The Day Of – Tam's POV
Wooo! Almost Gala time! Last non-gala chapter, then we get to it! I'm excited! But I still think this one was fun. Got to give Tam some love, right? I'm not sure how many post-Gala chapters there will be, could be anywhere from 2 to a lot, but I'm definitely not stopping after the Gala. Hope you enjoy, review answers are at the bottom!
Also, I've been wondering, for those of you who have favorited this story, do you still get alerts for it? I've been getting this "problem page" or whatever when I submit a new chapter, but it still posts, so I don't really understand what the problem is. The only thing different is that I don't get an alert that I posted a new chapter, which I usually do. Has this happened to anyone else?
I've also come to realize that even if my stories look long in word, that doesn't necessarily mean their long in FanFiction. Sorry 'bout that, but I can't really go any longer than I do. I'm more of a short chapter but more chapters kind of writer.
"Keefe," Fitz yelled to the annoying elf who was still fixing his hair in the bathroom. "You'd better answer your imparter before Biana marches over here and kicks you in a place you really don't want to be kicked in."
Keefe's imparter had been buzzing for the last 10 minutes. We'd been at Keefe's for the last hour. I wanted this to be done as much as Biana did. Nothing says fun like playing makeover with a bunch of guys.
"I'm almost done! Then we can go!"
"Ugh, dude!" Dex groaned from Keefe's bed. "You've been saying that every time we tell you to hurry up!"
"I could roll out of bed and still look hot, but perfection takes time!"
I rolled my eyes. "Who are you even going to be impressing, beside Biana?" Which alone was enough to make me gag. "The majority of the people attending this party are guys." Keefe stuck his head out of the bathroom and winked at us. That's when Fitz starting banging his head against the wall.
"I. Can't. Take. This. Anymore!"
"You don't have to be so dramatic! Like I said, I'm almost done. Anyway, so you won't get a concussion, how about you tell as all the dirt between you and Linh?"
Fitz went immediately defensive, complete with crossed arms, a slight pout, and a glare. "What are you talking about?"
"Weeell, I don't want to go into the whole 'clingy' thing, but…"
"I didn't mean to get so mad! It just threw me off guard."
"Still, that was pretty mean."
"You have no right to talk, Keefe," I snapped, "What with you and Biana."
Dex sat up abruptly and raised an eyebrow. "Trouble in paradise, Keefe?"
"Shut up, both of you."
"No, no, I want to hear this too," Fitz said, still cranky.
"All three of you, then. Shut up."
"They got into a fight," I said. "A nasty one, apparently. Keefe freaked when she complained about his penmanship, and Biana freaked when he got angry."
"Ha," Fitz sneered. "And you're making fun of me for my relationship troubles."
Keefe came out then, his eyes locked on Fitz. "They are not relationship troubles."
"You had a fight, so you're obviously having problems."
"It wasn't that big a deal!"
"Then why did you freak out so bad?"
"Why did you get so annoyed with Linh?"
"Would you two knock it off," Dex said and rolled his eyes.
"You can't talk," Keefe said without even looking at him, and waved his hand dismissively. "Your relationship is so perfect and gushy it's sickening." Dex looked like he either wanted to jeer at Keefe or be offended. Either way, his face turned bright red.
"Whatever…" he mumbled.
"No, seriously, what are your problems?" I spoke up.
"I just…" Fitz looked at my accusing expression and darted his eyes away. "I don't think…"
"Spit it out!"
"I don't think I like Linh like that!" he looked down in shame. "I don't think we're right for each other."
"Are you…are you going to break up?" Keefe asked, his voice worried, for whatever reason.
"I…I don't know."
"What?" I spat. "So you're just going to lead her on?"
His head shot up. "No! No, I will. I'm just not sure when"
"You are such a jerk."
"I'm not! It's not working out, is that such a problem? It happens. It happened to us. I'm not just going to dump her over our Imparter and call it done; that's what you're making it seem like. I'm not cruel."
"Whatever," I said and shook my head.
After a few moments of silence, Keefe clapped his hands, making us all jump. "Well, I think we should probably get going! We've been here long enough!"
"Woah! Hold up!" I grabbed his retreating shirt collar. "Nobody's leaving until you tell us what's wrong between you and Biana! It's only fair." Okay, I'll admit, I wasn't really worried about being fair. This was mostly for my benefit.
"You heard the story," he said, and rolled his eyes. "Little fight, that's in the past. Moving on."
"I don't think going on and on and on about it makes it a 'little fight.' The sooner you tell us what's going on, the sooner we can get to the Gala."
"Fine, fine," he took a deep breath. "I don't think it's working out with me and Biana, either."
"Seriously?" Dex asked and rolled his eyes.
"What?"
"You and Fitz both all of a sudden don't like your girlfriends anymore? Don't you think that's a little bit unrealistic?"
"Life doesn't exactly play by set rules," Fitz growled.
"All I'm saying is that it's very conveniently timed."
I snickered. "He's got a point."
"What are you talking about, Bangs Boy?" Keefe asked.
"Nothing. Never mind. And I still don't understand why you make fun of my hair. You're more fickle about your hair then I am!"
"What teenager uses the word 'fickle?'" Fitz asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Stop changing the subject to make fun of me!"
"You kind of do it to yourself. You always sound so old." It's times like these I want to punch Keefe in his 'perfectly handsome' face.
"It's called being mature. You wouldn't know about that, huh?"
"Um, boys?"
We all snapped up in silence at the sound of Sophie's voice. What was she doing here…and where exactly was she?
"Sophie?" Keefe's voice choked.
"Uh, I called Dex on his Imparter," We all raced over to the device laying on the bed. "He, um, must have sat on it and answered it by mistake."
"How much did you hear?" Fitz asked, his voice strained.
Her face pinkend. "I… I'm not going to lie. Just, um, when Dex said…uh, unrealistic, and stuff." She looked down and twiddled her thumbs. Then she lifted her head and eyed Keefe and Fitz through the screen. "Before you ask; no, they didn't hear. And no, I'm not going to tell them. That wouldn't be fair to you all. But I hope that you try and work through it first, give your relationships a chance. And if it really doesn't turn out well, then you'll break it off. Don't lead them on."
Both boys stared at the floor in shame.
"Oh, don't be such crybabies," she laughed. "Get your butts over here. Guests are going to start arriving soon, and I'm all alone with two girls who want to keep redoing my makeup. I didn't realize what a Tomboy I am until I met Biana."
"Biana makes every girl feel like a Tomboy," Fitz said. "We'll come and save you."
Keefe saluted. "We'll be there soon Foster."
"See ya in a bit Sophie!" Dex said and way."
The other boys looked at me expectantly. "Uh, bye!"
She smiled wide. "See ya!"
Dex nudged me.
"No. We are not having that whole conversation again."
"But-"
"Nope! Don't want to hear it!"
"But didn't you see-"
"Don't. Say. It." She did look very pretty, especially with makeup, but that wasn't important.
"Okay, okay. But, after tonight, you're in for a major 'I told you so.' Right, guys?" He elbowed Fitz and Keefe.
"Yeah, sure," Fitz said, looking away.
"Whatever." Keefe got up. "Let's go."
As we walked out, Dex mouthed "what's their problem?" I shrugged my shoulders and mouthed "crybabies." He grinned.
"I have arrived! The party may officially begin!" Keefe took a boy and stepped on a giant stoned floor. "What the heck this this thing for?"
"That," said Biana angrily, "Is a dance floor." She crossed her arms. "What in the world took you so long?"
"You can't rush perfection!" She rolled her eyes as Linh and Marella came up to us and hugged their respective boyfriends.
"Sophie!" Marella called, "They're here!"
"Thank goodness!" Sophie came running, high-heeled shoes in her hand and her red dress blowing in the wind. Her hair was getting incredibly tousled, but I doubt she minded. Biana looked at her in horror.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?"
"Honestly, Biana."
"WHY AREN'T YOU WEARING YOUR SHOES?! LOOK AT YOUR FEET!"
Sophie crinkled her nose and looked down. "What's wrong with my feet? And I can't exactly run in high heels. They're already uncomfortable."
"You're feet have grass stains! Oh, and you're hair! You're poor, poor hair!" she whimpered and started pacing. "What am I going to do? There's no time…"
Sophie smirked at us before turning to Biana. "It's fine Biana. It's not that bad." She frowned and looked down at herself. "I still look okay, right?" She glanced at us a little uncertainly.
"Don't let Biana get to you," I said. "You look great."
She grinned. "Thanks Tam." And she really did. The way her eyes sparkled in the sun. The way her face brightened when she smiled. Even when she was nervous or scared, she always had this determined step to her walk. The guy who won her heart would be incredibly lucky. I couldn't believe that Fitz and Keefe had passed her bye. But that made me stop in my tracks. Was I about to make the same mistake?
Sophie's eyes widened with excitement as she spun around abruptly and raced to the tables filled with food. She called back to us as she ran. "You should come and try all the food before everyone gets here! They're tons of stuff, but it's all so good I'm sure it will be gone in a second! Cupcakes, brownies, punch, ice cream! I can't wait!"
"We'll have to let everyone know that the way to Foster's heart is through her stomach," Keefe said, smiling at her a little too affectionately.
"You got to admit, she is pretty adorable," Linh said.
"Yeah," I said without thinking. The girls, and Dex, looked at me with sly smiles. But I could have almost sworn that Fitz and Keefe were glaring.
"Alright people!" Edaline called. "The first guests are arriving!"
"HIDE ME!" Sophie ran behind Marella.
"Oh stop! You'll be fine!" she said laughing.
"Uh, do you people even know me?"
"Yup," I said, and everyone looked at me. "You're the girl who stands strong in the face of any challenge. You can do this."
She stared at me for a few seconds before going up to greet the guests. Even though I couldn't fully decipher her expression, I swore it was one of awe.
TEAM SOPHIE: Okay, thanks. :) Ikr, I love Biana. XD Okay, I'll have to keep that in mind. Glad you liked it!
TinyAlicorn: Glad you remembered your password. :) Lol, I know what you mean by "almost." A sophexer? Cool, I don't see many of those! (And I totally don't mean that in an offensive way. Dex needs more love!) Thank you thank you thank you!
MAGIVALtales: I know, fanfic is the only thing that keeps me going, both reading and writing it. NO! Don't say that! I could never be compared to the great and mighty Shannon Messenger, Writer of Keeper of the Lost Cities! But I appreciate it all the same. :) Thank you so much, and I hope you keep reading my stories!
Springgirl: I plan on it! Got a good idea of my plot, and I can't wait to see it through! Though I'm not sure how I'm going to have Grady react though. Grady-hate is kind of only reserved for Keefe, it seems. XD I know, I hope that Sophie's crush for Fitz fades, no offense to Sophizters. That's my personal bias coming in. Glad you liked it!
Glittery-Icecream: I support Keefoster and Tiana too, I just like mixing it up. Too much of the same ship is kind of boring, right? Anyway, thanks. I'm glad you liked it!
