Keeper of the Lost Cities- Deathgrip

Waterworks and denial

"So, um, yeah. It's official now. We're together and we just wanted to get your... blessing if that... is what elves do here," Sophie finished awkwardly, staring expectantly at her friends. 

Dex took a long sip of his drink, slurping loudly through the silence. They were back at the shake shop each of them with their favourite flavour. Biana had a sappy grin on her face, Tam looked very uninterested, Linh looked happy for them, Dex looked kind of uncomfortable and Fitz... Fitz had told the group that he wasn't feeling well the moment Keefe had put his arm around Sophie when they were about to tell the group about their relationship and he had left to go to the bathroom. He still wasn't back even after Sophie's long speech about how she thought the group dynamic wouldn't change. 

"Well, once again, Sophie is the last to know," Tam said, a little smirk on his face, breaking her thoughts. 

Sophie blushed and fiddled with her straw while Keefe laughed beside her. 

"Be quiet, Tam!" Linh said, lightly hitting her brother on the shoulder and looking towards Sophie and Keefe. "I think you two are great together, by the way. I guess you have my blessing" 

Biana squealed. "Yeah, don't worry about my brother. He'll get over it. And he can't hide in the bathroom in denial forever!" 

There was a little bit of a long silence after Biana mentioned his name and Keefe sighed into Sophie's ear. "I should probably go talk to him," Keefe said, letting go of Sophie's hand, but not before giving it a reassuring squeeze and walked toward the bathroom, where Fitz was cowering in denial. 

Sophie looked back at the group and shifted uncomfortably, sipping her milkshake. Dex still hadn't spoken and Sophie looked expectantly at him, an embarrassed smile on her face. "Dex?" 

He managed a strained smile. "Well, we all know that I'm over you, Sophie-" Ouch. "But it still hurts a little to see you with someone else. But I'm super happy for you two, and I support you and I think Keefe is a really good guy. Still best friends?" 

His words might've stung a little, but he was being super accepting, and Sophie knew Dex would always be there for her. So she nodded, her smile broadening and reached across the table to give him a hug. "Always, Dex." 

Biana wrapped her arms around them, and soon Linh followed, dragging Tam with her turning it into a big group hug. Sophie laughed, happy, even though Fitz still hadn't reassured her like the others. After another moment she pulled back, breaking the hug and smiled. "Thanks, guys."

But nobody answered because they were all looking across the room with mortified expressions on their faces. Sophie turned, confused, and her own horrified expression appeared on her face. 

Walking back from the bathroom was a very angry looking Keefe and a dreadful-looking Fitz, with tears and snot pouring down his face. The sight made Sophie want to look away and pretend she had never seen it. He looked kind of embarrassed but at the same time like he wanted to rip her head off. Apparently he wasn't over it and Sophie was glad she wasn't in the bathroom while that conversation happened. Fitz stormed right over to her, while Keefe desperately tried to grab his arm to slow him down. But Fitz shook him off and came to a halt right in front of Sophie, his eyes watery and unforgiving. Sophie recoiled in her seat as Fitz screamed at the top of his lungs. "I hope you two filthy scumbags are happy with each other!" 

The entire shop went quiet as Fitz stormed out of it, his cape flying out behind him. Sophie felt tears of her own gather behind her eyes and turned her head away from her friends so they couldn't see. She got up shakily and walked out of the shop, ignoring everyone's stares. The walls felt like they were closing in and she needed air, so she levitated as high as she could in the sky, enjoying the light breeze and how tiny the buildings looked as she looked down on them. It made her feel like her problems were only that small too. And then she dropped down, tearing a hole in the sky and falling through it, so Keefe couldn't follow her like she knew he would want to. She needed her space right now. To think. As she fell through the void, she could tell that she was starting to realize that Fitz was toxic. But if she wasn't friends with him anymore, what would happen?

* * * 

Sophie knew she should head back. It had been hours since she left her friends at the drink shop and had teleported to the place where she had brought Linh and Keefe for ability detecting. She was leaning against a rock thinkin' about Keefe and Fitz and Lady Gisela and the enzymes and the Neverseen. But every time she came up with an answer to one of her problems, another problem came up, like a never-ending circle of classic Sophie Foster- no Ruewen- misery. 

"Sophie?" 

A voice startled her out of her thoughts, making her jump and look around. Dex was standing behind her rock, squinting at her through the darkness. Sophie hadn't even realized how late it was. "Dex? What are you doing here?"

He gave her a reassuring smile and moved to plop down against the rock beside her. "I think we need to hang out more as best friends, don't you?"

Sophie nodded weakly, leaning against a surprisingly tall Dex, tears welling up in her eyes again. Ugh, she was being such a baby. "So vent, Sophie. Tell me what's going on with you."

She stayed quiet for a moment, just leaning against her best friend and enjoying his company before taking a deep breath and letting it all out, with Dex nodding and saying all the right things at the right times. Several more hours went by before Dex took her hand and brought her back to Havenfield, where she promptly fell asleep, most of her worries gone completely. She would always have Dex. And Keefe and Biana and the twins and all of her family, whether Fitz wanted to support her of not. But she wasn't sure if she would be able to forgive him so easily this time.