This begins right before the chapter before this: Keefe's about to help Sophie with her mimicking
Keefe paced the lawn outside Havenfield.
Biana had told him that Sophie needed help with her mimicking, so he came. Honestly, that hadn't been the only reason. He would have to find a way to bring up the Fitz subject, making sure she was okay and comfortable with being in a relationship. Fitz was sweet, but he could be overbearing, and Keefe knew that Sophie probably wouldn't say anything if she was uncomfortable.
And, to be honest, he just wanted an excuse to see her.
She arrived, and he could feel her hope and excitement, mixed with a bit of nerves, from across the field.
He could feel how much she expected him to be Fitz.
He had prepared himself for this, but it still hurt. He hadn't thought it would be this painful to feel how much she didn't like him. But he would hide behind jokes like he always did. Cover up his pain with humor. Pretend it didn't hurt.
He cleared his throat.
"Wow, thanks for that," Keefe tried to wave her emotions away, but they were too strong. "I can feel how not happy you are to see me. Maybe you were expecting someone else? Maybe Mr. Lover Boy?" Keefe smiled away the sting the words gave him and made kissy noises until Sophie shoved him.
"Shut up!" she ordered, in that adorably annoyed voice. Hot waves of annoyance were wafting toward him. "I just... wasn't expecting you to be here."
"Right, because you were expecting Wonderboy," Keefe smirked and crossed his arms. He knew he was right. "Don't even try to deny it. You can't lie to an Empath!"
"It doesn't matter! Why are you here, anyway?" Sophie was getting embarrassed. A flush worked its way up her cheeks.
"Dexipoo said that you needed help with mimicking, so here I am!" Keefe spread out his arms. "Here to help you pass your midterms, the mimicking king himself, the Keefster!"
"Great," Sophie grumbled.
"I'm gonna assume that meant 'Thank you, Keefe! You're my only hope!"
"Go ahead," Sophie rolled her eyes. "So, you got any tricks for me to pass my midterms?"
"Aren't we gonna go into your room?" Keefe asked.
"Nope! I don't trust you around all my stuff!" Sophie answered. Keefe knew that wasn't the reason, but he chose not to embarrass her further. He knew it had something to do with the Wonderboy. Besides, he didn't want to hear or feel more feelings about Fitz and how great he was. "We can work right out here." She plopped down on the soft grass, and Keefe sat down next to her.
Edaline came out of the pterodactyl enclosure and came to an abrupt stop at the sight of Keefe. She started walking again, a smile that reminded Keefe of Sophie's stuck on her face.
Wow, he was obsessed. Keefe ordered himself to snap out of it. Sophie was a friend, and that wasn't going to change. He needed to get over her.
Easier said than done.
"Can I get you two anything?" Edaline asked, winking.
Keefe watched a blush rise up Sophie's face as she said, "Maybe some custard bursts or something?"
"Sure," Edaline nodded her head a little too hard and backed away toward the house.
"That was weird," Sophie muttered, reliably oblivious. Keefe smiled at her knowingly. "What?" she asked
Keefe shook his head. "Nothing. So, do you wanna start?"
"Yeah, sure," Sophie agreed. She was pulling her hair over her face for some reason. Why would she want to hide perfection?
Keefe resisted the urge to scrub at his face with his hands.
"So, the first trick to mimicking is to pick up the emotion in the words. Polyglots are obviously the best at mimicking, but empaths are pretty good too because we understand the feeling behind the words changes the tone, and the way the words are said," Keefe began.
It was one of the only things he and his mother could do together, so Keefe had put special effort into mastering every little bit of mimicking. Even though it was extra hard when you weren't a polyglot. Even though his father thought it was a waste of time. Even though Lady Gisela hadn't noticed when he'd finally perfected the skill, choosing to spend time with her friends or snipe at his dad.
Edaline strolled back outside, a little too casual, and snapped her fingers to make a tray of custard bursts appear on the grass in front of them.
Keefe thanked her and he and Sophie dug into the dessert. When Keefe looked up, though, Grady was glaring at him as though Sophie were sharing treats with a mutant Gorgonops. Keefe felt his forehead, almost surprised there weren't laser beam marks there from Grady's stare.
"Um, Dad?" Sophie waved her arms around a bit. "Hello?"
Grady blinked, but Keefe could feel his determination and annoyance from across the field. "Sorry, sorry, continue." He went into one of the pastures closest to them, but Keefe could feel him straining to listen. The enclosure was closer to Sophie and Keefe then than the other ones, as well.
"So, what were you saying?" Sophie asked, keeping her determined, beautiful turquoise eyes on Keefe.
"I mean, listen to this." Keefe pushed the thought out of his mind, and he concentrated on Sophie's emotions when he said, in an impression of Sophie's voice, "So, what were you saying?
"See?" he said when Sophie gasped. "I said that with annoyance, some curiosity, and just a hint of impatience."
"That's really cool!" Sophie said. Keefe thought of a way to bring up the Fitz subject. If he annoyed her, she would threaten him. Then, he could ask...
"That's really cool!" Keefe mimicked.
"Keefe, stop."
"Keefe, stop."
"I'm not kidding!"
"I'm not kidding!"
"Keefe, I will hurt you."
"Keefe, I will hurt you."
Sophie was beyond annoyed and grunted. Then she had an idea. "I have ugly hair!"
"I have- Ooh, you got me there, Ruewen," Keefe laughed. "Cute, violent, and smart. Fitz is a lucky man."
She couldn't feel how much he meant it.
Sophie rolled her eyes. "I think I'm gonna practice mimicking now."
"Aw, where's the fun in that?" Keefe needed to ask about Fitz.
"What should I mimic?" Sophie refused to take the bait.
"How about this: Keefe, you are so much better than Wonderboy- plus, you have awesome hair!" Keefe carefully fluffed his hair, making sure not to upset the style.
Sophie's eyebrows pinched together like they always did when she was concentrating. "So, the first trick to mimicking is to pick up the emotion in the words." Her voice was a LITTLE better than usual... but not as good as she probably should be for her exams. She just hadn't known everything Keefe was feeling.
"I don't think I'm the best person for you to mimic," Keefe told her. "You don't know everything I'm feeling." Story of their entire friendship. She didn't know what he was feeling.
"What? Then how am I supposed to know what Sir Kaleo's feeling?" Sophie asked, frustrated.
"That's different. I'm more... complicated than he is. It's part of my whole 'bad boy image.'" Keefe flipped his hair, trying to distract her from wondering what feelings she had missed. "You should try Fitz instead." She should know him better. Plus, this would give Keefe another chance to broach the subject she was avoiding.
"Okaay..." Sophie looked at him with suspicion. "What should I say?"
"How should I know? You're his girlfriend." Keefe smiled to hide the hurt behind the words he could barely force out, Thankfully, she didn't seem to notice.
"Fine," Sophie pinched the bridge of her nose. But before she could say a thing, a figure appeared at the front gate.
Because he had horrible timing, Fitz jogged towards Sophie and Keefe, only to stop short when he saw Keefe sitting with Sophie. Keefe could feel his jealousy from across the field.
Sophie's emotions wafted towards him. She was feeling guilty, and nervous, but there was some excitement mixed in. But Fitz's eyes were narrowed with suspicion. Keefe figured he had to do some damage control, so Fitz wouldn't get the wrong idea.
"Hi, Fitzy! Since your girlfriend is horrible at mimicking, and I am the Mimicking King," Keefe attempted an evil laugh, "I offered to help tutor her- actually, scratch that, she asked me to tutor her- wait, scratch that again, I offered to tutor her- wait no, Biana volunteered me to tutor her, not that I wouldn't have anyway, but that's where I got the idea... and I don't know, just seemed like it would be better to help her pass so she could stay at Foxfire." Keefe tried to come up with a reason he was there that would sound the least suspicious, or at least wipe the angry look off Fitz's face.
"Smooth," a voice Keefe was very familiar with sounded from behind Fitz. "Real smooth."
Keefe felt a rare flush rising on his cheeks, and Biana popped her head out from behind Fitz, laughing.
"Wait, Biana? Why are you here?" Fitz asked. There was shock and annoyance rising off him, (he was standing right next to Keefe) and Keefe had to remind himself it wasn't his.
"Didn't you leap together?" Sophie asked.
"Nope!" Biana answered. "Fitz wanted alone time, so he came over, and I came because I left something at your house last week. And also because I wanted to see the drama!"
No, Biana. Don't say it. Keefe wished he were a Telepath so he could transmit the words to the Vanisher.
"What drama?" Sophie questioned.
"NO!" Keefe and Fitz shouted. Fitz was afraid of what might happen if Sophie knew? Hmm... maybe it would be almost worth it to tell her. Keefe shook his head, dismissing the thought. He didn't want to destroy two friendships.
"Jeez," Biana said, amusement evident in her eyes. "Fine, I won't tell her. But someone's gonna have to eventually! She's obviously not gonna figure it out on her own!"
Keefe prayed, prayed, prayed that Biana would stop hinting at it and shut up. Even though it was true. If Sophie hadn't figured it out yet, she was never going to.
"Excuse me?" Sophie let off curiosity and annoyance. "Figure out what?"
"See?" Biana said. Neither of the boys budged, and Biana sighed again and said, "Whatever, fine. But I do want to get my dress, so I'll do that, and you guys can stay here and talk."
Keefe cursed Biana over and over in his head for the way she emphasized the last word. Sophie moved to get up, and Keefe almost hoped she would so he could talk to Fitz alone, but Biana waved her down. Maybe that was a good thing, actually. Biana might have taken the chance to finally clue Sophie in to the triangle.
"I know where it is, I'll be right back." Biana headed over to the house, thankfully, wiggling her fingers at them over her shoulder.
That was his cue to let Fitz and Sophie have some alone time couple bonding. He almost laughed at the thought. "So, I'm gonna go..." Keefe held his crystal up to the light. "Have fun! Hail ya later, Fitzy!"
He still had to talk to Fitz about everything. But now was not the time. So Keefe let the warm feathers envelop him and carry him away to his least favorite place on earth: home.
Away from anything fun, and choices, and pranks, and laughter. And worst of all, away from the beautiful turquoise eyes he could never get out of his head.
First Keefe's POV! Next chapter is... ahem, a little depressing? So um. There's that.
Poor Keefe-