The Matchmakers

TWENTY SEVEN

"YOU HAVE TO TRY, Sophie. You have to try."

"Keefe told me he loves me."

The words hung between them, the silence of Fitz's rage so thick she felt like it was suffocating her.

"And you told him he could go to Exile. Right?"

Sophie didn't answer. She didn't need to. Fitz knew she hadn't responded that way, she could see it in his eyes.

Still he asked her. "Right?"

Sophie shook her head slowly. "I told him I needed to think about some things."

"There's nothing to think about!" Fitz exploded. "You're going to marry me! Not him! ME!"

Sophie whirled, the angry words already on her lips. And as she spoke them, she realized they were true. "I can't do this anymore!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face. Whether they were tears of anger or tears of grief, she couldn't say. "The anger, the fighting, the getting back together. I'm sorry, Fitz, but I'm done."

"Do you want me to fight for you?" Fitz yelled, his teal eyes sparkling with barely contained fury. "Is this all another one of your power trips?"

Sophie stared at him, eyes blazing, fists clenched, and entire body rigid with anger. And in that moment, she realized she couldn't be the girl he wanted her to be, and he couldn't be the man she needed. If he got angry over every little thing, if he couldn't accept that she had her own opinions and her own desires and her own needs beyond their relationship, then that was that. It wasn't about deserving better, it was about being better. How could either of them ever grow if all they did was hold each other back?

Sophie took a deep breath. She looked at the twisted, angry boy in front of her. And then she said, "Goodbye, Fitz."

"No! You don't get to just pull this crap!" Fitz grabbed Sophie hand and yanked her backward roughly enough she stumbled and fell into his chest. He didn't steady her. In fact, he dropped her hand as if it had burned him. "Seriously! I'm so done with your shit." Fitz's eyes were hard, devoid of any grief, or hesitation, or compassion as he delivered his ultimatum. "If you walk away right now, I'm not going to take you back."

In that moment, time stood still.

Fitz's eyes, the eyes she used to think were the most extraordinary shade of teal, were empty, devoid of life, charisma, the sparkle that made Fitz, Fitz. His movie star worthy smile hadn't made an appearance in months. And now he was pushing her around?

'This is it,' Sophie thought. 'This is going to be the moment that breaks us.' And she found that, surprisingly, she didn't particularly care.

Sophie sighed, feeling as though the weight of the world had been removed from her shoulders. She even let a small smile flit across her lips as she grabbed her leaping crystal and heal it up to the light. "Then I wish you the best," she told him honestly.

Fitz was still yelling as she glittered away.

Sophie's smile faded as she glittered into view at Havenfield. Was that it? Was that really the last time she'd ever see Fitz? Would her last memory of him really be his empty eyes and rage flushed cheeks? Would his last memory of her be their blow up?

Sophie sank to the ground, twining her fingers through the soft strands of grass. It felt like she couldn't breathe. Her chest spasmed as she gasped for air, though no tears streaked down her cheeks. She missed the way it was before, when she and Fitz were friends, cognates. She missed how they used to talk. She missed his laugh.

She missed laughing with him.

But it was over. That chapter of her life was done and gone if she had anything to say about it. And for now, there was a job to do.