Because of a Scroll | KotLC Fanfic

Chapter 14 - Regret-Filled Reflection

Sophie dropped the cup she forgot she was holding, its contents splashing out as it crashed with a thud. Her heart rate was increasing by the second as she was processing the sight in front of her.

Air, I need air, she thought to herself, leaving hardly a second later, looking for the exit to Keefe's skyscraper of a home.

"Sophie, wait!" she heard Fitz call out behind her, but that only made her walk faster.

She ignored him, ignored everything, the only sound she was able to hear was her pulse in her ears as she shoved passed elves cheering happily. She mumbled quick apologizes everytime she accidentally bumped into another elf—which was quite often. It took her longer than she thought it would take before she finally found the grand front entrance, successful in her mission for finding fresh air.

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale—

"Sophie." His tone was soft, apologetic, tentative.

Sophie slowly turned around to face him before realizing all she could see were blobs of colours. He stepped closer as she wiped the tears away from her eyes, his painstained expression coming into focus.

"What?" The word came out choked and quiet. Definitely not harsher like Sophie meant. Or maybe she meant for it to sound broken. She wasn't sure.

"I—I'm sorry. That wasn't supposed to happen."

"But it did happen," Sophie muttered quietly, looking down as her eyes started tearing up again. "It doesn't matter anyways. It's none of my business."

"No, wait. Sophie," he quickly said, walking to her. "I . . . I do want it to be your business."

"What?" Sophie questioned, sniffling and confused.

"I . . . um . . . ," he stuttered, looking away. "Sophie, you're the person I trust most in the world. And . . ."

Sophie waited for him to finish his sentence, but he didn't. And Sophie pieced it together.

He just wanted to be friends.

"It's fine, Fitz," she said, this time her voice coming out rougher. "I understand."

"You do?" he asked, hopeful.

"Perfectly," she spat out before turning away and his expression fell. She took out her home crystal and created a beam of light. "Being the person you trust most, your crush on Stina is safe with me. You don't have to . . . to pity me anymore."

"No, Sophie!" He grabbed her wrist, pulling her away just before she entered the light. "That isn't what I meant."

Sophie let out a painful chuckle. "Yeah? Then what did you mean?"

"I . . ." He couldn't finish the sentence.

"Goodbye, Fitz." She tore her arm away from his grasp and rushed into the light, wanting to get away from him as fast as possible.

Sophie's eyes were puffy, swollen, and itchy when she woke up the next morning. Her mind was blank coming up with answers to the questions racing through her mind.

Was I crying? Why am I outside? Did I fall asleep outside??

And in a flash, all the memories of the previous night rushed through her head. And then she groaned and laid back down on the hard, grassy ground.

"I'm so stupid!" she yelled to no one, realizing how cringey she was and how much she had overreacted.

"Sophie?" Edaline's sweet voice filled the air and Sophie sat up to see her concerned mother standing a few feet away from her. "We didn't see you at all last night so Grady and I assumed you were at the after-party and then slept at Everglen with Biana."

Sophie rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she groaned again.

Edaline raised an eyebrow, sitting down next to Sophie. "Are you alright?"

"No," Sophie mumbled. "I'm stupid, that's what I am."

Edaline chuckled. "Right. I heard you before. And why is that?"

Your crush on Stina is safe with me.

Sophie wasn't sure if she should explain all the details of last night—especially if Edaline was going to repeat them to Grady who would definitely flip out and do who-knows-what to Fitz.

"I found out Fitz didn't like me last night, after all," Sophie explained with a sad smile.

"Oh, honey," Edaline mumbled, pulling Sophie in for a hug. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah . . . that's not even the worst part." Sophie paused for a second. "I totally overreacted, basically ended my friendship with him, and then left."

"Oh no," Edaline muttered. "That is kind of bad."

"I know," Sophie whimpered, putting her face in her hands. "Ugh. I just want to take the night back and redo it."

"It'll help if you don't think about it," Edaline offered, stroking her hair.

"I highly doubt I'll be able to stop replaying it over and over and over and over in mind."

Edaline chuckled and pulled away from Sophie, standing up and offering down a hand to her. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up and then Grady and I have something to tell you that might take your mind off Fitz."

When Sophie got out of the shower, she felt more peaceful and calm, having forced herself to not think about anything—especially the events of the previous nights. She got into clean and soft clothes: leggings and a blouse.

She found Grady and Edaline sitting on her bed together once she walked out of the bathroom fully refreshed.

"What's going on?" she asked after seeing the intense expressions on their faces.

Edaline smiled and patted the bed in the space she had just made between her and Grady. "Come sit, Sophie."

Hesitantly, Sophie sat between her parents. "Is something wrong?"

Grady and Edaline laughed, only confusing Sophie more.

Finally, Grady finally explained. "We just want your help with the baby names."

"Baby names?" Sophie questioned. "OH YEAH!"

Grady and Edaline laughed as Sophie remembered her mom was pregnant.

"Would you like to help us?" Edaline asked and chuckled when Sophie viciously nodded her head.

Sophie laughed a little and hugged them, feeling her own tears escape her eyes. Her mind was definitely far from the previous night.

After a thorough discussion lasting a couple hours, they finally came to a name for either gender. However, much to Sophie's dismay, Calla was a strong contender, but not the final option. Sophie definitely knew she was going to use the name in the future, though. 

~*~

Sophitz/Fitzphie shippers... please forgive me.

Song: EVERGLOW - "Bon Bon Chocolat"

Thanks, lovelies! -Nuela <3
Edited by EllenH2006