The Foxfire Formal Ball

Chapter 9: Make Your Move

       Sophie pulled out a loose eyelash as she looked down at the gifts she held in her hands. She had been too busy studying and dealing with the circlet to get them before tonight. But that wasn't what was making her nervous. Not even her midterm scores were making her nervous. Telling her friends was going to be a lot harder than she thought.

       "Have fun!" Edaline said as she left with Grady to meet her mentors.

       She nodded. She thought back to her friends. She didn't want to ruin their fun with her news about leaving. So she decided to push it to the corner of her mind and enjoy her time with her friends.

       "Hey Foster!" Keefe called. "Over here!"

       Sophie walked slowly to the table, careful not to spill the gifts she held in her arms. She set them on the table before picking up two of them. "I need to deliver these and then I'll be back."

       "Delivering gifts as a secret admirer?" Keefe teased.

         Sophie rolled her eyes before laughing. Oh, she'd miss him. But not his teasing. She circled the room, looking for Dex and Marella. Even though things were rocky for her with both of them, she wanted to make it up before she left.

         She found Marella first, at Stina's side as they patrolled around the room.

         "Marella!" Sophie called. Marella turned around, but made a face once she realized who it was. She rolled her eyes and kept walking. Sophie caught up to her.

       "This is for you," She said, placing the gift in Marella's hands. She continued. "There's something I need to tell my friends, and that includes you. Just.... Come to our table if you want to know."

"Like she'd want to know anything that could get her locked up in Exile," Stina sneered, before rudely turning her back and stomping away with Marella. Sophie shrugged. At least she tried.

         She quickly spotted Dex sitting at a table with his siblings, the triplets. She quietly approached him.

          "Hi Dex," she said as she sat next to him. Dex turned to her in surprise.

          "Oh! Hey Sophie," he said awkwardly before looking away.

         "Dex, I'm sorry. I know the Council forced you to and it wasn't your fault. You didn't deserve to be pushed away."

         "It's okay. I've been a terrible friend too. I was too concerned about staying as your friend that I didn't think about what you were going through."

         "It's okay Dex."

         "So we're still friends?"

         "Still friends," she agreed.

         Dex nodded, his eyes shining. "Then... Would it be okay... If I had a dance with you.... At the ball... As a friend?"

         Sophie grinned. "As friends. Oh! Which reminds me"- she handed her present to Dex- "this is for you." She had wrapped up a box of Prattles pins, for all the times he had given her his pins.

         "Thanks! Uh... I didn't bring my gift. Can I bring it by later?"

          "Sure!" She said as she glanced back at Keefe, who mouthed "What's taking so long?" 

          "Wanna come sit by us? I haven't exchanged gifts with them yet."

         "Yeah! Thanks."

         Dex followed Sophie across the room and sat down across from Keefe, Fitz, and Biana. Biana was in the middle of sorting through the gifts in her thinking cap. Her teal eyes lit up when she saw Sophie.

          "Oh Sophie! I already opened my other gifts, and I wanted to wait until you got here to open yours."

         Sophie glances at her cap overflowing with unopened gifts. She smiled to herself. Must be from secret admirers, she thought. Biana opened the lavender box to reveal the teal necklace Sophie has given her.

          Biana let out a surprised gasp. "It's beautiful Sophie!"

          "It matches your eyes," Keefe commented.

          "Here, open mine first!" Biana passed Sophie a present in sparkly pink paper. She smiled as she opened it. Her guess had been right - Biana has given her something completely girly. It was a make-up kit with sparkly blush of a hundred shades with several lip gloss colors and eyeshadow.

      "It's wonderful Biana!" Sophie said.

       Biana beamed. "I was thinking that we could get ready for the dance together."

        Sophie wanted to grimace since she didn't overly love Biana's make-overs but smiled and replied, "Of course! That sounds fun!"

       "Enough girly talk, you haven't opened my present yet," Keefe interrupted as he slid her an orange box. Sophie slowly slid the box top off, afraid of a prank gift jumping out. She let out a pleasant gasp when she realized what it was.

        "An Alicorn plushie?"

         "Yeah, after Silveny joined the Sanctuary the stores have  been exploding with Alicorn merchandise. And I thought you'd like it since you love your blue elephant so much."

        Sophie smiled as she thought of Ella. "But no glittery poop yet?"

Keefe smirked. "I'm working on it."

Fitz cleared his throat, silently handing her a small silver box. Sophie's heart fluttered when their eyes met. He gave her a small smile.

Her heart pounded as she opened it.

Inside it was a crush cuff.

***Author's Note****
Ahhhh! So exciting! Dex and Sophie made up, some Biana action, and FITZ!!! I'm sorry it took so long, this chapter was longer than I expected it to be. I hope to update the next chapter soon!
Thanks for reading, voting, and commenting!
~InkheadWriter