Kotlc in a high school context!

Chapter Four- Dinner Party

By the end of the day, Sophie was emotionally exhausted.

 The rest of her classes had been easy enough, and Dex was still her friend despite the sledging he had received from Marella. He was in enough classes for her not to feel lonely.

But she felt as though she had penetrated a dangerous line when it came to emptying the coke all over Stina's head- she was genuinely terrified to imagine what the tall girl would do to her as revenge.

"Bye Dex! Tutoring every Tuesday?" she called, leaving the school and beginning the relaxing walk home.

"Sounds Good! Bye Sophie!" he replied, flashing his dimples and dashing away to catch the train.

"Bye Soph." said Marella, wearing a baggy shirt from lost property. Her hair was askew. She resembled a pretentious dandelion.  "We're going to get Stina back before she can get us, alright?"

Sophie smiled knowingly, before her expression faded. "Wait actually?"

Marella's nostrils were flared, and her eyes were dark and filled with loathing. "I hate her so much. I want to see her penultimate downfall, or I will not be able to sleep. I will go mad, Sophie! Mad!"

Sophie tried to look understanding, which was difficult when one of your only new friends was using words like 'penultimate' in the wrong context and acting like the antagonist in 'The Tell Tale Heart' by Edgar Allen Poe.

"Um. Don't worry, Marella. We'll get her back, alright..."

"Alright. Bye, Sophie. Enjoy your alone time with cute little Dex on Tuesday."

Sophie blushed.

That conversation gave her a lot to mull over as she started the walk home. Getting Stina back? The only thing she wanted to be getting was a social life. She jabbed her foot aggressively against a wall, and winced. Now she was in a foul mood.

Why couldn't everyone just be normal?

"You okay Foster?" the voice came from behind her.

Sophie spun around in shock and plastered a smile onto her face.

"Keefe?"

It was Keefe, alright. He was standing in the middle of the path looking at her with an amused expression. His dirty blonde hair was reflecting the sunlight like jagged mirrors. He kinda looked like an angel.

"I'm very good at gauging other people's emotions. The power of empathy, if you will," he announced dramatically. (With excessive hand gestures.)

Sophie felt herself smiling. "What emotion do you gauge I'm feeling then?" she inquired teasingly.

Keefe moved to walk beside her.

Suddenly, he stopped, grabbing both of her hands and staring deep into her eyes with his ice-blue irises. His hands were warm against her, and she craved to melt into his touch, but resisted to avoid humiliation. Her cheeks reddened. "Foster..." he whispered, his breath hot on her cheek...what was he doing? "You're hopelessly in love with me!"

He let go of her and pealed into a stream of laughter at her expression.

She felt really embarrassed to be made such a fool of. Of course it was just a joke. But she pretended to laugh along with him.

"You're so funny." She said, deadpan, "Do you live on the same street as me or something? Why are you here?"

Keefe balanced on his heels and glanced upwards. "No."

Sophie shrugged uncaringly. "Okay then. Be cagey if you want."

He mussed up his hair. "I'm not being cagey. Also, you really took down Stina today in the cafeteria. I didn't know you were such a bad girl, Foster." He smirked suggestively.