Sokeefe AU: The Farmer's Daughter

Part Seven

Edaline and Grady were, to say the least, surprised to find their daughter home so unexpectedly. It took almost all of Sophie's will power not to break down crying again as she struggled to explain.

Of course, she lied.

"We went to a couple stores, but he had to get home to get ready for his celebration," was what she finally settled on.

Believable enough, considering the Vacker's always hosted a huge party for their children's birthdays.

She had been invited to go, this year.

The thought almost made her want to cry again.

Edaline had raised an eyebrow, her shimmering blue eyes filled with suspicion. "And you didn't buy anything while you were out?"

Sophie had nodded, trying to seem normal. "I did, but only for. . . him. For his birthday."

That part wasn't a lie. She had bought him something. It was sitting on her dresser, wrapped in perfect teal wrapping with a big gold bow.

She had bought it with her own money.

For the person that had stood her up.

Sophie's heart squeezed in her chest and her eyes suddenly burned, and it took several hard blinks to fight the tears away.

Luckily, her adoptive parents didn't push. They seemed to sense that something wasn't quite right with their daughter, and rather than force it out of her, they chose to let her decide if she wanted to tell them or not.

They really were amazing parents.

"Wash up, then," Grady told her. "We have lunch in a few minutes."

Sophie nodded, pushing herself from the table she had been sitting at. Technically, she had just showered, so her hands were clean, but she grappled onto the excuse to leave like it was all she had left.

In a way, it was.

She walked down the hall towards the bathroom, the soft thump of her shoes hitting the floor. Pictures passed by, several of them featuring her.

She ignored them all.

The water was cold on her hands as she washed them, but she relished the way it made her skin feel as she lathered on soap and scrubbed her already clean hands.

Stealing herself, she forced her eyes to the mirror. Her hair, still wet against her shoulders and neck, was only just starting the process of drying. Her brown eyes were red-rimmed and slightly puffy from crying.

Basically, she looked like a walking train wreck.

Basically, she didn't give a fuck.

She dried her hands on a hard towel, scraping them, and hung it back up, and went out to meet her parents for lunch.

Except, it wasn't just her parents.

She stopped short when she saw the farmhand, standing next to Edaline. He was helping her cook, or rather, pouring in sauce whenever she directed him to . His shaggy blond hair was tossed in soft waves, hanging over his eyes, which were bright and happy whenever he smiled. His tongue was peeking out in concentration, and somehow that made him look better.

"Oh, hey, Sophie," Edaline greeted when she noticed her daughter standing there staring.

Sophie felt like a spotlight had been shown on her. Keefe turned to see her, and suddenly she was hyper aware of exactly how she looked, almost wishing she had bothered to brush her hair.

She was sure her face was red, but she attempted a smile.

Keefe offered one as well, shyly, in return. "Hello."