A Different Beginning - KOTLC AU

A Missed Beginning

Sophie sighed as she walked back home from school, listening to her airpods.

She had the weirdest interaction with a cute boy her age named Fitz. He'd been reading the newpaper at the museum, where her class had field trip, and saw the article about her getting into Yale University at the age of twelve, and then rejecting the offer. He asked if it was her, made an odd comment about how dinosaurs looked, offered his name, and left.

If he didn't have those teal eyes, she would've run away the moment he asked about the newpaper. She hated all the attention suddenly being put on herself.

And it was all the newpaper's fault. The last thing her parents wanted was unwanted attention on her---that's why they made her reject Yale. And then the newspaper made things even worse.

Not that it mattered. In a few weeks, she was sure she'd forget about Fitz and the trip, and an article about some twelve year old girl wouldn't be big news for long.

Sophie neared her house, spotting its red door. In the lawn next to it was her neighbor, Mr. Forkle. He was oddly protective of her at times, but she was also grateful. It helped her when she hit her head on the ground when she was five.

That was when she started reading minds.

As she approached Mr. Forkle, he looked up from watering his plants and smiled, showing off his wrinkles.

I wonder if I should get another garden gnome? He thought.

She took out her earpods and tucked them away in her pocket. She was home now, so she didn't need them to block the unbearably loud sounds of the museum. The sound of everyone's voices flying into her head all the time . . . She would've preffered to be normal.

"How was the school trip?" Mr. Forkle asked. I hope she didn't get herself into any trouble.

Sophie shrugged. "It was fine. There was this weird guy reading the newpaper who asked who I was, but that's about it."

When she realized she shared about her interaction with Fitz, she tugged at her eyelashes. She wasn't planning to tell anyone about that. She wondered why she told Mr. Forkle.

He nodded. "Was he your age?"

"Y-yeah," Sophie said, reaching for another eyelash. "How did you know?"

He smiled again. "A hunch."

Sophie went inside her house, greeted by her parents and annoying younger sister, Amy. Everything seemed mostly normal, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong about Mr. Forkle.

Only hours later did she realize that, at the end of their conversation, she was unable to read his thoughts.

(A/N): Hello, and thank you for reading this first, incredibly-short chapter! I promise the others will be longer, and be much more exciting. You can skip this note if you want, but I would like you to give more information about the fanfic.

Basically, this is an AU of what I think might've happened if Fitz never realized Sophie was an elf and left her alone. Rather than that being the initiating event, there will be something else coming up in the next chapter (and it'll be much more chaotic.) Basically Sophie starts training with the Black Swan and isn't officially introduced to the Lost Cities for two years. Somewhere along the way she meets Keefe (Sofitz shippers, beware: this fanfic 100% ships Chandelitz.) This fanfic also supports Diana, but only because I don't think Biana and Tam would've met if Sophie wasn't there. I don't personally prefer Biana or Tiana, it's just what's convenient for the story.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy and decide to read more!