Foxfire was unrecognisable covered in sparkly tinsel and decorated with every pretty thing in the universe. It was strange to see it so pretty, especially after the terrifying exams that all the students had to sit through. However, I was glad to notice glints of teal here and there, and I took it as a tribute to the Vacker name.
Inside was a familiar scene. Lockers and students crowding around them, and thinking caps turned upside down, receiving gifts. Some were filled to the brim with treats and carefully wrapped presents, and some were only halfway full. I cringed. Even though my cap was always overflowing, I'd have to be very emotionally daft to know that it hurt when you didn't get so many gifts.
My locker was full, wrapper tearing as other presents were piled on top. But I didn't stop in front of it. I quickly ran to Keefe's locker, which was, as usual, as full as ever. He and I had a habit of comparing and competing who was winning each year. Last year had been Keefe, but I was sure mine was going to win this time. I carefully placed my gift to Keefe, wrapped in teal paper with snowflakes on it, right on the top. Keefe would know it was mine.
"Miss me, Fitzy?" A voice called from behind me. Ah. Speak of the devil.
"Never," I teased. I bounded over to him. I almost wrapped my hands around his waist and kissed him, before becoming painfully aware of our surroundings. Keefe noticed the sudden change in mood rippling through me and flashed a small smile to compensate.
I noticed Sophie out of the corner of my eye, looking like she saw a flaredon fight. I dragged Keefe toward her.
"Hey, Sophie." I greeted. "What do you think?" I gestured at the sparkling halls.
"I think it's fully deserved after the horror that was the midterms." She grumbled. I was inclined to agree. Telepathy had proven much harder than I'd expected, and it left me drained. Keefe hadn't looked so energised after his empathy exam. He said when he finished that he had to recognise different people's emotions, but they were all, as he described it 'hormonal teenagers gone wild'.
I peered over to Sophie's locker, which was also filled to the brim. Huh. I guess me and Keefe had competition now. Sophie awkwardly waved us goodbye and ran to each of our lockers. She placed a present on top of each.
"Well, we can't let these good presents go to waste, now, can we?" He grinned, grabbing my present from the pile. He held it up, eyeing me with curiosity. "This one looks interesting."
He ripped the paper, tearing the careful wrapping, revealing the book I had brought earlier. Keefe gasped as he clutched it, eyes roaming the cover as if it were a landscape. He read the cover out loud.
"'The Book of Fitz's Dreams and Keefe's Chaos'?" He parroted the title, etched in gold.
"I thought we could have a book of our very own," I said, suddenly feeling shy. I stared at my feet, cheeks flushing. "You can write and plan your pranks in there, I could vehemently disagree in pen," I snorted. "But I thought it'd be fun."
"Thank you," he said quietly. I was worried he didn't like it, and when I lifted my head, I noticed tears gathering in his eyes, clouding his sharp blue eyes, but he had this small, gentle smile, and that made me feel like I'd done something right. "This is hands down the best gift I've ever received. But don't focus on me, I want to see your reaction!"
Suddenly, Keefe Sencen, lord of smirks and pranks was back. I laughed and picked up his present, which was wrapped in teal with a light blue ribbon tied in the most manufactured bow I'd ever seen.
I ripped it open like an animal, gasping when I saw the contents. Three pictures, framed in black, brown and the darkest, richest shade of teal I'd ever seen. But it was the was what was inside the frames that bad me starstruck. Pictures I had taken in the Forbidden Cities of a black and white cat that somehow seemed to find me in my travels.
"Butler Vacker!" I couldn't keep my voice down. "I thought I lost these. How'd you get them?"
Keefe rolled his eyes. "You left them on your desk, idiot. I know stealing is wrong, but I think a cool present can justify anything, right?"
He didn't get an answer. Ignoring the students of Foxfire. I wrapped my arms around him, my chin digging into his shoulder. Keefe chuckled against my body, his chest heaving in and out against mine as he did so. We were so content right there, the buzzing of prodigies' chatter white noise to us, as our bodies clicked like a puzzle piece.
We rocked back and forth in place, until I heard someone clear their throat behind us. It was Sophie. I pulled apart from Keefe, my cheeks betraying my stoic manner. Keefe was grinning ear to ear, cheeks balling up to fit his smile.
"Are you done?" Sophie asked, a giggle slipping through her words. I nodded stiffly. Dex stood behind her, face contorting every second. Or was it Deck? Or Dax? He looked like a Deck, but I don't think anyone would want to look like a Deck. Or be named it, for that matter.
"I'd love to sit around and do something other than classes, but we don't have a choice, do we?" Sophie grumbled. She did that a lot.
"I'd love to eat lunch right about now." Keefe said. As if on cue, his stomach groaned. "But it's not like we're going to get mallowmelt, so is life even worth living anymore?"
I had to agree. Mallowmelt, like sparkles, made everything better.
Sophie complained on about everything in the universe, as usual, with Dex and another girl, Marella, engaging in conversation with her. Keefe and I lagged behind, basking in each other. I slipped my hands into Keefe's, pressing my side close to his so no one would notice. He held my gaze for a moment before letting it go with a smile.
YOU ARE READING
Keeper of the Lost Secrets
Fanfiction𝘚𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. Fitz Vacker spent his early years looking for her, away from his home in the Lost Cities, to a wider, more daunting world - his only motivation being fake smiles and his father's determination. But his life changes the moment he...
