How It Should Have Been: Sokeefe AU

Episode 13: (Keefe's POV)

This begins right before the chapter before this: Keefe's about to help Sophie with her mimicking

Keefe paced the lawn outside Havenfield. 

Biana had told him that Sophie needed help with her mimicking, so he came. Honestly, that hadn't been the only reason. He would have to find a way to bring up the Fitz subject, making sure she was okay and comfortable with being in a relationship. Fitz was sweet, but he could be overbearing, and Keefe knew that Sophie probably wouldn't say anything if she was uncomfortable.

And, to be honest, he just wanted an excuse to see her.

She arrived, and he could feel her hope and excitement, mixed with a bit of nerves, from across the field.

He could feel how much she expected him to be Fitz.

He had prepared himself for this, but it still hurt. He hadn't thought it would be this painful to feel how much she didn't like him. But he would hide behind jokes like he always did. Cover up his pain with humor. Pretend it didn't hurt. 

He cleared his throat.

"Wow, thanks for that," Keefe tried to wave her emotions away, but they were too strong. "I can feel how not happy you are to see me. Maybe you were expecting someone else? Maybe Mr. Lover Boy?" Keefe smiled away the sting the words gave him and made kissy noises until Sophie shoved him.

"Shut up!" she ordered, in that adorably annoyed voice. Hot waves of annoyance were wafting toward him. "I just... wasn't expecting you to be here."

"Right, because you were expecting Wonderboy," Keefe smirked and crossed his arms. He knew he was right. "Don't even try to deny it. You can't lie to an Empath!"

"It doesn't matter! Why are you here, anyway?" Sophie was getting embarrassed. A flush worked its way up her cheeks.

"Dexipoo said that you needed help with mimicking, so here I am!" Keefe spread out his arms. "Here to help you pass your midterms, the mimicking king himself, the Keefster!"

"Great," Sophie grumbled.

"I'm gonna assume that meant 'Thank you, Keefe! You're my only hope!"

"Go ahead," Sophie rolled her eyes. "So, you got any tricks for me to pass my midterms?"

"Aren't we gonna go into your room?" Keefe asked.

"Nope! I don't trust you around all my stuff!" Sophie answered. Keefe knew that wasn't the reason, but he chose not to embarrass her further. He knew it had something to do with the Wonderboy. Besides, he didn't want to hear or feel more feelings about Fitz and how great he was. "We can work right out here." She plopped down on the soft grass, and Keefe sat down next to her.

Edaline came out of the pterodactyl enclosure and came to an abrupt stop at the sight of Keefe. She started walking again, a smile that reminded Keefe of Sophie's stuck on her face. 

Wow, he was obsessed. Keefe ordered himself to snap out of it. Sophie was a friend, and that wasn't going to change. He needed to get over her.

Easier said than done.

"Can I get you two anything?" Edaline asked, winking.

Keefe watched a blush rise up Sophie's face as she said, "Maybe some custard bursts or something?"

"Sure," Edaline nodded her head a little too hard and backed away toward the house.

"That was weird," Sophie muttered, reliably oblivious. Keefe smiled at her knowingly. "What?" she asked