Sokeefe Oneshots

Dancing Under the Stars

"They're throwing a... what?"

"A dance," Edaline repeated with a laugh. "You look like you think that's the worst thing in the world, Sophie sweetheart. What's so terrible about a dance?"

"Um... nothing?" Sophie tried, but knew Edaline saw straight through her. So she sighed and said, "It's just... Why do they have to throw a Foxfire school dance for the all the kids graduating to the next level, especially for the kids from the main six levels, possibly going to the Elite? Why make such a fuss? It's not that big a deal—"

"Are you just afraid to dance with Fitz?" Edaline asked with a soft smile that said she meant no harm by the comment. It also held some sympathy. Great.

"N-no!" Sophie lied.

"If you say so," Edaline said with a very knowing smile as she got up from her perch on Sophie's bed next to her adopted daughter. "Well, I think it's time to go prep dinner and give you some space. I know it makes you uncomfortable to talk to your mother about things," she said, miming a knife to the heart, which Sophie laughed at and waved off.

Mother and daughter exchanged one last smile, and then Edaline left Sophie alone.

"Why did I have to advance two levels?" Sophie mumbled, stuffing her face between Ella's ears and stroking the blue elephant's back. It seemed to help her collect her scattered thoughts these days.

Sophie knew she shouldn't be this freaked out about a dance. It was nothing compared to everything going on with the Neverseen. But... then there was Fitz.

After they'd decided to be friends a few months ago, Fitz had been slowly trying to win back the romantic connection they'd had so briefly. But... Sophie just wasn't ready. At all. She knew that now. A relationship was just too much, paired with everything else messing with her delicate sanity right now.

But she knew that if she didn't go to the dance, it would make her parents worry. And everyone else, for that matter. So she shoved aside her fear of being asked to dance by the one person she reeeeally didn't want to do so, and picked out her gown. Though she had to re-motivate herself. Twice.

Great, and I'm not even there yet, Sophie thought-grumbled.

- - -

"You ready to go, kiddo?" Grady asked from the doorway, making Sophie jump, and almost trip over her own dress, which probably would've ripped it to shreds as well if she hadn't caught herself just in time.

The dress was tulle, her favorite material when it was necessary to go through the misery of wearing a gown. It was a lovely, breezy shade of blue, like the blue you see on the horizon right before sunset, and the v-neckline was dotted with small diamonds, and a slightly larger one at the center, like the stars and moon beginning to appear. The sleeves were off-the-shoulder.

"I think so," Sophie mumbled when she remembered she needed to reply, and despite her weak try at being cheerful by giving him a half-hearted smile, she could still tell she was acting far too unenthusiastic to avoid the suspicion of her nosy parents.

Proving her right, Grady stepped into the room and said, "Are you sure you want to go, kiddo?"

Apparently seeing her face contort in an embarrassed way, he helped her out by adding, "You're looking far too beautiful to go out in public like that, especially with that boy going."

Sophie felt a small smile spread across her lips and a gentle, warm blush brush across her cheeks. "Thanks, dad. I think I'll be okay, though. I can do this!"

"Well, it's been a long time since I've heard those words come out of your mouth, but keep it coming," Edaline said, coming up behind Grady and stopping to stand beside him, wrapping her arms around one of his— the one that was closest to her.