Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-174.6.16.240-20191026015853/@comment-174.6.16.240-20191210154216

Chapter seven

“Hey, Sophie,” Linh looked nice today. She was wearing a silver-blue dress with a beaded waistline, and navy-blue leggings. “There’s something I need to tell you. I—I’ve felt this way for a while, but recently—hanging out with you—you’ve given me the courage to say that, well—Sophie, I like you.”

Sophie blinked. Linh liked her. “Linh—I’m sorry – I don’t feel the same.” Linh nodded, blinking back tears. “But I promise we’ll still find your brother, I’ll still help.”

“All these promises, Sophie,” Linh said, shaking her head, tears spilling over her cheeks. “Will you ever actually keep one?” Then she turned and ran. Sophie watched numbly. She sank to the floor, sitting on her carpet.

**********

“Sophie, are you okay?” Edaline asked, when she came into Sophie’s bedroom an hour later, to announce dinner. “Where’s Linh? She usually stays with us for dinner. I set out a spot for her, and everything.”

“She went home early,” Sophie said. She headed downstairs, trailing after Edaline. Her heart ached when she saw Linh’s empty spot. She missed her. Linh, the way she smiled, softly and sweetly, and so innocently you knew she was truly happy. Linh, the way her hair blew in the breeze, the silver bits twinkling in the sunlight. Linh, the way her eyes widened it joy when Sophie had bought her a giant stuffy merkitty from Atlantis. Linh, the way her lips were so round and soft and pink and perfect. Linh.

“Sorry, I have to go,” Sophie said, pushing her chair away from the table, and running up to her room, grabbing one of her textbooks, and slipping something inside. She raced up one more set of stairs to the leapmaster and leaped away to Linh’s house.

She took a deep breath and knocked. Tiergan answered, looking confused when he saw Sophie there.

“Hey,” Sophie said. “Linhforgotthisatmyhouseokaybye.” She shoved the textbook into his hands and leaped away.

**********

Sophie sat beneath Calla’s panakes and waited.

“Hi,” a soft voice said from behind her. Sophie smiled as she turned around. It was Linh. “You wanted to meet me?”

“Yes,” Sophie said, “Linh, I’m really sorry, I just—well I did some reflection, and I—I—I like you.” Sophie blushed and looked down at her shoes. “I was just—before, I—”

“It’s fine, Sophie,” Linh said softly. She sat down beside Sophie and leaned over and kissed her.

Linh’s breath was minty, and her lips were soft. And it was everything Sophie imagined it was. When the pulled apart, Linh rested her head on Sophie’s shoulder, and they watched the sun set.

“Sophie?” Linh said. “Promise one thing?” she asked without moving.

“Anything,” Sophie said.

“That you’ll always love me.”

“I promise,”

-Chloe