𝔸 𝔽𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕙𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕠𝕗 𝕊𝕠𝕂𝕖𝕖𝕗𝕖

6. Could it be?

Still Keefe's point of view: (I know. Sorry. I'll switch views eventually.)

Before:

"Good. Because from here on out, I forbid you from seeing your friends until they are out of the Healing Center," my dad says flatly

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

"WHAT!?!?!" I shouted, probably almost breaking the glass.

My dad and Ro cringed.

"Yes my son. You will not be seeing your friends until they are out of the Healing Center as your punishment. Case closed," my dad shoots back

"But... But that could take like.... FOREVER!!" I scream

"I'm aware of that Keefe," my dad says way to calm

"But... Ro and I are doing this bet too," I try to protest

"Well... too bad," he says, "Lose it for once, son. It won't change your life," he says

"It might though," I mumble under my breath. Fitz could wake up any day now. Not that I'm that desperate.... but still...

"Live with it, Keefe. Life won't always be as good as yours right now. You are lucky, you know," my dad says gravely, doing that ugly face again.

And then you know what? I just... snap.

Something just... breaks inside of me. I couldn't stand him any more. I... I hated him.

ALL of him.

At least I think so.

Even though I was an Empath, feelings were still tricky sometimes. But all matters aside now. I broke out into a long, compassionate speech.

"You think I'm lucky, huh? My life just couldn't get any better, could it? And everybody wishes they had a family. A REAL family. I have a mother who's out there plotting how to KILL my friends and me. Trying to change me and do "the right thing". I have a dad who's never even been proud of me."

"Always trying to make the best out of everything," I continue after a breath, "But you know what? That just makes it worse. No one is ever there to comfort me. You don't even want me living with you," I say, my voice cracking the slightest bit at the last words.

"But you know what? That's fine. I don't want you either. So LIVE WITH IT DAD. LIVE WITH IT. I DON'T CARE ANYMORE. I HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE MY OWN DECISIONS. DEEP DOWN INSIDE, I CARE. ASIDE ALL THE JOKES I MAKE, I CARE FOR THE ONES I LOVE. SO I SAY, I CAN DO WHATEVER I THINK IS RIGHT. NOT YOU. NOT ANYONE. ME." I scream with all my might.

Then it's quiet.

Quiet.

Nothing.

Ro just walks away not wanting to be a part of this, leaving my dad and I to negotiate. 

He just holds his stare. Not blinking once.

Silent.

Stunned.

Hurt.

Angry.

All those feelings flowing out of him into the air.

He knew I meant the words I said though.

He was an Empath, after all.

We stood there holding each other's gazes for what feels like forever. Then my dad finally says,

"Well... It seems like you've made your choice then."

"I have," I say.

Then his face darkens at me.

"We'll have to talk about this again some other time," he says, his voice getting deeper, "Up to your room. Now." he orders

Well that was fine with me. I stomp up stairs, not even checking if Ro was behind me, and slam the door shut.

Sophie:
   
When Keefe left the Healing Center, I couldn't help feeling worried for him. Lord Cassius wasn't well... the best father in the world.
   
"Do you think Keefe will be okay?" I ask Elwin
   
"I'm sure he'll survive," he answers, as he checks the measurements for a murky green liquid.

I look at the liquid, "Am I going to have to drink that?" I ask
   
He laughs, "No, don't worry. This is for one of my experiments," he says
   
I let out a sigh of relief. I definitely didn't want to know what that tasted like.
   
I look over at Fitz who's still snoozing away. Hopefully, he'll wake up soon. I was getting tired of being in the Healing Center alone. Well... I technically still had Elwin and Keefe, but Elwin was always working on some sort of elixir and now with Keefe gone,

I didn't know what to do.
   
I lay back down on my cot and turn over to study Fitz. He's calm with his eyes fluttering the slightest bit while he clutched Mr. Snuggles to his chest. And even with the messy bedhead and bandages all over his body, he still managed to look like a perfect and cute prince.

But I had other things to think about. Like worrying about Keefe, and what kind of punishment he would have this time. Most importantly...

What was he trying to tell me before his dad barged into the room?

He had said he had been trying to tell me for a long time now... so...

Ugh. I can only think of the most dreadful things he could say. Like... what if it had to do with his mom? Or maybe he found another horrid clue from the Neverseen? Or maybe...

Okay Sophie. Get yourself together. You don't even know if it was bad news. I mean... there was no evidence...

"What ya thinking about over there Sophie?" Elwin asks, interrupting my metal thoughts

"What?" I say

"You're making that face again. Whenever you think, you always make that sort of face when your eyes get kind of zoned out and you stare into space," he says, as he chuckles to himself quietly.

"Oh. Nothing..." I say back, forcing a smile on my face.

But...

Was it really nothing?