The Winnowing Gala

Chapter 3

 The next morning, Sophie awoke late and walked downstairs to find Grady and Edaline assembling multiple wooden tables. Party decorations were strewn across the kitchen counter, and several deserts were baking in the oven.

"What's going on?" Sophie inquired, confused. Edaline beamed and walked up to her, clasping her hands.

"We're going to give you a winnowing gala." she announced. Sophie's jaw dropped, and when she realized her mom wasn't joking, she was even more incredulous.

"But I don't have a list," she said.

"We know," Grady stood and walked up as well. "But we want to do this for you." As sweet as the idea was, tears burned in Sophie's eyes. She did her best to hide them, and she forced a smile, resisting the urge to tug out an eyelash.

"Are you okay?" There was genuine concern on Edaline's face. Sophie nodded.

"Yeah! It's just allergies!" She lied. "I'm going to go back up to my room! Thank you so much! You are both super amazing!" Sophie was sure half her words came out as jumbled gibberish in her effort to get them out as quickly as possible. She turned and sprinted back up the stairs, closing her door quietly and flopping onto her bed with a prolonged sigh. Why is this upsetting me so much? She wondered as the tears began to pour. They're just trying to make me feel better. Why isn't it working? Sophie couldn't come up with an answer.

After a moment, she forced herself to rise from her bed and walk to her bathroom mirror. She raked a hand through her hair, cursing how red and puffy her eyes looked. What's wrong with me? She wondered, trying to hold back the flow of more tears. Sophie splashed water on her face to clear it of redness. Then she sighed and brushed her tangled her, figuring getting ready would clear her present state of mind.

"Sophie?" a voice at her door interrupted her proceedings. She opened it to see Edaline.

"Hi, Mom," Sophie knew her face must still show signs of tears as her adoptive mother's brow crinkled with worry. "Need something?"

"Sophie, I want to know what's going on," she requested. "I thought having a winnowing gala would help you." Sophie resisted the urge to yank out multiple eyelashes.

"It does," she said, hoping her lie wasn't too apparent. "It's just... hard." That didn't make sense at all, but Edaline thankfully seemed to accept it. She pulled Sophie into a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "You're a wonderful person, matchable or not." Sophie smiled at her.

"Thanks, Mom." Edaline descended the stairs, and Sophie closed her door and returned to her bathroom. The remnants of her tears were mostly gone by then, but she splashed more water on her face to be sure. Then she finished getting dressed.

Grady informed her the gala would be the following Saturday when she returned downstairs. That gives me four days, she thought. That should be enough time to prepare mentally. The ringing of her imparter interrupted her chain of thoughts, and she stepped outside to answer it. It was Biana. Sophie walked a little way from her house and reclined against Calla's panakes tree as her friend's face appeared on the tiny screen.

"Hi, Sophie!" Biana greeted her cheerfully.

"Hey,"

"So what do you think?" Biana queried exuberantly. "Of hosting a winnowing gala for you? Which was my idea, by the way." Sophie chuckled at her friend's smug expression.

"It's super nice of you to think of me," Sophie replied, which wasn't a lie. She just hadn't actually expressed her opinion on the matter.

"Anything for my bestie!" Biana grinned. "You'll wear that red dress, of course! It looks amazing on you!" Sophie felt a slight blush spread across her cheeks.

"Thanks, Biana,"

"I think I know of someone else who might think the same," Biana teased. Sophie's blush erupted into a bright red tinge that made her look like a tomato, and she hid behind her hair.

"Biana!" she shrieked. "Who do you mean?!"

Biana giggled, "I think you know." Sophie stared at her, incredulous. She doesn't know my crush...does she? She worried. I've never told her, or anyone for that matter, and Fitz is her brother. It'd be so awkward if she knew.

"Woah, chill out. I was just teasing," Biana assured her. "But I can see my suspicions were correct." Sophie gulped, cursing herself.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said nervously, which seemed to amuse Biana greatly.

"Does his name start with a K?" she asked. Sophie furrowed her brow. That's not the initial I expected.

"Uhh... no."

"Oh, sure." Biana's voice dripped with sarcasm. "You two never flirt or talk, or hang out alone. I'm sure you two are just friends."

"No, I'm serious." Sophie told her. Biana's eyebrows shot up.

"Well, I still have other suspicions." Sophie groaned, tugging out what must have been at least the hundredth eyelash that day.

"Please don't guess," she begged. "I want to keep it a secret." Biana sighed.

"Fine," she agreed. "But I'll get it out of you eventually, bye, Sophie." She giggled and hung up, leaving Sophei questioning their conversation. She thought I liked Keefe? She thought in disbelief. But who else would she have been referring to? I thought for sure she would accuse me of liking Fitz. She paused for a moment. Looking out at the luscious expanse of Havenfield and breathing in the summer air. What did she mean we're always flirting? Sure we talk a lot, but we're friends! Of course friends talk! We're always there for each other, but just as friends. Despite her certainty that she liked Fitz, Sophie was left with a lingering confusion as she walked back inside, where Grady and Edaline were still working on decorations. How could I like Keefe? She wondered as she ascended the stairs to her room once more. I've always liked Fitz. How could I like someone other than him? It occurred to her that she'd never considered that possibility.

. . .

Sophie's head was still filled with questions and confusion as she lay in bed that night, staring up at the ceiling. My winnowing gala is in three days, I have to figure this out, she thought as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.