Before any of you read the story I want you to know writing Keefe as her brother was hard for me but it seemed to fit. I mean seriously, Gisela is a truly HORRIBLE person. When I looked back, in this particular story Keefe and Sophie have not shown much chemistry anyways. I KNOW I ship them too, but it just didn't fit the way this story was playing out. SO, SORRY. To make up for it I will be sure to make my next story super duper Team Foster-Keefe. Maybe just a bunch of Kophie shenanigans. I will start pondering this now.
Secondly, this chapter will be a bit calmer so you guys can have a bit of recovery before the drama and tear-your-hair-out-screaming moments come back.
Saraoh781: Meh, I'm cool if people think I'm crazy. It would mean I would be up there with some of the best. Thank you again.
Hailey: I'M SO GLAD. I never thought my writing could have such effects on people. Thank you!
ForeverFreeFall: I am sorry for the emotional trauma I seem to have caused. I was really upset about that but yes; the Kophie ship has sunk so deep it has fallen into the depths of the ocean's uncharted abyss. But…it's still really flattering that people are so invested in this story, so thank you.
Keeper: J(looky at the cool smiley face I made!) I know right? It makes me smile.
A(n) Angry Keeper: That's a plot twist for ya. All I can say is sorry, (not totally sorry). But thank you for caring so much. I hope I can redeem myself.
Keeper: (Hi again) I know I am a cruel and evil person. But what is a story without a little emotional breakdown moment. Don't worry it will get better for the guys…maaayybee. (hehe) Though I hope it get better for them too.
Guest: Yay a fellow Keefester has reviewed! No I really do ship them! It just didn't work out in this story. But if you think you're sad now wait until they find out.
Pen .edge: I feel the same way, its crazy! But thank you so much! No reason at all to apologize I think it is the coolest thing that you are a regular reviewer. It is SO AWESOME! Thank you again!
Springgirl: Thank you! And OH MY GOSH I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT OF THAT I MEAN I HAVE PLANS FOR LUC BUT THAT IS SUCH A COOL THEORY KUDOS TO YOU FOR THAT! The only problem would be that Luc kinda likes her and that would work about as well as Keefe liking her at this point.
Saraoh781: Aww, here's a Sophie chapter.
Holy…*deep breath* okay I think I got every one. Enjoy the chapter. Don't hate me. (You'll understand soon)
Sophie POV
"Well that was…strange." Sophie sat down, dangling her legs off of the reservoir, and began absentmindedly tossing pebbles into the water. Luc sat down next to her, so close their bodies touches and he started throwing gravel too.
"Yeah." They sat like that, just the two of them, side by side, content to just be together in silence.
She didn't know how much time had passed when Luc suddenly jumped to his feet. He reached his hand down to her. "Come on." Sophie obliged and soon she was wrapped in his arms. She sank into his embrace. Far too soon he pulled away but he never let go of her. "Here give me your hand. It's a skipping stone, see." He explained when he placed a small, smooth, clam shaped rock in her hand. Luc then turned so he was standing behind her, his arms surrounding hers, and he held her hand, guiding the motion. She didn't tell him she already knew how to, or that it wouldn't work since they were so high up. She just enjoyed the moment.
He blushed when it didn't skip but Sophie just smiled. "We can fix that after we fix my baking." He smiled back but it was short lived.
"You want to talk about it? Those guys, I mean its okay to be a bit freaked."
She shook her head. "I don't know. Lately I've been getting these weird flashes of déjà vu. Like, I'm missing a bunch of time. But I remember everything that's happened. But then I try to focus on a memory and suddenly it gets really unclear of I get dizzy. And then these guys show up out of nowhere saying they know me, and I've had some chance meeting with one of them. It's all so messed up and confusing. I just want to ignore it all right now."
"Then don't." He shrugged. "We could talk about my life. You are always saying I don't talk about myself enough."
"That would be nice. But no sugar coating, I want all the gory details."
"Just remember you asked." He sighed. "So where should we start? Um, well next year when I turn sixteen I plan to get emancipated. Yeah I know crazy. But I can't stand where I am now. My mom died when I was too young to remember her and my dad's a bit…judgmental. He wants me to grow up just like him, just like my brother did. To join the Marines and 'save the world'. Don't get me wrong, I admire all that those guys do, but it's not for me. I want to make things. I want to use my hands and create something that makes you feel something, you know? I want to make an art piece that will transport the viewer to whatever world I was in when I made it, but at the same time a world that's all their own. That's my passion but passion doesn't fit my father's mold. So as soon as I can I'm going to leave." She had never heard him speak so passionately about something as he did this.
"Speaking of art," Suddenly he looked very shy. He reached into his chest pocket and pulled something out, shielding from her eyes. "We've been friends for exactly one month today and in that short time I feel closer to you than any of my friends I have known for years. And I was thinking about then when I found this really cool stone on my way home so somehow I just ended up making this and-well-here." He opened his hand and revealed a bracelet. The strap was intricately braided brown leather with one elegantly carved black swan.
Sophie was speechless. It had to of been carved out of some sort of obsidian or something. "You made this? This is-it's beautiful Luc. Thank you." He grinned at her praise.
"May I?" He asked gesturing to her wrist. She hesitated; he had never seen her scars. He grew concerned from her hesitation. "Sophie? What's wrong?"
"It's just, I have…scars."
"What? Wait, do you mean?" She realized what he was implying and shook her head vigorously.
"No! Nothing bad. No I…got hurt… pretty bad last year. No one but my family and the doctor have seen the scars."
He seemed relieved by this and smiled. "Hey, it's fine, no judgment at the reservoir remember?" She smiled back and held out her arm for him to put the bracelet on. He sucked in his breath when he saw.
The scars looked like pink and red spider's webs spiraling up her forearms all the way to her elbows. But it was layers upon layers of the spider web scars to the point where no unblemished skin was visible. (AN: I now this isn't how burns typically look but she was burned by a crazy pyrokinetic okay? I didn't think it would look the same.) He brushed his hand over her scars. "Who did this to you? These aren't normal burns." He whispered.
"Not a who." Though it felt like a lie when she said that. "When I lived in San Diego there were some pretty bad wildfires and we didn't evacuate in time. No one anticipated them to get so big so fast and my house caught fire. I got stuck and burned my arms. Luckily I was rescued in time or more than my arms would be burnt. No one could explain the fires, they burned white hot." She shivered at the memory and Luc seemed to shake out of his dazed. He pulled her into his lap and wrapped her in his arms.
"Hey, look at me, it's okay. You're okay. You don't have anything to be ashamed of anything. No scars could detract from your beauty." He smirked. "If anything, it's like some sort of unfortunate but cool tattoo." He put the bracelet on. "Bu I understand. People are jerks who don't have interesting lives so they gossip about people who do. I won't tell. Cross my heart."
"I know you won't." She looked at the gift. "So…why a swan?"
He gave her a puzzled look she couldn't decipher. "I noticed how you are always doodling them. Whenever you tune out you start making the pattern in the dirt or on your hand. It's all over your notes. I don't know I thought you just really liked them so now whenever I see one I think of you."
"Wait, really?"
"Yeah, you've never noticed?"
She answered no and grabbed her book bag which had fallen a few feet away. She reached inside and pulled out her note book. Sure enough it had tiny swans all over the margin. "Weird. I didn't know I did this."
"Maybe it's because you know you are a swan amongst geese." She quirked her eyebrow at him and smirked.
"Quite the sweet talker. I applaud you."
"Hey I thought it was romantic!" Her smile fell.
"Romantic?"
"Yeah. You know, a guys says sweet nothings to the girl he likes. Or he could you know, just kiss her." Luc did something she had never expected. He leaned in to kiss her. A million thoughts rushed through her head in that second before his lips touched hers. Primarily that she had no idea what to think. Part of her eagerly anticipated it, but another, hidden and suppressed part of her felt like it was wrong. That her first kiss was meant to be with someone else. For some indiscernible reason that made her think about the boy from before, Fitz. She decided to worry about that later and relish this moment. So when their lips met, she kissed him back.
So…have fun with that.