Chapter 20 - Keefe

*Keefe's POV*

The bottle spun, the room full of laughter and teasing glances. But when it slowed and finally pointed to Foster, everything else seemed to blur away. It was just her, and his heart was beating way too fast for comfort. Sophie Foster. The girl who had been in his thoughts for so long, who always drove him crazy in the best and worst ways.

He tried to shake off the nerves, keeping his usual confident smirk in place. "Alright, Foster," he said, his voice light. "Looks like I get the honor of kissing you."

She gave him a look—a mix of disbelief and what looked like panic. "No way," she shot back, her voice thick with uncertainty.

Keefe leaned in just a bit, enjoying how flustered she was. "Come on, Foster. Don't act like you're not secretly flattered."

Her face was already turning a bright shade of red, and it took everything in him not to laugh. It was adorable, the way she could never quite hide her feelings. But instead of backing down, she huffed, rolling her eyes, and crossed her arms.

"Fine," she muttered under her breath.

He smirked, leaning forward. "That's the spirit."

Her emotions flickered with something—something that made Keefe pause, just for a second. Was that... nervousness? Did she feel the same way he did about this kiss? Was she starting to think about him in a different way?

Before he could overthink it, he leaned in closer, his heart hammering in his chest. He closed the gap between them, brushing his lips against hers, and instantly everything else in the room faded. It was just Foster and him. The kiss was soft, and for a second, Keefe thought it might go on forever.

But, of course, Foster pulled away first, her face even redder than before. She was staring at him like she had no idea what just happened. Her voice shook as she said, "What was that?"

Keefe couldn't help the grin that tugged at his lips. He was hoping for something a little more dramatic, but he was still basking in the fact that he had kissed Sophie Foster. "What do you mean? That was a kiss, Foster. You're welcome."

Foster's reaction made him want to laugh even harder, but instead, he took in the way she was avoiding his gaze now. She wasn't mad, but she wasn't looking at him the same way either. She seemed flustered, thrown off by the kiss. For a second, Keefe wondered if maybe, just maybe, she was starting to see him differently.

But before he could get lost in that thought, Biana spoke up, breaking the silence. "Okay, let's keep this going!" she called out, and Foster immediately looked away, her face still red as she turned to focus on the next person.

Keefe leaned back slightly, trying to mask his disappointment, but he couldn't help it. He had hoped for something more. He had kissed her, and despite her playing it off like it was nothing, it had been so much more to him. Foster had pulled away too quickly, but he had felt something in that brief moment. Something that made him think she might be starting to see him in a different light.

Foster still had those walls up, though. And he knew that was going to take time. Time that he was willing to give, if it meant that maybe, one day, she would see him the way he saw her.

But for now, he'd take what he could get. Even if it was just this kiss, even if she wasn't ready for anything more.

Keefe couldn't help but smile to himself as the game continued, the thoughts of Foster filling his mind. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot. And one way or another, he was going to make sure she realized that she didn't have to choose between him and anyone else.