that, but thanks
#dontstop ☺
—————
Would you ever want to meet in person? I’d like to be friends if that’s okay with you.
Totally want to be friends!
Let me think about the rest. I’m kinda shy …
Actually, the truth is I want to be more than that, but not if it scares you off … I’m not even sure if I should be honest about this stuff or just shut up …
#behonest
—————
You want to hear something embarrassing? Sometimes I pretend you’re my girlfriend. How lame is that? I can’t help it.
That’s not lame. It’s sweet.
I pretend the same thing sometimes
(And now I’m REALLY blushing …
The truth is, I’ve never had a real girlfriend. I don’t even have that many regular friends. I don’t know why. I just don’t really fit in at my school. It’s kind of depressing, to be honest.
I can relate
<3 <3 <3
hugz
I’m just going to say it. You’re fricking adorable.
No … you are
You really are. I mean it.
—————
Guess who’s getting his license on Monday? That would be me!!!
#iwish
#jelly
If you ever want to meet, I can go anywhere you want now. McDonalds? Your school? Hell, I’ll meet you at the police station if that makes you feel safer … :-). Seriously, it doesn’t matter where, and it doesn’t have to be a “date” or anything. I just want to meet you. For real!
You are soooo sweet
Can I think about it?
I want to. I’m just shy (obviously …)
—————
Don’t let me screw this up by coming on too hard, okay?
We can just keep talking if that’s what you want.
No prob
Def keep talking
Tx!
I do have one request. If you’re going to dump me, don’t just disappear, okay? I’d hate if we stopped talking, but I’d hate it even more if you didn’t at least say goodbye.
I would never do that to you
I’m 100% serious
You don’t have to worry about that.
I’m not going anywhere.
You’ve done so much for me, way more than you know.
Thanks for listening.
#youtoo
#anytime
#meanit
—————
Hey. Do you like surprises?
Depends. What kind?
I have a good one for you.
????
You’re going to have to be patient. But I promise it will be worth it.
I can wait
No I can’t
Hahaha …
Tell me more
CHAPTER 43
A FEW HOURS later, I spotted Keats out the window in the Sapporos’ backyard. He was just standing there by himself, staring into the woods behind the house. So I went outside to check on him.
“Billy?” I said. “Everything okay?”
“Just gathering my thoughts,” he said without turning around. “Problem is, I have too many of them.”
“I’m familiar with the feeling,” I said. I was trying to keep it light, but I don’t know if he even heard me.
“The thing is, I can’t tell if we’re getting little glimpses of who we’re chasing here, or if it’s just a nonstop stream of fabricated bullshit,” he said.
“It’s the same thing with the texts,” I told him. “He can be anyone he wants online, and these girls are paying the price.”
Keats nodded silently, then kept going.
“I mean, are we in the endgame here? Or is this all leading up to some kind of larger target?”
“What do you mean? What kind of target?” I asked. I was curious, but I could tell he needed to talk it out, too.
“Take your pick,” he said. “The way this app’s spreading, it could be anything. Utilities. Air traffic. Banking. There’s nothing that’s not networked anymore. And the longer this goes on, the harder it’s getting not to blame myself.”
“For what?” I asked, but Billy just shrugged. I assumed he meant the murders, and now this abduction.
I’d seen him worked up before. I even saw tears in his eyes at Gwen Petty’s high school. But I’d never seen Keats question himself like this. His whole stance was tight, with arms crossed and shoulders hunched.
“Well, I know what my mom would say,” I told him.
He looked almost amused at that, like he figured I was about to lay some kind of motherly folk wisdom on him. Which I basically was.
“She’d say you’re taking on too much. It’s like you’re climbing a mountain and all you can think about is the mountain itself.”
“As opposed to what?” he asked.
“As opposed to putting one foot in front of the other,” I said. It sounded lame even before I was done saying it, and I wished I’d kept my mouth shut. But now that I’d started, I kept going.
I pointed back at the house and lowered my voice. “Maybe you can’t save this girl,” I said. “I don’t know. But I’m guessing there are two parents in there who