KEEFER Of The Lost Cities(EDITING IN PROGRESS)

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

The next day at school confused Keefe more than anything- well, not the day itself, but how Sophie acted.

He stopped pushing Sophie to tell him what she was up to, knowing she wouldn't say a thing. Dex ignored Sophie the whole day, and Sophie seemed more than happy to ignore him back.

She either jumped at the opportunity for a conversation when Marella or Jensi started talking, or she brushed their talking aside, speaking with one word sentences.

She was trying a little too hard to act normal. Like nothing was wrong.

But Keefe knew there was.

And from the way Fitz and Biana had hugged Sophie, they knew there was something wrong too.

They knew what it was. He didn't. It kind of hurt that Sophie didn't trust him enough to tell. Maybe she was scared he would tell the whole school.

He would never even think about it. But she didn't know that.

She didn't know him.

That's what hurt- he didn't think she was even willing to get to know him. Maybe he was nothing but an entertainer to her. He told jokes to lighten up her mood but was forgotten when she didn't need him.

That's how it always was. He wouldn't be surprised if that was actually the truth.

He'd wondered, sometimes, if Fitz was only his friend because he made him laugh. Nothing else.

He'd wondered if the only reason Biana ever spared him a glance was because of his good looks.

Did Alden and Della really care or did they just say that stuff because they were supposed to?

He just wished there was one person on this planet that liked him for who he was.

And he was all alone. Because this was a world full of perfect, happy, smart elves who all had someone to care for them and love them. No one else would ever understand.

(So I happened to be feeling a little... strange when I wrote this. And now it kind of makes me annoyed when I'm re-reading it. I'm not going to take it away, I just wanted to mention that I completely disagree.)

He'd thought Sophie would, coming from humans and all that stuff. But she didn't know anything about him.

How could she?

She's seen his father, but probably never spared him a second thought. Probably never thought about what had happened.

But he did. All the time. And he thought about her. All. The. Freaking. Time.

Maybe.. maybe she thought he didn't trust her enough to tell her about his parents.

So she didn't tell him. Only for that reason.

But Keefe knew that at that point, he was just trying to make himself feel better.

(Oh, shut up, Keefe, you're just trying to make yourself feel worse. I know, because I wrote that. And I do that too.)

During study hall, Keefe pulled Fitz outside the room.

"What do you need?" Fitz asked.

"What's up with Foster?"

"Nothing. Why?"

"Oh, come on. Please don't try lying to me. She's been acting strange the whole week and I'm worried."

"I don't know, Keefe. Look- I would definitely tell you if I could. But this is Sophie's secret. Not mine." Fitz looked at Keefe pleadingly. "I'm sorry."