the void // a sokeefe human au

7 - Cruel

A/N: AHHHH! So sorry! I had already written out a majority of chapters-- but I never published them. Thanks to those who reminded me! I wrote them so I would be able to release a chapter even during the week of exams, but I guess that didn't quite work well... oops. On a brighter note, look forward to an update every other day!

Keefe POV

Keefe jumped in delight upon seeing his friends, though they seemed to be hurt— well, that was from the pan Keefe used. Oops.

"I told you guys not to go overboard!" Biana scoffed. "Let's put the pans back." While Biana and Brielle placed the pans back to one of the shelves, Keefe and Dex were going through what seemed to be a large box full of board games. Keefe grinned malevolently, knowing that he had always beaten Fitz at Monopoly, Life, Battleship, and Sorry!, though he lost a few games of checkers. Keefe turned to Sophie. He took out a few dusty board game boxes.

"Did Mr. Forkle give you permission to rummage through everything?" Marella scoffed, crossing her arms as she introduced herself to Sophie and Brielle.

"Hi, I'm Marella, they are Tam and Linh. We're going to be your mentors along with Mr. Forkle!"

"Foster, which board game should we play?" Keefe asked. He glanced at her, waiting for a reply. Sophie stroked her chin, contemplating. Brielle let out a cough.

"Let's play Connect-4!" Brielle interrupted, sitting next to Keefe. "Unless anyone wants to play a different game." The group of actors and actresses just nodded in response.

"Ten bucks that I'll beat Keefe!" Fitz shouted as Keefe and Biana chuckled. Each time Fitz played against Keefe, he would always lose-- there was no way he could win. "Hey! Don't laugh! I practiced a lot in preparation for the next game!"

"Sure, sure, Fitz. It's on!" Keefe grinned while unboxing the dusty-yet-new board game.

"I bet one hundred bucks that Keefe will win!" Dex chimed in.

"I saw Fitz practicing yesterday-- I wouldn't be so sure. My money's on Fitz." Tam huffed, sitting next to his sister, Linh.

"Finally!" Fitz grinned, high-fiving Tam, despite Tam's reluctance to do so.

_________________________________

Sophie POV

Sophie clicked the power button on her phone as it glowed a "1:27 am". Keefe and Fitz were playing their 52 round (though it felt like the one thousandth) of Connect-4. Though Keefe did lose the first round, he insisted on another until he could win one. Sophie yawned, her eyelids barely able to keep open. She was tired. It was a fun day, with the photo shoot, pizza, limo, movie, pans, and the board game, but she could barely grasp the reality of it. She was grateful to have the presence of her new friends with her. She had not known them for long at all just prior to the photo shoot— but if felt like she knew them since forever. Sophie closed her eyes, falling into the warm scene that enclosed her mind. Biana tapped her shoulder.

"Sophie, wake up! Keefe finally won!" Marella whispered. Sophie sat straight up. Biana chuckled.

"YES! FINALLY I GOT IT!" Keefe shouted. Fitz rolled his eyes.

"One more round?" Keefe glared, raising an eyebrow as well. Brielle interrupted before Fitz could leave any sort of answer.

"No- Sophie looks really tired. This is her first feature as an actress, so she should get some sleep to prepare." Brielle said in an overly concerned tone.

"Sorry, Foster— I didn't know." Keefe displayed a look of apologetic-ness on his face. Sophie shook her head, it was fine.

Tam stood up and walked towards the window, putting his head up against it to see the weather outside. "Is the flash flood warning gone?"

"Yeah, but it still is drizzling." Linh advised, looking up from her phone's weather app.

"Sophie and I can head out first then. I'll call my bodyguard, Robert." Brielle singsonged as she looked through her red Chanel purse.

While Brielle called her bodyguard, Keefe walked over to the coffee table and handed the leftover pizza box to Sophie. "Take the leftover pizza. I'm completely full and so are the others. Besides, if Forkle found out we ate pizza and got it on his new coffee table, he'd be furious." He smiled warmly.

"Thanks, Keefe!" Sophie smiled, just as Brielle's bodyguard arrived at the door.

"Let's go now." Brielle said as she signaled Sophie to follow. As she exited the warm shelter of the photo shoot mansion and entered into the navy blue drizzling atmosphere. Even though she was outside, she could still hear the muffled voices of the actors and actresses inside.

"Why did you give Sophie that pizza?" Sophie overheard Fitz ask Keefe.

"No reason," Keefe replied in a nonchalant manner.

"I heard your stomach grumble during Connect-4– and you gave that pizza to Sophie. Why?" Fitz stated.

Sophie froze.

"I feel like I can empathize with her. I'm new to acting too, so I want her to feel welcome."

Sophie felt her face grow red.

"Sophie! It's about to pour!" Brielle said.

"Coming!"

Sophie entered Brielle's limo as Robert opened the door for both of the actresses.

———

"The reason why I wanted to go on this limo with you is because I wanted to discuss something." Brielle said while the limo engine started.

"Yes?"

"The truth is, you need to stay away from Keefe." Brielle scoffed, her tone morphing from a friendly tone to one full of irritation.

****

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please comment/vote! For any grammar/spelling issues, please let me know!