Aftershock

BIANA VACKER

"Biana told Sophie that my dad made Biana become friends with her so that he could keep a closer eye on her," Fitz spat.

"I already told you!" Biana screamed. "It was Stina and Maruca! It wasn't my fault!" She felt like collapsing to the ground and sobbing. Everyone was mad at her. Sophie would probably never talk to her again, Fitz was blaming her for everything, and Keefe...Keefe was looking at her with something like pity. She just needed a friend, not some stupid pity party. But she wasn't about to give Stina the satisfaction of seeing her walk back into Study Hall with a runny nose and puffy, bloodshot eyes. Biana sniffed and bit back the tears, summoning what remained of her tattered dignity. "I'm going home," she announced to no one in particular. Keefe and Fitz were already swept up in a telepathic conversation, and there was no one else in the hallway to hear her. Or to care. So she pulled out her home crystal and leapt to Everglen.

When she got home, she ran through the gates, past her parents and straight up to her room, where she slammed the door and sprawled dramatically across her bed, finally letting the tears overtake her.

"Biana," her mother called through the door. "Are you alright? Did something happen at school?" When Biana didn't answer, Della added, "Why are you home so early? Biana?"

In response Biana angrily hurled one of her numerous pillows at the door, imagining the door was Stina's face. It hit with a satisfying "plop!" So she threw another one. And then two more. The seventh or eighth pillow she threw received an "oomph!" instead of a "plop!"

"Go away!" she called immediately, throwing another pillow for good measure.

"Obviously something's wrong, but there's no reason to be mauling your pillows, Biana," her father scolded gently. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

If anyone could fix things, it would be her dad. "R-remember when you t-told me I had to be friends with S-Sophie?" Biana hiccupped through her last pillow.

Her father sighed. "Did Sophie find out?" he asked knowingly, sitting next to her and gently rubbing her back.

"Y-yes. Stina t-told her t-today, and now everything's r-ruined," Biana wailed, dissolving back into uncontrollable sobs. Sophie had been her best friend. She knew that Sophie was a good person, but sometimes even good people got pushed too far, and finding out that her father had ordered her to become friends with the other girl might have been past Sophie's breaking point. The horrified, betrayed expression on Sophie's face right before she fled lingered behind Biana's eyelids, haunting her every time she closed her eyes. What if Sophie never forgave her?

Her dad let her calm down a little before continuing. "Sophie is a good friend, and a nice girl. I'm sure she'll forgive you. You're just going to need to give her a little time."

Biana threw her arms around her dad's neck and hugged him tightly. "I j-just feel s-s-s-so baaaad." Biana started sobbing again, and Alden just held her to his chest and rocked her gently.

"Shh," he told her. "Sophie will come around. There's no reason to worry. I promise."

Biana wrapped that around her aching heart like a bandage, trying to stop the pain as she melted into her father's embrace.

"Do you think she'll forgive me?" Biana hiccupped gently after a while.

"I think Sophie is feeling betrayed and embarrassed right now," Alden told her, as he rocked her, "and it doesn't all stem from you."

"Grady and Edaline," Biana said, and Alden nodded.

"It may take some time, but I don't doubt that Sophie will forgive you. Just make sure that no matter what, you're always there for her."

Biana nodded, then she noticed the deep sinking feeling in her gut. "Do you think I deserve to be forgiven?" she whispered. Even if they were friends now, she had become friends with Sophie for the wrong reasons. Some things didn't deserve to be forgiven, and maybe this was just one of those things.

"Of course," her father told her, tilting her chin up and forcing her to meet his eyes. "Everyone makes mistakes, and the sooner you realize that—the sooner you stop expecting your friends to be perfect—the happier you'll be. Give Sophie some time. I'm sure she'll come around."

Alden's imparter beeped, and he jostled her a little as he reached into his pocket. "This is Grady," he told her, and she immediately scooted back.

"You should take that," Biana agreed as her father stood up. "Tell me how she is when you get back, okay? Even if I'm asleep."

"Of course," Alden agreed with a smile. He kissed her gently on the forehead before sweeping out of the room. "Hello?" she heard him say just before the door clicked closed.

That night, Biana slept easier than she had in a while. Despite how much she wished Sophie hadn't found out the way she did, Biana was glad she knew. Now there were no more secrets, and once Sophie forgave her, they could start over anew, without any lies or pretenses between them. She drifted into dreams with a smile on her lips and hope in her heart.