what happened after unlocked

chapter three ~ makeovers

As Sophie's consciousness slowly returned, her shoulder was aching and she was holding a blanket to her chin.

Before she could call out to someone that she was awake, a sad sigh tumbled from the lips of Biana Vacker, who Sophie could see through her slotted eyes that she was sitting in the corner of a room with sea-foam blue painted walls.

When Sophie's eyes fully adjusted, she noticed Tam next to her as well, both elves' feet on the cushioned chairs that they were seated on.

This was how Sophie immediately knew they were in the Shores of Solace.

The bed that Sophie was lying in was covered with white cushions and pillows, some of which Sophie was leaning on.

Before she could call their names to tell them she was awake, Biana spoke in a small, sad voice that mirrored her exact physical appearance.

"Just knowing how miserable out lives will be without Keefe is so...dull, and sad, you know?" she said to Tam. "And I already miss him, from knowing how things will be with him gone. Though...I guess I'm not really talking to the right person about this."

Tam responded by kicking the wall and averting his gaze from the window on Sophie's left side to the floor. The sound of his shoe against the solid surface of the wall reverberated through the room.

Biana rubbed one of her bloodshot eyes with the heel of her hands, smudging her somewhat haphazardly applied eyeliner in the process.

"No more jokes, no more humor, no more fun, no more of you guys fighting...this is awful!" she vented, her voice getting softer and more heartbroken by the second. "I almost want to give up, knowing that we won't get anywhere with any of the clues leading to him, and knowing that even if we find him, he might not come back! No matter how hard we try to convince him."

Tam stared at his boots like they were the most fascinating things he'd ever seen.

"You miss him too, don't you?" Biana guessed, scanning his expression and hunched shoulders.

Tam tugged his bangs even further over his eyes. "Um...no! We're not friends," he added, hastily.

A sly smile spread across Biana's lips. "Or maybe you're just saying that to cover up the truth."

It was hard to tell from the way Tam was hiding his face partially from view, but Sophie swore he was blushing.

"Yeah, you definitely miss him."

Tam shook his head a little too soon—and it gave his true feelings away.

Biana sighed. "Hey, it's alright to miss him." Her voice turned teasing. "Even if you're not friends."

Tam looked like the world's gloomiest elf.

Biana scooted her chair over so that she could wrap one of her arms over his shoulders. And instead of trying to get a response out of him, she stayed silent.

Sophie figured now was not the time to let them know she was awake, so she tried not to breathe too heavily and squeezed her eyes to slits so that Tam and Biana wouldn't see her watching them.

Tam broke the heavy silence a few moments later. "I don't even know why I feel like this, to be honest. But I can't help but think, maybe I should have made things more clear with Keefe before he ran away. Maybe I should have at least told him...that I don't actually have anything against him."

Biana smiled at him, her eyes matching her lips. "I don't think I ever believed for one second that you two hated each other."

Tam's looked away.