Sophitz: A Week to Find Love

Chapter 35

Fitz's P.O.V.

I woke up the next morning in complete disarray. I wasn't sure where I was and I wasn't sure why I was there. But then I saw Sophie sleeping next to me and all my friends randomly spread out across the living room - also in deep sleep - and it all came back. 

Although, the one person who wasn't asleep was my sister, Biana. But I kind of wished she was because she started grilling me for information. 

"So? Did you do it yet? When are you going to do it? We need to leave tomorrow! Also, I'm a bridesmaid! Sort of irrelevant, but super cool nonetheless." 

"Uh, okay?" I answered hesitantly. "How'd you become a bridesmaid?" Biana rolled her eyes and crossed her arms reprimandingly. 

"Don't try to avoid the question!" she scolded. "Now, tell me, when are you going to ask?" I shrugged and glanced off to the kitchen.

"I, um, I don't know," I replied vaguely. 

"FITZY!" Biana exclaimed. "Come on! This may be the biggest moment of your life!" 

Yeah, right, I thought. Biana didn't know it yet, but I had chosen to not ask Sophie. It was just too... complicated. 

"Oh. My. Gosh." Biana's jaw hung open. "You're not going to do it, are you?" 

"Biana, would you stop doing that!" I exclaimed. My sister had this terrible habit of reading people's minds. Sure, it might be cool to some people, but not to an older brother whose love life she was constantly trying to get involved in!

"But it's the truth!" she pointed out. "Why not? Why aren't you going to do it?" I sighed. I hadn't been planning on telling her, but if I didn't, she'd just bug me about it to no end. 

"I just can't do that to her," I explained carefully. If I said even the slightest thing wrong, she would find a way to show me how I was being stupid and unreasonable. "She has a life, you know. I can't spring this on her and ruin her entire life - and that can happen whether she says yes or no." 

Biana stared at me. I knew there was a lecture coming on. "Now that is just the most ridiculous-"

"Who's being ridiculous?" Sophie yawned and sat up, stretching her arms. But even sleepy and slightly disoriented, she still managed to look perfect. 

"Oh, nothing," I told her quickly. "We were just talking about... Um..." 

"Keefe!" Biana jumped in. "We were just talking about how Keefe can be ridiculous at times." 

"Yeah, he really can," Sophie agreed without hesitation. "I think I'm gonna cook breakfast. Do you guys want something?" 

"Oh, I'm fine," Biana informed her. "I had too much candy last night." Sophie nodded understandingly before heading off to the kitchen.

"Keefe?" I whispered after she was out of earshot. 

"It was the only thing I could think of!" Biana whispered back. "Besides, it's much better than saying nothing at all." 

"Fine," I sighed. "That's all fine. But just promise me you won't tell Sophie about ANY of this. I know you have a habit of getting involved in my personal life" - Biana started protesting at that - "but it's crucial you don't tell her. I'd rather not ruin our current... ship." 

"Ship?" Biana echoed.

"I'm not sure if it's a friend or relationship," I explained. Biana rolled her eyes at that.

"Seriously, Fitzy! It's so obvious you guys like each other, so why not just go for it?" 

"I just can't risk it!" I whisper-shouted. "And really, it's not fair to her." I looked at my sister with determination. She was not going to tell Sophie about this. "Biana, promise me on all your shoes that you won't tell her." My sister squirmed under my gaze for a few seconds before reluctantly agreeing. 

"But I hope you realize that if you don't ask Sophie, you'll be returning home without someone," Biana reminded me. "Although it still means you'll be getting married within the next month or so - dad will make sure of that." She then did something completely unexpected and hugged me. We'd only ever hugged when the situation called for it, so I guess she thought this moment was worthy of a hug. 

"Fitzy, I don't want you to spend the rest of your life unhappy - and I know for a fact Sophie can make you happy. But... if you really don't want me to say anything, I promise I won't." I smiled my thanks at her before she walked into the kitchen to help Sophie with breakfast. The rest of our friends started waking up one by one - all except Linh.

"I think it's best if we let her sleep in," Dex told us quietly. "She had a hard time sleeping last night after the... movies." 

"I told her, but she didn't listen," Tam grumbled. 

"Aw, she just wanted to try something new," Biana told him with a smile, making me rather suspicious. 

"EEK!" Linh stood up impossibly fast and darted over to us. "Guys, I just had the most terrible dream! I was watching this super scary movie, then I fell asleep, and started dreaming about that super scary movie in my dream. How crazy is that!" 

"So you dreamed that you were dreaming about a scary movie?" Marella asked, looking a little lost. And to be frank, I was too. 

"Yes, exactly that!" Linh confirmed. "It was surreal. Luckily, it was all a dream and now I can't even remember a thing! Funny how dreams work, right?" 

"Totally," Marella replied with a grin. Everyone went back to chatting, but Sophie slightly took me aside. 

"I just... I wanted to um..." Sophie bit her lip nervously. "Um, thank you." 

"Thank me?" I asked. "For what?" I could remember a single thing that would've made her thank me.

"Oh, well... Just... uh, I'm not very good around... new people, sometimes," she told me truthfully. "But you really made me feel so safe and comfortable. So thank you." I smiled.

"No problem," I assured. "Now, would you like to eat some breakfast?" 

"I would love nothing more," Sophie replied with a  grin. I took her hand and led her back to the table. But then I had this sense something was watching me and saw Biana looking at me with a weird look. 

I quickly realized my mistake. I couldn't live in both worlds. I couldn't go back home, get married, and still have something with Sophie. It just wouldn't work. So really, it was all or nothing. And because I had chosen not to ask her, I had also involuntarily chosen nothing.