Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-108.56.231.106-20191020224916

=Chapter One=

'''Sophie? Can I come in?” Edaline - Sophie’s mom - asked through the closed bedroom door.'''

  Sophie didn’t answer, wishing the solitary silence she’d had just seconds earlier hadn’t  been broken, even if the cause of it was her own mother speaking.

   She heard Edaline come in anyway.

So much for privacy in her own room.

  Sophie heard her adoptive mother walk over to Sophie’s bed and felt her sit on the edge of it tentatively.

'''“Honey?” The concern in Edaline’s voice was very clear. “Will you tell me what’s wrong? Me and Grady have been worried sick what with you leaving the Matchmaker’s building so quickly - we didn’t even get the chance to ask the Matchmakers what was wrong.”'''

  Sophie cringed at the word ‘Matchmaker’.

 Normally, this would be because of her aversion to the whole Matchmaking process - and the idea - .

But this time, it was for an entirely different reason.

'''  The first time Sophie had heard how elves got married - strangers telling you who you were allowed to date and be with - she had disliked the entire Matchmaking thing. The idea had seemed so wrong. '''

'''  But then Fitz, her long-time crush, admitted that he liked her back. '''

Sophie was in disbelief, but she was also elated.

 So they had kind of gotten together, but they weren’t technically ‘official’ yet.

'''But Fitz also said he couldn’t handle being a bad match. '''

  Bad matches couldn’t get married without ensuring themself and their spouse a future filled with discrimination and scorn - along with the same for any children they may choose to have.

'''  Sophie’s best friend Dex Dizznee was the son of a Bad Match. He was smart, talented, and kind. But he, his siblings and his parents were shunned because his dad was Talentless and therefore a Bad Match, causing his entire family to receive disdain throughout their lives. '''

'''  Kesler Dizznee was Sophie’s uncle by adoption - Edaline’s sister Juline Dizznee was married to Kesler - and he was incredibly kind to her. It didn’t seem fair that just because he didn’t have a special ability he and his family were judged in society.'''

''' So the whole thing was: Sophie could not not register for the match, and still be a good match for Fitz. He clearly wanted her to register for the match, so that he wouldn’t be a Bad Match either, by kind-of-sort-of-dating her.'''

'''   She had waited a while before finally deciding on Linh’s indirect advice - that she should find joy in the small things. '''

So she had.

'''  She had finally worked up the courage to ask her parents about registering for the match. Grady had seemed much more against the idea than Edaline had. But both he and Edaline still took her.'''

'''    She was scared to go. But the scared feeling turned into devastation when the Matchmakers Brisa and Juji had both showed her their flashing red screens.'''

     Sophie Elizabeth Foster Is Unmatchable

'''Sophie had stared for a few moments, then rushed out of the Matchmaking building. She had leaped home and fled to her room before either Grady or Edaline had the chance to ask anything.'''

  They had given her a couple blissful hours before they had apparently decided to finally ask what was going on.

'''The isolation had been nice while it lasted. But Sophie knew she would have to tell Edaline and Grady about everything, and eventually. . .'''

  Fitz.

 But Sophie couldn’t bear to think about that right now.

'''“Sophie?” Edaline asked again, shaking Sophie out of her reminiscing and thoughts. '''

  Sophie still didn’t answer, but stole a glance at her mother, peeking out from under her blankets, where she’d been hiding.

 Edaline didn’t look great.

'''   Her infamous worry lines had made an appearance, and were deeper than Sophie had ever seen them - which was saying something. Her turquoise eyes were creased with worry, and her lips were pulled into an extremely worried frown.'''

 All of this was enough to get Sophie out from underneath her covers

'''Edaline moved closer to Sophie, putting her hand on Sophie’s arm. “Please tell me what’s wrong.”'''

'''  Sophie barely managed to get out “I’m. . .”'''

 The worry lines on Edaline’s face grew even deeper.

'''“What is it?” she asked. “Please tell me, I want to help and I know Grady does too.”'''

'''   After a few seconds Sophie got the rest of it out. “Unmatchable. . . I’m Unmatchable.”'''  