The Dark [2]

understanding and irony

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WELL YOU LOOK LIKE YOURSELF

BUT YOU'RE SOMEBODY ELSE

ONLY IT AIN'T ON THE SURFACE

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WELL YOU TALK LIKE YOURSELF

NO, I HEAR SOMEONE ELSE THOUGH

NOW YOU'RE MAKING ME NERVOUS

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FITZ Vacker liked to think he was good at reading people. He wasn't around many people as he grew up (a sheltered royal was what Keefe called him) but being the second son for most of one's childhood, you learned to be observant. It's what made him such an obedient child, he could take one look at a person and know exactly what they wanted from him, and how to get them to do what he wanted.

So yes, he was good at looking at someone and knowing how they felt even though he wasn't an Empath. After his brothers betrayal, he didn't have much time to observe others when you were the one being observed, but he never lost his talent.

He had never doubted his ability, at least he'd never doubted his ability until Sophie Foster came along. To be fair though, he doubted almost everything when it came to Sophie Foster.

Sophie Foster was the one person who'd ever made normally self-assured and slightly arrogant Fitz Vacker second-guess himself.

That alone, was a scary fact, one Fitz wasn't willing to think about at the moment.

The dilemma he was focused on though, was the fact that Sophie Foster, was not Sophie Foster.

Well she was, but she wasn't. Fitz didn't understand it either.

At first he'd thought it was just the new school getting to her. Going to school with a bunch of other kids was wildly different then having private tutors, it was only natural she was a little off.

But he couldn't ignore what was staring him in the face.

She tried to put on a good face, tried to pretend like everything was alright, when in reality it was everything but alright.

"You're staring," Sophie said without looking up from her textbook.

"Hmm?" Fitz murmured, his own textbook forgotten on his lap.

Sophie finished writing down her answer before placing her pen in the book to hold her place. She tucked her feet underneath her and turned on the couch to face him.

"You're staring. What's up?"

He took a moment to look at her. Her hair was tied up and her white school shirt had been untucked, the cape that went with the uniform thrown over a chair on the other side of the room. There were sitting in one of the libraries of Everglen, trying to get some homework done before the weekend. Fitz was on the opposite side of the dull orange couch and if he were being honest, he hadn't gotten much work done.

"Just admiring," he said cheekily and Sophie rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Fitz, I know when you've got something on your mind."

Great, Fitz thought, She can read me but I can't read her, how wonderful.

Fitz sighed. "Nothing I just—"