Éveil

402

Sophorina....was not one to seek the spotlight; instead, she preferred the solace of her own thoughts and the company of a select few. As the excitement of the Yule Ball swept through the school, invitations flooded in for Sophorina     throughout the day.

Each one accompanied by hopeful eyes and nervous smiles. Yet, one after another, she politely declined, her reasons  known only by herself

To those who asked, Sophorina offered a kind smile and a gentle rejection, her words spoken with sincerity.

Sophorina couldn't quite pinpoint why she found herself declining each invitation to the Yule Ball, despite the flutter of excitement in her heart at the prospect of attending. Her instincts seemed to guide her, whispering of a deeper reason behind her rejections, yet she couldn't decipher their cryptic message.

On the other side of the hall, Neville sat quietly, a curious mix of emotions swirling within him. He hadn't exactly been hoping for any invitations to the Ball, but there was a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach as he watched Sophorina turn down one suitor after another.

As he observed her graceful rejections, a pang of something unfamiliar tugged at Neville's heart. It wasn't jealousy, or at least he didn't think it was. After all, why should he feel jealous when he had never even considered attending the Ball himself?

Meanwhile, Marie found herself fending off a slew of suitors, most of whom she either rejected outright or simply ignored .

"And what about you?" Sophorina  teased,  mischievousness showing her eyes as she turned the tables on Marie for her recent rejections.

"Not cute enough?" Sophorina quipped with a smirk, relishing in the opportunity to tease her friend in return.

Marie raised an eyebrow. "I suppose I'd rather attend with the best dancer," she remarked, watching as Sophorina's face lit up with hope.

"Oh..." Sophorina's excitement faltered as Marie chuckled. "No...not you," she clarified, causing Sophorina's expression to shift from hopeful to offended in an instant.

"I love you, but you are not a good dancer," Marie admitted with a pat on her friend's shoulder, unable to contain her laughter at Sophorina's crestfallen expression.

"I guess you may be right," Sophorina  conceded with a sigh, her pride momentarily deflated. "I am talented at many things, but dancing is not one of them," she admitted with a resigned shrug, earning a chuckle from Marie

—------------

As they strolled back to their dorm room, laughter echoed. Sophorina and Marie were Hand in hand, they exchanged jokes, their voices mingling with shared laughter. With a huff, Sophorina  flopped onto Marie's bed, her exhaustion evident in the heavy sigh that escaped her lips. "You do realize your bed is over there, right?" Marie teased gently, a fond smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Sophorina responded with grin. "Yes, but yours is much comfier," she quipped, sinking deeper into the plush comfort of her friend's bed. Before Sophorina could protest, Marie seized the opportunity to broach a knowing topic ,"While I have you here," she began,

"Why did you really reject all those boys? I know it wasn't because you want to go alone," Marie prodded gently, already sensing the underlying truth behind Sophorina's actions.

"I don't know..." Sophorina paused, burying her face in a pillow with a heavy sigh. "I think it's because I want to go with someone I actually enjoy being around, not some pre-hormonal boys," she admitted, her words laden with a hint of vulnerability.

"Like?" Marie inquired, a suggestive flicker in her eyes as she attempted to coax her friend into realizing her true feelings.

Sophorina's cheeks flushed crimson as she hid her face in the pillow, hoping to conceal her growing embarrassment. But Marie was relentless, gently removing the pillow to reveal Sophorina's blushing expression.