Chapter Twenty-One

Sophie took a deep breath as she prepared herself for what was about to happen. She wasn't sure how she was going to come out and say it, but she couldn't just up and move out without telling her parents. They would have to find out eventually, she just wished it wasn't so soon. 

She had just finished getting ready for the party and Keefe would be arriving in a few minutes to help set up, so this was the only time she had to tell them about her plans to move in with Keefe. Her mind kept flashing to the story of Jolie, their daughter who died in a fire set in her house by her fiance. Obviously she knew that wouldn't be happening with Keefe, while a bit crazy at times he still wasn't a pyrokinetic nor evil. She had fought for a while to prove his innocence, and she knew she was right in doing so. 

"Hey can you guys sit?" She questioned Edaline and Grady when she moved towards the living room. "I need to tell you guys something." 

"Sophie, we're aware of your engagement," Grady joked as he and his wife followed Sophie to sit on each side of her. 

"What's wrong?" Edaline asked when she noticed the look on Sophie's face. 

Sophie bit her lip, not knowing how to exactly spit it out. "So, as you already know, Keefe and I are getting married."

"Yes?"

"And... we talked about it, and I was thinking it was about time I moved in with him." She smiled nervously at her adopted parents, wondering what they would be thinking. 

"I think that's a great idea!" Edaline finally chimed. 

"Wait, really?" Sophie asked, confused. "It doesn't make you sad?"

"Of course we're sad about it," Grady replied. "But we've known you were going to move out eventually. We didn't think you would live here forever." 

"And it's completely your decision if you want to move out, don't let us effect your choice. We're not going to force you to stay here."

"Aww thank you guys so much, I love you and I'm going to miss living here!" She pulled both of them into individual tight hugs. 

"I'm also okay with it because recently Keefe has been hanging around us a lot for you and he's been stealing all our food," Edaline added. "Don't think we haven't noticed."

Sophie laughed in reply. "Well until I'm officially out I'll tell Keefe to lay off the snacks, I guess." 

The three started to say jokes with each other as they finished setting up, Keefe arriving in the middle of their conversation and joining in. "Okay, I think that's about it," Edaline finally commented after putting out the last bowl of snacks. "How much longer until people start showing up?"

"About half an hour," Sophie replied. 

"Well, we're going to finish getting ourselves ready, you two stay down here in case someone comes." Edaline and Grady both left to their room to get changed while Sophie and Keefe sat on the couch. 

"So, did you bring it up to them?" Keefe questioned. "About you moving in?"

"Yep," she stated. "They're alright with it!" She kissed him after the remark, grinning. "So it's a step in the new direction."

"This is all so weird," Keefe said, smiling at her. "I never thought I'd be with you, nevermind marry you."

"Well it's happening," she replied. The two continued to talk until people started to show up. First it was the Vackers, and the last to show up were Dex and Biana. 

"Hey, sorry we got held up at my store," Biana said, pulling Sophie into a hug. "Let me see it!" She gripped Sophie's hand and stared down at the ring and grinned. "I think that's my best work."

Sophie and Keefe went back and forth on whether they wanted to wait until during the party to announce the engagement, or to tell everyone when giving the invitation. They had decided, after a very long argument, to tell everyone when giving the invitations so the party was simply a celebration instead of an announcement. It made things easier for Sophie, who stated she'd feel awkward going up in front of everyone announcing and preferred the one on one conversation. 

Biana had been the most excited, and Dex had dyed Iggy green to signify new beginnings and freshness. It wasn't the first time he dyed Iggy green, but it definitely held more meaning. Thinking of the imp put a frown on Sophie's face, she didn't know if her parents would give the imp to her to take to her new apartment or want him to stay with them. 

She took a deep breath as she walked over to Keefe and took his hand as he had a conversation with Fitz. "Hey Soph," Fitz greeted, reached over and giving her a one sided hug. 

"Hey, it feels like forever even though we just saw each other last week and talked yesterday." She grinned at him before looking at Keefe. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Oh, we're talking about the drawing I did for decoration in Biana's store," Keefe replied. 

"Which one?"

"The pink one with the girl and the gold necklace," Fitz replied, grinning. "How long did it take you?" 

"About two weeks," Keefe stated. "It's not my best work, but Biana really liked it and paid for it so a job done is a job well done."

"That makes no sense," Sophie snorted. 

"You make no sense," he responded immediately. 

"You're a child," she replied, rolling her eyes with a smile on her face before facing Fitz once more. "Are we still up for two weeks?" 

"That we are," he replied just as Linh came over with a drink in her hand. 

"Hey guys!" She greeted. "I know I already said this but congratulations for you two."

"Thanks Linh," Keefe replied. "How's your brother?" 

"He's around somewhere," she responded. 

Sophie grinned. "You, Biana, Marella, and I need to get his girlfriend in with us. I haven't really talked with her much."

"Obviously I have since she's dating my brother, and she's actually really nice. You guys would like her, especially you since you get on so well with Keefe and she might as well be Keefe with dark hair and boobs." 

"Hey! Don't attack my flat chest that way, it's a sensitive topic!" Keefe jokingly whined. 

Sophie laughed. "You're such a dork."

"Well I'm your dork, you're stuck with me." 

The two had a small moment, which was broken by Dex coming over and with Biana beside him, pretending to puke. "Man, what happened to my vomit partner. Now you make me want to puke myself." 

"Shut up!" Keefe laughed, pushing him slightly. 

"Shut up," Biana mocked in a high pitch voice, making Keefe roll his eyes. 

"Are we attacking Keefe?" Tam asked, walking over. "This is my favorite game." 

Syden, his girlfriend, stood next to him smiling. "Hey, I'm glad you could make it!" Sophie directed the comment at her, ignoring the conversation with everyone else. "We haven't really had the chance to talk much, you have to come to our next girls night." 

"We need to have another before you move out, because I am not having a girl's night at Keefe's apartment unless he's in the kitchen serving us snacks," Biana replied. 

"That girl night's going to have to be pretty soon, then," Sophie stated. "We're already planning to move me in." 

"Already?" 

"I mean, you guys all moved out of your houses pretty much, it's about time I move out of mine. The difference is you guys were moving out but I'm moving in." Sophie shrugged before saying, "I'm going to go circle around and talk to more people, don't miss me too hard." Everyone laughed as she walked around, greeting different people along the way. 

She was wondering what person Forkle would be coming as, considering she had invited all his different identities and was pleasantly surprised at his coming as his normal, Forkle, self. Well, at least the wrinkly old man she was used to since childhood. 

"Congratulations on the engagement, Sophie. I know I already told you, but I'm very proud of where you've come," Forkle said, wrapping her into a small hug. 

"Thank you," she replied, smiling from ear to ear. "You have no idea how much that means to me." Most of the interactions with the adults she had invited to the party were the same, and she found herself feeling overwhelmed with the love from all the people in her life. Growing up feeling so alone, standing in a house with almost everyone who had ever loved her at once almost brought her to tears. 

If only she could tell the little twelve-year old sitting in a senior classroom isolated from all the older kids that this is where she'd end up, engaged to the love of her life and one of the most powerful elves on the planet, standing in a room filled with everyone who loved her. 

Twelve year old Sophie would have laughed, and she did too. 

---

is this me? updating before a full week passes since the last? 

i'm taking the SAT tomorrow and i literally want to pass out. i've done zero prep for the SAT and i'm at this point letting jesus take the wheel. after my ap english exam i'm just not in the mood for any tests anymore. 

chapter questions:

1. what's your favorite restaurant?

2. what should the next fanfic i write after this one be about?

3. what do you think about the chapter?