Finding Solace In Love - A Sophie and Gideon AU Story

Chapter 3

A/N: I am terribly sorry I haven’t updated this. I’ve had time to write this but inspiration (and motivation) doesn’t last for so sorry. Also, judging by my schedule don’t expect an update too often. It’s better to be surprised than disappointed. R&R!

A stampede of students trampled through the hallways eager to be done with their morning classes and hungry for lunch. Sophie hastily threw her English binder into her locker and shut the green locker door her hands rubbing against the rust speckles as she did so. English had been terribly boring and Sophie had resorted to doodling miscellaneous shapes in the margin of her paper as the teacher droned on. Tessa of course loved English and delighted in everything they did. In truth Sophie didn't enjoy school. She didn't like any of subjects except maybe Photography but that was because it encouraged creativity. She told herself it didn't have anything to do with a certain green eyed boy.

Her friends let out a chorus of "hello's" as Sophie approached the grassy area where they ate lunch when the weather was nice. Sophie listened casually to the various ongoing conversations as she bit into her blueberry bagel. She added in her part to the conversations when it was needed but Sophie was generally a quiet and reserved person.

Her ears perked up a bit and she leaned in to listen as Will mentioned the name Gideon.

"That git, Gideon, is back. All the way from Spain. As if we didn't have enough problems already with one Lightwood running around at this school."

Lightwood? That was Gideon's last name? Gabriel Lightwood had been in their grade since Sophie could remember but she'd never heard mentions of his brother.

To Sophie's surprise Jem was in agreement with Will and exclaimed, "I saw him yesterday at the end of the day. He must have come from the art wing and he was smiling like an idiot as I walked by. He makes Gabriel look sweeter than gingerbread."

Sophie gasped silently as she digested this information about Gideon. The Lightwood's weren't the best of families. Benedict Lightwood Gideon's father was very influential in their town. His never ending supply of money bought him anything he couldn't obtain by persuasion. Sometime, around five years ago, Barbara Lightwood had passed away. The loss of his wife had left Benedict bitter and it had spread to Gabriel too. Rarely could Will and Gabriel be the same room without one of them provoking the other into a fight. Sophie wondered how Gideon felt in the mess of it all. He didn't share the same bitterness she associated with the rest of his family but he was a Lightwood.

Jessamine interrupted her line of thought, asking "Sophie? You look like you know something about this."

As if Jessamine hadn't already given Sophie enough reasons to detest her everyone turned awaiting Sophie's reply. "Well he was in my photography class yesterday." Sophie paused for a second. She contemplated what she should say next. With another glance up at the impatient stares she decided she wouldn't judge Gideon based on other's opinions. "He seemed nice."

Sophie expected some sort of an uproar but instead she was met with dead silence hanging in the air. Jem was the first to recover, "What?" he exclaimed clearly astonished. Sophie managed to stammer out the tale of how he'd helped her stack the chairs back up yesterday. Jessamine waved it off like it was no big deal now that all the drama was over but she couldn't say the same for the others. She got a clear as glass message from the looks they gave her and considered herself warned.

Sophie trained her focus back towards her food now as if the conversation didn't interest her anymore. She hoped a distraction would pop up so her friends wouldn't feel the need to interrogate further.

A distraction came in the form of Gabriel Lightwood as Will spied him across the field talking to Cecily. Will leapt up and began cursing out a stream of words that would put any hardened sailor to shame. Jem, being the level-headed one, blocked Will from charging over and hitting Gabriel.

Will had hit Gabriel before and Sophie knew he wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Tessa knew this too and went up beside Jem calmly telling Will it would do him no good to go over there. It must have worked because Will grudgingly sat down again but no one could miss the murderous looks he kept shooting at Gabriel.

~ ~ ~

"Here you go!" exclaimed Sophie as she tossed a hair elastic towards Tessa. She caught it with ease and the two girls hastily laced up their cleats before heading out the doors. Sophie internally groaned as she saw the poor state the fields were in. She could hardly run across the lumpy as oatmeal field never mind pass a soccer ball. She caught sight of Cecily in the distance. She jogged over, sure-footedly. The girls soccer team chattered on for a few minutes before two boys came running over. They wore jerseys marking them as coaches. Gabriel and Gideon Lightwood. The team instantly quieted down and inspected the boys critically. Many of the girls looked as though they approved and Sophie wondered how the team would turn out this year if they were all a bunch of blushing, giggling girls. She cast a dull look towards the pair but was secretly excited to see how Gideon fared today. There was no doubt in her mind that the majority of the girls would throw themselves at Gideon although he had seemed indifferent to girls like that in class.

Sophie had never understood why girls were so reckless in giving their hearts away to boys. Wasn't it better to get to know them first and see if they were more than the sum of their parts? In truth Sophie wished that was how it was because no one would ever give her chance; not with her looks.

She knew it was foolish to assume everyone was so materialistic but time and time again it was proved through her interactions.

Gideon and Gabriel didn't talk long. In fact they hardly talked at all. The girls divided into two lines for their warm up and started out jogging in a slow line.

Near the end of warm up the boys tossed pinnies to the girls in order to organize them into teams. Sophie wasn't handed her pinnie until the warm up was done. She almost jumped surprised by Gideon's touch as he handed her a red pinnie. Their hands paused, entwined, and Gideon stared straight at Sophie. His eyes searched her face for a hint of emotion. Sophie willed herself to hold a calm expression and give no clues as to the desire and near panic she was feeling inside. Finally she could hold it no longer and allowed herself a small smile. In return Gideon smiled too.

In the corner of her eye Sophie sensed movement and realised everyone else was heading out to the middle of the field. Her hand dropped for Gideon's hold and she spun furtively on her heel.

Realization set in as Sophie joined the rest of the girls. Her eyes widened as she thought of the events that had just happened. She hoped no one had saw and tried to tell herself not to let it happen again. She wanted it to happen though.

Gideon trailed behind Sophie following her retreating figure. He didn't quite understand Sophie yet but he sensed there was more to her than she let on. He couldn't help but notice that she tried so hard to fade into the background. She tries to disappear like a trail of smoke. Even with her friends she kept quiet. Gideon didn't know Sophie. He had no idea of the troubles in her past that haunted her even now but he wanted to know her.

Okay so that’s chapter 3! R&R! Oh and I saw this joke on tumblr so I thought I’d share it...

How many friend-zoned guys does it take to replace a light bulb?

None. They’ll just compliment it and get pissed when it won’t screw.