Some Love Isn't Forever (Book One of 'The True Reality' Series)

Better Days, Gone Now

Sophie looke at the ground, avoiding Marella's gaze. She did NOT, just play that card.

But she had.

"I don't think that's a good idea..." Keefe muttered.

Marella laughed. "Come on, it'll be fun!"

Sophie just shook her head, unable to say anything. There was too much rage and fury, and something else she couldn't determine building up in her head.

"If neither of you are going to say anything else, I'll just pick first." She glanced between them for a moment. "Sophie, truth or dare?"

Sophie reached up and pulled out an eyelash. Of course she'd picked her. "Um, dare...."

Marella sighed as if disappointed, before brightening up again. "I dare you to tell me exactly what you two are hiding."

Sophie's head shot up. "Hey, that's a truth style question! That can't count!" She shrugged.

"I said it like it was a dare, and you have to do it, or I text the others to come over and join us." She smirked, and Sophie glared at her for a while.

She glanced at Keefe, who was staring at the floor, looking as though he might cry. With one final sigh, Sophie straightened, and looked Marella straight in the eye. "Do you swear not to tell anyone?"

She held up her right hand and held her left to her chest. "I swear."

Sophie looked again at Keefe, who was now looking at her, but it was like he was glad she was telling her. Weird...

"Keefe and I knew each other when we were in grade school. We used to hang out down at my mom's cafe, until um... we sort of grew apart and stopped talking to each other." That last detail wasn't something she wanted to share, not yet.

Marella narrowed her eyes. "That's it? That's what you're hiding? You guys are pathetic, either that or you're not telling the full story."

This time, Keefe spoke. "I made a mistake, and started hanging out with this group of kids that sort of robbed the cafe. I screwed up, and I can't blame you if you never forgive me." It took Sophie a minute to realize he was no longer just talking to Marella. He was admitting his mistake to her.

He reached into his pocket and pulled something out.  He tossed it to Sophie, and she caught it. It was a silver locket with a little bird carved into the top. It was from some myth Keefe had told her about once. He called it a Moonlark.

But it wasn't just the carving that was important. It was the whole meaning behind it. Even after all these years, he'd kept it...

She looked up, tears slowly falling down her face. "I-I should go" without a second though she ran for the door, slamming it shut behind her and running down the sidewalk.

She didn't know when she got home, but the next time she regained consciousness, she was sitting on the front porch staring down at the locket.

The memories came flooding back to her in a blur.

She'd only been nine at the time, so about two years before the incident. They were at her mom's cafe, the usual hang out. Amy was helping her mom bake cupcakes. Her and Keefe sat at a corner booth in the back doing homework.

"This is so boring!" Keefe complained. "Can't we go play basketball or something? I'll even settle for video games, or even the library over this!"

Sophie shook her head. "No, you already waited three weeks to get this assignment done. We need to finish it now or we'll never see the light of day out of the detention windows again!"

He gave an exasperated sigh, before cutting himself off. "That's what I forgot! I was out buying your birthday present!"

She grinned. "Keefe, my birthday is another month away."

He smirked. "Guess I forgot. Well, I might as well give it to you now that you know" he reached into his pocket and held out a silver locket with a bird engraved on the cover.

"Whoa! How did you afford that?!" Sophie said, grabbing the necklace.

He shrugged. "Well, I sort of made a promise that I would pay my mom back the extra money, but Uhh. Yeah. That's about it. It has a Moonlark on it from the one story Mrs. David's told in nglish that one time. You said you liked it and I saw this, so uh. There you go!" He smiled as if he was embarrassed, but Sophie just gave him a hug.

"Thank you"

She'd left the locket with her mom's keys the night of the break in. The necklace wasn't there when she went back later. She'd just thought it had been lost in the commotion.

But now...

Sophie was brought back to reality when a blood curdling team came from the house. She stuffed the locket in her pocket, and ran inside the house.

She saw Her parents asleep on the couch, but for some reason, Amy was shaking them vigorously, tears pouring down her face. "Mom, dad, please wake up!"

Sophie ran across the carpet and grabbed Amy by the shoulders. "Any, let them sleep, what's wrong"

She pulled away from her grip. "They aren't asleep Sophie! They won't move, THEY AREN'T BREATHING!" Sophie shook her head in disbelief and grabbed her mom's wrist; checking her pulse.

Amy was right. There wasn't even the slightest pulse.

This needed to happen. Don't hurt meeeee XD