Sophitz Forever

Chapter Six

Linh smiled at Sophie nervously. Sophie had a bad feeling at what was going to come next, but she closed her mouth as Linh started to talk.

"I'm telling you this because I don't have anyone else to tell. My brother...is my brother. I wouldn't tell this to him. And Biana...well, we aren't really friends. Not as much as I am with you.

"This has been on my mind for a long time now. It's been haggling me, so I can't keep it to myself any longer. I'm just going to say this straight out.

"Sophie. I like Fitz Vacker. And I think he might like me back."

Sophie couldn't breathe. She felt all of the air leave her lungs in one big whoosh. This couldn't be real. She was dreaming. Not Linh of all people. Never!

And yet...it was very real. Tons of girls liked Fitz, right? Did he like any of them? She couldn't tell. But this was different. This was Linh.

Linh looked at Sophie anxiously. "I know, I'm incredibly stupid, right? He only ever liked you. But after you blew him off. I hoped he moved on."

Sophie looked at Linh. "What are you talking about? Fitz never liked me...he couldn't!"

Linh smiled. "Sophie, open your eyes! Everyone's been talking about it! That time when you were fourteen? We were all at dinner, and then all of a sudden we were talking about our favorite colors, and then Biana started talking about clothes, and Fitz was all like 'Sophie looks amazing in red.' Remember?"

Sophie grimaced. "No! No at all! That was just a compliment. One compliment doesn't mean he likes me. Or did."

Linh said, "Sophie. Listen to me. Fitz liked you. But you blew him off last year. We all know the stories. Sophie, please, just try to understand. After you rejected him, cruelly, I might add, Fitz might, just might, have moved on. I am telling you something important. I...I...love him. I think."

Sophie looked at Linh, a sudden burst of anger overcoming her at the unfairness of it all. "What do you know about love?"

Linh's face changed color. "Excuse me?"

"I said, what do you know about love?" Sophie's voice came out angrily.

Linh scoffed. "Way more than you. I was so in love when I was thirteen with someone."

Sophie smirked. "Yeah, sure. You were thirteen. I'm sure it was just a silly old crush that all girls have sometime."

Linh laughed. "This wasn't like other girls. When he walked into the room, the whole room was brighter all of a sudden, like he was a flame."

Sophie cut in. "First of all, that's a major cliche. And second of all, you should know my ground rules about FIRE."

Linh blushed. "Sorry."

Sophie said, "Hey, do you smell something burning?"

Linh answered, "Trying to change the subject, are you?"

Sophie stopped. "No. Seriously. Something is literally burning." Linh and Sophie sniffed the air. They looked at each other, and ran down the stairs and into the kitchen, only to find...

A very angry Fitz and an even angrier Dex glaring at Keefe, who, by the looks of it, had burned their main entree.

Sophie coughed. "What is going on here?"

Fitz answered, "Why don't you ask him." He gestured to Keefe with his head. "He started it."

Keefe smiled and patted his hair. "I did not such thing, Wonderboy. Foster, would I ever do such a thing?"

Sophie sighed. "Keefe, why would you ever think that I would say no to you? Of course you did it."

Keefe scoffed. "I'm offended, Foster. Truly."

Sophie looked at the room. "Fitz, can you please go open a window? Take out the smoke before we suffocate in here. Dex, could you please throw away the meal? What was it, anyways?"

Dex looked at Sophie and grinned. "Can't tell you a Dizznee secret, now could I?"

"No, I guess not." Sophie didn't even have the good will to smile.

Fitz caught up with Sophie as she was wiping down the stove. "Hey, Soph, what was that talk with Linh all about?"

Sophie said, "I'll tell you later. Cognate training?"

Fitz sighed. "Secrets. Always secrets. But we should get some work done after lunch."

Sophie smiled at Fitz and turned back to the kitchen. "Hey guys? Let's just eat the food that we girls made. We can also judge between who had the better appetizers. Did you guys finish the dessert?"

Dex gritted his teeth. "Nope, it was in the oven, which is where Keefe did the most damage."

Sophie patted Dex on the back. "It's okay. I'm sure we will love your appetizers, no matter what."

Sophie turned and walked out the door. She set the table with the help of Tam, shot glares at Linh, smiled at Fitz when he wasn't looking, and laughed at Keefe. Dex and Linh were talking, and Biana was laughing with Tam, but not contributing to the table setting at all.

Sophie sighed. It was always couples. Dex and Linh (too bad for her), Biana and Tam, and Keefe with...who knew? Who did Sophie belong with? Was that person Fitz, Keefe, or some random elf walking around in the world right now?