Because There Is a Future

Chapter Thirty-Two

"What are you doing here?" Charlotte barked. "I want to see daddy!"

"Didn't you hear? I live here. And daddy, you said? Well, he never mentioned having a wife or daughter... I guess you aren't important to him. Maybe he even forgot about you. So, you guys can't just barge into our house." She turned her amused look to Sophie. "Mommy, did she say? Already have a daughter at such a young age? What a slut."

"Fione, that's enough." A cold voice said, and Sophie watched Keefe stride into the room. She couldn't help but feel flustered when she saw that he was shirtless with water dripping down his body.

And boy, this man's body was amazing.

Fione paled, but she also couldn't keep her eyes off Keefe as he walked over to where they were.

"Didn't quite catch what you said right now. Can you say it a bit louder?" He asked.

"It's n-nothing." She whispered.

Keefe raised his eyebrows. "Hm?"

Fione looked away. "Keefe, I thought you were happy. We did lots of things together... I thought you'd want me."

Keefe didn't say anything, and Sophie wanted to do anything but stay here in the room of awkwardness.

"Who is this girl, anyway? Your lover? No, I've seen you broken hearted because of this monster. The mom for your child? Hell, she has ugly human eyes."

Sophie pulled Charlotte closer to her as she felt something snap inside her.

"I dare you to repeat what you said." She glared. "Come on, do it. What did you say about my daughter? Say it. Don't be a coward."

Keefe grabbed Sophie's arm and pulled her closer to him, probably in an attempt to cool her anger.

But Fione gladly accepted the challenge as she faced Sophie and smirked. "Freak. You guys are both freaks. Ugly eyes, ugly features, ugly... everything. You're ruining the Elvin population, for God's sake! I've heard a lot about you. But what's so 'brave' about you? What's so 'special?' Will you leave me, a proper elf, with Keefe, another proper elf, for once? Can you stop butting into people's businesses? Go over to the Ugly Cities where you belong! I ca--"

"Shut up." Keefe growled. "Fione, get out of this goddamn house."

Fione looked at Keefe. "What? Baby, you can't force me to--"

"Yes, I can." Keefe glared. "This is a house I bought with my own money. I let you in because you had troubles with your family. But if you're going to act like that to my family, I have no choice but to kick you out."

He pulled Sophie and Charlotte even closer as he glared at Fione. If Sophie hadn't heard what she said about Charlotte, maybe she would have told Keefe to calm down. But now, the damage was done. "Go. Now."

Fione burst into tears as she stormed out.

Keefe sighed as he ran his hand through his already-messy hair, but he turned to the girls and offered a smirk. "To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?"

But his smirk quickly vanished when he saw Charlotte sniffling. He waved his hand through the air, his way of gathering emotions, before sitting down and gathering her in his arms as he brought her onto his lap. "Char, don't listen to what she told you."

"Nice absh." Charlotte whispered, making Sophie remember that Keefe still didn't have his shirt on.

He smirked. "Told you I look good. But anyway, what that girl said to you a minute ago is false. Don't listen to them, okay?"

Sophie also sat down next to them. "I don't know if I've told you this before... But when I was in the human world, people would call me all sorts of things. Freak. Creep. Know-it-all." She sighed, remembering the things. "Sure, I was lonely. Sure, I was sad. Sometimes I wanted to disappear, because the bullying would get worse." She felt a hand wrap around hers, and she looked up to see Keefe with a look of concern on his face. Sophie offered him half a smile. "But Charlotte, I got through it. Now, I'm friends with the most amazing people like your 'Daddy' and uncles and aunts. The point is, no matter where you are, there will always be people who are against you. What matters is how you let that impact you."

With her free hand, she took Charlotte's and placed it on her heart. "You are so, so brave."

"Geez, Foster, didn't know you had this side in you." Keefe said.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"You'd always boss me around and be all cute-but-grumpy but..." His face softened, squeezing her hand. "Now, it makes me realize how much you've grown over the course of seven years."

"Thank you? I don't know if it was a compliment or not." She laughed lightly. "But you too, Keefe. I feel like you're much more responsible and mature."

He smirked. "I try, Foster. I try. Don't know if it works, though."

Sophie poked his chest playfully. "Maybe not."

"Hey! Take that back!" Keefe said, placing a giggling Charlotte on the couch before turning back to Sophie with an odd gleam in his eyes. He rushed over to her and tickled her in the stomach.

"H-hey!" Sophie laughed, wheezing for air. "S-stop it!"

"Not until you say I'm more responsible and mature." He kept tickling.

"K-Keefe," She howled with laughter again, "You k-know that as-asking this isn't v-very mature, ri-right?"

He shrugged. "Don't care."

Sophie found herself looking at incredibly toned abs and his muscles. "K-Keefe!" She yelped as she laughed. "You're hot!"

Charlotte burst out laughing again as Keefe raised an amused eyebrow at her.

Sophie felt her cheeks heat up as she realized what she had said. With all the ounce of energy she had, she pushed Keefe away, and they both tumbled onto the floor.

Keefe sat up, offering Sophie a hand to help her up. "Would you mind saying that again? Slowly and clearly?"

Sophie blushed. "I didn't say anything."

Keefe smiled -- yes, an actual smile -- before leaning forward and pecking her on the lips. "Sure you didn't."

Sophie froze. Although it only lasted for a second, her heart began to thump wildly. Although she knew it meant nothing to him, her stomach felt weird.

Keefe didn't avert his eyes or anything, but kept staring back, daring her to... do anything as Sophie tried to come up with an explanation of what had just happened.

Charlotte squealed before clasping her hand over her mouth. "Oh! Didn't mean to make that shound, but I couldn't help it! Continue!"

Sophie averted her eyes as she felt her cheeks blush into a deep crimson. She definitely was overthinking. But her mind couldn't help replaying the scene, and her heart kept thumping off-rhythm in her chest.

What in the world was that?

GUYS GUYS GUYS GUYS I WANT TO MAKE ONE THING CLEAR -- THIS WAS NOT AN ACTUAL KISS!! I promise there will be a good one :)

SilverFox Out