A Cognate Thing-a sophitz story

fifteen

"Sophie, we need to talk. Do you like my brother?"

"Yes?" Sophie answered sounding more like a question than an answer.

"I figured as much but why did you blow him off this morning and act like he is no different than any of the other boys that like you at school?"

"Are you upset that I like him?"

"I'll be upset if you lead him on and then crush his heart, so tell me what is really going on here."

"I'm just really confused. I don't know how this all works here, when I, well before I came here, I was really young but I was around older teenage boys in school and I could hear everything they thought and when they liked girls. . .I don't know it was a lot and it made me feel really uncomfortable with stuff. I don't know how to act or what is expected or how it all works, ahh it is just so confusing."

"But you do like Fitz don't you?"

Sophie nodded looking at Biana with a combination of misery and optimism.

"Ok well I don't know what happens when two people like each other in the Forbidden Cities but when two people like each other here they spend time together, they talk all the time, they get dressed up and go out to eat and other events, and they hold hands and stuff."

"That doesn't sound that much different, but what kind of stuff?" This was what Sophie was most worried about.

"Like hugging, kissing, cuddling"

"That's it?"

"Well some people do more things but most people don't do anything more than kiss until after they get married."

"Oh good," Sophie replied a relieved look on her face. Then a new look of panic creeped in her eyes. "Fitz probably hates me after this morning."

"I won't lie he was confused, but if you go and talk to him everything will be ok. You guys are practically dating right now anyway, all you have to do is tell each other how you feel." Biana said reassuring her.

Sophie looked up to the house and Biana could see the apprehension in Sophie's eyes.

"Well I guess it is now or never," Sophie said putting down her books and gathering her courage to head into the house.

Sophie walked up to the house and made her way to Fitz's room and knocked at the door. He quickly answered, not expecting for Sophie to be the one interrupting his studies.

"Hi Sophie."

"Fitz can we talk?"

"Sure, let me just mark my page in my book and we can go for a walk."

The pair made their way outside, Fitz was careful to keep a little distance between them. He didn't want to get too close or his hopes too high. The silence was bordering on awkward as each were internally debating who was going to speak first.

"Fitz I am so sorry for how I treated you last night and this morning."

"It's ok Sophie, I get it, I thought you liked me and I guess I was wrong."

"No Fitz, I do like you. I just, well, I didn't know what liking someone involved here. Before I came here I heard a lot of what guys thought about girls they liked and what they wanted to do and well it scared me."

"Oh, I had no idea. I'm sorry that had to be awful."

"It's all good, I don't want to think about it."

"Ok so can we talk about the other thing you said about liking me?"

Sophie blushed she had told him she liked him, and this was not the way she had thought this would happen.