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

The plan in action

How to Draw Attention

Sophie read the title in his messy handwriting. She skimmed the rest of it, since she'd already gone over it with him earlier. 

Step 1: Become Busy 

Well that's easy, seeing as she already had plans with him tonight. 

Step 2: Be More Confident Sophie! :) 

Sophie smiled at his encouragement. 

Step 3: Watch the Fireworks ;)

"I don't think it's this easy, but it certainly won't hurt to try." Sophie muttered. She recalled how this whole ordeal had started: A wish spoken out loud and a charismatic, unapologetic eavesdropper. She'd been flustered at first, but his infectious excitement was hard to battle. In the end, Sophie had agreed that his plan was genius, and foolishly consented to carry out his scheme. 

"After all," He smirked, "You only plan a disaster once. And I've had my share."   

Sophie looked at her clock. It was almost time for her "date." 

She got into a pair of faded jeans, pulled her hair into a half-up hairdo, and put on a shirt she thought was somewhat-flattering. Nothing to done up, yet still stylish. 

"I'm here to pick up Sophie." 

"Oh, yes, she's in her room. It's good to see you again." Sophie heard her mom exclaim. Though she didn't know all the details to Sophie's little plan, she knew enough to know they weren't serious. 

Edaline wouldn't have approved of this if she believed they were serious.

 "I'm here." Sophie sang, hopping down the last two stairs. 

"Perfect." He smiled. "Let's go." 

                                                                                      *  *  * 

"Okay." Sophie began. "To be honest, I didn't think I'd have this much fun." 

"Well, I like surprising people." 

"Yeah, you're full of surprises." Sophie laughed. They had gone walking in the park, then to dinner at a small diner. All the while, of course, taking pictures. 

"We'll post these three?" He asked, pointing to snapshots of him and Sophie in the park, at the diner, and one they just took at the ice cream shop. 

"Sounds good." Sophie confirmed, selecting the pictures to post on Instagram. Though this was part of the plan, Sophie felt really weird about it. After all... 

"This just feels so wrong." Sophie said. He raised an eyebrow. 

"C'mon. It'll work, don't worry." 

"Yeah, but..." 

"What?" 

Sophie shrugged. "No one will ever believe you and me are a thing." 

"They don't have to, remember? We just need enough doubt to launch the S.S. Jealousy." 

Sophie laughed. "I've never heard that one before." 

He smiled. "So you haven't." 

                                                                                              *   *    * 

Fitz was aimlessly scrolling through Instagram when he saw the picture. Though he claimed he didn't use his Instagram anymore, he somehow found himself on it. 

The picture flew by, a flash of bright and cheerful colors. Fitz's eyes widened, and he backtracked with his thumb. 

"NO." 

Fitz was up before he knew what he was doing. 

"This is madness, what is she thinking?" He growled. He was about to put his coat on when he realizes the ridiculousness of what he wanted to do. It was 8:30, after all. Sophie wasn't with him anymore, most likely, and he needed all the advantage he could get. 

He could wait. 

                                                                                 *  *  * 

Keefe was estatic. Finally, after a semester away, he was going home. 

And he was going to win Sophie back. 

He hummed happily, something he never would have done before London. It was Oliver's fault, really. Oliver was a die-hard fan of country music, and he took every opportunity to play it whenever he could at the dorm. Keefe noticed a few weeks ago that he'd start randomly humming bars of unfamiliar tunes... Oliver's tunes. 

Keefe shrugged. It could be worse.  

Speaking of Oliver. 

"Hey, did you see Sophie's new post?" 

"Hmm?" Keefe stretched out on his bed. Packing up all his dirty laundry had left him tired. He smirked suddenly. He couldn't wait to see his dad's face when he smelled all those dirty pairs of socks. 

"Here, I'll show you." Oliver said, walking across the room. 

"Since when do you follow Foster?" 

"Since we bonded over phone." 

"Sure you did." Keefe replied, taking Oliver's phone. 

When he was the post, he recoiled so much that Oliver's face contorted in concern. 

"You okay? I thought you might want to see." 

"Yeah, yeah I'm okay." 

He wasn't okay. 

"How did this happen?"  Keefe thought.  They'd never been close... ever.

I guess that's what a few months away does.

"So. Is he nice? I wouldn't want Sophie to get her heart broken." 

Keefe felt a smile threaten to spread on his face at Oliver's concern. Sophie had that affect on people, he supposed. She couldn't help but be magnetic, even if she was as clumsy as a baby horse. 

"He's kind of like me, actually." Keefe responded. "But without the family issues." 

Oliver nodded. "So what are you going to do?" 

"I don't know." 

Keefe already knew. He wouldn't go back. He couldn't. He didn't believe he could bear to see Sophie with... him.

It made it worse that they were so alike, as if Sophie had intentionally replaced him. 

It's not like Christmas is anything special at my house anyway. The only thing that makes it fun is seeing Sophie and teasing her about her new sweater from Aunt Eloise." 

"I'm not going back." Keefe said aloud. 

Oliver furrowed his brow. "You shouldn't make such as hasty decision. You know there's more back home than Sophie. What about your parents?" 

"They don't care about me. They said I have to buy my own plane ticket back anyway, if I want to come home for Christmas." 

"That's harsh." Oliver seemed to consider something for a moment. "You know, you can come home with me. My family loves visitors." 

Keefe forced a smile. "Thanks dude. Maybe I will." 

"Sure, just tell me before I leave tomorrow." 

"Will do." 

Oliver left the room.

 Keefe closed his eyes.