After Stellarlune

Chapter Twenty Four

Sophie looked everywhere for the book.

She checked her satchel three more times, called Biana to see if she knew, and even searched her house in places where she hadn't gone in weeks. 

But it had vanished.

Sophie groaned and flopped onto her bed.

"You okay Sophie?" 

Sophie made a half sigh half growling sound and rolled over. Dex was standing in the doorway.

"Not really," she admitted. "Biana just took me shopping."

Dex nodded. "That explains things."

Sophie groaned again.

"I was wondering," Dex continued. "This is kind of embarrassing. It's for a bet so don't take it in any way, but what color is Biana's dress?"

Sophie sat up. "It's for a bet?" 

"Yeah," Dex said, turning bright red. 

"Okay," Sophie said. "I think it's pink."

"Well, yeah of course it's pink, it's Biana, but what shade of pink?" Dex asked. 

"This feels so weird," Sophie admitted. 

"What?" Dex asked turning an even brighter shade of red.

"Talking about dress colors," Sophie admitted. "It feels like we should be talking about the Neverseen and how to solve our latest problems. It feels wrong to be talking about dances and what color tie you need to wear."

"What?" Dex exclaimed. "Who said I want a pink tie?"

"Dusty rose pink," Sophie corrected. 

"Thanks," Dex said. "And you're right it does feel weird. But it's not in a bad way. I haven't felt this stress free since... since..."

"Since before I came," Sophie mumbled. 

"No!" Dex said. "It was more like since I was kidnapped. But you coming has made my life way better." 

Sophie blushed. "I don't think anything is going to take away stress from me. I think I'm just a stressed out person."

"We're all going to try still," Dex said. "Hey what's this?" He picked up the invitation Sophie had tried to draw on her desk.

"I tried to make an invitation for the Ball."

"It looks good," Dex said.

"Only because Keefe helped me."

"About that..." Dex said. "How's it going with him?"

Sophie laughed, but it felt bittersweet. "We're just friends."

Dex snorted. "You two could never be just friends."

"What do you mean?" Sophie had to ask.

"The way you two trust each other. And I've never seen either of you happier than the past couple weeks."

Sophie hadn't felt a difference. 

But there was definitely a difference between then and now.

And suddenly huge tears were rolling down her cheeks.

For a boy. 

She wiped the tears away. She didn't want to waste them on something unimportant. 

But Keefe was important. 

Really important.

And he was hiding something huge from her that he probably needed help with.