𝔸 𝔽𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕙𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕠𝕗 𝕊𝕠𝕂𝕖𝕖𝕗𝕖

4. Why.

Keefe:

"Hi'Ya Foster!" I yell as I get to the Healing Center

She does that adorable cringe of hers and looks up at me.

"Whoa," I say, "What's with all the grumpy feelings towards me?" I ask

"I am NOT grumpy," she says

"Uh... I'm pretty sure you are. Don't even try lying to an Empath," I say

She crosses her arms and glares at me.

"What? Foster's glaring at me? There must be something up. Or maybe it's just her jealous of my beautiful hair," I say

"Or maybe she's waiting for her pretty boy to wake up," Ro interrupts

Now it's my turn to glare, "I thought you were supposed to help me with this," I whisper hiss to her

"Help you with what?" Foster asks

"Awww," Ro says, "You really are the most oblivious person I've ever met. For all the talents you have, and don't get me wrong, they're cool. You should've had awareness as one of them too," she says

"Hey," Foster says

"Okay! Enough with the small talk! Let's get on with the real conversation," I say

"YES! The REAL conversation," Ro says, eyeing me reminding me why I'm even here.

Foster just looks really confused and keeps looking back and forth between Ro and I. I don't blame her though. Ro was being really obnoxious and annoyingly too obvious.

"So!" I continue, "What's on Foster's complicated mind today?" I ask

She sighs, "Just tired,"

"Of," I prompt her

"Of being in the Healing Center and not being able to go anywhere," she says

"And pretty boy is still asleep, isn't he?" Ro interrupts again.

"Would you just shut up?" I whisper hiss to Ro again.

This time Foster doesn't seem to hear me, so she goes back to sulking.

"Aw c'mon Foster. At least you've got me and this really annoying bodyguard to cheer you up!" I pep talk her

She half smiles at that, but then her gaze goes back to Fitzy and I get all those stupid emotions thrown towards me. I honestly think I'm going to barf.

Thankfully though, Elwin interrupts right before I was going to.

"Hi Keefe," he says, "Here." He gives Foster a tray of vials to chug down.
Foster grimaces but then picks up a brown and gray vial and drinks it in one gulp.

"So..." Elwin continues, "Do I want to know what kind of bacteria you gave your father this time?" he asks

Ro flutters her eyelashes and says lightly, "Where would be the fun in that? He deserves it anyways. I also need to talk to you doc about a problem with Hunkyhair. Got a moment to step out in the hallway?" she asks

NO. I think in my mind. NOT YET. I'm not even ready. I haven't even practiced what I'm going to say, or what I'm going to do, or what we're going to do. She likes Fitzy. Not me. So I'll just be this disappointed guy in the corner after Fitzy wakes up and then ----

"Oh. Okay?" Elwin says, interrupting my mental spiral of thoughts

"Good!" Ro says as she drags him out into the hallway. Just before she closes the door though she winks at me and slams it shut.

I take a look at Foster who's still chugging down her elixirs and staring amusedly at what just happened.

"Uhh..." she says, "Any idea what just happened?" she asks

I sigh and say, "I don't know," as I tear my hand through my hair

We sit there awkwardly for what feels like eternity. Then I finally say,

"Hey Foster? I have to tell you something."

She looks at me surprised and confused.

"Oh... umm... okay?" she asks

I take a deep breath and continue, "I've actually been meaning to tell you for a... well... long time..." I say. Oh help me please. I can't continue.

"What is it?" she asks, now throwing a bunch of worried feelings towards me.

She takes my hand and I suck in a breath.

"Well......... I....... guess....... I just wanted to say................. I li ----"

And then we're interrupted by a door slamming open. INTERRUPTED. And guess who did it?

My dad with a bacteria covered arm.