The Invisible Princess of Everglen

Chapter 8: Making Friends - For Dummies

The first thing Biana did after that conversation was dramatically flop on her bed and start thinking of all the things that could go wrong with her father's proposition.

After she fixed her eyeliner, of course.

Sophie wouldn't want to be Biana's friend.  Who would?  She'd been a jerk, and it would be totally suspicious if Biana suddenly decided that she should give Sophie a chance.  Apologizing would be no biggie.  But befriending?

She let out a huge groan and began massaging her temples.  She really shouldn't have been making such a big deal out of all this, but... Biana hated the thought of befriending the girl she'd been jealous of for weeks.  It felt like admitting defeat, for some reason.

Yeah, Biana was not going to enjoy this.

The next day at Foxfire, Biana told Maruca of her father's diabolical plan.  She didn't tell Maruca why her father had done it, since she didn't want her friend to think she was a bully.  But that wasn't important.

"Really?  He wants you to be friends with her?" Maruca scoffed, pointing across the Level Two atrium.  Sophie was talking to Marella Redek and Dex Dizznee.  Biana's stomach twisted with jealousy as she saw the dimpled smile on Dex's face.  Don't tell me you're crushing on him too, her brain pleaded.

"Biana?" Maruca asked, snapping her fingers in front of Biana's face.

"Yeah--sorry--" she muttered, stepping back.  Wow, you are really frazzled today, you idiot, she thought to herself as she leaned forward to lick the DNA sensor on her locker.  "Ewwww," she complained.  "What is this, solidified gulon gas?"

Maruca licked her own DNA sensor, gagging as she did so.  "I think it's reekrod.  I swear, Elwin hates us," she sighed.

Biana laughed, but only to distract Maruca from the obvious problem.  I'm going to have to befriend Sophie today, she realized.  Fitz is gonna tell on me if I don't.

Great.

"Maruca... how do you become friends with someone?" Biana asked tentatively.

Maruca, who was gathering her books from the locker, sighed.  "You're really considering this, aren't you?"

"Not like I have a choice," Biana muttered.

Maruca slammed her locker door shut, and for a second, she looked... hurt.  "I don't know.  Go ask her if she can hang out or something."  Without another word, she stormed out of the atrium.  Biana huffed.  Believe me, I hate this just as much as you do, she thought.

But it was time to get over herself and befriend Sophie.

So she shut her locker door and went over to Sophie's small friend group, fighting down the urge to run away screaming.

"... pin is super-rare."  Marella said, her eyes glued to something in Sophie's hands.  Dex, however, had noticed Biana.  Holy mallowmelt, Biana thought,  his eyes are SO dreamy.  Wait.  Pull your crazy self together, Biana!

Her brain was going insane, but somehow her mouth formed the words "Hey, Sophie?  Can I talk to you?"