Her Imperfections

Chapter Twenty-Nine

It hadn't been long before Amy moved into Sophie's room. Sophie sensed her sister felt out of place and said nothing to her. Edaline said nothing either as she moved into different chambers with Grady.
Sophie was reminded of her sister's loud presence as she popped another bubble of bubblegum. She was surprised to find slight irritation towards Amy since the rescue. She didn't blame her for Keefe's sacrifice, but.....
"Can I train too?"
Sophie looked up at Amy, "What?"
Amy sat up at the sudden attention from Sophie, "I want to train like your friends do."
Sophie chewed her lip and set down her journal, at a struggle for words. "That's different...."
"Is it because I'm not an elf? Or because you want to protect me?"
Sophie cringed.
Both, honestly. But instead she said, "Neither. I just thought you might want to relax for a while."
"I'm not useless." Amy mumbled. Her head fell with anger and Sophie watched the short, chopped brown chair swish.
Sophie was surprised to find her throat dry. She didn't honestly think Amy was useless. She didn't deny it though. "No," Sophie croaked, "Of course not."
"B-"
"I'm going for a walk." Sophie made a sharp stare at Amy's fierce green eyes, "Don't try anything."
Amy threw a pillow towards Sophie but she was already out of the room. It was hard to face anyone after what had happened. Sophie's mind felt scribbled as she struggled finding someone to blame. She just needed more time.
Alone.
It seemed like fate had different plans for her.
"Sophie?"
Linh's sweet voice echoed from behind her. Sophie winced as she remembered the twins were getting back today from their Exillium recon mission. How could she have forgotten?
Sophie sprinted to the pink cheeked girl and watched her cheeks turn red as she hugged her."Linh!"
Breathlessly, Sophie stepped back and surveyed the girl. "How was it? What happened?"
Linh's mouth twisted, "Nothing. We couldn't find any students that we think would join. You did too good a job making Exillium comfortable."
Sophie could sense the slight pride in Linh's voice as she spoke of her past school. She used to dislike it, but ever since Sophie helped out the school Linh was grateful to tell people she attended Exillium.
"How's Tam?" Sophie asked.
"Good, sullen though because of the failed mission."
Sophie smirked, "When is he not sullen?"
Linh laughed loudly, "True," her laugh fell warmly and Linh raised her eyebrow to Sophie, "And you? I heard about everything that had happened."
"Everything?" Sophie questioned, remembering the twins had left before Fintan first spoke in her mind.
Linh furrowed her brows in worry as an answer. Great, another person worrying about her.
"I was just going for a walk." Sophie tried to side step Linh, but the girl stopped her.
"Everyone's playing bramble, that's where I was headed. You should join."
Sophie wanted to decline but Linh was so pleading and she hadn't hung out with her friends in a while. The fresh air would do her good.
"Alright, sure." Sophie peppered her smile with excitement and they made their way down to the fields.
Tam was jostling around with Fitz and Dex, a shockingly happy tone in his smile. Biana was waiting for Linh and Sophie with a cross face. Once she saw them though, her arms fell to her sides and she brightened up.
"Sophie?"
Had she really been that isolated? Sophie grinned, "Yeah, Linh thought I should join."
Biana flashed a grateful thank you to Linh, "Have either of you even played bramble?"
From Linh's blushed cheeks and Sophie's stiff smile, Biana could guess it was a no for both.
"Come on," she waved her hand, "I'll teach you. Let's just hope the goblin's training pays off."
Biana had them run laps for a while to warm up before explaining the rules. It reminded Sophie of human football, though slightly less violent.
"Now, you aren't supposed to tackle. But...." Biana twisted his bird with mischievousness. Fitz heard her and yelled over, "Biana! No! One cheater is enough!"
Biana giggled to them and whispered, "Ignore him, let's go."
Sophie was a little nervous stepping on to the field. Sports was not her forte, at all. It was boys against girls and being sandwiched between the muscular Linh and lean Biana, Sophie was worried she wouldn't be of much help. Biana didn't specifically say telekinetic abilities weren't allowed though....
Fitz called out something to them and Biana started sprinting towards the boys. A large ball was flung through the air towards Dex as he ran along the right side, but Sophie caught it easily with her telekinesis. Bringing it down to her arms, Sophie turned to face the oncoming Tam. Panicking, Sophie threw the ball with her mind to Linh. The strong girl caught it easily as graceful as the water she controlled. Linh rolled past a tree just as Tam tackled Sophie. Linh grinned at her as she speared out in the field and Sophie heard a heavy sigh from Tam. He hauled himself up and shoved the gloating Linh to the ground as they passed.
They played until it was too dark too see and they collapsed from laughing as they stumbled around the shadows. It felt good to let the bubbly feelings rise. Even with everything going on, she needed to start spending more time with her friends. She was done ignoring them and keeping to herself. Sophie promised to tell them about her supposed ability as it weighed down in their friendship, but for now she just wanted to have fun. Sophie rolled to her side and smacked into Biana, sending another fit of giggles rushing through them.
As she laughed, something stirred in her mind. Sophie stiffened and froze. An image floated into her head and she sat up quickly, clutching the grass beneath her hands. The image showed a yellow folder, dusty and hiding beneath stacks of similar folders in a drawer. The only thing that distinguished it was a small red mark in the top right corner. Sophie's breath stopped and felt her chest start to compress and ache as she panicked. It wasn't because the image was sent from Fintan. It was because she had seen that folder before.
In the hands of Mr. Forkle.