Agent Moonlark

Chapter Twenty One

Keefe

Keefe was still half-asleep, but Sophie kissing him really woke him up. Shocked, he froze for a second. Then, he kissed back. It felt like he was floating. He was on Cloud Nine, in pure bliss. Her warm lips against his felt so...right.

Sophie finally pulled away, her cheeks redder than roses. An awkward silence settled between the two.

"So I take it you missed me?" Keefe was rewarded with a slap. He sat up and rubbed his cheek.

"Don't ever do that again!," Sophie sobbed. She threw her arms around him in a tight hug. Keefe inhaled her sweet scent.

"I'd do it again for you," Keefe whispered. And it was true. Gods, he'd just met this girl about a week ago, and he already cared about her so much.

Sophie sniffled. "Next time, leave the almost-dying to me, ok?"

"Nice try, Foster," Keefe said. He gently put his arms around her.

They stayed like that for a long time. Finally, Sophie leaned back, then pressed her forehead against his.

Keefe stared into her eyes, lost in a world of golden-brown. "Kind of ironic, isn't it?" His voice cracked slightly. "The Moonlark and the Lodestar."

"I guess we always were the type to rebel," Sophie breathed.

She kissed him again. This time, Keefe put his hands on her waist, and kissed back passionately. Sophie twined her arms around his neck. They broke apart a few seconds later.

"We gotta go, now," Sophie said. She glanced around. "Cadfael disappeared. We better go before he finds us."

Keefe nodded and tried to get up, but immediately fell back down. Sophie noticed, and put his arm over her shoulders. She grabbed his waist with her other hand, supporting him. Keefe got up, leaning heavily on Sophie.

"Is it better or worse that I'm taller than you?," he asked randomly.

"Worse."

Keefe limped forward, still using Sophie as a crutch. "Is this okay? I'm kinda heavy."

"I'm not an ordinary girl, Keefe."

"Right." Keefe was unaccustomed to being so close to a girl his age. The Neverseen's members were either cloaked 100% of the time so that Keefe couldn't find out their identities, or much older than Keefe.

The walk - or rather limp - back to the car was long. But Keefe did not mind one bit. He was elated to be in Sophie's presence. And the thought that maybe she liked him back...

But he didn't deserve her, did he? All he would bring was trouble.

Keefe looked at Sophie and saw an angel. She was beautiful, smart. She understood him. And she cared.

This was like a forbidden love in movies. Wait - love?

"Ok," Sophie said, interrupting Keefe's train of thought. "Can you just lean on the car while I open the door?"

Keefe nodded and hopped to the car. An ache spread through his body, but he ignored it. He would have fallen if the car's hood didn't catch him.

Sophie opened the door and shoved him into the car. Keefe fell onto the seat, feeling very sore. He watched as Sophie got into the car from the other side.

"Can I drive this time?," Keefe joked.

Sophie gave him a look. "I wasn't going to let you drive when you didn't have poisoned stab wounds. What makes you think I'll let you drive now?"