INTERTWINED, kotlc

Ten

"Here's the basket," Keefe said as he pulled it out from the room. It was a good size. Not too big. Sophie had to admit that she was a bit hungry since her baking experiment didn't go as planned.

Sophie checked her watch and blew out a breath when she realized it was five o'clock. She had an hour. "Where are we going?"

"I'll drive," was all Keefe said.

Sophie was surprised when Keefe showed off his bright red sports car. It was shiny. Really, really shiny. "Why's it so... blinding?" She asked as she shielded her eyes from the sun reflecting off the car.

"Hot ride, eh?" Keefe smirked, not answering her question as he hopped in.

"If you'd like to put it that way," She shrugged as she side-eyed the onlookers.

He turned up the radio and jammed along with the songs as he drove. "I'm a bad boy..."

"What?!" Sophie exclaimed. "Keefe, you're not a bad boy. Really." She ran her hand over the leather interior and leaned back.

"Foster, foster, foster. Hmm. Have you ever heard of something called 'the lyrics of a song?'" Keefe stated. Sophie still believed he thought that he was literally a bad boy.

Her cheeks reddened. Sophie needed brain cells that worked.

"Don't worry— I'm just teasing you." 

They drove for a few more minutes until they had finally arrived. They got out of the car, and Sophie breathed in the fresh autumn air as the leaves crunched underneath her. They were in a park, and leaves were blowing around them, making for a pretty setting. 

"It's nice," She complimented. "What's the occasion?" Sophie joked.

"You need to have some fun, Foster! Loosen up and throw all of that stressful work 'out of your brain!"

"Do you throw 'work out of your brain?'" Sophie asked as they strolled over to a bench and sat down.

"All the time. Believe me— life gets way easier if you do it," He nodded thoughtfully. "Anyways, I'm hungry, so let's eat!"

Keefe dug through the basket greedily, and Sophie had to ask: "Why do you have a picnic basket in your room anyway?"

"Stop asking so many questions— And, it's not mine. It's Fitz's. He has a closet full of 'necessities' so I just plunked this out of there. I doubt he'll notice since he said he was going out. I wonder who the lucky girl is," Keefe wiggled his eyebrows, and Sophie laughed nervously, hoping he didn't notice her expression.

Keefe didn't know it was her. Sophie silently blew out a breath. She'd enjoy the hour and then meet up with Fitz. It'd be okay and all turn out great.

"Here's your sandwich," He said as he handed her a plastic baggie with a sandwich in it. "Made 'em myself," Keefe declared proudly. "Of course, it isn't a proper dinner, but sandwiches are usually pretty tasty."

The wind blew into Sophie's hair as she smiled and took her food out. She bit into it, and the bread was warm on her tongue. There was fresh strawberry jam and a hint of butter. Sophie cherished the first two flavours but began coughing when she realized what the last ingredient was.

"Sophie?" Keefe asked, concerned. "Are you okay?"

Her vision blurred as she tried to speak to him.

Peanut butter.