Here it is! It is very long and I am posting today because I had nothing else to do, so here you go!!
Chapter 1
“KEEFE!” Sophie cried, tackling him with a hug.
“Easy there, Foster,” Keefe said, swaying from the sudden attack.
Sophie’s cheeks flamed as she helped Keefe back to his cot. “Let me call Elwin. You don’t look so good.”
I was Keefe’s turn to blush as he reached up to muss his hair. His eyes widened as he realized, “THEY CUT MY HAIR??? ELWIN, I WILL KILL YOU!”
She giggled. “After your cocoon thingy came off, some of it was still stuck...it was the only way to get it off, and it hasn’t grown back yet. You could take some of the hair-growing elixirs.”
He frowned and sighed dramatically to the newly-arrived Elwin. “My hair will never be the same again.”
Elwin chuckled. “That’s what you get, almost dying an all.”
The atmosphere of the room darkened as he realized how close to the truth that was.
Keefe was silent for a long time before he took a deep breath.
“How long...How long was I in there?” He asked.
Sophie and Elwin shared a glance with each other.
“Tell me, please!” Keefe begged.
“Keefe, I...You-you were in there for...3 months” Sophie whispered the last word.
He sat up. “You’re joking.”
“I’m not,” Sophie said sadly.
Keefe bit his lip. “Does that mean...is everyone OK?”
Sophie looked down, her voice a whisper. “Your dad...he was ambushed. We don’t know where he is.”
“No,” Keefe said. “No, No, NO NO!” He screamed, tears streaming down his face.
Sophie put her hand on his shoulder. “I am so, so sorry Keefe. We’re looking for him as much as we can.”
Elwin turned to leave. “I’ll let you two talk. Let me know if you need anything, OK?”
Sophie nodded as she handed Keefe Mrs. Stinkbottom. He threw her to the floor and Bullhorn scampered into the corner of the room.
“Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help,” Sophie said, hugging him. “I know this is hard for you and I wish that we knew where your dad is.”
“This helps.” He mumbled, so Sophie squeezed him tighter and then pulled away, looking into his eyes.
“I missed you, Keefe.” She said, tears welling up in her eyes. “Don’t ever do that again, or else-”
She was cut off as Keefe pressed his lips against hers. She kissed him back, but when she pulled away, she looked down at the floor.
“Keefe, I…” She stopped and pulled in a breath. “I can’t. So much is going on right now, and I...I just can’t. I’m sorry.”
“I understand,” Keefe breathed.
Sophie nodded as she pulled out her pathfinder. “I’ll check back in with you tomorrow, but I think right now we both need some space.”
As Sophie left the healing center, she saw him nod sadly as he picked up Ms. Stinkbottom and fell back into his cot’s mound of pillows.
Of course, Sandor was suspicious of her leaving, but he could tell she didn’t want to talk about it. Instead of his usual ‘Secrets hinder my ability to protect you’ rant, he simply asked;
“Are you OK?”
Sophie shook her head as she ran to her next class.
Later that night when Sophie reached Havenfield, she ran to her room and squeezed Ella as tight as she could, tears falling down her cheeks.
And that was when the doorbell rang.
Please, please, please go away. Sophie thought. Her parents were in Atlantis now, so she would have to get the door.
The chimes rang again but were then abruptly stopped.
Sophie sighed relievedly. And then Sandor opened the door of her bedroom to let a giggling Biana and Lihn in.
She shot him her best death glare as she attempted to wipe away her tears and hide behind her hair.
“What?” Sandor asked. “I thought you could use some friends right about now.” The way he emphasized the word made Sophie’s cheeks flame.
“Um...hi?” She said to Lihn and Biana.
They stopped talking and looked at her for the first time.
“Sophie,” Lihn said gently. “What’s wrong?”
Sophie groaned and decided to tell them the whole story. By the time she finished, both Biana and Lihn were talking at once, offering suggestions. Biana screamed over Lihn to be heard and everyone fell silent.
“GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT!!! THAT’S WHAT YOU NEED!” She hollered enthusiastically as Sophie groaned.
Unfortunately, Lihn ignored Sophie’s please to veto the idea and excitedly agreed to the plan.
“There’s no way I’m getting out of this one, is there?” Sophie mumbled.
They answered as one.
“Nope!”
And I’m gonna stop here because this chapter is already too long. To the person who is writing the next chapter, I am sincerely sorry for what you now must write. *Sighs* Gosh, I really am evil, aren’t I?
-Cleverduck09 (Astrid or Ducky)