Memory Log: A KotLC Story

Chapter 13:

Fitz's POV:

You know the feeling when you lie about something and then it actually happens?

I feel like the universe is trying to tell me something today.

My head is pounding and I feel like a wooly mammoth stomped around my brain.

And the worst part is-

I awoke to the sight of my bodyguard dancing around the room as if she were bored. In her hand was Sophie's iPod, so I'm assuming it was borrowed and I sigh.

"Well good morning, sleepyhead!" Grizel grinned and stopped dancing once she saw me roll out of bed and onto the floor, my body stiff from sleep. I groan inwardly and start to get up slowly, my arms sore for no apparent reason.

I managed to mumble, "I need headache medicine again," before I shuffle to my bathroom and slump to the ground.

It wasn't just the headache that was haunting me though. Last night was a shock to me.

I never expected that she would be my #1 match.

I hadn't even thought she'd registered!

Mom wants me to hold a Winnowing Gala, but I know not everyone's going to come. She might though. Not everyone else. Not with all the rumors in the air and the distance we all have put between us and the other Foxfire students. Whether it was on purpose of not, we're partially to fault for the dramatic whisperings about us all, I think to myself, the tastes in my mouth turning sour.

Grizel's voice floats into the bathroom.

"Are you okay in there? I have medicine!"

The concern in her voice is clear.

I hear the door open and she peeks her head in, looking forward, before realizing I was on the floor and not standing over the counter like I normally am.

The door widens and I look up to see her eyes soften as she sits down next to me, holding out an elixir in her hands.

I take it gratefully and take a sip, before setting the bottle down next to me.

"Is this about your little match list?" she inquires and I nod. She came in with the medicine the night before and saw me holding it, asking to see it. 

Thankfully, Grizel sees no reason to tell anyone about it until I'm ready, even Sandor.

"You know," she ventures, relaxing as she sits, "Maybe it won't be as bad as you're thinking."

I hesitate before responding. 

"Maybe..." I pause before continuing, "But I think about how Sophie was my first crush and now someone who couldn't be more opposite of her is my #1 match."

Grizel chuckles to herself before muttering something under her breath that sounded like, "Elves and their drama these days." I look at her strangely only to receive a toothy grin.

I realize I'm still holding on to Mr. Snuggles, but I don't care at the moment, instead curling up and placing my head on my knees and into my folded arms. Keefe and Sophie are the couple of the group, and I'm happy for them both. I learned not to let it destroy me and Sophie's friendship and cognate connection.

But now, things just got more complicated. 

Way more complicated than they had a right to be.

"Maybe, you should get going to Foxfire." Grizel gets up with a grunt and holds out her hand for me.

I managed a nod.

My problems need to be put on the backburner for now.

We leap to Foxfire to find Biana waiting for us, surprisingly shadowed by a content-looking Woltzer, who's munching on a Strawberry Puff.

Maybe Biana finally formed a friendship with her resentful bodyguard?

Biana looks up at him and grins, and suddenly I know what's coming.

"So, are you going to tell your favorite sister who your #1 match is?" She grins sweetly and I look down at her, an eyebrow raised. 

"You're my only sister," I point out, "And not yet. Not here at least."

Biana's lower lip juts out into a pretty pout and I sigh. "All I said was, 'Not here,' I didn't say I was never going to tell you." Biana brightens a bit before realizing what I had realized just before school.

"Mom's going to make you have a Winnowing Gala!" Biana exclaims this with enthusiasm and I catch sight of Sophie, Keefe, and Dex looking over at this.

"Probably, but keep your voice down."

Her eye roll is as legendary as Tams' are and I wonder if there's a connection there as the other three walk up.

Keefe greets me first, in his usual way, swinging his arm around my shoulders and smirking ear to ear. "So, I hear you're going to have a bunch of elves swooning over you at your house? Mind inviting us to this Fitzfest?"

Dex raises an eyebrow and Sophie chokes on a stiffled laugh.

I scoff.

"Unless you're on my match list, I think not." I reply, jokingly.

Keefe's smirk only deepens as Sophie giggles. "Hey, whatdya know? I might be just the guy you need!" His teasing only unleashes more laughs from all of us and the weight on my chest slackens.

"Oh, yes, and I suppose you're the damsel in distress and I'm your charming prince?" I feign a royal bow, continuing the joking with a human reference Sophie once showed me and Dex. They recognize it, and burst out into harder fits of laughter as Keefe keeps up the stunning performance we've just laid out, catching the attention of other prodigies who are laughing a they look at this amusing scene we lay out before them.

"Yes, please, save me your highness, for this hair cannot be ruined for much longer!" Keefe mimicks a high-pitched voice none of us recognize, and it's only seconds before Biana's hunched over, shaking from the belligerent giggles let loose.

It feels good to play around a bit, especially since for once, we aren't being looked at by our peers with distrust in their eyes.

"Why, of course, I must first slay the dinosaur guarding this tower-"

"YOU HAVEN'T SLAYED THE DINO?!" Keefe's look was a mix of horror, professionalism, and pure enjoyment as he says this, and suddenly, this has turned into the one Shrek movie that Sophie showed us all at one of the sleepovers at Everglen.

"It's on my to-do list, never mind that-"

"Oh but you must slay th-"

"What are you doofus's doing?"

We stop and the others calm down to see Marella and Stina walking up with amused expressions on their faces.

Keefe bow and I wave, a bit embarrassed now. 

"We were only ennacting the second greatest love story of all time; King Fitzroy and Lord Hunkyhair!"

Marella chuckles and we're soon joined by Tam and Linh. The air is calm and the environment is lighter than it has been in the weeks since Foxfire started back. 

"Second?" I ask, mocking slight betrayal.

"Don't worry, it's only because Foster makes everyone look bad compared to her." His tone is light and teasing, but also cautious, as if he were waiting for a response.

I grin before responding in the most reassuring, teasing way I can to my best friend. "She really does."

They both laugh in response and relief.