KOTLC Sokeefe One-Shots, Alternate Endings, etc

Graduation (Linh POV)

Graduation day had come at last. It was surreal, to Linh, that she and Tam had found their way back to Foxfire--and had even managed to enter and complete the Elite levels.

Now that they were moving out of the Silver tower, she and Tam were going back to Tiergan's house for a while until they figured out where they wanted to live. Linh was contemplating getting an apartment in Atlantis. She really loved that city now that she could handle the pull of the water.

It had been difficult to convince Tam to finish his education--he'd been tempted to stop after level six simply because he knew how happy it would make their parents for them to graduate from the Elite levels and potentially enter the Nobility.

Nothing screamed "I don't want to be Nobility" quite like her brother.

She was glad that his friendship with Rayni hadn't placed a permanent wedge between them.

In time, she'd gotten used to Rayni, who had slowly integrated her way into their circle.

She still wasn't Linh's favorite person ever, but Linh didn't hate her anymore either.

Linh was also much more predisposed to just like people than her brother was. So in time, that had worked in Rayni's favor--and had helped repair the rift between her and Tam.

Which was good, because Tam could help her gain perspective on her relationship with Wylie.

And she needed perspective.

They had been close from the start, when she stayed by his side after he'd been brutally tortured by the Neverseen, trying to help both his physical and his emotional recovery. She felt a strange sense of protection over him--and as he had healed, he seemed to become protective of her too.

Even as he began spending more time fulfilling his duties as a Regent and she was continuing her education, they found time to spend together. Sometimes he'd help her with her studies. Sometimes, he'd just sit back and watch as she and Marella continued to try to merge their abilities.

But as the years passed, Linh couldn't help but wonder if something was changing.

Wylie was older, and had even picked up his first match list, years ago. But he hadn't dated anyone, he hadn't had a Winnowing Gala. Was it just because of everything else that had been happening in his life? Was he just choosing to focus on his career, on Team Valiant, on helping the Black Swan fight the Neverseen, and on helping Prentice try to recover more of his memories?

Or...was it possible he was waiting for her to get a little older?

Her friends had asked, sometimes, if there was anything going on between them. She had truthfully told them that no, nothing had happened. They hadn't even discussed it.

And there were few things they wouldn't discuss.

He was her best friend.

He was also incredibly good looking, with dark skin and bright blue eyes and broad shoulders and strong hands and a smile that made her melt and...

And most girls probably didn't think those things about guys who were just their friends.

Did they?

She had no idea what Wylie was thinking, but she was becoming more and more aware of her own feelings.

She just didn't know what to do with them.

If she told him how she felt, it could ruin their friendship. Plus, she felt instinctively that if Wylie had feelings for her, he'd let her know.

Sometimes, she thought she felt something between them. Sometimes when they were together he would go quiet, just watching her.