A/N So sorry I was late this week and the last. I had a dance thing last week and a four day school trip this week. I think I'm going to start updating on Sundays because it's a little more accessible to me.
This chapter's pretty short and crappy, but the next chapter will be long. Lots of drama coming up!
Review tiiiime:
To OMG: Glad you liked the chapter!
To BlackSwanGirl: Ha, yeah, I don't blame Keefe. Sophie usually is the cause of emergencies.
To TEAM SOPHIE: Yikes is right. Biana made a big mistake.
To malayanmonkey2004: Thank you! I am trying to change my writing style a bit, and I wanted the story to have a little less drama and a little more action caused by drama mixed in.
To TheAnonymousAuthor03: Thanks so much! Sorry I didn't keep my promise about updating soon, though.
To booksaremylife: Thanks for the critiques! I was really tired when I wrote that chapter, and I usually don't look my writing through before posting it. I'll try to start proofreading my chapters. Glad you liked it!
To OMG: Thank you!
Here's the chappie:
The gnome nodded. "So if we pretend it was an accident, none of us will be blamed. Good point."
"So you'll go along with it?" Sophie asked.
"Of course!"
Sophie heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much."
"Of course," the gnome answered. "Calla would have wanted me to help her moonlark."
Sophie's eyes brightened. "You knew Calla?"
The gnome's eyes sparkled. "We were friends when we were younger."
"How young?" Sophie asked.
"A couple thousand years," the gnome said subtly, fiddling with her plaited hair.
It always blew Sophie's mind thinking about how old everyone in the elfin world was.
"Do you think you could ask the other gnomes to help me out?" Sophie asked.
"Of course," she said. "We all loved Calla. We'd be honored to help."
"Thank you," Sophie repeated, giving the gnome a hug before walking back to Keefe.
"So, how'd it go?" Keefe asked.
"Great!" Sophie said. "She knows Calla."
"That's great!" Keefe said. "Did you catch her name?"
"No, dang it," Sophie said, wrinkling her nose. "I'll ask her later."
"You should," Keefe offered. "It'd be nice to learn more about Calla."
Sophie nodded. "I'll ask her after this whole mess is sorted out. Anyways, how many people do we have left to talk to?"
"We still have..." Keefe paused to think. "Oh no."
"Oh, come on, if you're thinking about Jensi, he won't be that bad to talk to," Sophie said.
Keefe groaned. "It's not Jensi. I just realized that I forgot to ask Biana."
"Keefe!" Sophie explained. "You were supposed to talk to her!"
He put his hands up in defense. "I forgot, okay! Anyways, she's over there talking with Stina and Jensi. Well, not exactly talking, more like..."
"Harassing," Sophie finished.
"Yeah." Keefe said bitterly. "That."
"So? Shouldn't we talk with them?" Sophie asked.
"It's on me," Keefe said. "I forgot. Anyways, you haven't talked with Valin over there."
He pointed at Valin, who was staring at Sophie while simultaneously slicking back his greasy black hair.
"Valin?" Sophie cringed. "That'll be interesting. Can't I talk with Stina and Biana?"
Keefe sighed. "I wish. But Valin hates my guts right now, and he's in love with you, which, incidentally, is why he hates my guts. He'll listen to you better than he'll listen to me."
Sophie groaned. "You're sort of right. Anyways, Biana likes you, and Stina likes pretty much everyone better than me."
"Either way, I think we can both agree that this sucks," Keefe said.
"Of course," Sophie said. "This whole situation sucks."
Keefe nodded. "Well, I'm off to meet my death by the hands of Stina. See you!"
Sophie groaned as she turned away. "I'm going to go talk to Valin."
She walked towards Valin, who was now conferring with his friends, who were gesturing at Sophie. Her stomach turned.
"Hey, Valin," she said in a strained voice.
"Um... hey, Sophie," Valin said awkwardly.
She groaned inwardly. This was going to be a long conversation. "Um, so... I was wondering..."
"I'll go out with you!" Valin blurted.
"I- no, Valin, I have a boyfriend," Sophie stuttered. "I was wondering if you could help me with something."
Valin's face went red. "Sure, yeah, what do you want help with?"
"Biana was the one who set off the plants," Sophie said.
"So you want me to tell the interrogators because you can't do it yourself," Valin tried to finish.
"NO!" Sophie shouted. "Please- please don't do that."
Valin looked confused. "Why not?"
"It was an accident," Sophie said. "I need you to tell the interrogator that she dropped a metal watering can and it shattered the floor."
"I can do that," Valin said. Suddenly, a mischevious look came upon his face. He had manifested as a Telepath last fall, and it looked like he was communicating with his friends, as one was whispering in a very loud voice, "Do it!"
"Oh, good, thank you," Sophie said nervously.
"If you'll go out with me," Valin finished.
"I-I can't do that, Valin," Sophie sighed. "I have a boyfriend. Please accept that!"
"Fine." Valin said, with an unsightly attempt of Keefe's trademark smirk on his face. "I guess Biana's accident wasn't an accident. And I guess I'll just have to tell the interrogators that."
"NO!" Sophie shouted, eyes wide in shock. "Fine, I'll do it. But it's not a date, it's two friends hanging out as friends."
"Okay, sure," Valin agreed. Turning around, he whisper shouted to his friends, "Yes!"
As Sophie hurried away, a gob of drool dripped on her shoe behind her. No doubt it was from Valin's mouth. Sophie groaned as the spit rolled off her boot.
This was going to be a long day.
A/N I edited this after publishing on Wattpad, which is why there are some small changes.