Love You till the Last Rose Dies [KOTLC Sokeefe fanfic]

Chapter 7: Elder Blossoms

Keefe's Pov

I've been sitting on my bed at Candleshade. All I can do is stare at the petals and the rosebud. That's when my dad walks in.

"Keefe? Are you sick?"

"Nope." I'm lying. But, really? I don't want him to know. He'll just say I'm weak.

"Are you sure? You've been coughing a lot."

"I'm fine."

"Really, Keefe?"

"I said I'm fine." I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Dangit. I'm not gonna be able to get away from this.

"What is going on, Keefe Sencen!" My dad had come bursting through the doors. "You can't stay up here forever. You have work to do!" That's when his eyes strayed to the many, many flower petals that were scattered across my room. "Keefe, what have you done to your room?" Then he saw the blood. And time seemed to stop.

"Hey, Dad? Are you okay? Hello?" I walked up to him and waved my hand in front of his face.

"Keefe! Why didn't you tell me?" My dad was looking at me with concern. Wait. Concern? That rarely happens.

"How was I supposed to tell you? Hey, daddy dearest, I'm coughing up bloody rose petals and rose thorns. Help me!" I feigned terror and pretend to faint.

My dad did not find this hilarious. "You should have told me."

"Well, what could you do? It's not like you've had it!" As soon as the words left my mouth, I saw my dad's face. "Don't tell me, you did have it?"

"I have had it, Keefe."

"How are you alive?"

"Because I got the surgery done."

My mind was becoming a straight-up mess. "What? But, Mr. Forkle said that there was no surgery."

My dad snorted. "Well, there is. Not like a wrinkly ruckleberry elf would know. The surgery takes the flower out of your chest, in turn taking away your love for the person and diminishing your capacity to love."

"WHAT?" I couldn't just forget I liked Foster. That's not a fair trade. "Isn't there another way?"

"I think you know the other way."

"No. I mean another other way." I don't like either option. Why was life so difficult for me.

"Sadly, no." My dad was walking out now. "I'll take you to get the surgery tomorrow."

"Wait."

"What?"

"I'm not getting the surgery."

"You can't just die, Keefe."

"I can die if I know that I love Sophie."

"Not that girl again."

"Well. I'm not getting the surgery. I can't live without Sophie."

"Fine. But don't blame me on your rash decisions." My dad walked out of the room.

I flopped onto my bad. Was I willing to take the surgery? The easy answer was of course. I didn't want to die. But I couldn't live without loving Foster. Sophie. My days would be so dull if I couldn't feel love. No. Elders don't always know what's best.