The Weight of You (and Me)

12

REBELLION RISING

〰・♡・〰

The walk back to Keera's house was heavy with the weight of their secret meeting. Relief warred with apprehension in Keera's stomach. They had the flash drive, a potential weapon against LeeCorp, but the weight of Iñigo's decision pressed down on her.

Reaching her doorstep, she turned to him, her voice laced with concern. "Are you sure about this, Iñigo? Going against your parents' company... it's a big deal."

He stopped, his gaze searching hers. "Bigger than I thought," he admitted, a hint of vulnerability in his voice. "But seeing what they did to GreenTech, the way they twist things... I can't just stand by and do nothing."

Keera reached out, her fingers brushing against his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered, the words laden with emotion. "For believing me, for standing with me."

A smile tugged at the corner of Iñigo's lips. "Always," he promised, his eyes locking with hers.

Just then, the front door swung open, revealing a wide-eyed Joshua. His jaw dropped as he took in the sight of Iñigo standing on the porch, his arm brushing Keera's shoulder.

"Keera? What's going on here?" Joshua sputtered, his voice laced with disbelief. "Why is LeeCorp royalty living in your house?"

Keera felt a blush creep up her neck. "It's a long story, Joshua," she started, her gaze flickering between Iñigo and her bewildered friend.

"Long story?" Joshua repeated, his eyes narrowing at Iñigo. "Looks like a pretty cozy story to me."

Iñigo straightened, his hazel eyes flashing with a flicker of defiance. "Actually," he said, his voice surprisingly steady for someone who was living in his girlfriend's house without his parents' knowledge, "it's more like a rebellion story."

Joshua's eyebrows shot up in surprise. The air crackled with tension, a delicious mix of shock, anger, and a hint of intrigue.

Joshua's jaw hung slack, his eyes bouncing between Keera and Iñigo like a confused puppy. "Rebellion story?" he finally managed, his voice a mix of bewilderment and morbid curiosity. "What does that even mean?"

Keera sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It's a lot to explain, Josh."

"Well, explain then!" he insisted, his arms crossed over his chest. "Because right now, it looks an awful lot like LeeCorp royalty has shacked up with the girl who just accused them of something shady."

Iñigo bristled, his gaze hardening. He opened his mouth to retort, but Keera placed a calming hand on his arm.

"It's not like that, Joshua," she said, her voice firm. "There's more to the story than you know."

"There always is," Joshua grumbled, his gaze flickering between them with a hint of suspicion. "So, are you two... I don't know, a thing?"

Keera felt a blush creep up her cheeks. "No!" she blurted out a little too quickly.

Iñigo's lips twitched in amusement, a hint of a challenge flickering in his eyes. Keera mentally groaned. Maybe a more nuanced response would have been better.

Joshua, however, seemed to take her denial at face value. He threw his hands up in exasperation. "Okay, okay! Fine! You don't have to yell at me. But seriously, what's going on?"

Taking a deep breath, Keera launched into a condensed version of the story: Sarah's accusation, the suspicious lawsuit, and their investigation that led Iñigo to seek refuge at her house. As she spoke, Joshua's initial skepticism melted away, replaced by a mixture of shock and anger. So, she was still doing it for him? Joshua's mind flashed back to what happened before when he asked for help from Keera. But his anger controlled him. Maybe out of jealousy?

"Wow," he finally breathed, his voice a low whistle. "This is huge. Like, whistleblower-expose-corporate-corruption huge."

"That's the idea," Iñigo chimed in with determination settling in his voice.

"But LeeCorp is powerful," Joshua cautioned, his brow furrowed in worry. "Going against them is like poking a bear with a toothpick."

"We know the risks," Keera said, her voice resolute. "But we also know what's right. We can't just sit back and let them get away with this."

Joshua nodded slowly, a newfound respect gleaming in his eyes. "Alright. You guys have me convinced. This rebellion story... it's pretty badass."

He turned to Iñigo, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "So, not a boyfriend-girlfriend thing, huh?"

Keera shot a glare at him, but Iñigo simply chuckled. "Not officially," he said, a playful glint in his hazel eyes. "But maybe that's something we can discuss after we take down LeeCorp's little house of cards."

A blush burned across Keera's cheeks, but a spark of excitement danced in her eyes.

Keera, Iñigo, and Joshua transformed Keera's living room into a detective agency headquarters. Papers piled high on the coffee table, a tangled mess of wires snaked across the floor, and the faint glow of their laptops lit up their determined faces.

"Okay," Joshua announced, his finger hovering over a document on his screen. "I managed to hack into Sarah's social media. Turns out, she's been posting happy vacation pictures from some tropical island. Convenient, wouldn't you say?"

Keera let out a frustrated groan. "So much for her 'ruined life' story."

Iñigo, perched on the arm of the sofa next to Keera, leaned in, his voice a low rumble. "Maybe we should pay her a little visit when all this is over. Ask her exactly what kind of life she's ruining on a beach with a Mai Tai in hand."

Keera couldn't help but smile at his playful jab. The tension of their situation was undeniable, but Iñigo's humor and unwavering support were a constant source of comfort. Her gaze lingered on him, taking in the way the soft lamplight highlighted the flecks of gold in his hazel eyes.

"We need to focus," she said, forcing her attention back to the investigation. "The flash drive is the key. But how do we even begin to analyze what's on it?"

"There's a tech club at school," Joshua piped up, a thoughtful expression on his face. "They have a whole lab dedicated to data recovery and stuff. Maybe they can help us crack it open."

"It's worth a shot," Keera agreed. "But how do we explain where we got it?"

Iñigo's eyes met hers, a mischievous glint sparking within them. "Leave that to me," he said, a slow smile creeping across his lips. "I have a few connections, even outside of LeeCorp's reach."

A shiver of anticipation ran down Keera's spine. The way he looked at her, the confidence radiating from him... it was more than just a promise of help. It was a silent declaration of his growing feelings, a spark igniting amid their chaotic mission.

The next day at school, whispers followed Iñigo like a shadow. He'd defied his parents, defied the social hierarchy, and was now openly associating with Keera, the girl who dared to challenge LeeCorp. Yet, he held his head high.

Catching Keera's eye across the crowded hallway, he winked, a silent message of defiance and affection. Her heart skipped a beat. In that single wink, she saw not just her partner in crime, but a boy who was willing to risk everything for what he believed in, and maybe, just maybe, for her too.

As the school day dragged on, Keera found herself more focused on Iñigo's stolen glances than the droning lectures. The stolen moments, the shared determination, the unspoken bond – it was exhilarating, terrifying, and undeniably real. But the weight of their secret investigation loomed large. Would their tech club connection be their saving grace, or would their plan crumble under the scrutiny of LeeCorp's watchful eyes?