Project Starfae

~ Chapter 8 ~

Third Person, Following Elora

"Hey, Soph."

Sophie's head snapped around to look at Shaylie, her brown eyes widening in shock as she took in the sight of the petite girl. "Shaylie, hey."

"I'm so sorry I didn't answer," Shaylie started, getting straight to the point. "I was out of the house when you called and I'd left my Imparter in my room, maybe if I had answered, you wouldn't have been kidnapped. Gosh, I'm so sorry. Ugh, I should have answered. Sophie, you have no idea how sorry I am. Look, even Keefe who can't feel my emotions is reflecting how sad and morbid and sorry I am."

When Shaylie hung her head, Sophie opened her mouth, "But it wasn—"

Shaylie interrupted with her eyes still staring at her feet, "Nope! It's all my fault, I let you down and I wasn't there for you when you needed me so badly and that resulted in you getting kidnapped. I didn't even come to visit you when they had to bring you back from the light. There is only one name for a person who does that kind of thing, a bad friend. And you won't change my mind, I am a horrible friend and I don't deserve to be forgiven. What kind of friend lets their best friend get kidnapped!?"

"Shaylie, stop it, look at me in the eyes," Sophie demanded, putting her hands on the petite girl's shoulders. She only continued what she was saying when Shaylie met her eyes, "You are the most wonderful and loyal friend I could have ever asked for. Sure you didn't answer when I called and maybe I was a bit hurt at the time, but if there was someone to blame for me getting kidnapped, the last person it would be is you. You were there all those nights when I needed it, and to me that's what matters. It wasn't Dex, Fitz, Keefe or Bianna that let me call them at ridiculous hours of the morning so that I wouldn't be so alone, it was you. You are the most supportive and loving person ever, and I am super lucky to call you my friend. Okay?"

Shaylie could feel her eyes starting to water, "You mean that?" When Sophie nodded, it felt like the ten pounds of weight on her chest had been lifted.

"And my gosh, Shaylie. What happened to you?"

Shaylie winced, she was very much aware of how sickly and near-dead she looked. She touched her finger gently to her gaunt and hollow cheek, "I actually don't know. I had a small...thing I had to do which was why I wasn't at school that day. I don't remember much of what happened after, but I wasn't feeling well and so I drank a bit of medicine and then I blacked out like two minutes after."

Sophie's eyebrows slanted down into a frown, "You just blacked out after drinking medicine? What happened for the rest of the week?"

"I...don't really remember," Shaylie bit her lip, thinking as to what happened while she had been sick. "I-i don't know, I think I was just sleeping the whole time. All I remember is a lot of blankness."

Sophie's eyebrows now shot up. "Nothing? At all?"

"Nope!"

"Hu—" Sophie was interrupted as the bells rang to signal that the tribunal would start soon.

Shaylie saw—and felt—Sophie blanche with nerves. This time, she put her hand on Sophie's shoulder, "Hey, you'll be fine. There's no way they're going to punish you. They failed to see a problem until you had already acted on it. That's on them. You got this."

"Thanks, Shaylie, really." Sophie looked over at her with a smile.

A grin spread on Shaylie's own face, "Go show them who's in the wrong!"

...

How right Shaylie had been, Sophie had everything in the bag. The Councillors were the ones that had fumbled with the Everblaze problem, and most of Sophie's mentors were set to give her a 100. Though she was still recovering from the gut punch Sophie's despair had given her when the poor girl had found out Councillor Bronte would be mentoring her Inflicting session.

And Shaylie couldn't have been prouder of Sophie when she chose to stay with Edaline and Grady. How far that family had come since they first met.

When they were finally dismissed, Shaylie skipped over to Sophie's side.

"I told you so."

"Shush, I never doubted what you said," Sophie retorted with a wide grin.

"I know," Shaylie replied with a smile as equally large as Sophie's. Then she saw the waiting crowd of friends and family and turned to face her friend, "Well? Go on, they're waiting, and I should get back home. I'm still not at a 100%, as you can see by the looks of me. I'll see you soon."

Sophie wrapped her arms around Shaylie, "I'll see you soon, and thank you again. So much for everything."

Shaylie returned the hug, "It wasn't a problem Sophie, at all." She gently eased out of the hug and flashed a big smile. "I'm gonna go now, Tiergan's waiting for me outside."

Shaylie walked away towards the exit, but looked back before heading out to find Sophie waving. With a grin like a mad cat's, she waved back and walked out.

Life wasn't about to get easy being friends with Sophie Foster, she realised. Clearly fate had some challenges planned for her friend, and she'd probably get hit with the brunt of it at some point if she continued to stay a friend. But that was a risk she was willing to take.

~ End of Chapter ~

So as I have previously mentioned. It was short. But that's okay! Why? Because our WHOLE plot outline for this ENTIRE fic is almost completed, meaning Chapter 9 will be in the works soon enough (and I swear to you all that I will work on nothing but this fic and my OG book stuff until I get Chapter 9 out, no distracting myself with my Warriors fics for now). I hope you guys enjoyed it! There wasn't all that much info in it tho, which will obviously be explained later!

Lots of love,

LittleOwl