"I can't choose."
Tam looked close to strangling someone.
"We've went over this already! You like him, go for it!"
Sophie glared at the silver banged boy.
"I can't, because the other is going to get hurt!"
Tam groaned loudly.
"This isn't about who might get hurt, Sophie. This is about who's going to make you happy. And you'll be regretting the fact that you didn't choose later on when none of you three hopeless-"
"Hey!"
"-lovebirds are truly happy," Tam finished, ignoring her.
"I used to like Fitz," Sophie sighed. "But now I think I enjoy his presence more in the brotherly way. And Keefe..."
"You don't have to be afraid to hurt my feelings, Sophie."
Sophie whirled around, eyes wide.
Teal eyes sparkled with humor as she stumbled, and Sophie crashed into someone that she knocked into more than too often.
She turned a fierce red, but now it felt different. Somehow she knew that she wasn't blushing because the person holding her was Fitz, more of embarrassment. She heard a chuckle from Tam before said boy went away to give the two of them some space to talk.
Thankful for the shades and low lights, Sophie did her best to hide her blush as Fitz lead her to a more private place. He let go of her, and Sophie risked a peek and realized that they were on the balcony.
Fitz leaned his elbows on the ledge, looking out to the stars.
"Tam was right, you know. If you had lied to me and Keefe and told us that you didn't want to choose, none of us would have been happy in the end."
Sophie looked down at her feet.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think of that," she admitted. "But it was scary, knowing that I would be happy with one of you and probably hurt the other. And I had no idea if I would make the right choice..."
Fitz smiled down at her.
"Well, you've always been prone to making messes."
He chuckled as Sophie glared at him. "But it's going to be alright. It will be."
Sophie sighed softly before turning and embracing the taller boy tightly.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
She could almost feel him smile.
"No, this has helped me, Sophie. It told me that you're not the one for me. But we'll still be best friends, yeah?"
Sophie smiled up at him, for once not minding the huge height difference between the two of them.
"Of course."
He kissed her hair, and Sophie was relieved when she didn't feel herself blush.
"Good luck."
Sophie laughed.
"I'm hoping I won't need it."
She slipped back into the dance room and immediately spotted the head of blonde hair that she was looking for, standing near the refreshments table with a smile as he talked to a little boy looking up at him with awe.
Nearing them, she slipped her arms around Keefe's waist, and she felt him jump in surprise.
"I- Foster?"
"I have been told that that's my name," she told him, a hint of amuse in her voice.
Keefe turned to face her, mouth in a wide grin.
"What are you doing here? Last time I saw you, you were stumbling all over Bangs Boy."
Sophie scowled at him playfully.
"I can't believe you still don't like Tam."
Keefe smirked.
"I like him plenty. Now what are you doing here?"
She blinked up at him innocently.
"What, I can't talk to you?"
Keefe chuckled.
"I've seen that face of yours before, Foster, and I know you're up to something. The question is; what?"
Sophie felt herself blush a little, and to distract herself from Keefe's intense gaze, she crouched down to pat the boy's head.
"You'll find out soon enough," she told Keefe airily. "What's your name?" She asked the kid.
He grinned up at her, showing a toothy smile.
"I'm Matthew, but everyone calls me Matt."
Sophie felt her own lips curl up.
"I don't know why I have such a soft spot for guys named Matthew," she told Matt mildly.
"What about guys named Keefe?"
The sudden closeness made her jerk in surprise, and she felt his warm breath on the back of her neck. For some reason, it warmed her inside as well.
"Maybe them too, perhaps more."
She turned to look at him, and this time Keefe had a soft expression that Sophie never thought she'd seen before.
"Perhaps?" He asked, just a little hint of teasing in his tone.
Sophie wasn't sure what was propelling her to be so brave that night, but she knew that she would forever wonder what it was as she took the plunge and softly kissed Keefe, leaving him dumbstruck and blushing.
"Definitely."
Dang, I tried to make this good for you guys, which was hard to do at one and a half in the morning, mind you. Hope you enjoyed!
