A/N: Before we start, I just want to say thank you for 630+ reads! Honestly, it's insane the way this story has been taking off. You all have my full gratitude and respect, because I'd never imagine reaching this number! Without any further delay, I present to you: Team Foster-Keefe (Chapter 13!)
Sophie's half-asleep brain heard muffled voices when she woke up. Of course, she couldn't stop dreaming about a certain handsome blonde elf. And she seriously didn't know why this was happening.
"Poor girl. She looks exhausted," someone with a gentle tone said.
A male voice sighed, and said, "It's my fault... I had to keep the secret from her."
Sophie started to stir as she felt soft hands stroking her hair. Her eyes fluttered open and she saw Edaline's timid, worried face looming over her. Grady was a few feet behind, an arm pressed to his scrunched up forehead.
"I- Um. Good morning, Sophie," said Edaline, carefully.
Sophie sat up in bed, rubbing her bleary eyes. A chill went through her, as she bundled the blankets around her shoulders. She let out a yawn.
"Good morning," was all she said, as she promptly got out of bed, and walked to her bathroom. Honestly, she knew none of this was Grady or Edaline's fault. Sophie didn't even know why she was acting with them this way. Yes, they'd kept a super, duper, huge secret from her about one of her most special friends. But then again, you can't go back on a promise.
Some people were able to do that a bit too easily.
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Sophie was in her closet, figuring out what to wear. It surprised her, because she never really gave a fig about her appearance. Not unless she really had to.
When she'd first manifested as an Enhancer, she had to wear gloves to conceal the ability. And to avoid suspicion and scrutinization from the public, Sophie had to start wearing fancier clothes.
"Meanwhile, you look especially sparkly," he added, with a slow smile.
Sophie fussed with her jeweled sleeves, flushing.
Keefe's lips tilted in to his famous smirk as he crossed the room to stand closer. "I mean that as a compliment, Foster. Sparkles look good on you. So does the new hairdo."
He reached up, his fingers skating gently along the edge of the intricate braid weaving through the front part of her hair.
"if you're trying to impress me, it's working," he told her, as she felt her cheeks warm- until he added, "But, you always impress me, so maybe you were thinking of someone else?"
-Nightfall, Chapter 11 (Loosely paraphrased!)
Sophie recalled this memory with Keefe. She felt her chest bearing heavy breaths, and her cheeks were red.
She impressed Keefe?
Honestly, she hadn't really thought about this question. That day was just filled with so much, when the Forkle twin was revealed. But now that she looked back at it, her stomach filled with tons of small, fluttery things.
Sophie's mouth went dry, as she walked over to another section of her closet, her hands shaking as she picked out the first tunic she could get her hands out.
Not surprisingly, it was ice blue.
She groaned, as she sat down on a plush ottoman, the tunic still on its hanger, gently laid down beside her.
Seriously? What was going on with her?
Her mind yet again rushed through brief shots of Keefe's ice blue eyes, and her mind lingered on an especially striking one.
Keefe had one hand running through his carefully disheveled hair, his lips curled with his iconic smirk. His eyes were sparkling with mischief, and a hint of... softness. There was a slight blush creeping up his cheeks, mirroring Sophie.
Sophie hastily stood up and changed into the jeweled tunic, before she could keep thinking about him. Instead, a single word bounced through her head?
Why?
Why?
Why?
Why was she suddenly thinking about Keefe? And in this strange new way. The only time she'd ever thought of someone this affectionately was when she'd been crushing on Fitz-
Sophie's jaw dropped.
No. Way.
Could she be...?
No. Absolutely not. That was practically impossible.
Truly, Sophie wasn't ready to be honest with herself. There was always something extra in her heart for Keefe. She didn't know what it was, but it was a tiny piece of her heart she fought to understand.
She'd felt similar to this when Keefe had run away to join the Neverseen. She'd sobbed for days, her mind layered with sheer heartbreak and anger.
Though... She'd felt more sad than mad when that happened.
She'd seen a totally new side to Keefe, and had gotten to know him more and more during their time together in Alluveterre. They had a mutual understanding, and they leaned on each other.
So when he'd left? After all they'd been through together?
It really hurt.
It felt like a dagger to her heart.
Especially since that was when she started to feel something... more... for Keefe.
Sophie started to understand what she was feeling, but shook her head in disbelief. She didn't like Keefe like that... Right?
After all, she had a crush on Fitz, didn't she?
Truth to be told, she hadn't felt the same around Fitz anymore since they'd broken up. Her stomach stopped doing backflips and she rarely blushed around him anymore.
And even when they were officially together, she didn't feel the rush she'd expected. They hadn't seen each other much at all, and she was usually feeling really complied to hide things from him. Even when other people had asked, she'd went out of her way to say they weren't dating.
Actually, if she'd was being really, really honest, she'd spent way more time with Keefe during that brief time of Fitz and her being in a relationship.
It almost felt wrong to do or discuss anything about their relationship in front of Keefe. And it shouldn't have. But it did. And Sophie had no idea why.
But the Great Foster Oblivion was finally starting to make sense to Sophie.
Those unidentifiable feeling for Keefe had always been kicking in when she was with him, especially before Lady Gisela had given him his new powers in Loamnore.
And the fact that it was so easy to talk to him? To explain her worries, because she knew their friendship was a no judgment zone?
It was really starting to make sense.
Sophie's heart was racing as she remembered the constant times she'd raced over to the Shores of Solace in turmoil, and how Keefe was always waiting patiently for her. How he'd kept her steady in the sunsets they'd spend together on the porch swings.
(Art by Shannon Messenger, included in the special English edition of Legacy's endpapers!)
Sophie understood it all now. Why she'd never felt the spark she'd been expecting with Fitz. Why Fitz was always so jealous of the time she spent with Keefe. Why she'd always been able to open up to Keefe so easily.
Because a tiny part of her had always liked Keefe.
A/N: Well. There you guys have it! I feel like Shannon Messenger with this cliffhanger, honestly. But a part of me wants to shout, "MUAHAHA!" I know, I know, I'm pretty evil! But I promise you, now that Sophie knows how she feels, there will be a lot. And in case it's not totally clear, Sophie is NOT aware that Keefe likes her. She's been focusing on her own feelings around him, and she doesn't notice how he felt. Talk about our oblivious little girl! Aaaanyways, I'll try and update soon, but I feel like I might need a few days to plan out where it's going to go from here. This story will probably be a super long one, with sooo many chapters. I may even make a sequel by the end of the year if we're finished with this by the time book 9 comes out.