Match-A Sophie and Fitz Story

Chapter Four

Soon, all of Sophie's friends were at Everglen. Biana led the group to her bedroom and sat them down on her lush carpeting. She began to move them into a circle.

"Fitz and Sophie, move closer to Dex. Wylie, go to the right by Linh and Tam. Keefe, get away from Sophie." Sophie blushed, and Keefe shifted closer to the space where Biana was sitting. "Okay, I think we've made...something close to a circle." Biana explained the rules of the game to everyone, and then asked the first question.

"Tam, we'll start with you. Who here is the least annoying?" Tam barely looked up from the small ball of shadow he was tossing between his hands as he answered, "Linh."

"Okay. Now, you ask someone a question. It can be as simple or as difficult as you want."

Tam sighed. "Wylie." Wylie straightened his shoulders and prepared for the question. Not that it was so bad. "What's your favorite color?"

Wylie looked a little underwhelmed. "White." Biana groaned. "Ugh—you guys are the worst at this! You have to ask the  questions that nobody wants to answer! Wylie, come here." She whispered something in his ear. Wylie seemed a little uncomfortable as he asked, "Keefe? Who here is the best looking?"

Keefe's smile was cocky. "Other than me?" Biana and Linh laughed. Tam rolled his eyes.

"Uh..." Wylie looked at Biana for help. She nodded. "Yeah, other than you."

"Easy. Foster." Sophie blushed, and Fitz's eyes narrowed. "My turn to ask a question! Okay, Foster—this one's for all the marbles...how long have you liked Fitz for?"

Sophie's cheeks turned to fire. She fidgeted with her glove as she answered, "A long time." Fitz smiled slightly and nudged her arm with his. The room was filled with muffled giggles.

Keefe scoffed. "We know that—but when exactly did you know you liked him? We want details, Foster." He clasped his hands expectantly. Sophie looked at Fitz, and his eyes locked on hers gave her the courage to say, "Since I met him."

The giggles became louder. "See? I knew there was more to your answer! Hey, it's your turn to ask a question. Who's it going to be?" His next sentence was just above a whisper. "I recommend Fitzy over there."

"Uh...Dex! Who do you currently like?" She hadn't meant to ask such an invasive question, considering their history, but she was desperate to get away from Keefe's teasing. She pulled her sleeves over her crush cuffs. Surprisingly, though, Dex wasn't bothered. In fact, he almost seemed confident.

"Linh is pretty," he said. Biana, Fitz, Wylie and Keefe started snickering, and Linh seemed to shrink behind her hair. Tam made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a growl. Sophie heard a laugh disguised by a cough come from outside the door. Biana was the first to speak again. "That is so cute! I can totally see it!"

Dex looked at Linh. "Linh, who do you currently like?" Linh seemed to shrink as she whispered , "nobody."

"BZZZZZT! That is a lie! Linh, I didn't know you had it in you to fib...and at such high stakes!" Keefe began to laugh as he listed all kinds of dares for her to do. "Come on, Dex! Let her have it!"

Dex thought for a moment. "Linh, I dare you to give me a hug." Where had Dex gotten all of this bravado?

Linh squirmed in her spot on the floor and Tam put his arm around her. "She will not be hugging anyone." Keefe fake pouted. "Aw, come on! Linh, don't let your bad-haired brother crush your dreams. And you!" He looked at Tam. "Let your sister complete the dare!" Tam narrowed his eyes at Keefe. He muttered something about Keefe's hair. Dex ran out of patience and crossed the circle to Linh. He took her hand and stood her up, peeling Tam's fingers off of her shoulder in the process. Linh blushed as she gingerly wrapped her arms around Dex. He eagerly did the same. For a long moment, the room was silent...and slightly awkward. Dex, satisfied, began to break away from the hug when Linh held on tighter. "It feels like I've only just met you for real," she whispered. Dex smiled. "Nice to meet you."

Sophie looked at Fitz. She reached for his hand, and he gave it to her. Her head leaned against his shoulder as they watched the two finally break apart and return to their places in the circle.

Maybe Biana was right, Sophie transmitted to Fitz. This game is kind of fun.

I'm just worried about what'll happen when someone asks me a question.

Well, then...Sophie looked up at him. You might as well get it over with. She transmitted to Linh to ask Fitz a question, and she winked at her before asking, "Fitz? When was the moment you realized you had a crush on Sophie?"

Fitz was taken aback by the question. Keefe snickered as he answered, "It was when I woke up after I got stabbed by the athropleura." Sophie smiled. Biana had told her something similar before, but it was nice to hear it from him, even if it brought back painful memories of him almost dying. Linh seemed satisfied with his answer, so Fitz asked the next question. "Biana, who do you like?"