You Fall, I Fall

thirteen

I guess that Dex won the vote. You won't see Dex and Biana together for a while, but hang in there! I have big plans for Biana, Keefe, and Dex! REMEMBER that I always stick to my word, and that I always have a trick or two up my sleeve.

+Biana Vacker was walking down the hallway when she heard whispers all around her. "I heard that Sophie Foster collapsed and she was sent home, again."

"She sure has a habit of passing out."

"I heard that Fitz Vacker went with her."

"She must have faked it to get his attention."

"Or maybe he went with her because they're cognates? Ever think of that, genius?"

"True, true, I forget sometimes. God, what I would do to be his cognate."

"He's totally dreamy!"

"I bet he woke her up with a kiss."

"Biana-" Dex was suddenly infront of her. "Keefe and I just saw Sophie, did you hear-"

"Yeah, I heard. I'll go visit later. I've got to get to class." Biana lied and pushed past him.

"It's lunch," Dex followed her. "Aren't you going to eat with us?"

"Not today, my vanishing mentor has an appointment during my lesson today. I'll eat then. See you around." Biana quickly dashed around the corner and made herself lost in the crowd.

She didn't want to talk to anyone right now, not really. She'd rather know why she wasn't pulled out of class to see Sophie. They were best friends, right? Why were Keefe and Dex called up, but not her? Did she matter? Did Sophie just forget? How could Sophie forget about her? Biana would never forget about Sophie. Did she matter to her? Did she matter to anyone? Did she matter at all? No. She couldn't start spiralling. Not here, not now. But... still...

Was their friendship an illusion? Did Sophie not care about her at all? No, not again, not again. Sophie was different from the rest, right? Why didn't she ask for her? What if she could have helped? What if she couldn't have helped? Why Fitz? Why does everyone choose Fitz over her, even Sophie. Why wasn't Biana good enough? She had beated a few of Fitz's once stunning records. She always tried her hardest, even when he was lazy. Was he just naturally a shimmering diamond, and she just naturally a plain pearl? She didn't understand, she was doing everything right, wasn't she? She was nice, looked nice, and always worked hard. Maybe Fitz was just better looking. Maybe that's why. Should she wear more make up? Less make up? Curl her hair? Straighten it? Maybe the way she dressed was wrong? But she wore all the latest styles, she was the latest styles! So what was wrong?

Maybe... Maybe she's too much like Fitz. No one likes a copy more than the original, but wasn't she an original? Maybe she should be meaner... but she couldn't be mean, that would hurt her too much. It wasn't worth it. She would rather be a second choice than someone who hurts others. At least she tried to help people.

Suddenly, all thoughts and emotions stopped when she realized that the hallway was empty, except for a figure sitting in a corner nearby. As soon as she saw the person's hair, Biana knew it was Keefe. Keefe, her crush. The crush who liked her best friend. The crush who was her brother's best friend. The crush who she has known since Fitz started at Foxfire. The crush who made her feel like she mattered... even just a little.

Biana vanished for a moment, studying Keefe to see what was going on. Was he happy? Was he sleeping? Was he mad? Was he- a sharp breath answered everything for her. "Why does she like him instead of me? I was made for her, I was litterally made for her." Keefe cried quietly as her heart broke, and she knelt down next to him, wrapping him in a hug.

"Shhhhh," she shut the light out of her body, making her visible. "It's okay, maybe she'll come around."

After a moment, he hugged back, and she blushed. "No, it's not okay, and she won't come around. She likes Fitz, there's no changing that."

"True, but she could always change her mind." Biana replied quietly, swallowing her own pain.

"He's so... so... perfect. I can't be like that. Not unless I tried-"

"No. No one likes a copy, and if Sophie falls for you, it should be for you, not you pretending to be Fitz. If she doesn't fall for you, maybe you weren't meant to be. Maybe you were always meant to be with someone else, and that's okay. Where's the Keefe who loves to break rules and hearts all in the same day? Since when did you listen to what other people wanted for you?"

After a moment, Keefe nodded. "You're right. Thank you, Biana."

Her heart fluttered, even though she knew deep down that they would never be together. Remembering he was an empath, she quickly shut down those thoughts, and converted her pain into nurture. She would never let anyone see her down, especially Keefe. To her, saddness was weakness, and she wasn't about to show everyone how weak she really was.

"Biana?" Keefe whispered, sending her back into the present.

"Yes?"

"Do you ever... do you ever feel like you're not good enough?"

After a moment, she gently answered, mixing lies in with truth, "sometimes, but so does everyone. In times like that, I make a list of all the people who love me, and I don't stop until I remember how important I really am."

Keefe nodded again, and took a deep breath, "can you help me."

Biana smiled a little, "of course."

They sat there for the rest of the lunch period, quietly making a list of all the people who cared about him, and making little jokes. Though Keefe was sad, Biana felt like she was in paradise. Just her and Keefe, sitting together side by side on the floor, talking in hushed voices and laughing so quietly that only they could hear. In a weird way, she felt better. She always felt better after talking with Keefe somehow. Maybe it was because she liked him, or maybe it was just something about him. Biana didn't know, and didn't really care. All that mattered was that he was happy, even if he was unknowingly breaking her heart in the process.