Chapter 19 - Sophie

*Sophie's POV*

The laughter and chatter of her friends filled the room as they settled into a circle, ready to start another game. This time, it was Spin the Bottle—a classic. Sophie couldn't help but smile at how carefree everyone seemed, their worries temporarily forgotten. But as the game began, she realized that her mind wasn't fully in it.

She could still feel the weight of the recent events with Fitz pressing on her chest. She wasn't entirely sure what had happened between them, but she knew it hadn't been good. Their mini fight still lingered in her mind, and her thoughts kept returning to the way they had awkwardly danced around each other since. It hurt. It really did. But there was nothing she could do about it now.

So, when the bottle started to spin, Sophie pushed those thoughts aside, trying to focus on the fun everyone else seemed to be having. She wasn't sure what was happening with her friends, though—Biana and Dex looked way too comfortable around each other, and the way Tam and Marella were sitting so close, Sophie had a sneaky suspicion they had a thing going on. But no one said anything out loud. There were just subtle glances and moments that made Sophie wonder if everyone else had it figured out while she was still stuck in her own head.

The bottle spun, and it landed on Tam.

"Well, guess it's you, Tam!" Biana grinned, nudging him.

Tam rolled his eyes but spun the bottle with exaggerated force, making everyone laugh. Sophie couldn't help but giggle, and for a moment, the weight in her chest lifted. The bottle landed on Marella, who blushed fiercely.

"Well, you two are up!" Biana said, her voice full of teasing. Tam and Marella exchanged a brief, awkward glance before laughing it off.

"Alright, we're doing this," Marella said, rolling her eyes.

They both landed a peck on each other's lips and blushed furiously.

Sophie had to laugh at their reactions—everyone was so different in how they handled these moments. The game moved on with each spin, and Sophie tried to enjoy it, but her eyes kept drifting to Keefe.

Sophie couldn't really explain why she felt so unsettled when he was around. It wasn't anything specific, just the way he'd look at her sometimes—like there was a joke she was missing or something more he was trying to communicate.

Keefe had always been like that, teasing her with his smirks and those little comments that always seemed to get under her skin. But Sophie never took them seriously. Keefe Sencen was always a little... extra. He liked making things complicated, especially when it came to her.

But no matter what, Sophie had to remind herself: Keefe wasn't her problem right now. Fitz was. And that was the only thing that mattered.

The bottle spun again. This time, it landed on Keefe.

"Alright, Keefe, your turn," Dex said with a grin, and everyone looked expectantly at Sophie.

Keefe shot her a mischievous smile as he leaned back. "Oh, looks like I get the honor of kissing The Mysterious Miss F."

Sophie's heart skipped a beat. Her face immediately went bright red. "No way," she said, her voice coming out weaker than she'd hoped. "That's not happening."

Keefe raised an eyebrow, grinning even wider. "Come on, Foster. Don't act like you're not secretly flattered."

Sophie shifted uncomfortably, trying to laugh it off, but her heart was racing. This was just a game, right? She wasn't supposed to feel like this, especially not when she was still dealing with her feelings for Fitz. But why was it that every time Keefe was near her, her thoughts got so scrambled?

"Fine," Sophie muttered under her breath, trying to act like it didn't matter. But she couldn't stop the blush spreading across her face. She wasn't sure if she was more embarrassed or just... confused.

Keefe's smirk softened slightly, but there was a glint of something else in his eyes. Without another word, he leaned in, and before Sophie could even process what was happening, he kissed her.

It was quick—just a soft, light brush of his lips against hers—but it was enough to make her stomach flip. Sophie's mind went blank for a second, and she pulled away almost immediately, her hands fumbling awkwardly.

"W-what was that?" she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper, trying to brush it off.

Keefe leaned back, a playful grin still dancing on his lips, though there was something else in his expression—something almost serious. "What do you mean? That was a kiss, Foster. You're welcome."

Sophie's heart raced as she tried to process the moment. Her mind was a whirlwind. This wasn't how she'd expected the game to go. She had told herself she was over Fitz, that she could just have fun with her friends, but then Keefe... He was different. She wasn't sure how to handle that. And she definitely wasn't ready to acknowledge whatever this weird fluttering in her chest was.

Before she could say anything else, Biana called out, "Okay, let's keep this going!"

Sophie shook her head, still dazed from the kiss. Keefe, on the other hand, looked entirely too pleased with himself, as though he'd won some sort of victory.

Biana spun the bottle again, and Sophie quickly looked away, trying to regain her composure. It was just a game, right?

But her mind kept returning to Keefe. She couldn't help it. What was that kiss? Was it just for the game, or was there something more behind it? And why did her heart keep racing every time he was near her?

She felt guilty. Was she leading him on? Or was she just trying to make sense of her own feelings, ones that were far more complicated than she had thought?

The game continued, but Sophie couldn't shake the lingering thoughts about the kiss, and the way it had made her feel. She wasn't sure what this meant yet, but she knew one thing for sure: Keefe was no longer just Keefe Sencen, the annoying guy who teased her. No, there was more to him now. And she didn't know if she was ready for it.