a sokeefe fanfic

Chapter 10

Sophie sat in Havenfeild, staring at all her friends; as well as the Collective, Grady, and Edaline.

"Well...what do we do?" Biana asked

"I say we go." Linh said, taking a step forward.

"Linh." Tam said, grabbing her hand. He shot her a look and Linh seemed to understand it. She started to step back, but then Marella stomped forward, took Linh's hand and pulled her, so she wouldn't step back.

"I agree. Lets go." She said and Linh looked at her in surprise, but not the bad kind.

"Same here." Biana said, and though they didn't say anything Maruca and Stina stepped forward.

"I don't know. I feel like we should give it some thought before we go running off." Fitz said, glancing at Sophie and Keefe's hand-holding. They let go.

"My point exactly." Tam said, nodding his head to Fitz, halfway across the packed room.

"I mean, we are going to plan it." Sophie said, looking at Keefe, who hadn't muttered a word. Then the adults kicked in, adding their own security measures, comments, questions, concerns. This was her chance. She pulled Keefe aside to the dining room.

"Are you okay? You haven't said anything in the last 24 hours."

"Mhm." Keefe murmured, staring at the floor.

"Alright, Sencen. If you're going to play it that way." Sophie ran her hand through his hair, messing up all of the styling he had done, though she could tell he did a lazier job today. Keefe's hand whipped up and grabbed her hand, so fast she couldn't tell how it happened. He lifted his head.

"Not. The. Hair." He whispered into her hand, which he had brought up to his lips. A shiver went down Sophie's spine. He smiled, then brought her into a kiss.

"I love you." He said. Sophie froze. She had said I like you. She had kissed him. She was dating him, for pete's sake. But for some reason, she couldn't get those four words out of her mouth.

I love you too.

"You don't have to answer now. I'll wait." Keefe said. "Thanks. You lifted my mood." He turned, and walked back to the dining room.

Dammit.

She loved him. So much. So, so much. And she couldn't say it. She walked back into the living room where the roar of voices was still the same.

Dammit.

Why couldn't she say it?

Dammit.

He's going through such a hard time right now, and she ruined it by not saying a few words.

Dammit.

Why is she like this?

Dammit.

"Sophie! We've been calling your name for, like, five minutes!" Maruca said, as Dex waved a hand over her eyes.

"Huh?! Sorry, just spacing out."

"We decided we're gonna go." Dex said, placing a hand on her shoulder, then whispering in her ear,

"Hey, you okay? You seem pretty freaked out. And I would like to say as your BEFF, I deserve to know." Sophie turned beat-red.

"Yeah. Same here." Biana said, whispering in her right ear, apparently hearing what Dex said.

"Um." Sophie said, her voice cracking, causing her to cringe. "What does BEFF stand for?" She said and gave her most; 'I'm fine and I don't want to talk about it' smile.

"Best Elf Friend Forever." Dex said, looking at her with a very, 'Are you sure about that' eyebrow raise

"Cool! Anyways, I'm totally in for the whole 'going' plan. Let's go!" Sophie said, talking very fast. The room gave her weird looks.

"Alright. Then, let's meet up here again in two days, and we can pick the groups then." Mr. Forkle said, clapping his hand together, signaling everyone to get out. Everybody eventually left, except Dex and Biana.

"Guys. I'm seriously fine."

"What happened there?" Biana said, pointing to the dining room. "Did Keefe try to seduce you or something?"

"What! No!"

"Then what?" Dex pressed.

"Um. He-" Her voice cracked.

"He what?" Biana said

"He told me."

"Told you what?"

"He told me he l-" Her voice cracked again. "He told me he loved me."

"Okay. Then why are you so freaked out?" Biana said.

"Because." Sophie paused, taking a breath. "I didn't say it back."

"Oh." Was all they said. Minutes passed in the ultimate awkward silence.

"Well?" Biana asked

"Well what?"

"Well, do you? Do you love him?"

"I-"

Stop. Tell the truth.

"Yeah." She breathed. Wow. That felt good.

"Well then. Go tell him." Dex said. She took another breath.

"Okay. Thanks guys." She pulled them into a hug and Biana mumbled something like, "Anytime, girl." Later that night, Sophie sat in bed with her memory log in front of her. She projected their first kiss, then ripped it out of the book. She threw the memory log onto her desk, then sat in bed. Staring. Staring. Staring. Staring at the picture until it was imprinted in her head, her brain, her mind. Stared at it till she never forgot it, even if she lost her photographic memory. She slept. Still staring.