How It Should Have Been: Sokeefe AU

Episode 12

Before:

Fitz caught her hand before she could open the door. Drawing her close, he stepped up until her face was right next to his. Sophie's heart was fluttering so hard she couldn't breathe and her brain was screaming, OH MY GOSH HE'S GOING TO KISS ME, but all Fitz did was press his lips to her cheek.

His lips were smooth, and warm, and all Sophie wanted to do was stay there forever. But after what felt like a million year but was probably only a few seconds, he drew away, running his hand through Sophie's hair, and said, "Well, I guess I'd better get to class, too."

Sophie was relieved to see that he sounded a little breathless, so at least she wasn't the only one who was freaking out.

Fitz left, and Sophie opened the classroom door and slipped inside, her heart still pounding in her chest.

Sophie leaped home, her mind replaying the moment in the Foxfire hallway over and over again. She saw a figure pacing the lawn in front of Havenfield and her heart gave a great leap, thinking it was Fitz.

But it was Keefe.

"Wow, thanks for that," Keefe waved the air like he always did when reading her emotions. "I can feel how not happy you are to see me. Maybe you were expecting someone else? Maybe Mr. Lover Boy?" Keefe puckered his lips and began making obnoxious kissy noises until Sophie shoved him.

"Shut up!" she ordered, hoping he could feel the waves of annoyance she was sending his way. "I just... wasn't expecting you to be here."

"Right, because you were expecting Wonderboy," Keefe smirked and crossed his arms. "Don't even try to deny it. You can't lie to an Empath!"

"It doesn't matter! Why are you here, anyway?"

"Dexipoo said that you needed help with mimicking, so here I am!" Keefe spread out his arms. "Here to help you pass your midterms, the mimicking king himself, the Keefster!"

"Great," Sophie grumbled.

"I'm gonna assume that meant 'Thank you, Keefe! You're my only hope!'"

"Go ahead," Sophie rolled her eyes. "So, you got any tricks for me to pass my midterms?"

"Aren't we gonna go into your room?" Keefe asked.

"Nope! I don't trust you around all my stuff!" Sophie answered. Really, she just didn't want him seeing the presents Fitz had given her over the years, which were strewn all over her bed from where she had taken them out before school. "We can work right out here." She plopped down on the soft grass, and Keefe sat down next to her.

Edaline came out of the pterodactyl enclosure and came to an abrupt stop at the sight of Keefe. She started walking again, an annoyingly sappy smile on her face.

"Can I get you two anything?" she called, winking at Sophie indiscreetly.

Sophie's face heated. "Maybe some custard bursts or something?"

"Sure." Edaline nodded her head a little too hard and backed away toward the house.

"That was weird," Sophie mumbled, pulling her hair over her face. Keefe was stretched out over the grass, looking at Sophie with a smile. "What?" she asked, suddenly aware that she was wearing more makeup than usual.

Keefe shook his head. "Nothing. So, do you wanna start?"

"Yeah, sure," Sophie agreed, hiding behind her hair even more.

"So, the first trick to mimicking is to pick up the emotion in the words. Polyglots are obviously the best at mimicking, but empaths are pretty good too because we understand the feeling behind the words changes the tone, and the way the words are said." Keefe began, only to be interrupted when Edaline reappeared in the doorway with Grady behind her. Edaline snapped her fingers and a tray of custard bursts appeared on the grass in front of them.