How It Should Have Been: Sokeefe AU

Episode 30: (Keefe's POV)

A/N: YES, it is 1:25 am and I am posting. Yes, I have 3 essays to do. Yes, I am here instead because it's technically a new day so I can post.

Yes, this next chapter has a wicked cliffhanger

You're welcome-

Before:

"Yes, I'm sure." Keefe tried to keep the bite from his tone, but from the glare Biana was burning into his forehead, he wasn't sure that he'd succeeded. "I guess I have to tell you, don't I."

It wasn't a question. He had danced around the subject enough. He would have to tell them soon enough anyway.

"Fine." Keefe hesitated for a long second... two... and then let it out in one big breath. Maybe if he said it quietly and quickly enough, they wouldn't hear. "My parents are applying for a match-fail."

"W-what?" Sophie breathed. Her face was so confused, as though she'd never expected this to happen.

"They're splitting up," Keefe muttered, not daring to raise his head. "They had a big fight, and my mom said that maybe it would be better if he left forever and then he tried to leave, and she grabbed his arm-"

Sophie's emotions were growing dangerously close to pity, and that was not what he wanted. She could call him a freak for all he cared (his heart cracked a little more), but pity? No thank you.

"Keefe, I am so, so, sor-"

"Whatever," Keefe interrupted. If he made her angry, she wouldn't have room for pity. Right? "I know."

Everyone felt sorry for him.

"But I am, Keefe!" Sophie continued, almost annoyingly. "I am really, really sorry!"

"I don't need your pity," Keefe raised his head to glare at her, but he couldn't muster the anger. Whatever she saw on his face, it changed her emotions from pity to worry.

"This isn't pity," Sophie said firmly.

She wasn't lying. But... it had to be pity that she was feeling. Everyone would feel sorry for him, and pinch his cheeks, and apologize for something that they didn't cause, and hum along on their day, another item checked off the list.

They didn't really care.

This didn't really affect them.

"Am I not allowed to say I'm sorry?" The was the annoyance he'd been going for, although the worry was definitely still there. "Just because I say sorry doesn't mean I pity you. It means that this sucks. It really does. This sucks, and we are going to get you through this, but first, you have to clean up and answer some of my questions."

Keefe squeezed his eyes shut. He wrinkled his nose, trying to slow the feelings that were rushing through him. The first thing his Empath mentor had taught him was how to identify his own emotions, instead of using others as a replacement.

He would need that skill now.

Keefe sorted through his emotions, trying to separate them. He was annoyed, yes, but he was also grateful and hopeful and the tiniest bit nervous. There was a hint of something fluttery-

Wait, that wasn't his.

The flutters immediately turned to annoyance, as Sophie's arms stayed on her hips in a pose that had him averting his eyes for fear of voicing them. "Okay?"

"Fine," Keefe muttered, scowling.

"Good. Now, Biana and I are going to leave for Havenfield, and you are coming with us. Get all of your stuff." Sophie tapped her foot in impatience... and to be honest, it was pretty cute.