The Key to my Heart

Chapter 2: The Club (Keefe's P.O.V.)

I had started the Foster Fan Club back in sixth grade. Now, I was going into eighth.

"Is everybody present?" I shouted at the four kids in front of me.

"Keefe, you're fourteen. You should know how to count," Sophie teased. I sighed to myself. She had learned from the master.

"Trust me, I do. But we still have to do role call... DEXTER DIZZNEE, ARE YOU PRESENT?"

"Yes, sir," Dex said with a chuckle and a sloppy salute.

"SOPHIE FOSTER-RUEWEN, ARE YOU PRESENT?"

"I should hope so," Sophie said. "It is my club."

"KEEFE SENCEN, ARE YOU PRESENT?" I asked myself. "Oh yes, your high honor, I am present. I would never miss a chance to marvel at your dashing hair, O president of the Foster Fan Club." I didn't notice the way all the kids rolled their eyes at me. I also didn't miss that they were smiling. As annoying as I could be, everybody had to love the Keefester.

"BIANA VACKER, ARE YOU PRESENT?" I continued.

"In body," Biana answered. Her voice sounded ragged, like she was done with the meeting before it had even begun.

"FITZROY VACKER, ARE YOU PRESENT?" I asked finally. Fitz was the last one on my list, so I could stop screaming.

"No," Fitz said. "I'm gift."

I wrinkled my nose. "That wasn't even that good. Anyway, that's everybody. First order of business: any announcements?" Sophie raised her hand. "Foster, do you have an announcement?" Sophie nodded. " Blow me away. "

"There are new kids in my neighborhood. They're twins and their names are Tam and Linh, a boy and a girl." Sophie informed the group.

"I see... so have you talked to these... New kids?" I asked, stroking an imaginary beard. I didn't even want a beard. I just did it because that's what people in movies did. 

Sophie nodded. "I'd like you to meet them."

 I half expected the kids to jump out of the bushes or something, but then I realized we'd have to go to their house. I grinned.

"Lead the way, Foster!"

Our foster fan club meetings were held in Sophie's backyard, so it wasn't a long walk to the twins' house.

"Here we are," Sophie said, stopping in front of a cozy-looking white house. She walked up to the front door and knocked. A boy –who must've been Tam– opened it.

"Hi..." he trailed off.

" Sophie, " Sophie picked up for him.

"Sophie! Right, sorry. What's up?"

" I came to see if you and Linh wanted to come out and play. My house is just down the road and all my friends are here." She gestured to me and the rest of the club, standing in the driveway. Tam leaned further out the door to look at us.

 "I'll go tell my mom and Linh," he said and shut the door.asked

 " Am I the only one who thinks he's insanely cute? " Biana asked.

 Sophie shook her head. "Nope.  He just is. Wait until you meet Linh. She's gorgeous. "

That was no lie. Tam came back out of the house, this time with a girl who must have been Linh. She had every physical characteristic as Tam, right down to the silver in her hair. And she was stunning.

"Mom says we can go, but we have to be back in two hours to help unpack," Tam informed the group. " But first– we need introductions. "

Sophie ran off all our names. "You'll get to know our individual personalities in the two hours you're here, and pretty soon you'll be caught up in everything," Sophie assured the twins.

 " Right now we're in the middle of a Foster Fan Club meeting, " I explained. "But since you two aren't–" Sophie so rudely interrupted.

"But they could be! Tam, Linh, do you want to become members of the Foster Fan Club? They both looked super confused, but the group was nodding so furiously they decided to join.

"Okay," I confirmed. "But first we need to make you two official members.