Adorable

Chapter 24 | It Better Be

A/N It has been decided! 11 Chapters + 1 Epilogue left! So that means Adorable should be finished by possibly the 22nd!

Keefe's POV

"Alright Keefe, looks like you're good to go!" Elwin said cheerily as he bustled through the door. "Well... after one more round of medicine."

I groaned, but secretly I was pleased. I had finally convinced Sophie to go home, change, and sleep for a few hours. She assured me that she would do at least two of those things- good enough.

But she hadn't gotten back yet, and I didn't want to leave while she was gone. Unless... if she still wasn't here when I was ready to leave, I'd leap to Havenfield.

So I chugged the elixirs and laid down for my mandatory last nap. I couldn't sleep though, mostly because I had slept practically 24/7 for the last three days in the Healing Center. I was wide awake, so I pretended to sleep and rehearsed what I'd say to Foster. Suddenly, I realized something- I had never actually asked her out on a real date! I mean sure, I'd left notes for her to follow. But I had never actually asked her to go on a date with me.

After the longest half hour of my life, I popped up in bed. "Kay Elwin, I napped, I took my medicine... can I go now? Pleeeease?"

He laughed. "One last check." He walked over to me and flashed light around my various cuts and bruises. They had all healed almost completely, except for my black eye, a slight line on my neck, and one on my collarbone. And they were mostly faded.

"Thanks, Elwin!" I shouted as I grabbed my mostly empty satchel and ran into the bathroom. I quickly styled my hair, straightened my clothes, and practiced my smirk in the mirror. I was still a little wrinkled, but I'd taken a sponge bath that morning and Ro had brought fresh clothes from my house, so at least I was clean. When I felt ready, I hurried back out of the bathroom and practically ran to the Leapmaster.

"Havenfield!" I called impatiently. As soon as the crystals shifted into place, I practically jumped into the light and let it carry me away.

"Sophie?" I called when I reappeared at Havenfield. Then I spotted her crouched next to the Panakes tree, facing away from me. Looked like she was collecting blossoms. She didn't seem to have heard me, so I walked over to the tree. When I got close, I realized she had her earbud things in. She was humming along to her music, and I watched her for a while. Not, like, in a creepy way. She just seemed so normal and happy and bright.

Eventually she stood up, gently placing the blossoms in a bag slung casually over her shoulder. I stepped behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist from behind. She started, but then pulled out her earbuds and laughed. Her laugh was soft and musical.

I released her a little to let her turn around, put then pulled her close. She put her arms around my shoulders. I could hear her music gently coming out of the tiny earbuds around her neck. I picked up the earbud with one of my hands and held it to my ear, listening. I couldn't catch much, but it sounded like a guy singing to a girl about how she belonged with him instead of the girl's boyfriend.

"Hey, Soph?" I asked gently, letting the earbud fall and tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Mmh?"

"I realized something."

"What's that?"

"I've never actually taken you out on a real date."

She laughed, then thought for a second. "Mmh, slacker."

"I know. Please accept my sincerest apologies."

"Fine." She looked so adorable, her slightly damp hair blowing in the wind and her casual clothes suiting her perfectly. I let the hand still on her face fall behind her head, pulling her into a kiss. Instead of filling the cracks in my mind, like her kisses had done before, this kiss left me wanting more. So I kissed her again. And again. I couldn't seem to stop, and she didn't seem to care. All I could feel from her emotions was love and peace and happiness. She felt hopeful, and content. I know those don't seem like they'd mix, but it all blended together into... I don't have the words to describe it. If you've felt it, you know what I mean. If you haven't, nothing I can say will explain it.