Starstruck [KotLC]

Chapter 6

The days after her talk with Alden, Sophie didn't get any information from him or the Black Swan. As always, sleep was impossible, and trudging through school with drooping eyes and a zombie-like walk became normal.

Keefe had decided that Sophie needed some type of pick-me-up halfway through the week, noticing her restlessness throughout her sessions. He insisted she met him in front of the Sanctuary after school on Wednesday. When she arrived, Keefe had set up a huge picnic for the just the two of them. Sophie's cheeks flamed in bashfulness.

"Let's play the question game!" Keefe suggested excitedly. "I ask you a question, you answer it, then you ask me a question."

"Isn't that a little... I don't know...childish?" Sophie asked, eyeing Keefe suspiciously. He gave her a disappointed sigh.

"Foster, live a little. We are children. Stuff like this is what you need. It's what we both need."

She sighed. "OK. But you have to start."

Keefe pumped one fist in the air. "Yes! I can't believe I convinced you that easily."

"Yeah, yeah, don't get too excited." 

"Okay. I'll start, as per her majesty Miss F's request. What are you not telling me about last weekend?" 

"What do you mean?" She replied, almost too quickly. Keefe's eyes widened in recognition.

"So there is something going on! I know you met with Alden last weekend, and ever since then you've gotten zero sleep. So what's up? And don't tell me it's nothing, because we both know that's not true." He replied, sending her his pleading, broken-teen-heartthrob-with-puppy-dog-eyes stare.

"How did you know I met with Alden?"

"I have my ways." He crossed his arms. He'd pulled this one on her before. Sophie readied her defenses.

"Seriously. That's supposed to be classified. How did you know?"

"I told you, I have my ways."

"Tell me right now or I will tell Dame Alina that you were the one who put the ground reekrod on Stina's lunch." She threatened, finally gauging a reaction.

"What?! That wasn't even me though!"

"How did you know?"

"I have my-"

"JUST TELL ME!" Sophie urged, frustrated far beyond Keefe's silly games.

He sighed in defeat and confessed. "Fine. Fitz told me you were over there when I asked why you were being such a zombie. Apparently, that's all he knows." Keefe finished and slouched his shoulders in an attempt to look sad. "There. Are you happy? That was no fun."

"Far from it," she replied, laying on her back to look up at the shining stars that had just scattered across the Sanctuary sky. Keefe followed suit, and the pair sat through a perfectly non-awkward silence. Not the kind where you don't know what to say, but the kind where you think it's better not to say anything at all. The kind of silence where words would ruin the beautiful moment: lying on the grass together with the stars, being in each other's presence. Sophie began naming the stars and constellations above her head, gladly enjoying the pause in conversation, when Keefe finally broke the silence.

"It's your turn still. You never answered."

Sophie mustered the longest and deepest sigh she was sure she'd ever breathed. She knew she could always trust Keefe with anything, and she would never think he'd tell anyone her secret, but she couldn't help but think that an illegal project working against the Council and the Black Swan to find her parents should be a secret guarded heavier than others.

Nevertheless, Keefe had guarded many more equally important secrets for her. She doubted he'd ever betray her. Most importantly, Keefe knew parent drama. She was sure he'd understand her situation better than anyone else, even if he had never had three pairs of parents.

She spoke at last. "Alden is looking for my parents."