Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-2601:645:580:C3C0:B839:3113:52AD:788E-20200104155855

“Keefe, are you up yet?” Keefe heard his mother call from outside his room. “Today’s a big day, you know!” “I know, Mom. Give me a sec.” It was a big day, indeed–and little eleven-year-old Keefe knew it. He scrambled out of bed and threw on the nice clothes his mother had laid out for him the night before. He stopped at the mirror and brushed his hair with a comb, making sure he got out any tangles before he ruffled it all up again. Perfection. “Lookin’ fine,” he said to himself before his eyes focused on another part of the mirror. His father was standing behind him. Keefe turned to face his dad. “Look, Dad, I know you wa–” he began, but was interrupted. “Today is your Foxfire entry exam,” Lord Cassius began. “If you fail, you won’t be accepted into the most noble academy in existence. It would be such a waste of potential not to have you there, not to mention what a disgraceful disappointment you’d be to your mother and I.” Keefe fidgeted with his sleeves, not looking at his father. “I know, Dad. I’m going to try really hard to make you proud.” “Excellent,” Keefe’s father said, and rumpled Keefe’s hair. Keefe smacked his father’s hand away. “Not the Hair!” Lord Cassius sighed and walked away, leaving Keefe alone to fix his hair again. When he had perfected his look, he took the Vortinator down to the fifteenth floor where the gnomes handed him a plate full of goopy yellow sludge. Keefe downed it in record time. Maybe he could finally prove his dad wrong about him being a disappointment–but he couldn’t do it on an empty stomach!

“Keefe, we can’t believe how well you’ve done!” Keefe’s mother exclaimed. “Skipping Level One–that’s practically unheard of!” Lady Gisela smiled at her son in a way Keefe didn’t recognize. Was it… pride? Or could that be a… a… maternal smile? Keefe wasn’t sure. Then again, he was in shock from the pride he felt himself. The only pride he’d ever felt was when he drew. And his parents didn’t recognize that. But now, to be recognized by his own parents, not just himself, as good at something worthwhile? It was so much better than being recognized by himself. It made him wonder why he ever recognized his own pride.

Keefe sat alone at a table, eating his food and not making eye contact with anyone. Why had he been so excited for Foxfire, anyway? It was already past midterms and he hadn’t impressed his parents yet. Or any other prodigies, for that matter. But maybe he could still fill the room his dad was saving for Keefe’s future accomplishments. Or maybe he could even get his Sencen family crest! He looked up from his food at the other prodigies. Each one of them had their uniform fastened with their family’s family crest. One crest in particular caught his eye: Vacker. Ah, if only Keefe had been born a Vacker. Keefe looked at the boy wearing the crest. It was a boy Keefe knew well. Everyone had heard the gossip, after all. Fitz Vacker missed school regularly for some unknown reason. Despite his almost-royal status, he didn’t really have any friends. It was hard to befriend a prodigy who wasn’t even at school half the time. Then again, it was hard to befriend a prodigy who’d skipped a grade and didn’t know anyone and didn’t know how to socialize and– “Hey, are you okay?” Keefe blinked. Fitz was standing right in front of him. How’d he get there? Keefe must’ve zoned out. “Oh, um, yeah, I’m fine,”Keefe finally replied after a long, awkward pause. He was starting to freak out. Could this be his chance to actually make a friend? Fitz sat down next to him. “How’d you get into this grade? You look younger than the rest of us,” he joked. Keefe noticed the joke and laughed. That was the appropriate response, right? But… what was he supposed to say now? Maybe he should joke back, if Fitz was making jokes… “That’s probably because I am.” Here Keefe paused and tried for a smirk. It felt so natural. So did the joke. “I’m pretty crazy-smart, y’know?” Fitz laughed, and Keefe smirked. Was he making a friend? “I saw you scored second best on your midterms. That’s crazy, given your age!” Fitz said. A compliment. Had Keefe ever gotten one of those before? He must’ve. Hadn’t he? But back to socializing. Don’t get distracted, Keefe told himself. What was he supposed to say? Maybe he should just mirror Fitz. It worked before. And Keefe knew exactly what to say. “Well, you scored first!” Keefe replied. And it was true. And Keefe’s father had not been happy. He’d lectured Keefe for hours about how, with a photographic memory like Keefe’s, he should’ve been first. But Fitz had been first. “Do you want to come to my house after school today?” Fitz asked, interrupting Keefe’s train of thought. And when Keefe didn’t say anything, too stunned to reply, Fitz added, “You can go home first, though, if you need to.” “Yeah, I’d love to come!” Keefe finally said, snapping out of his daze. “But checking in with my dad first is probably a good idea. He’s a bit, uh… overprotective, yeah,” Keefe added. “I get that,” Fitz agreed. “Hail me?” “Uh, okay,” Keefe said, not sure what had just happened. Fitz got up, leaving Keefe alone with one thought bouncing around his mind: Did I just make a friend? That night, he did go to Everglen after hailing Fitz. Keefe’s father had been pleased with him for befriending a Vacker–what a noble family! But of course he’d insisted on coming along. When they got there, Fitz opened the huge, glowing gate, and Keefe smiled. A happy smile. Not a fake smile. A happy, joyous, smile you feel stretch across your face only when you get that sense of belonging. That sense and smile may be familiar to you and me, but to Keefe? It was a wonderful thing, yet to be explored, for Keefe. “Come on, we’re having an aurenflare!” Fitz said, grabbing Keefe’s hand and trying to drag him towards the house. But Lord Cassius tighten his grip on his son’s hand. “You will do nothing to embarrass me.” “Uh, of course I won’t!” Keefe agreed quickly, glancing at Fitz, who was frowning. Keefe’s dad let go of his arm. “Of course you won’t.” Fitz dragged Keefe away before asking, “What was that all about?” “My dad’s overprotective, like I said,” Keefe lied. Fitz must’ve bought it because he said, “Come on! My dad’s probably already started the aurenflare!” The rest of the night went smoothly. Keefe met Fitz’s family. Alden, Fitz’s dad, acted like any other adult except… Alden seemed to… care about Keefe. It was kind of weird, but Keefe decided he liked being cared about. Della seemed to care too, in her own Della way. Della was Fitz’s mom, and she had lots of fun describing her eldest son, Alvar, and comparing him to Keefe. Apparently, in a lot of ways, they were similar. The one thing Della said to Keefe that stood out was that he was even funnier than Alvar. Keefe was… funny? Well, there was something to try. He played up the funny for the rest of the night, and everyone loved it. Except Lord Cassius. And Biana, Fitz’s little sister, was only two years younger than Keefe. She wasn’t all that nice. But she did seem to have an, um, interest in Keefe that he wasn’t sure what to do with. But everything was going smoothly. Keefe was even having fun. Until it was time to leave. Alden congratulated him on his high score, and Keefe felt so proud. Having Alden care felt almost as good as when his parents cared, back when they’d first been told he was skipping Level One. But Lord Cassius wasn’t proud, and he made sure to voice that thought. He said that he thought Keefe should’ve been number one. Alden reminded him of Keefe’s younger age, and Keefe felt so proud. He loved Alden so much in that moment. Wait, did he love Alden like a father? Lord Cassius interrupted Keefe’s mind from going much further. He said that age shouldn’t be an excuse and glared at his son. And then Keefe realized his father was holding onto his wrist. Had been, for a while. His father had felt the way he’d thought of Alden as a father. Lord Cassius was an Empath, after all. That night, they argued. Lord Cassius reminded Keefe he wasn’t a Vacker. Keefe said he wished he was. And… it was true.

That's all for now, folks! I'll add more sometime... probably. 