UNLOCKED, kotlc

Chapter 33

Everyone had very, very different reactions to Sophie's reveal.  She felt like she was some sort of magician going "voila!" and pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

The councillers just smiled, silently respecting her decision.  Keefe was doing a very odd little dance that looked as if he was trying to pull up his pants with his toes and was muttering under his breath, "Team Foster-Keefe! Team Foster-Keefe!"  Fitz just stood there at a loss for words, his jaw dropped so low it could've dusted the floor.

"But- but- but.... we're cognates!"  He stammered.  Biana laughed, looking a bit conflicted.  She kinda had always seemed like she liked the idea of Foster-Keefe, but then again, how was she supposed to laugh at her brother?

"How about you explain why you chose to Mr. Vacker before he, er...."  Terik trailed off, earning a chorus of giggles.

"Well for one thing, yes, we are cognates, so we can communicate through each other," Sophie lied.

"But Keefe can get past your blocking too!" Fitz argued, followed by everyone gasping "He can?" at the same time, and Keefe giving them all a dramatic bow.

"But also," Sophie cut in.  "I think these two would kill each other the first chance they got."  She pointed to Tam, who didn't deny it.

"True," they both said at the same time.

Bronte looked sufficiently bored with all of their drama, shooing them away with a floppy hand like they weren't even worth his energy.  "Carry along, children.  We have other things to do."

And right before she leaped back to Havenfield, she mouthed one thing to the newest member of their team.

Team Foster-Keefe.

_______________

"So.... I heard you chose That Boy over Fitz."  That was the very first thing Grady told her as she stumbled back into the Havenfield pastures.  "Is that reflecting a lifelong decision?  Or maybe a deeper sense of-"

"Oh come on, Grady," Edaline said playfully, swatting his hand away.  "Don't harass the poor girl.  Her reasons do make sense."  Was it just Sophie, or did Edaline give her the slightest wink at the end of her sentence?

"Um." Sophie shifted uncomfortably, her face flushed.  "I'm just going to go over to Fitz's, okay?  I think I left some stuff over there after the Neverseen stole Maruca and all that."

What she didn't mention was that she really needed to talk to Fitz.  Out of all the people in the room, he seemed to not believe her the most- except for maybe Keefe.  Grady narrowed his eyes at her, opening his mouth to speak, but Edaline just smiled and sent a glance in Grady's direction.  Sophie had no idea what it was supposed to mean.

By the time Sophie got to Everglen, it was already dark out- which was surprising.  She must've woken up late or something. Fitz was pacing on the grass near the gates, like he was expecting her to come over. 

"Hey!" Sophie called, running up to him.  "How are you?"

"What, came to feel sorry for me?"  Fitz snapped, but there was really no energy behind it.

"No, just to say hi," Sophie lied.  Wow.  She was doing that a lot more often these days.  "What are you doing?"

"Pacing," FItz said.  He didn't say "sulking" but that was obvious.  "We're cognates Sophie."

"I know that."  Her voice sounded hollow and automated.

"So why'd you pick Keefe over me?"

"Ugh.  Guys!  It isn't a lifelong decision.  It's not like.. like matchmaking or... or.... it's not like that!  It's just a team."

"I know," Fitz said, dropping his voice.  "I don't know why I'm being like this, but...."

"Yeah, I don't know either," Sophie spat.  Fitz looked at her, stunned.  Then he turned around.

"FIne!  Be like that.  Just go, okay?  I know you like-"  Sophie didn't hear the rest of what he was going to say, because she'd already held up her Havenfield crystal and disappeared into the light.

____________

Sophie guessed that when your daughter came home, rushing and sobbing and half in tears having just came from her ex-boyfriends house after unintentionally choosing another boy over him that it was like holding up a big red sign saying "GET OVER HERE AND START TALKING!"

Edaline rushed over to her as soon as she dashed up the stairs.  And Sophie spilled. Everything.  Everything about Keefe and Fitz and how she felt around both of them, and how maybe dating Fitz hadn't been the best idea, maybe she was destined to be with somebody else who didn't care if she was unmatchable or not....

And that's when she realized the person standing at the door, overhearing every revealing and heartbreaking detail, was the one person who she would not at all like to overhear her conversation.....

Keefe.