He Left Me - KotLC fic (after Unlocked)

Chapter 14

Anywayyyy I felt like Soph needed some normalcy so heres this.

Also I just really think Vertina and Sophie would end up being good friends and vertina would share tons of jolie stories. 

I smiled at Vertina, laughing as she made a face at me. We began to become friends a few days after Keefe disappeared. The pesky girl was stubborn and rude, but she was funny and deep down, compassionate. She was the only one who I could talk to without pretending that I wasn't going insane. 

"And then when Jolie tried to stop Kory from putting the muskog in Ollie Vacker's locker, Kory threw it at her. She ditched and came home so mad she was nearly crying. She stunk for days—I could almost smell it." The petite girl waved a hand in front of her nose. "She spent two days planning how to get him back for it. Brant convinced her to drop it eventually, but Jolie never forgot. When Kory was on her matchmaking scrolls, Jolie screamed and threw it across the room."

I laughed with Vertina. "Jolie would have hated Keefe." I curled my arms around my legs, resting my cheek against my knee.

Vertina's eyes turned sad. "Yeah. But they would've had so much fun driving you crazy."

She was quiet for another moment before adding, "Jolie would have loved you."

"I would've loved her too. I always wanted an older sister. Amy loved to annoy me when we were little, and I used to wish I was a younger sibling instead of the oldest." I smiled at the thought of my little sister.

Vertina nodded, and the silence grew for a moment. "When was the last time you slept for more than a few hours?"

I closed my eyes. "Before the planting," I whispered. I had barely talked to my friends lately, hiding at home. When school started again, I spent lunch in one of the many libraries, arriving to school early and leaving late to avoid everyone. I had so carefully built a wall around my emotions; I couldn't risk it breaking in front of them. I hadn't talked about Keefe with anyone other than Vertina.

The spectral didn't reply. I cracked an eye open.

"The nightmares are getting worse. Sometimes I'm trapped, tied down, watching Keefe or Jolie or Grady and Edaline burn. Sometimes I'm lost in the dark, just my consciousness floating around, even though I know I need to help someone."

"Why do you dream about fires?"

I shrugged. "Maybe I don't want my parents losing another child to a pyrokinetic."

Vertina's big sapphire eyes filled with tears. "I miss her so much."

I unfolded and stretched, folding my legs under me. "I miss her too. And I didn't even know her." I half-smiled.

She smiled back. "You remind me of her, actually. Like how you love Keefe, even though he broke your trust so many times."

I flinched at the reminder of when Keefe ran away to join the Neverseen so long ago. "Like how Jolie loved Brant, even though he was part of the rebels?"

Vertina nodded, her silky black hair swinging. "Exactly. You both love so fiercely."

I looked down, wishing, for once, that Vertina was a real person instead of just programming. She was easy to talk to, much easier than anyone else. "I feel like I lost her, too. I could've had an older sister if she didn't die."

"Maybe you would relax more if she was here. And actually sleep."

I almost laughed.

"Sophie!" Grady called up from downstairs.

I looked at Vertina, and she smiled, motioning for me to go. She disappeared as soon as I stepped out of her sight, and I carefully built up the mask I used around other people.