"Keefe! Where did you even go?" Sophie laughed, knocking on all the doors in that hallway of Elwin's house.
Biana joined in on the other side of the hall. "Come on! I know you're not talking right now, but, like, clap or something!" They laughed.
Biana had convinced her that she needed to chill, so they were going to play a game of Base Quest, but they were missing a player, and obviously it would be more fun if Keefe played. She was supposed to stay away from him, yes...but come on! This was reason enough to disregard that order, right? And since when was she one to pay attention to the rules?
It was time to reach out with her mind. Keefe! Let's play Base Quest! Oh...she stood still for a minute. Was he here? She turned to Biana. "Hey, I don't know if he's here. I could be wrong, though."
"Check his room just in case. I'll go outside and try to figure out where else he could be."
"Kay!" Sophie waved and walked up to Keefe's room. Well, his temporary room. You know. She knocked. "Keefe, you in there?" Silence. Well, of course. Even if he was there, he wouldn't likely answer her. She twisted the doorknob and stepped inside. It was dark.
"I...Keefe?" She expected him to complain about the worry she was throwing at him, but he wasn't there. The room was entirely empty.
Except...for a letter.
It was addressed to her. I mean, okay, she thought. Sophie picked it up. She hesitated a bit before opening it. The first thing she noticed was the crumpled paper. The second was how shaky the handwriting was. And then she began reading.
She quickly had to sit down. This was clearly Keefe's handwriting, but he had been stressed when he had written it, whenever that was.
Sophie was sobbing by the end of it. The letter read:
"Dear Sophie,
I'm sorry about this. I know that of everyone, it will hurt you most.
I just wanted to explain a little bit. Why I'm doing this. I mean, there's the things you knew about. My parents. My childhood.
But there was something that I never told you. I'm in love with you, Sophie.
Me doing this isn't your fault. I could never, ever, blame you for anything.
But I never told you, and it was weighing down on me, to say the least. I knew you didn't feel the same way, and I just couldn't go on. And I know you're going to think this is your fault. It's not your fault. I love you more than anyone or anything else. Than myself. Than life.
I just...I couldn't keep doing this. I was going to hurt someone...and I could have run. I could have left, maybe gone to the Forbidden Cities, but I knew someone would find me someday. I couldn't risk hurting someone.
Hurting you.
And I knew that I couldn't keep living knowing that I could do something to you. I could never harm you.
And I already have...when I betrayed you. The guilt has been killing me slowly.
I might as well finish the job.
-Keefe"