Sophitz: A Week to Find Love

Chapter 8

Sophie's P.O.V. 

Never in a million years would I ever envision this happening, but I was desperate. It 30 minutes before I had to meet up with my friends at the restaurant and I was collapsed on my couch, with no idea what to wear. So I did the only logical thing left - I called Linh and Marella and begged them to get here. 

"Sophie!" Linh exclaimed, bursting into my apartment door. Huh, I thought. I should really start locking my doors. After all, that could've been a stranger. Although that was very unlikely. Then again, I had been having some trouble with odds lately. 

"Oh my gosh... Sophie! When's the last time you cleaned anything?" Marella scolded, picking up random things and starting to organize them. 

"I've been busy with my clinic," I answered, but it wasn't much of an excuse. I just never really bothered cleaning my apartment. 

"So what's the big emergency?" Linh asked, sitting down on the couch. I raised my eyebrows. 

"Didn't you get my text?" I asked. I had sent them a text about how I had nothing to wear and desperately needed their help. 

Marella burst into laughter before noticing my expression. "Oh, you're actually serious?" 

Linh added, "What she means, is that you've never really... cared about that sort of stuff?" I nodded in agreement. I really didn't care. But I wanted to make a good impression on Fitz. Of course, I'd never tell Marella and Linh that; they'd never let me hear the end of it. 

"Um, I changed my mind..." I replied unconvincingly. "Just for today, you know?" Linh grinned and got this twinkle in her eyes. 

"So, Sophie... I've heard from Dex that we'll be having some new guests this time," Linh said, her smile widening with every word. Marella seemed to catch on to what Linh was implying pretty quickly and sat down next to me. 

"Anything you'd like to tell us?" she asked innocently. I sighed. 

"No?" I tried first. Both of my friends looked at me disapprovingly. "Fine. Perhaps there's... a certain someone I'd possibly like to impress?" Marella rolled her eyes. 

"Why can't you just say you have a crush?" 

"I do not!" I protested, crossing my arms. "I just... I don't know! I just want to look nice." Linh smiled. 

"You already look nice, but we can help you pick out some outfits!" she exclaimed. She ran into my closet and tried to find something suitable. Marella went to join her, and after a considerably long time, they finally came out. 

"Okay, I think we've managed to put together an outfit from this mess of a closet," Marella informed me. I nodded expectantly, ignoring the non-subtle hint that I should clean out my closet. 

"Here you go!" Linh handed me a neatly folded stack of clothes which I carefully went through. 

"A red sweater dress and gray leggings?" I asked, confused. "This is what I normally like to wear." 

"And that's exactly what you should show this boy," Marella told me. "Don't be someone you're not." I smiled and hugged my friends, quickly changing into the outfit in my closet. When I stepped out, Linh clapped happily and complimented me about 10 times. Marella nodded approvingly, which I also found just as encouraging. 

"Okay, final touches!" Linh exclaimed. She tied a brown, leather belt around my waist, curled my hair, wove an intricate side braid, applied some light lip gloss, then handed me leather boots - all in under 7 minutes. She worked extremely fast. And managed to not burn me which I really appreciated. 

"You look wonderful, Sophie!" Linh smiled and then grabbed my hand, rushing me out the door. "Come on, Marella! We better go!" Marella sighed, but I could see her grinning slightly as she made her way to the door. 

"Remember this as a life lesson, Sophie," Linh lectured, trying to be serious. But it was hard since she was always so happy and smiley. "Don't ever change who you are for another person. If they truly like you, they'll love your real self more than anything you could ever pretend to be." 

Linh was talking some serious sense here, and I loved how much she cared for all her friends. 

"Thank you, Linh," I told her. "I'll never forget your words of wisdom." We all burst into laughter and I locked the door behind us. 

"You know girls, I feel like our lives are just beginning," Marella stated once we'd calm down. "I mean, sure we're in our mid-twenties, but we still have so much life ahead of us. We need to make sure not to waste it." I raised an eyebrow.

"Wow, it seems everyone is feeling philosophical today," I remarked. "So let me add to it. I know that friends... Well, friends are easy to lose. And I also know that as we go on in our lives, we'll always be finding new friends - both good and bad - but I just want you guys to know that I will never find friends as dependable, wonderful, and loyal as you two." 

The three of us shared huge smiles and I knew they all agreed. 

"I love you both so much!" Linh exclaimed, and we all had a big group hug - which was extremely rare, especially for Marella.

I felt like I'd never ever been as happy as I was right now - or ever would be. And at that moment, it seemed like life could do nothing but go up. So I made sure to document and relish every second in my mind because who knew the next time I would ever feel this way again?