A Cognate Thing-a sophitz story

fifty two

The sound of the chimes rang through the towers signaling the elite level students that dinner was ready and to head down to the great Hall where meals were served. Fitz sat on his bed holding Ella internally debating if he even wanted to go down to eat. He had spent the entire day focussing on storing his mental energy so that he would hopefully be able to mind loop with Sophie. It was late in the afternoon when she finally reached out but to his disappointment it wasn't to mind loop, no she only wanted to tell him about her new friend visiting Havenfield. He wanted to visit Havenfield, he wanted to be the one Sophie spent the day with and he wanted to sit with her under Calla's panakes. He missed her so much but it didn't seem that she was missing him.

“Hey Fitz,” Keefe's voice came with a knock at the door. “You in there? I haven't seen you all day. You want to eat dinner together?”

“Just a second,” Fitz called out grabbing his long cape and throwing it over his shoulders. When he opened the door Keefe gasped.

“Dude can you tone down the emotions. I’m not even touching you but I can sense your bad day just from the energy coming out of your room.”

Fitz grumbled something Keefe couldn't make out and tried to put on a happy face but Keefe put his arm across the store stopping Fitz from leaving.

“Sit down, tell your best friend what's wrong. I can't handle the negativity while I'm trying to enjoy food and tonight is porcarot pie and mallowmelt. You know I love my mallowmelt and won't let your bad attitude ruin my food mood.”

Fitz sighed and sat down at his desk as Keefe came in and shut the door. Keefe was a good friend and maybe he could help restore a positive attitude. “If I ruin your mallowmelt, I'll share some my parents send me.”

“You have Mallowmelt from your parents? I don't know which is worse the fact you have kept it a secret from me or that they don't send me any! I will have to sit down with Alden and Della and figure out what I did to get out of their good graces.” Keefe said with a teasing look.

“It's Sophie.” Fitz mumbled. “We were supposed to mind loop this afternoon and I waited for her all day to reach out to me. She just did a little while ago and told me all about her wonderful day with her new tutor friend. It was like she didn't even think about me.”

Keefe saw the sadness pass through Fitz’s eyes.

“I'm sure she thought about you, trust me even though I'm not a telepath I know that girl thinks about you all the time. It’s annoyingly sweet how her emotions flutter and I know it is you she is thinking about. You are all she has ever thought about.”

“But what if things have changed? She is having all these important sessions now and I still haven't been invited to one as her Cognate. We are stronger together but I feel left behind. What if she decides she doesn't need me anymore.”

“Things have changed, you have changed. You are giving presentations to the council. You are living on your own, well as alone as they let us be here. You are so focused on your studies you make everyone look bad, even worse than before. Yes Sophie is having her special sessions but she always has had them. You two worked so hard during the break on your Cognate training there probably isn't much left for you to do aside from actual Cognate work, whatever that is. If Sophie decides she doesn't need you anymore, which she won't, but if she did then you will fight to win her back or apply for a match list and have an awesome winnowing gala to meet lots of ladies ready to snag a Vacker.”

Fitz glared at Keefe at the idea or girls wanting him for his name.

“She won't leave you dude, trust me. She probably got busy today and didn't realize what time it was. You know how she is, she stresses every little thing. She probably got caught up with the tutor girl and just spaced your congnate thing.”

Fitz felt a little better, Sophie did get caught up stressing about every little detail and even though it had been a wonderful day, she had mentioned a lot of things she had done, maybe she had just lost track of time.

“Thanks Keefe. You're right, I'm sure it's nothing. Sophie was just being a good host today and didn't mean to forget me.”

Keefe reached to grab Fitz’s hand to pull him up from his desk chair and could sense the calmness running through Fitz. “Exactly, now let's get dinner and talk about my party coming up. Think you can get Biana to help me a little, I'm still stuck on how to pull it all together.”

“Of course, Biana loves a good party. She will be happy to help. And when we get back after dinner I'll grab you a box of treats from my parents. They sent two this week and I know I'll get more tomorrow.”

After an uneventful dinner Keefe couldn't shake his earlier conversation with Fitz about Sophie's distance during their talk. But that didn't stop him from letting Fitz forget his promise of a treat box when they arrived back at their rooms. Fitz told him he would bring it over and closed his door behind him.

Fitz thought Keefe may know about the treats but he didn't need to know where he hid them or how many boxes he had in his stash. Fitz was careful to open his closet and quietly pull out the trunk and open the lid. Normally he pulled the box from the bottom so that they were kept in a rotation but decided he didn't want to risk making too much noise and grabbed the most recent box from the top. It felt a little heavier than usual and the top was slightly raised on top but Fitz didn't take the time to investigate. His parents always sent the exact same package and note of how important the time in the towers is and to study hard and make them proud. Maybe letting Keefe see that it wasn't a feel good note but rather a firm parental reminder would ease his own strained relationship with Lord Cassius.

Quickly packing up the trunk and pushing it back in the closet, Fitz decided to change into some running clothing. A run always made him feel better and hopefully he could convince Master Cadence to let him outside to run. With no one else at the school he hoped she would see the benefit in him clearing his head. Fitz grabbed the box and made his way over to Keefe's room to give him the box.

“Man your parents are the best, they should seriously give lessons or at least write a book or something.” Keefe said taking the box from Fitz.

“Any idea where I might find Master Cadence? I'm hoping she will let me outside to run for a while.”

“She is probably in her lab working with some Orge stuff. Ro came to visit this week after dropping off some supplies to her. Tell Master Cadence it will give you mental clarity and eliminate distractions that is what she is always telling me when I get in trouble. Those have to be her favorite words.”

Fitz smiled, there were plenty of distractions in his head but a run would help.

Saying goodbye Keefe closed the door and raced over to his bed ready to dig into the box of treats. He saw the papers on top and haphazardly cast them to the side, shocked to see an assortment of all the delicious treats Sophie would often make for Fitz.

Keefe sat for a second, a wave of sadness coming over him, Fitz was lucky. Sure there had been some rough times and Keefe knew things weren't always perfect in Vacker land but at the end of the day Fitz had two loving parents and Sophie was an awesome girlfriend as well. Taking a bite of the mallowmelt Keefe decided to see what the perfect parents sent as a letter to their perfect son.

Dear Fitz,

When I was growing up in San Diego and wished that I would find someone who could do what I do I never even imagined someone as amazing as you are. I knew from the first moment I saw you that you were the cutest boy I had ever seen and when you actually spoke to me I turned to mush. . .

Keefe scanned the rest of the letter  quickly and panic hit when he realized this box wasn't from the Vackers it was from Sophie and this wasn't just a generic love note, this was a soul baring, all in, I'm crazy about you confession.

Fitz definitely hadn't seen this note and given their earlier conversation Keefe couldn't figure out why Sophie would be distant at all if she felt like this. How long had Fitz had this box? Maybe things had changed and Keefe had been wrong. Whatever it was he knew he needed answers before he gave Fitz the letter. He couldn't stand to see his best friend crushed.