what happened after unlocked

chapter eighteen ~ human testing

Warning: short-ish chapter ahead! And I promise to work as hard as I possibly can - I'll probably update every 1-2 days.

Sophie could hear Fitz calling her name from behind her as she half-sprinted, half-blinked into the forest nearby the Everglen mansion.

But when she made it deep enough in she realized she wasn't alone.

It was...Biana Vacker.

Sobbing.

"Biana!" Sophie rushed to her side and wrapped a comforting arm around her friend. "What happened?"

"Sophie, I..." Biana's voice was cut off with another sob. "Linh just told me that she likes Wylie."

Sophie didn't speak. She just let Biana buy her head into her chest, gently stroking her hair.

"I like Linh!" Biana cried. "But she doesn't like me back!"

"What about Tam?" Sophie suggested, and then immediately regretted it. She was horrible at this stuff!

"Sophie, Tam doesn't like me. Or you. Or any other girls, for that matter," Biana sniffed tilting her head up to look at Sophie.

"You mean he's..." Sophie never really thought that any of her friends were actually gay.

"Yeah," Biana confirmed, sighing. "Life is so sad, don't you think?"

"It really is," Sophie whispered, rubbing her best friend's shoulder. The teal-eyed girl sat up and wiped the tears off her cheeks.

"Can I tell you the truth, Sophie?" Biana asked.

Sophie took a second to hesitate before she nodded.

"Sophie...I used to like you, you know. As more than a friend. But I knew that you didn't like me back, and that you were probably straight as an uncooked piece of spaghetti, so I didn't bother showing my feelings...and then I made a horrible decision which somehow led me to change my mind and start liking Linh, instead...but she likes Wylie."

Sophie blinked a few times. "Wait, what?"

"You heard me," Biana murmured. "But, anyway...Linh kissed me! While you and Fitz and Keefe were gone on that mission to find the Neverseen's leaping crystal or hideout or whatever. She kissed me!"

"Oh my god," Sophie breathed. "I really am oblivious."

Biana nodded with a tiny smile. "And the kiss felt so good...but she didn't even like me that way!"

"Oh." That was basically all Sophie could think to say – she really did suck at this stuff.

"I know..." Biana said, her eyes glistening. "Sophie, are things going to be weird now?"

Sophie was too tongue-tied to answer with words, so she nodded.

Biana sighed with relief. "Well, I'm glad. For a second I thought you were going to break off our friendship."

"I would never do that!" Sophie protested.

Biana smiled at her.

"Well, um..." Sophie said, remembering what had just happened with Fitz, "I'd better go."

"Okay. I guess I shouldn't keep you waiting," Biana said in a sad voice.

Sophie didn't move. "Biana, I know that this isn't going to sound like much, but I kinda like you too...you were always the one who respected every decision I made...and every part of me."

Biana smiled at her.

Before Sophie leapt away, though, she leaned in and quickly kissed her best friend's cheek.