Light It Up | ✔ | #2

Chapter 14 -

Sophie stayed silent in her seat, stunned at the sudden turn of events that wasn't actually that sudden. "I'm sorry too then."

It was an answer that didn't take nearly long enough to decipher as she'd hoped.

His eyes instantly clouded and he nodded, knowing there wasn't much he could do to change that. "It's alright, I couldn't have expected you to have said yes after that speech there anyway. It was a trashy time," he said angrily, his eyes flashing as he stood.

"It's not you," Sophie excused, blocking his path from leaving the nurse's office. "I'm just not ready for a relationship, you or anyone."

Keefe's eyes landed on her and softened for a moment. "It's fine, I know it isn't your fault. I just feel disappointed, is all."

Her mouth formed a thin line. "It stings, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," he admitted quietly. "It stings a whole lot." That was the last she heard of him before his soft steps retreated from the room, leaving Sophie to ponder her choices.

...

"Wow, that's a lot," Mr. Forkle stated, ripping his fingers from her temple. "Are you planning on following through with your choice?"

"Of course," she replied immediately. "I'm too vulnerable right now to be hurt, and for all I know, he's been plotting something involving me with the Neverseen."

"Good point." Her guardian tapped his hand against the table, his food forgotten. "Is there a way to prevent these so-called panic attacks?"

Sophie shoveled food into her mouth hastily, pointing to her mouth to show that she was chewing. She wanted to brace herself for the reaction. When she finally swallowed, she said, "No, there isn't. I suspect elves would refer to this as a 'breakdown'?"

Mr. Forkle paled. "Let's hope not."

"How bad can those get?" Sophie awaited an answer, but the silence she got was answer enough. "That bad, huh?" A sense of dread was building inwardly, and she took another bite of food to help keep it down, knowing that she should eat even if her appetite had vanished once again.

"It's certainly not pleasant." Mr. Forkle finally caved. "You remember Miss Redek's mother?"

"Marella?" She questioned, sitting up straighter. "Yes, I remember. What for?"

"That may be the worst case of a mental breakdown I've ever seen," he confessed to her sadly.

Something about the sentence seemed off, and then it clicked.

"There are physical breakdowns? Or other types of breakdowns?" Anything to distract her from what had really just gone on.

"Ever so perceptive, Miss Foster," he praised, seemingly impressed. "But there are only physical and mental breakdowns."

A stroke pride rocketed through her chest, and Sophie grinned at his words. Then the grin faded as she remembered what they were talking about. "So the worst symptom of a panic attack is insanity. Alright. Now tell me: what happens when someone has a physical breakdown?"

"Random muscle spasms that can last a day, maximum," Mr. Forkle responded with a shiver. "But we're getting ahead of ourselves. They may not even be related. I'll do some research later on it, just in case. But right now let's eat dinner." The last sentence would've been more slowly if he hadn't eyed the food right after as though it was about to have a breakdown.

Sophie's throat felt parched. Grabbing her water glass, she tipped it up, letting the cool water run down her throat, soaking into dry crevices that needed it so badly. She drank the entire thing swiftly, then gobbled up the rest of her food in the most polite manner she could muster.

With a quick "Thanks," to her guardian for the meal, she took the stairs two at a time, the way she always did, and took out her phone/imparter.

Maya or Dex?

Maya first, Sophie decided, clicking to call her new best friend.

She picked up after the first ring, instantly demanding where she'd been and complaining that she hadn't gotten a text.

Sophie filled her in on everything, leaving out the details including elvin life, then rung Dex with her imparter feature.

"Hello," he greeted, his strawberry hair swept to the side. "What's up?"

She filled him in in turn, then let him get her caught up on everything going on with their friends in the Lost Cities.

Then she asked about her parents. At the question, Dex frowned, the smile disappearing from his face. "They're...handling it." He didn't tell her any more than that.

But she didn't want to know any more than that. Otherwise she might've been tempted to come back to her Elvin world. "Um, okay."

...

That night, Sophie couldn't sleep again, and this time there was no slumberberry tea to knock her out till the morning.

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Author's Note -

So sorry for the delay on this update, loves. I wasn't sure that they fixed it and didn't have all of my chapters ready. I felt that it wasn't fair to only post chapters on certain works a day ahead, so delayed the entire thing, as those of my followers know.

Please vote & comment, it makes my day. But please vote on how the quality of the writing is.

Love,

Owl XOXO