But her parents couldn''t help but worry about their daughter...
"Winona, you and Mr. Huber, you two..." her dad started gently.
Winona knew exactly what was on their minds. She grinned and waved a hand dismissively.
"Don''t overthink it. Keaton and I are just friends. Sure, today''s mess started because of him, but you can''t really me him-he didn''t know Alicia was that kind of person."
Ridley frowned, concern etched deep in his face.
"He''s a good kid in every way, except-well, rtionships... Winona, why don''t you just move back in with us for a while?"
Winona shook her head, her smile soft but firm.
"You guys know I like having my own ce. Don''t worry, really. I''ll be more careful next time. Lesson learned."
"But-" her mother started.
"Alright, alright, I''m starving! Mom, Dad, could you guys make me something good to eat?"
Caroline perked up immediately. "Of course! What do you want?"
Winona rattled off a few favorite dishes-mac and cheese, roast chicken, maybe some mashed potatoes and sent her parents bustling off to the kitchen.
She flopped down on her bed, grabbed her phone, and opened the camera app to check the stitches on her forehead.
Ugh, thinking about the new bald patch made her groan.
Ding! Suddenly her phone chimed, making her jump.
She fumbled and-whack!-dropped it right on her face.
"Ow! Jeez, who the hell—” she muttered, rubbing her nose.
It was a message from Keaton. First, an awkward grimacing emoji, then:
[Back home yet? Mind if Ie by?]
Winona typed back: [Not a good time!]
Keaton: [Alright, got it.]
A few minutester, there was a soft tapping at her bedroom window.
Winona nced over-was that a shadow outside?
Wait. A shadow?
Oh, crap. A person!
Her braingged a second, then she shot upright and hurried over to the window. They were on the he third
floor Anyone falling from Kece would end up in the ER!
She pressed close to the ss and whispered, "Who''s there?!" Keaton''s voice floated in. "Open up, it''s me."
Winona stared, dumbfounded, but carefully cracked open the window. Keaton was stered against the wall looking like one wrong ove would send him tumbling.
Once the window was open, Keaton swung himself inside as quickly as he could.
Winona didn''t even try to stop him-if she pushed, she''d probably send him flying!
As soon as hended safely in the room, she red at him. "Are you insane? This is the third floor!"
Keaton brushed dust off his hands. "You said it wasn''t a good time toe over, so the only way in was the window. Your folks are still here, right?"
Winona stared at him in disbelief, lowering her voice. "I said ''not a good time'' because I didn''t want to
see you right now! Not becaus
wanted you sneaking around like a criminal! Get it?"
Keaton put on a mock-hurt face. "Really? My bad, totally misunderstood. I thought you meant we had to meet in secret."
Winona rolled her eyes. "Why would we need to sneak around? What are we, teenagers caught making out?"
Keaton grinned, mischief in his eyes. "Aren''t your parents here?”
"What, are they gonna chase you around the house or something?"
"Hey, you got hurt because of me. They probably hate my guts. If I knocked on the front door, Ridley mighte after me with a carving knife!"
Winona just stared at him, at a loss for words. She finally asked, "So why risk your neck climbing up here?"
"You got hurt because of me I felt bad. I just wanted to check on you. Oh, and I brought you a little something."
He reached into his jacket, and Winona''s heart skipped a beat. Her eyes went wide.
"Nope! I don''t want it!" she blurted, almost instinctively.
Keaton looked surprised. "Don''t want it? Come on, it''s something good! Don''t you even wanna see what it is?"
Winona shook her head, frowning. "Take it back. I really don''t want it."
Keaton stared at her, lookingpletely baffled. "Can I at least know why not?"