DID THAT TITLE INTEREST YOU LOL
Yes, this will be crazy. No, I am not sorry. And no, I can't guarantee she'll actually end up with Keefe this time. Wait and see... *author smirk*
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Sophie practically skipped into school. Yes, skipped. But how could she not? She was about to be with her true love. And that made her almost fine with enduring these cursed hours. Though she had a photographic memory and easily sailed through most of her work, she still hated math with a burning passion. Sure, it was logical, but... when was she going to use any of the math she was learning in high school in real life? She knew she didn't want a future in anything to do with it, so—
"Hey Foster!" a voice called, thankfully interrupting her thoughts. Sophie recognized it almost immediately and smiled, stopping and turning to face her good friend.
"Oh, hey Keefe!"
"You look happy," he commented with a smirk, sidling up beside her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders casually as they walked. She rolled her eyes, but didn't push him off. He was just a natural flirt; Keefe Sencen wasn't going to get in the way of her and...
Just thinking about the blessed one made her grin from ear to ear, which seemed to get Keefe's attention. "Seriously though, Foster. What's with the sudden happiness? You've been stressed for weeks. And, honestly, can't blame you. Sooo, what happened?"
The mention of her former stress had Sophie go into a few memories that felt centuries long, but couldn't have taken more than a fraction of a second to go through her mind. She felt a shiver run down her back, and her fists clenched on instinct. Why? Well, that answer was probably the simplest that Sophie could ever give.
Sophie had been a part of an experiment conducted by a secret society that flew under the government's radar, but only meant to help it. She had been an agent since Seventh Grade, training to use her unique capabilities to make the world a better place.
Unfortunately, it wasn't a very safe or trauma-free thing to be a part of.
Shaking of her past for the time being, Sophie shrugged and said, "I dunno."
Keefe placed his free hand over his heart. "Foster Foster Foster! How dare you lie to me?"
Keefe, one of Sophie's better friends, was also a part of the Black Swan's — the organization — experiment. They were training him to be like a human lie detector, and Sophie kept stupidly underestimating his incredible skill in what he did.
Without warning, a hand swatted Keefe's arm away and dragged her off into the building. After a minute, thankfully, they stopped in a quiet spot, and Sophie turned to see if it was Fitz, Dex, or Biana.
"You clearly needed saving," Biana said with a laugh as Sophie met her gaze. She wasn't that surprised, honestly, but she still shoved her friend playfully.
"I was just fine! He would've figured it out eventually anyway, right? That I'm taken? It's kind of hard to ignore," Sophie commented, hoping that she was right for his sake.
"I mean, probably. It's pretty obvious," Biana said with a smirk, glancing at Sophie's hand for added affect before meeting Sophie's eyes again with her sparkly teal ones that were so much like her brother's.
Biana was the stealth experiment. She was the quietest, sneakiest person Sophie had ever come across, especially after the experimentation, and she could blend in so easily when she wanted to.
But, usually, Biana Vacker kind of stood out.
Why? Oh, because she was a queen. That's all.
In all seriousness, though, Biana was the most popular girl at Foxfire High. There was no getting around it, no denying it. So why she hung out with Sophie outside the Black Swan? She'd never know.
Over Biana's shoulder, Sophie watched Dex jog up to their little group and wrap an arm around Biana, an adorably huge grin on his face. "Hi girls! How are best friend and my beautiful girl doing on this fine day?"
Ahhh, Dex. The (thanks to the Black Swan) enhanced tech savvy, the lovable sidekick. And the only one with no drama going on, which made him even more awesome. Sophie did not need any more drama in her life. He'd also landed Biana as his girlfriend a little earlier in the year, and Sophie didn't know how in the world that had happened without her realizing it — maybe she was a little more oblivious than she'd care to admit — but she was happy for them.
Sophie was snapped back to the present when Biana beamed, gave him the most adorable peck on the cheek (which turned his red), and replied, "Oh, we're both doing good! Well, I mean," Biana amended, flashing Sophie an amused look, "besides that one's boy trouble."
Dex perked up. "Boy trouble, you say? Well, have no fear! Dex da Dizznee is here!"
Biana wrinkled her nose. "That should not be a thing."
"Yeah," Sophie agreed, trying so hard not to laugh, "be careful not to say that too loud. It could catch on."
"Awesome," Dex replied with this smile on his face that could only mean trouble.
Suddenly the bell for first period rang, and they all remembered they had places to be. But before they made a run for it, Sophie made sure they were still on for their usual Monday meet-up after school, and asked Dex to text Keefe, saying she'd take care of Fitz.
The hours passed by so slowly, but Sophie was proud to say that she survived it yet again. Mostly. Math just about ended her. But she could get past that, someday. At that moment, she had a mission. Get out of the class room, gather the last of her things from her locker, get out of the building. And all without stopping and talking to anybody.
That turned out to be an impossible mission, though, because someone from chorus stopped her in the hall about three yards from the door to freedom, and they talked for about the longest five minutes Sophie could remember. But she endured it, because this girl was pretty nice to her, unlike some.
Finally, she said goodbye, and made a subtle-but-not-so-subtle dash into freedom.
And she ran right into Fitz.
Thankfully, he didn't trip, but Sophie nearly fell face-first on the concrete, and he had to catch her. Sophie could not describe the embarrassment she felt in that moment.
"Fitz, I am so sorry," she said, trying not to let herself blush or let her voice sound too much like she was about to cry as she scrambled to her feet and brushed herself off, though she hadn't actually gotten anything on her, thanks to Fitz.
"Don't worry about it, Sophie," he replied graciously with a kind smile, offering her his arm. For a second, she just stood there, puzzled and still disoriented. Then she realized he wanted her to take it, so she did so with a casual haste, and they started walking arm-in-arm to their destination.
The ice cream parlor wasn't even a quarter of a mile away. Whoever had though of that deserved to be showered with riches and happiness forever. And a few medals. That place was the only way Sophie and her friends could stay sane in all of the madness that was their lives. It kept them close, too. And that made all the difference.
It only took a few minutes of walking and laughter-filled conversation to reach the spot, and their friends waited at the black, metal tables outside the bright, cheerful building. The group now reunited, all headed inside to order their treat.
Sophie had just finished ordering her usual — cookie dough with chocolate sprinkles in a waffle cone — when out of the corner of her eye, she saw Keefe approach her, take her hand, and take it lightly, motioning with his eyes toward the door.
What could he need to tell me out there? Sophie wondered, puzzled. Still, she let him pull her out of the little shop and sit them at one of the two-person metal tables outside.
A certain phrase was echoing around in her mind, though: Curiosity killed the cat.
For a few seconds, the two stared between the table and one another. Then something in Keefe's face became more... decided? Firm? Final? Whatever it was, if not all three, he finally spoke.
"Foster... we've known each other for two years. And you need to know this before I turn chicken, so..." He paused, taking a deep breath and dragging his eyes from the table to meet hers. "I've been in love with you since day one. And I really, really want to date you." He paused again, seeming to realize he hadn't actually asked the question, so he did. "Please date me, Sophie."
And Sophie? Sophie was speechless.
What could she tell him? She was hoping he'd caught on before, but apparently he didn't realize...
It broke her heart to tell him, but she had to: "I'm taken."
He nodded, mumbling "Oh, okay. That's fine," but his face betrayed him. He was absolutely heartbroken. And that hurt Sophie just as much as it hurt him.
Sophie Foster had, in the entire two years, never seen Keefe Sencen this serious before. Even when his mom left him and his cruel father, who mentally abused him.
He really does love me.
And that made it somehow even worse.
"Who is he?" Keefe asked quietly.
Sophie bit her lip, debating with herself on how to go about this. But, in the end, she decided to simply go for it. So she picked up her purse.
"What are you doing?" Keefe asked, confusion written all over his face in a kind of adorable way.
Sophie reached inside the purse, and pulled it out, opening it up to show him. "This is who I'm in love with."
He stared. And stared. And stared.
Then he burst out laughing.
"It's— pockets?" he wheezed, smacking his hand on his leg to try and get some sort of control over his laughter. But he was clearly failing.
"Yes, pockets!" Sophie cried defensively, hugging the little hand-sized pocket she'd made herself for carrying around to her chest. "And we are in a committed relationship!"
He couldn't respond for a few seconds because he was laughing so hard, but he started taking some slow deep breaths, and had it under control enough to say, "Sorry, sorry. That's not fair. I mean, I sleep with a stuffed gulon named Mrs. Stinkbottom, and she's the best thing to bless this earth, so I can't really judge you, can I?"
Sophie knew her cheeks were as red as poppies, and guessed that people had probably started staring when Keefe had gone into hysterics earlier, but she somehow mustered up the courage to reply, "I mean, I guess it is kind of weird once you think about it. But, really, pockets are perfect for me. They're always there for me when I need them, they'll never betray me, they're great helpers, and they're always there to hold your hand if you need it. So am I really crazy for loving pockets?" She realized what she'd just said a second later. "Yeah, probably. That probably does make me crazy. But hey, they're all I've got, and they're amazing, and I already promised Biana she could be the maid of honor at the wedding—"
Keefe held up his hand to stop her, a smirk flickering to life at the side of his mouth. "Hang on. Hold up. Did you say... wedding?"
Sophie rolled her eyes, burying her face in her hands with a mildly frustrated sigh. "Keefe, if you laugh at me right now, I swear you'll regret it forever."
"Okay," Keefe said, though she could see he was still fighting a grin. "But that's not true, y'know."
"What's not?" Sophie asked, the crinkle in her brow she could feel beginning to form probably marking her confusion.
"Pockets aren't all you've got."
She felt her cheeks begin to radiate with a different kind of warmth. And it only grew more intense as he took her hand. It felt like her mouth and joints were glued in place.
"I'm always there if you need me," Keefe began, a shy smile spreading across his face as he inched his chair a little closer. "I have betrayed you before, but if I can help it, I'll never do it again. I'm a great helper. And" —he squeezed Sophie's hand— "I'm always here to hold your hand if you need it."
Suddenly, pockets didn't seem quite as attractive anymore compared to this. To him.
After a long second, Sophie's mouth finally unfroze, and she was once again (marginally) capable of speech. "And how are you planning to prove all of that?"
He blushed — actually blushed — as he replied, "I'll prove it every day if you'll let me."
On impulse, Sophie took his other hand, and squeezed gently. For a wonderful moment, they just smiled at each-other, looking into each-other's eyes.
Then Biana ruined the moment.
"Here are your ice creams, guys!" she announced cheerfully as she waltzed through the doors and over to them with the two delicious-looking-but-rather-hateful-in-the-moment desserts. "Don't worry about paying. Fitz and I decided to make it our treat today."
The moment was broken.
"Thanks, Biana," Sophie said lamely, letting go of Keefe's hands to take the waffle cone. She could practically feel his face fall even though she couldn't see it.
Biana stood still for a moment, Keefe's ice cream still in hand, before her eyebrows knit together. "I messed something up, didn't I?"
"No no, it's okay," Sophie said quickly, forcing a smile and taking Keefe's ice cream, which she handed to him before turning back to her poor, guilty-looking friend. "Really, Biana, it's okay. We were just..."
Was there a nonchalant way of saying "about to kiss even though I'm technically dating pockets"?
Nope.
Biana's eyes widened slowly. "Did you tell him? Did he tell you? Were you just having a deep moment?!" She rushed back towards the door, stopping before pushing it open to say, "I was never here! Pretend I was never here!" Then she scurried into the ice cream parlor and out of sight.
(This was 100% my favorite paragraph out of this entire story.)
Sophie turned back to Keefe, eyebrows raised. "Did she know about how you... um... feel about me?"
Keefe laughed in an almost bitter way. "I don't think there's anyone who doesn't know. I mean, except for before I told you. You were pretty much the only one who didn't see it, I think. I was kind of obvious. It got embarrassing sometimes."
All she could seem to say was "Oh."
Silence seemed to be becoming their new best friend.
Finally, Sophie decided to break it, even if it meant risking everything. "I think I love you, too."
It took a second, but then what she'd said seemed to click in Keefe's brain, and his eyebrows practically shot off his forehead. "What?"
Suddenly, Sophie felt stupid. "I think"? Who says "I think"? It's either all in, or all out, Sophie. You need to do this.
One last deep breath.
"I love you."
Then they were right back where they'd left off. Holding each-other's hands, gazing into each-other's eyes. But this time, they got to the part where they leaned closer and closer, inch by inch.
Then they collided.
The last time Sophie had been kissed, she couldn't enjoy it. It was her cousin. At least, by adoption. But this time was different. This made her feel like, even if they were caught, she wouldn't stop. She wouldn't care. Because this was where she belonged.
Keefe gently wrapped an arm around her waist, and she cupped his cheek in her hand. This felt so delicate. And yet... she'd never felt so strong.
Four years later, and Sophie still loved pockets.
But it was Keefe she met at the end of the aisle, and it was Keefe she planned on spending the rest of her life with, until the day she died.
Keefe was her forever. And she couldn't thank him enough for showing her that.
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So, first of all, who else is disappointed that Sophokets wasn't cannon in this? :(
But, for real though, this was really fun lol! Thanks to inky_galaxies for giving me this idea without actually meaning to. It was genius.
This honestly wasn't how I was expecting it to end exactly, but I'm glad it did. Are you lol?
Again, thank you for all of your support, and thank you to the people who demanded another part to this story haha. It makes me feel powerful >:)
Until next time!