How I Fell in Love (#3 How I Fell in Love Trilogy)

The "Regression"

"Okay, that's it! Peppa Pig is the worst show in the history of shows!" Biana announced. 

"Nooo please!" Sophie cried feebly as Biana switched off the channel. 

"You can't regress forever." Biana commanded. "Now stop eating Mallowmelt! Dex!" 

Dex grabbed the stash of Mallowmelt from Sophie. 

According to Biana, Sophie was "regressing" back into a childish state, as a result of some "trauma" she had recently experienced. 

"Should we get Ella?" Dex whispered to Biana. 

"No, she's still too fragile. Remember how Keefe used to-" 

"I CAN HEAR YOU!" Sophie hollered from where she slouched on Biana's bean bag.  

Biana and Dex looked sheepish. 

"We're just trying to help." Dex came over and patted Sophie on the head, as if she was a child. 

"I know, and that's very nice of you. But I'm not "regressing," or whatever you think I'm doing." 

"So you watch kids shows and eat oatmeal now?" Biana asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow. 

"Sometimes." Sophie replied defensively. "You know, they're very educational." 

Biana sighed. "I know it hurts, but everyone is feeling the same way. Keefe wasn't just your friend you know."

At the mention of his name, Sophie's mind flashed back to the blond boy who'd stolen her heart. It'd taken him leaving to fully realize that, as cliche as it sounded. Keefe's smirk now haunted her dreams, taunting her, telling her she was too late, and he didn't love her anymore. 

If he ever did.  

A memory, the most recent of Keefe, surfaced in her mind.  

Sophie threw her arms around him. "I'm going to miss you Keefe." she whispered. 

"I'll miss you too Sophie." Keefe said calmly, but the tightness that he held her with revealed his true feelings.  

"Keefe?" Sophie tested.  

"Hmm?"  

"These past few days were really fun. I was just wondering, before you go... did you ever li-" 

Sophie groaned and shook her head. She'd been so close. She'd been seconds from finding out if Keefe had ever had feelings for her, all joking and mischief aside. 

"Hey, I'm sorry for saying that." Biana had shooed Dex out of the room, and now it was only the two of them. "I know you and Keefe had something special-"

"But did we?" Sophie interrupted, wiping a few rogue tears from her eyes. "He never said anything. I thought that maybe-" 

"Aagh! This is worse than those Korean soap operas Alvar used to watch with me!" Biana exclaimed. "Of course he likes you! Honestly, it was super obvious. It's just that...you're at the part in the show where everything looks bleak, you know? Usually around this time the heroine loses her job, the kid gets sick, maybe the dog dies. But even through all of this, they persevere. And you know what? They always get a happy ending." 

"Except if it's a tragedy. Then you're stuck in the rut forever!" Alvar skipped into the room. "But your story honestly looks like a comedy, to an outsider." 

"HEY! What did I say about coming into my room uninvited?" Biana interrogated, already pointing to the door. 

Alvar shrugged. "I could give her tips. Many a hobbit have tread down this path...but I'm an elf, of course."