Keefe was choking. The hot ash and smoke was getting to his head- making it hard to think straight. "Sophie!" He yelled into the wreckage in which flames were still falling. Falling and burning to the ground.
He scrambled for out of behind a wall and gasped. Sophie was sitting there, her dress worn and burned. Her scarred hands folded neatly in her lap.
Her blonde hair was dusty and singed- burned to chin length. The light from the fire made her scratched and bleeding face shimmer through the grime.
Her brown eyes were dull and lifeless. . . .
Keefe sat up and gasped, shaking. He was in his bed, sunshine streaming through the window.
Keefe glanced around. There was no smoke, no fire- no burning Sophie.
He sighed and flopped back down on his pillow. Keefe needed a break- that was it. He had been working too hard and it was wearing on his subconscious.
Still, he could get rid of the haunting image scarred across his memory for forever. . .
Keefe shook his head. No- he wouldn't be scared. Today was something important. . . very important. . . what was it?
Keefe jumped up and almost screamed out loud. Today was the annual Foxfire dance! AND HE HAD ASKED SOPHIE TO GO WITH HIM.
What had he been thinking? That was pretty much the most stupid decision he could have made! Obviously Sophie had wanted to go with Fitz! But she. . she was too nice.
He remembered now- as he glanced at his untidy hair in the mirror. He remembered asking her as he and Sophie were leaving Marella's house.
---
Sophie had sighed, looking down at her feet as they left Fluttermount. Keefe couldn't think of any joke to cheer her up- or anything to tease her about to annoy her and distract her constant flow of worry.
And it hadn't helped that she looked so cute twiddling her hair between her fingers as she fought to not pull on her eyelashes.
Fitz and Biana had left straight away, not wanting to be in that awkward situation anymore. But Keefe thought that Sophie looked like she was ready to have a meltdown- so he stayed with her. The night was pleasant and beautiful. Almost as beautiful as Sophie looked. . . even with her little eyebrows all scrunched up.
Keefe slapped himself mentally. What was he doing? Who was he? Some diehard romantic? This was stupid. These feelings were stupid.
Sophie sighed and looked up at the stars. Keefe couldn't remember what she said next or what he said after that and their following conversations. . . which was pretty lame since he had a photographic memory. But somehow, he had said, "You know, that Foxfire dance is coming up- all the guys will be coming up to ask you to go with them. The Foster Worry Party will have to be put on a hold!"
Sophie had laughed a little bit- for the first time and whispered, "Are you one of the guys?"
Keefe responding quietly, "Yes I am."
Sophie stopped walking and looked up at Keefe and smiled. "Well I guess I'll see you there."
---
Keefe smiled at himself- completely forgetting his dream. Yes, today would be a good day.
The best.
***
YOU ARE READING
These Broken Tears || Kotlc
Fanfiction"holding back will break you. holding on will kill you. letting go will destroy you." "maybe it's time to turn back" "we're only kids!" "you were never kids" "please make it stop" "wake up, please let me wake up" "you can't if you're not dreaming" ...
