ETERNAL (This is a Sokeefe fanfiction) On Hiatus

Chapter 25

Right on cue, Sophie blushed harder. Keefe sat down behind her, draping his arms over her shoulders and leaning his chin on her shoulder.

Biana smirked. "So... do you guys need to talk about the you-know-what? I'm sure you do, just meet me and Linh back at Everglen."

Sophie shot a glare at Biana that could cause flowers to shrivel.

"No, you guys can just wait downstairs. This won't take very long... I'm sure Edaline's baking something as we speak."

Linh sighed and shot Sophie a good luck smile before dragging Biana out of the room and closing the door.

Sophie leaned her head back into Keefe's chest. "So, are you going to the sleepover at Everglen tonight?"

Keefe looked down at her, confused. "Sleepover?"

"Fitz didn't tell you? But he told Dex and Tam right away."

Ro snorted, almost causing Sophie to jump. How did a seven foot ogre manage to sneak up on people like that?

"Of course he didn't say anything. He's too much of a-"

"Ro!" Keefe interrupted, glaring at his body guard. His arms tensed from around her

Sophie leaned forward and stared in confusion between her two guests. "Huh?"

Keefe's eyes softened as they locked with hers. "Nothing."

Ro rolled her eyes dramatically, her hand absentmindedly tracing over one of the tattoos on her arm. "Oh, it sure is something. Vackers think their-"

"Ro!" This time Keefe's voice knocked Ro back a step.

Sophie put her hand on Keefe's shoulder, unaware of why he was so angry. "Sorry," he mumbled, tearing a hand through his hair. "Yeah- I'll come."

They both fell silent, neither one of them wanting to talk about the elephant in the room.

Finally, Keefe stood up and looked down at Sophie. "Listen, I'm sorry. I don't regret it at all, but if you weren't ready for it, I-"

"No!" Sophie exclaimed, staring at him like he was a crazy person. "I don't regret it either! How could you even think that?"

"I-don't really know," he admitted, scratching his arm lightly. "I thought that I might have been moving too fast. You just realized that you liked me, I don't want to rush things, Foster, because I know you like to go slowly with this kind of stuff."

Sophie smiled at his knowledge of her preferences. "Keefe, I realized that a long time ago. I think I just tried to bury those feelings because I was worried that you didn't feel the same way." Ro snorted again and muttered something that sounded like, how much more obvious can a boy get? "Plus... we had a lot of obstacles in our relationship."

Keefe flinched, probably remembering the Neverseen days, and when he had decided to spar King Dimitar for the starstone. Not to mention that she and Fitz had dated for a while-was it for a week? It seemed so unimportant and so long ago. Fitz would always be her friend, but now her crush on him seemed silly.

"So, we're okay?" Keefe asked, looking adorably shy.

"Of course we are." Now that the kiss was settled, Sophie felt like she could breathe again. Keefe wrapped his arms around her, and she buried her face into his shoulder.

"So, are you excited that your dad is getting released from the hospital today?" Keefe asked, pulling away and holding her at arms length.

A wave of shame washed through Sophie like a tsunami. "I- forgot about that," she admitted, ducking her head.

He laughed, transforming his face into his signature smirk. "I guess you couldn't get that kiss out of your mind, huh?" he teased. Sophie blushed again and turned away.

"How are things going with your dad?" she asked, hoping she wasn't prying.

"Same old, same old. I don't really ever see him anymore. He's always busy doing something for who-knows-what. Too busy, I guess, to check on me or say a word to me for an entire week. But yeah, everything's going great, why?"

His arms dropped off of her shoulders and he didn't meet her eyes when she said, "Don't make a joke out of this again. Please."

"Hmm, Foster, you've already used that line on me. Got anything better? You're the expert."

Sophie sighed. "Just, maybe you should try to tell him. I know he's not the ideal person to talk to, but if you want, I can force some answers out of him." He laughed as she put up a fist in mock-fury, and wrapped his much larger hand around it.

"Let's save that Foster Fury for my actual evil parent and keeping yourself safe, okay?" Sadness flashed across his face for a second but he instantly masked it.

Keefe leaned back slightly and pushed a strand of hair off Sophie's face. "I'll see you later tonight, Foster." Then, he leaned in and brushed his lips against her forehead before standing up and glittering away.

The butterflies in Sophie's stomach started fluttering even harder. On slightly shaky legs, she marched down the stairs, trying to look confident, but there was something about Keefe that made her weak at the knees.

Biana was waiting at the bottom with a knowing look. "Put a sock in it, Biana," Sophie muttered, feeling embarrassed. "And please don't tell Fitz about any of this. I don't know how he'll feel about it, and-"

"I won't tell him," Biana promised, smiling warmly. "But I think you need to sit down with both of them one day and clear up any confusion."

"I know. That's going to be so weird, though."

"I'm guessing you want to talk about something else," Linh spoke up, twisting her silver-tipped hair around her finger.

Biana ignored her friend. "Seriously. You and Keefe are amazing together. He's a lucky person." Sophie returned Biana's bright smile.

No, she corrected in her head, I'm lucky to have him.

Woohoo we are done with Chapter 25! Idk why but I feel like it's a milestone that I write 25 chapters, and thanks to you guys for reading it all <3