The Neverseen's Last Resort

72

Sophie

Sophie followed as Keefe led everyone out of the building. Tam walked from the very back, while Stina yawned beside Sophie, arms reaching for the sky. 

"I'm so tired of all this walking. My feet hurt." 

"I said you didn't have to do this. You could've left before we'd even suggested doing the tour!" 

"One, I proposed the idea of the tour. Two, AND MISS THE TREATS?!" 

"Learn from her, Sophie. She's the wisest person in the world," Keefe put in. Stina laughed, nodding.  

The group turned a corner, the exit waiting at the end of the long corridor. A sneaky grin crossed Stina's face, her eyes meeting Sophie's. 

"What?" Sophie asked, slowing her pace. 

"Three..." she grinned. "Two..."

"What are you coun--"

"Three! Race you!" Stina took off, bolting for the door, and Keefe didn't hesitate to follow. It took a moment for Sophie to realize what had happened, and soon she was off, too. Footsteps thudding came from behind, and from over her shoulder Sophie saw that even Tam had joined in. He quickly caught up with her, his excuse being, "He's not winning." 

Sure enough, Sophie looked ahead to find Keefe in the lead. Then things got serious. Sophie leaned forward, barely touching the floor as she raced for the door. 

"I thought your feet hurt!" she called out to Stina, who wasn't far behind Keefe. She looked back, a big mistake. Sophie passed Stina and called out to Keefe, "CHANGE OF PLANS! THE FINISH LINE IS THE TWO TREES AT THE END OF THE PROPERTY!" 

"YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE RULES LIKE THAT!" Keefe yelled back, just as he'd reached the door. Telekinesis opened it, and Keefe continued, despite his grumblings. Sophie grinned, her legs carrying her faster. Faster. She focused her sights on the trees in the nearer distance. A crackle distracted Sophie from her thoughts, and in seconds she found herself at the finish line. She blinked. She blinked again. It wasn't a hallucination. She really was at the finish line. 

Had she dreamed it? All of it? The entire day? What was going on? As Sophie's mind struggled to figure out what had happened, Keefe finally caught up. She turned to him,.

"You cheated!" He whined, though he was smiling. 

"I don't even know how I cheated," Sophie told him. "Technically, you win." 

"Nope!" Tam cut in as he reached the finish line third, Stina panting as she passed immediately afterwards. "Sophie reached the trees first, she wins. We never said anything about forbidden abilities." 

"What?!" Keefe said. "Not. Fair!"

"No, I agree with Tam. Sophie wins." Stina sent Keefe an evil smile, and Keefe sighed. 

"I take it back. She is not the wisest person in the world." 

"Says the dumbest person in the world," Stina retorted, smirking. 

"Hey! I'm two levels above you, and I skipped a level!" 

"Like that counts for anything!"

"Actually, it does." 

"I've never heard a more idiotic conversation," Tam sighed.

"I'm sorry, Bangs Boy," Keefe grinned. "Are you ashamed of us?"

"Yes," Tam said, immediately. 

"Ouch," Keefe said, though his smile hadn't left. 

Sophie sighed, laughing.  It was an idiotic thing to fight about, but it had taken her mind off the worries she'd had about her accidental cheating. Though the thoughts would definitely haunt her later that night. But until then, she'd forget about it. Because her friends were laughing. Having fun. And Sophie had a feeling that was a rare thing nowadays. 

"Well," Stina said after the laughter had died down a little. "I'm going home for the night. Unless there's anything else...?" She looked at Sophie, her navy eyes asking if Sophie wanted to talk. Sophie offered a genuine smile. 

"I'm fine. I'll head home in a second, too." 

Stina nodded before disappearing into the light. Tam left soon after, without so much of a "goodbye". Keefe, however, still hadn't gone. Instead, he stayed. Staring. 

"Is everything okay?" Sophie asked. This was starting to seem like more of a habit, staying after everyone to have a private talk. Had they always done this so often? 

Keefe's smile was sad. Worried. "I should be asking you that."

"What-- what do you mean?"

"C'mon, Sophie. You can't trick an empath." His smile, though sad, faded. "I want to know what's bothering you." 

Sophie had started to deny it, when she'd remember he was still an empath. That wasn't changing any time soon, much to her dismay. 

"It's nothing. Just a nightmare I've been having," she assured him. 

"Often?" Keefe pressed, and Sophie, though reluctant, nodded. "What about?" 

Sophie's breath caught as her brain eagerly replayed the memories in full detail. The emotions resurfaced too, not felt, but known. She remembered the thrill, the excitement she'd felt as she'd destroyed her world, hurt her friends, and shattered the trust of all she'd loved. The guilt hurt. It hurt so, so bad. And she was scared--terrified of the person she'd been. She never wanted to go back. She never wanted to hurt her friends again. 

By the time she'd finished explaining the contents of her nightmares, she was in tears. She knew she was the one with the missing memories, yet she couldn't help but feel that, had she remained silent, Keefe wouldn't have had to remember how horrible a person she'd been. And even when she'd finished, Sophie regretted telling him. She couldn't change her decision, however, and to her surprise, Keefe seemed more understanding than hateful. 

He seemed hesitant, but as tears continued to fall from Sophie's eyes, he pulled her into a hug. Sophie hesitated as well, but as the memories replayed in her mind, she find herself clutching him tightly. 

"It's not your fault," he told her. "It's the Neverseen's." 

"Even so," she mumbled. "I should have been stronger. I should have been better. I should have been the moonlark... whatever that means. Stina said it and it sounds important." Keefe gave a soft chuckle at that. 

"I know I can't convince you that it wasn't your fault. And you can't convince me it wasn't my fault either. So how about this: it's on us. Both of us." He pulled her closer, barely uttering the next words as though they weren't meant for her ears. "We're in this together, Foster. Just trust me. Please." 

Sophie pulled out of the hug first, wiping a stray tear. "Thank you, Keefe." Sophie blew out a breath. "Also, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have exploded on you like that. I wasn't thinking, and I do trust you. I promise. I was just scared. And confused--"

"You don't need to apologize." Sophie looked up, and Keefe's sad smile had returned. "I get it. They are your memories, and you do have a right to know. Everything was chaotic and weird, having just met everyone all over again, the secrets, and the fact that lots of people were scared of you and you had no idea why. It makes sense, and I don't blame you. Besides, it's about time you snapped. I've done... a lot of stupid things over the years you've forgiven me. Every. Single. Time. So, call it even?"

He offered his hand, and Sophie stared at it for a moment before taking it. "I... don't deserve this," she warned. Keefe grinned. A real, genuine smile; and Sophie's heart melted inside. How was it possible to forgive her, after everything? 

"I don't want to mess this up," Sophie whispered. "Please don't let me mess this up." It was a second chance, one she didn't deserve. And she refused to waste it. Still, how could Sophie be sure Keeper wasn't still inside her? Watching. Waiting. Like the monsters, and it was only a matter of time before she drowned and Keeper took over again. 

"You're good, Sophie. I know it." 

Sophie's cheeks warmed, her eyes holding his for a moment too long... and then it ended. 

"Thank you," she said again, needing him to know she meant it. Keefe smiled. 

"I know you, Sophie. You won't mess this up. Trust me?" 

Sophie nodded, before they each pulled out their own crystals and went their separate ways.