The Awakening

Two-Year-Old Maniac Child

Sophie's POV

Keefe carried me all the way up the front steps of the hideout, into the main room. Surprisingly, a couple of our friends were already seated at the meeting table, looking tense and alert.

As soon as we were noticed by them, Percy and Annabeth shot to their feet, running toward us.

Annabeth grabbed the basket from me as Keefe slowly lowered me to the ground, just for me to be snatched up into Percy's arms.

"Are you okay?! Where did you go?!" Percy pestered, releasing me to hastily cup my face between both his hands. "We were worried sick, young lady! You cannot just-!"

"Mr. Forkle needs you in his office," Annabeth cut him off, ripping Percy away from me.

I slowly nodded my head, confused at all of the commotion that occurred just because Keefe and I went out. Mr. Forkle could've just mind-linked me, seeing as my Telepathy was working now, since I was away from the maze.

Nonetheless, I silently reached back to grab Keefe and pull him along with me, silently telling him that I needed him there.

He wordlessly followed along as we passed by Tam and Biana, both who were still sitting at the meeting table but appeared to be dozing off. Biana was resting her head on his shoulder, while Tam slightly tilted his head toward hers, their chairs too close together for Tam's usual liking.

I didn't miss Keefe's smirk as we passed them.

He continued walking partially behind me until we reached the hall, where we strolled on side-by-side. We swung our intertwined hands back and forth, letting silence overtake us.

Of course, I broke it when my mind went haywire trying to sort out all of the questions I had.

"What do you think he wants?" I asked warily, looking up at Keefe briefly.

"He probably learned about your new Foster powers in his Forkle-y ways and now wants to talk about it," Keefe summed up, momentarily sending a breeze of calmness with his hold on my hand. "And, please, for my sake, stop your anxiety before it makes me sick."

I blushed involuntarily, forgetting that he even had the ability to pick up on my emotions that easily.

Wait a minute . . .

"Why the sudden confusion?"

Oh, gods. Does that mean he picked up on what I was feeling in that cave?

"Foster?"

I dismissed all of the thoughts and emotions coursing through me in an attempt to hide my feelings, purposefully bowing my head a little so a curtain of hair shadowed my face.

"Hey, Shy Foster's only fun when I'm in on the joke," Keefe huffed from beside me, halting me from continuing to walk and turning me to face him.

"Noooo," I whined, trying to step back from him, but he just used his free hand to lift my chin up so that we were eye-to-eye.

"Why are you embarrassed, now?" he questioned, staring into my soul.

Okay, Sophie. Deep breaths. You've got this.

I made direct eye contact with him, after a couple seconds of keeping my eyes shut tightly.

"Keefe, I lo-."

"You kids!" a voice impatiently down the hall, making both of our heads snap to the source.

Keefe and I both abruptly turned to him, one hand still latching onto the other's, and jogged toward Mr. Forkle, who was standing in the doorframe of his office.