn't be surprised if I got a cavity I was so damn sweet to him when I should have just torn off his shirt right there and did him on the hood of your mom's car."
"Wow, Kelly, I'm so proud of your self-control," Payson says dryly. "So what did you talk about?"
"Nothing."
"Kelly…"
Kelly gets an uncharacteristically timid look on her face as she continues to play with Payson's hair. "Fine. I told him that there were rumors going around about him and the Horrid Kelly Parker and he was guarded and defensive, which is expected, but he didn't deny it either. He…he said that he cares too much for whatever we have to be another thing that falls apart."
Payson sees her expression and she can just tell that, all the sexting and defensive bravado aside, Kelly cares about him too.
"I think you guys are a good match," Payson says boldly.
"Are you kidding?" Kelly asks. She sounds almost angry.
"No," Payson says, obviously thrown off. She thought Kelly would be happy to hear this. "Why would I be kidding?"
"Better question, why are you being supportive?" she asks warily.
"Because I've seen it. Kelly, I've lived it," Payson says. "Granted, it's odd and dysfunctional, sure, but somehow it works for you. So many times during the last couple of days I've felt weird about being around him, like I was intruding on something that's…entirely Nick and Parks. I don't understand it at all, but I think it's good for you. He tries so hard and it killed me having to push him away like that."
"You don't think I know that?" Kelly asks, defensive as always.
"Do you?" Payson counters. "I just don't know if you take your 'friendship' as seriously as he does."
"Of course, I do," she says. Kelly knows she doesn't have anything to prove to Payson Keeler; however, Payson being the only one that really knows about Nick and Kelly, a part of the Denver gymnast wants to make her understand. "You haven't spoken to anyone, your mom, your sister, the Rock girls and aside from the last one, from what I've seen those are healthy relationships. With Nick, I couldn't last a day without texting him. I don't know what that's supposed to mean, but I'm not stupid. I know it means something. I never needed a family because I always had Nick."
"And I think he feels the same way about you," Payson says.
"Really?" Kelly asks. This time her voice is softer, looking for some sort of honesty.
Payson nods. "Really."
Though Payson's certain Kelly wouldn't admit to it aloud or even in her most private thoughts, she thinks this is the first time someone has ever talked to Kelly Parker like this. Honest, nonthreatening and real.
"So my family drove you crazy, didn't they?" Payson asks. A lighter change of topic might be a good idea.
"Don't get me wrong. Your family is totally on it and I was practically drowning in all the warm fuzzies, but I don't exactly fit the Keeler mold. It was nice for a while, but like you said, it didn't feel like mine to enjoy," Kelly says. "I just want to go home. Home, home."
Payson smiles. "Sounds like lesson learned."
Kelly smiles and in the sweetest voice possible, she says, "Whatever. Now, give me back my body, you bitch."
Payson laughs. It's times like this where she thinks Kelly Parker isn't that bad.
"Oh! I've got something for you," Kelly says. She reaches into her bag and pulls out a large brown envelope and slides it across the table. "I meant for it to be a Christmas present of sorts, but then I started thinking. I made you promise to respect my friendship and you did that so I'll warn you now, you and Lauren Tanner aren't going to like what's in this envelope."
"What does Lauren have to do with anything?" Payson asks.
"She has everything to do with your life being the way it is," Kelly says.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Look, if I told you it would defeat the purpose of the mysterious envelope," Kelly says, slamming her palm against the envelope. "I thought I was doing you a favor by giving this to you, but what you find inside is just going to complicate your life even more. Having lived it, seeing how much everyone cares about you and how uncomplicated your life could be, I figured I'd give you the option instead of throwing it in your face."
Kelly slides the envelope across the table to Payson.
"Thank you, I think," Payson says.
"Just don't say I never did anything for you," Kelly says coolly.
"Alright, well, Austin just texted me. He's waiting out front," Payson explains. "Being the amazing problem solver he is, he suggested stargazing. In theory, if we see a shooting star, close our eyes and wish for our lives back then we can hold our breaths and hopeful it'll works and we'll be back in our bodies before dinner."
"Huh. I never thought of that," Kelly says. "Are you sure Austin Tucker came up with it?"
"I'm as pleasantly surprised as you," Payson says. She takes the crisp envelope off the table and turns to her bag, sticking it inside. Payson can feel Kelly staring at her, tapping her fingernails against the edge of the table.
"He thinks you're hot, you know." Kelly doesn't say it. She states it like it's a fact.
Payson instantly blushes and seeing this, Kelly laughs.
"Oh, so we can talk about Nick like it's tacked on a bulletin board, but not Austin?"
"Why would we even talk about Austin?" Payson asks in return. "He's just being helpful."
"Um, yeah, so he can help himself to some Keeler in the future." Kelly laughs. Payson just shoves the envelope deeper into her bag and pulls the strap over her shoulder. "I'm serious! If you wanted it, you could get it. Do you see the way he looks at you? If gave him the opportunity, Austin Tucker would put out on a silver platter."
"But I'd never," Payson says quietly, unable to meet Kelly's gaze. "I wouldn't do that to Kaylie."
"Another reason I don't do the girl friends thing," Kelly says, rolling her eyes. "Plus, Cruz says she's and I quote, 'so done with him', but I think…I think eventually she'd be okay if you did give it a chance with Tucker. Sure, she'd be confused and feel betrayed at first and throw a tantrum like the little brat she is, but…if she really does care about you as much as she tries to make it look like she cares about you then eventually she'd accept it. Just fyi."
"Thank you for the commentary on my life, Kelly," Payson says with a sweet sarcasm.
"Just returning the favor," Kelly says innocently. "God, we so should have videotaped this. I don't think my face has ever made that expression before…or gotten that deep a shade of red."
Payson narrows her eyes. "Can we just go now?"
"Fine. Seriously though, please keep the sexual tension with Tucker to a minimum in the car. It's one of my pet peeves." Kelly's teasing, but she sounds completely serious.
"Kelly, quit it," Payson hisses.
"Simmer down, Keeler," Kelly says. "You gotta admit you do spend a lot of time with him. And I thought I had him buzzing around me a lot when he thought I was you. Apparently you hang out with him even while you're me too. Even Nick noticed. Wow, and I thought Nick and me were bad."
"Well, it's too bad there's a Rock No Dating Rule then, huh?" Payson says.
Kelly rolls her eyes. "No one said anything about dating."
"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Payson says stubbornly.
"Oh, Keeler, so naïve and entertaining. It's a shame we're never talking again after this."
Kelly walks ahead of her, shrugging on her coat near the door. Payson pauses for a second. She never really thought what would go on after they switch back. Having literally lived her life, Payson has learned so much about Kelly Parker. She's pretty sure the reverse holds true too. So are they supposed to go back to pretending like none of this ever happened? Going back to their respective gyms, on opposite sides of that line drawn deeply down the middle?
Payson doesn't know the answers to those questions and just walks the rest of the way to Austin's car and finds Kelly screaming at him. Apparently, Austin's water bottle spilt all over the front seat and make Kelly look like an idiot calling shotgun. Not having the patience to talk down Kelly, Austin just pushes her towards the door to the backseat so they can go. They drive out to one of the scenic sights and luckily, the sky is mostly clear.
The three sit out on the hood of Austin's car and all their faces are tilted up, looking at the twinkling stars. Payson squirms every time Austin so much as glances at her and noticing this, Kelly knows that it was a wise choice not to mention the other things she talked about with Nicky.
Hours pass and it feels like the temperature drops with every second they're out there. Austin's leg fidgets and Kelly glares at him, ready to chop his leg clean off. Feeling Austin's oblivion and Kelly's irritation, Payson redirects their straying attentions to the sky. Then finally Payson sees the star skirt across the sky and when she hears Kelly gasp, she knows they're looking at the exact one. Quickly, they both shut their eyes tight and make their wishes.
I wish I were Payson Keeler again.
I wish I were Kelly Parker again.
They both hold their breaths before slowly opening their eyes.
And they're both disappointed to find nothing happens.
"Fuck!" Kelly shouts immediately. She slides down the hood and starts pacing. She then starts kicking the tire of Austin's car, angrily shaking her fists in the cold night air.
Payson just slumps against the windshield there, feeling devastated. She feels Austin's gloves hand cover hers and squeeze tight. Payson lets herself enjoy the reassuring gesture and the slight comfort it brings her, before she gets back onto her feet and approaches Kelly.
"Kelly, calm down," Payson says. "Remember the first time? We didn't actually switch till we woke up the next morning. Maybe we just need to give it some time…"
"And what if we wake up tomorrow morning and everything is the same? I can't do this!" she screams. "I can't drive back to Boulder, have your mom yell at me and me freeze like a stupid ass deer in the middle of the street and pray I wake up in my bed. What if it didn't work? I can't keep pretending to be you. Keeler, tomorrow morning is Christmas Eve."
"I know," Payson says calmly. She stands in front of Kelly and puts her hand on her shoulder to stop her erratic movement. "I understand better than anyone ever will, but it isn't helping that you're freaking out. I promise that we'll be back where we belong by Christmas."
"How can you make that promise?" Kelly asks accusingly.
"I just can," Payson says. "You trust me, don't you?"
Kelly finally settles and stares at Payson for a long, silent minute.
"Yeah," Kelly says, pushing her fingers through her hair. "Wow. Shit. I actually do."
"Then, come on," Payson says. "Let's go."
"But we need to stop by the closest Starbucks ASAP," Kelly says firmly. "I need a pick-me-up grande peppermint white chocolate mocha stat."
"But the calories," Austin protests.
Kelly and Payson shoot him glares that are so on point it seems almost choreographed.
"Austin, just drive," Payson says.
"Alright, let's leave," he says, walking back around the side of his car. Austin holds the door open for the two girls and they slide in before he shuts the door after them.
"I almost lost my head back then," Kelly says in the quiet of the car.
"And how is that different from every other day when you do that?" Payson asks hesitantly.
"You don't get it," Kelly says, shaking her head. "I have more fingers on one hand than I do people that can talk me down when I get like that…and apparently, you're one."
"Oh," Payson says. "Well then, you're welcome."
Her voice is more affirmative and Payson nods to emphasis her words. Austin slides into the driver seat just in time to hear that last little exchange and he smiles from upfront. Silence returns to the car and Austin turns the key in the ignition, starting up the car.
"You know, you aren't bad, Keeler," Kelly says quietly.
"And you aren't as bad as you want people to think you are," Payson says.
They're all so preoccupied that as the car pulls out of the parking lot and onto the road, they don't see the truck that comes out of nowhere and slams right into them. Tires squeal against the icy roads as the entire car rotates in circles. The windows shatter and shards of glass scattering all around. All Payson remembers is a hand – Kelly's hand – grabbing her forearm tight as the car spins out of control and everything fades to black.
A/N: And there you have it, one of the two last Christmas presents from me to you. Ahh! Honestly, did anyone expect that? I love love love all the reviews I've gotten recently. Just like you, I'm pretty sad that this fic is ending, but then again, I really should get back to Life, Love and Denim. Thank you so much for reading and guiding me along with your input. It's almost Christmas! It's almost Christmas! It's almost Christmas!
xoxo