Because of a Scroll | KotLC Fanfic

Chapter 3 - Truth or Dare?

"I knew that . . . ," Biana started a little nervously, but then raised her voice, "girls don't like it when their older brothers come into their room without knocking first."

Fitz smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Sorry, Biana."

Biana smiled, accepting his apology. "I'll let it go because I haven't seen you in a looong time."

She turned to face them, then jumped up off the bed to suffocate Fitz and Keefe in a giant bear hug. She was practically squeezing the life out of Fitz because she hadn't seen him in more than a month. And Keefe got the life squeezed out of him because . . . well, Keefe is Keefe.

"I thought you guys weren't coming until tomorrow!" Biana exclaimed as Linh got up to go hug them too.

Sophie stayed quiet and leaned against the bed nervously. She didn't expect to feel her heart beating so fast once seeing Fitz for the first time in a long time. They hadn't ended things badly . . . but it didn't necessarily end on a good note either. Especially since Sophie heard that Fitz was in a new relationship . . . she didn't know how to feel about him.

"Well . . . we may or may not have finished our homework early, and we may or may not have packed our bags a little early, and we may or may not have—"

"I finished my homework, you were just blabbering non-stop and be—" Fitz coughed from lack of air due to Biana's hug.

"—wanted to surprise you! So we came and said hi to everyone downstairs and to the boys before we came here and heard Biana scream, I KNEW IT!" Keefe finished, mimicking Biana's voice perfectly for the last part.

Then Keefe's gaze focused on Sophie after Linh finished hugging him. With a genuine smile and soft tone, he asked her, "How's it going, Foster?"

"I guess I'm just happy that you two are finally here. It's been awhile since I last saw you," Sophing explained, knowing that no matter what she said, Keefe would know how she really felt—not being able to lie to an empath and all.

Sophie couldn't help but notice how much more attractive Keefe has gotten in the past few years and hoped, more than anything, he wouldn't know what she was thinking about him when she walked over to embrace him in a hug.

Sophie caught Fitz giving her a small smile from Biana's and Linh's grasp and she quickly looked away, not wanting to bring up old feelings and memories from the past.

"We also wanted to see if we could find out any secrets, too," Keefe whispered teasingly in Sophie's ear. Her eyes widened and she smacked his shoulder out of surprise.

"Ow! Foster!" Keefe complained dramatically, grabbing his shoulder. "What was that for?!"

"You'll live," Sophie told him, crossing her arms. "Besides, you deserved it for all those pranks you pulled on me."

Keefe put his hands over his heart and started falling to his knees, being the same overdramatic Keefe that Sophie remembered.

"I'm dying, Foster, save me!" he said in a way too dramatic tone. Sophie rolled her eyes at Keefe before taking in a deep breath and headed to a Biana-free Fitz.

"Hey," she said quietly, awkwardly and slowly putting her arms around his neck to give him a hug. "How are you?"

"Well, I finally get to see my friends and my best friend is supposedly dying, I'm doing pretty well. How about you?" Fitz asked with a grin, though Sophie did hear a slight stutter in his voice.

It was really nice, finally having the gang back together after a long time, despite the awkward tension between her and Fitz. It really felt normal—and Sophie was finally getting to know the definition of normal.