Hi, guys! This is my first story. I know there are already a few stories about the Matchmaking so I will say that that is not the major part of this story, just in the beginning.
I do not own KOTLC.
Sophie awoke to the rustling of fabrics and the soft humming of music. She cracked her eyes open and saw Edaline going through her closet and pulling out all the sparkliest, pinkest dresses and laying them on the floor with matching hair accessories and makeup pots. Sophie's mind was furiously trying to catch up with her body. There was something going on today that she couldn't remember. Something that–oh, no. Edaline turned toward the bed enthusiastically when Sophie groaned.
"Sophie! You're up! Are you ready for the second-most-important day of your life!"
Today was Biana's seventeenth birthday. That in itself wasn't bad. In fact, Sophie probably would have been excited had it not been for the activity Biana had chosen for the special occasion.
"Second most important? Really?"
Edaline's smile was so wide Sophie thought it might pop off. "Of course! Matchmaking determines who you will spend the rest of your life with. The first most important is your wedding day, and the third most important is when I get my first grandchild!"
"Ugh." Sophie seriously didn't want to think about any of those, so she pointed to a less-terrifying, but still touchy subject. The huge stack of glittery frills on the floor, "Do I actually have to wear that?"
Yet another "Of course" from her mother sealed Sophie's doom.
Edaline dragged Sophie out of bed and gave her five different gowns to choose from. One was a long, sleeveless silk whose color reminded Sophie too much of a certain boy's eyes. The thought made her heart flutter, so she tossed the dress into the discard pile. The next two were way too pink, so off they went. That left her with a shimmering red dress, that was simple, yet stunning, and a short, layered, shiny white dress with a sparkle-encrusted bodice. She was tempted against the red because of the bright color, but then she noticed Edaline's expression, so she picked it up and walked to the bathroom to dress.
The silk just brushed the tile and it felt like cool bathwater against her skin. As she stepped out the door, Edaline gasped.
"Sophie! You look gorgeous! Della was right, red is your color!"
Before she knew it, Sophie was sitting in front of a mirror, with the tornado-that-was-Edaline whirling around her. Applying layers of makeup, braiding hair, undoing hair, braiding hair again, and making Sophie drink so many elixirs, she thought she might choke. When Edaline stepped back to admire her work, Vertina flashed on in the corner of the mirror.
"Whoa, Sophie. You look... beautiful!"
"She's right, Sophie. That eye shadow really brings out the warmth in your eyes. And with your hair pulled back like that!" Edaline sighed. "Oh, I can't wait 'til Grady and the others see you..." Sophie looked at her reflection and her weird, brown, alicorn eyes, then she caught what her mother had said.
"Wait. What others?"
Edaline grinned, "why Biana, Linh, Marella, and the boys of course."
Sophie groaned inwardly. She had kinda been half-hoping that Biana would be the only one to see her in her current predicament, but it made sense that Dex and Jensi would come. Though why Keefe, Tam, and Fitz would be there was beyond her. They had already obtained their scrolls and Sophie saw absolutely no reason for them to go again. She wasn't even sure why she was thinking about it.
She didn't have a crush. She wasn't constantly hoping that a certain boy had feelings for her. Her heart never skipped a beat when she looked into a pair of perfect, twinkling, bright teal eyes. Or a handsome, tan face with dark, wavy hair and...
"Argh!" she said out loud. Edaline cast her a confused glance, then proceeded to drag Sophie down two flights of stairs, while Sophie tripped–very gracefully, of course–through a few rooms, and into the cavernous dining room. Grady sat at the head of the table, scowling.
"Why does she even have to apply, Edaline? It won't change who she actually marries."
Edaline just glared at him. "Yes, I know,but don't you think she will more obligated to marry after she gets some potential candidates? Anyways, remember that the sooner Sophie marries, the sooner we get some grandchildren!" Grady's glower was darker than Fitz's hair–no! Bad brain. Shut up. No thinking about him. She did side with Grady on this embarrassing topic, but she knew that if she didn't go, Biana would kill her, so she might as well get it over with.
"Um, can I go now? This conversation is going to make me lock myself in my closet until... well..." Sophie didn't think you ever actually outgrew Matchmaking, "just for a very long time." Sophie concluded.
Edaline hugged her goodbye, then kissed her on the cheek, then hugged her again. Finally, after one more bone-crushing embrace, Sophie stepped into the leapmaster.
"Everglen!" she shouted, and everything disappeared.