Team Foster-Keefe!

Ditching

A/N I based this off of A Thousand Years by Christina Perri^^^

Sophie paced her room. She was fighting with Fitz again. All it took was one classified assignment that she wasn't allowed to tell him to set him off. She heaved a sigh of frustration.

"Come on, Sophie! You'll be late for school!" Edaline called from downstairs. Sophie didn't reply.

"I know you're angry and sad, but it would get worse if you missed school." Sophie jumped as Sandor appeared in her doorway.

"Fine," she grumbled, shuffling downstairs. She arrived at school on time, luckily. But all her friends knew she was skulking. And Fitz was too.

"Did something happen to the great Fitzphie?" Keefe's voice from behind her caused Sophie to start.

"No."

"Ditch with me! Then I'll get the whole story!" Keefe offered. "I know there's something up," he fanned the air, "because you are giving off some very unpleasant emotions."

"Absolutely not," Sandor butted in. "Miss Foster will be attending all of her classes today."

"Seriously, Gigantor? Why do you always ruin the fun? Anyway, it's Foster's choice."

"What he said," Sophie mumbled, pointing at Sandor. Keefe frowned.

"Fine, guess I'll have to ditch by myself." Keefe began to saunter away.

"Wait!" Sophie called. "I'll ditch with you. Only because I don't feel like sitting through a boring class right now."

"That's the spirit, Foster! I have a new ditching spot to show you!" Keefe turned back around, showing that his eyes had lit up excitedly. Sandor glared at both of them.

"Sandor, will you trail behind so you can't really hear us? I need to have a private conversation with Keefe," Sophie whispered to her seven-foot-tall bodyguard. "Don't worry, it doesn't put me in danger in any way," she added when he opened his mouth. Sandor huffed, but slunk into the shadows a ways back.

"Gigantor doesn't look happy. What'd you do this time?" Keefe sidled up to Sophie, his eyebrows raised.

"I asked him to stay back where he couldn't hear us so we could have a private talk."

"Oooh, so I'm guessing you're going to tell me what's going on and why your emotions are all over the place?"

Sophie nodded. "Where's your ditching spot? I'll tell you there."

"This way." Keefe grabbed her hand and led her through an easily overlooked set of doors. Sophie stopped to gaze in wonder at the view.

Rolling hills covered in green grass and dotted with trees stretched out in a wide expanse to the right. To the left, a crystal blue lake shimmered in the morning sunlight.

"It's—it's beautiful!" Sophie exclaimed, and Keefe smirked.

"Of course."

"How did you find this?"

"I've ditched enough times that I've found tons of cool places scattered across the school." Keefe plopped down on a stone bench and patted the spot next to him. Sophie sat down with a few inches in between them, but Keefe scooted towards her and closed the gap.

"So, what's wrong Foster?"

"Well, me and Fitz, we got in a fight again."

"Really? He just can't stay content, can he? What happened?"

"I, um, I have this classified assignment from the Council that I can't tell anyone about, but he begged me to tell him what it is, and I wouldn't. He brought up all the arguments—we're cognates, good friends, we need to trust each other with all of our secrets. But I said that Tiergen believed that the true, highest level of cognates was being able to keep secrets and still keep each other's trust."

Keefe fanned the air. "Wow, Foster. You're sad and also super angry and your feelings are making me want to punch something!"

"Sorry, I'm just—well, I'm really annoyed at Fitz."

"I can tell."

"I've never said this to anyone before, but I think I mistook my silly crush on Fitz for something more. I realize now that me and Fitz just aren't meant to be. I...sorry, this is probably really awkward for you."

Keefe, who had started to fiddle with the hem of his tunic, looked up with the hint of a smile on his face. "Actually Foster, this might be the best day of my life."

"Wha—why?"

"Because I love you, but you've always been so wrapped up in Fitz, you never noticed." Sophie's mouth curved into a perfect O.

"I think...I've always loved you too," Sophie said. Keefe's smile widened and he leaned in so that his lips almost touched hers.

"I've been waiting so long to hear that," he breathed, then kissed her.

Sandor coughed and they broke apart, both blushing a deep red. Sophie spun around, glaring.

"I told you to wait farther away!" she hissed.

"I'm very sorry Miss Foster, but I have to be closer than you want me to be to guard you."

Sophie huffed in annoyance, then turned back to Keefe. His icy blue eyes sparkled and he wore his trademark smirk on his face.

"I love you," she whispered.

"And I love you, Foster."

One step closer

"I have one question. Why didn't you realize your feelings for me sooner?" Keefe asked.

"I...don't know. I guess I liked Fitz because he was the first elf I met, then it felt as if everyone 'wanted' me to like him, so I never stopped to consider if I really did or not, and if I had feelings for someone else."

"That makes sense," Keefe agreed.

"Why didn't you say anything about your feelings for me?"

"It was quite obvious, actually," Sandor interrupted. "I think everyone but you realized it."

A blush began creeping back up Sophie's neck. "Oh."

"Anyway, I knew I would get you. Eventually," Keefe told her.

Their lips met again, almost hesitantly.

When they discovered they still needed to breathe, they gently separated.

"How will we tell everyone?" Sophie asked.

"I have no idea. I doubt anyone will be surprised, except maybe Fitz."

"I feel bad for him," Sophie whispered.

"What about Grady?" Keefe looked truly nervous for the first time since they had gotten to the ditching spot.

"We'll find a way to make it work. He'll understand," Sophie reassured him. "We were made to be together, and nothing will tear us apart now."

"Who knew you could be so sappy, Foster?" Keefe teased.

"I sure didn't," Sophie muttered, and Keefe laughed.