" Honestly. Why do boys always have to like me?"

" Seriously Sophie. Why should they not?"

Sophie angrily kicked her locker shut with her foot. " Because it messes everything up!"

" Yes, I'm aware of that."

" No you aren't!" Sophie threw her hands up in the air and flung them around, nearly hitting Dex.

" Woah! Sophie, calm down there."

" Sorry." She tucked her hands behind her back.

" Foster!" They all turned towards the familiar screech. Sophie rolled her eyes. " Puh-leese. Tell Keefe I'm going to first hour. I'll catch up with him later." She dashed away before Keefe could catch up.

Sophie slid into her seat and took out her homework from the previous night. 

" Sophie! Foster!" Keefe skipped in and slid into his seat next to hers. Sophie turned away. 

" Hey, you still mad at me from yesterday?"

Sophie didn't answer. Her heart and mind were confusing her, and she didn't think she would be able to muster a word.

" Silent treatment? Wow, I didn't think I hurt you THAT bad," She could hear the dissapointment lacing his voice. 

" Keefe-" She broke off. 

" Yeah?"

" Um, nothing," She fumbled with her pencil and drummed it on her desk. 

" Foster, look at me."

She did. 

His eyes were glued onto hers. 

" Why are you acting like this?" He whispered. A tear slid down her cheek. She didn't want to hurt him. 

" I'm feeling pressured, Keefe," She managed to whisper back. " Everyone's forcing me to choose. You and Fitz are my best friends. I don't think I can do this."

" C'mon, Soph. Choose me. Please."

Sophie shook her head. " I can't. Forgive me, Keefe, lets just be friends. Like we always were."

He suddenly stood up, his eyes clouding over. " Fine! You want it that way? Then you can have it that way!" He slammed his books on his desk and stomped to the door. As he was about to exit the classroom, and he turned around and glared at Sophie. " When you realize what a big mistake you just made, don't come crying to me about it. Because you know what? I'm not giving you a second chance. I thought we were more then friends. I guess I was always second."

He turned and fled from the room. 

Sophie laid her head on her desk and silently cried. How could he have taken it so badly? She felt terrible. But a part of her felt relieved that she'd got it off her chest. But the guilt overcame her.

" I'm sorry, Keefe." If he'd been there to hear the sorrow and grief in her voice, she knew he would've forgiven her in an instant. But he wasn't. So instead, they grew farther and farther apart. 

" Fitz, I feel terrible about what I said to Keefe." She confessed later that afternoon. 

" It had to be done."

" I was leading him on the entire time, I just want to be friends!" 

" Sophie, you did what you thought was best. Please don't get mad at yourself." 

" Should I talk to him?"

Fitz shook his head. " No. Let him simmer for a bit."

" I still want to be friends with him. Why can't he understand that?" Sophie bit her lip. 

" He's a...tough person to understand why he thinks the way he does."

" I need to go talk to him. Sorry Fitz, I'll see you later." Sophie grabbed her books tighter to her chest and headed off. 

" Bye," Fitz called. " You'll fix things. I know you will."

Sophie turned, gave him a small smile, and walked away.