Book Two: KOTLC One-shots and More

Alternate Ending: Stellarlune 40

A/N: This one got a lot of requests, but I think the first two were @NavdeepGupta8 and
@cyrahendal7893

Either way, she couldn't seem to stop herself from blurting out, "You know we broke up, right?"

Keefe blinked. "Uh. Yeah. I remember something about that..."

He seemed to be waiting for her to add to her little out-of-the-blue subject change.

But sadly, all she had was "Yeah...well...we did."

He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. I'm sure that's been rough--but don't worry, Foster. Once you don't have so many people trying to kill you all the time, you'll feel more ready for the dating thing, and then you two will be back to all the blushing, and hand-holding, and--"

"No, I don't think we will," she jumped in, very aware that she was making the conversation worse by the second. "I mean, he told me he still wants us to, but...it's weird. I always thought...if there are feelings there, it'll work. I never realized you could want something and still not have it be right. Like...I knew it wouldn't be easy--especially with the whole horrible matchmaking thing. But I never thought it would be so hard, either, you know?"

"I guess? Hard to say, since I haven't really tried the whole relationship thing yet."

"Yeah, why is that?" Sophie asked, hoping he'd realize she'd just kicked the door wide open for him.

Keefe looked away. "Because the girl I wanted was taken," he mumbled. "But that doesn't matter," he said firmly.

What did that mean?

He had said 'wanted'.

Past tense.

Then said it didn't matter.

Had he gotten over her?

Had she missed her chance?

Sophie looked down at her hands, searching for something—anything—to say to quell the awkwardness rising between them. But before she could think of anything—or run away—Keefe spoke up again.

"So, how did everyone take it when I left? Is Elwin mad at me?"

Sophie grasped the subject change with gratitude. "No, he understood. He even told me and Ro that time away might be the right answer for you. Everyone seemed to think that, actually."

"Even you?"

Sophie shook her head. "Not at first. I was mad at Grady for not stopping you and I was convinced you were going to get yourself arrested or hit by a car or something. I was determined to try to find you and drag you back home."

Keefe nodded, taking that in. "So you had no faith in my survival skills at all, huh?" He asked, smirking at her.

Sophie shrugged. "The human world is very different. Has different rules."

"Yeah, I've learned that. So what changed your mind?"

"Um...it was your dad, actually."

Keefe's eyebrows shot up. He was silent for a beat, then he mumbled, "guess I should've known he'd be all about making sure no one tried to bring me home." He stood and kicked a few Panakes blossoms. "Good old dad."

"It wasn't like that," Sophie assured him, getting up and stopping him from pacing. When he looked skeptical, she added, "if it was, do you really think he'd have persuaded me? You know me better than anyone, Keefe. It's why you left that note telling me not to come after you. You knew I'd want to."