Everlastingly Loving You - Chapter 102

“You’re one to talk about ambition, you used to be one of the most ambitious people I know.”

“You went from wanting to rule Beldovia with an iron fist to getting easily irritated when you had to take on more of your royal duties,” Louis realized.

“What happened to you, Soph?” He asked.

Sophia had just finished dinner. She dabbed her napkin around her mouth.

“I’m just as ambitious as I was before, if not more,” she answered.

“And I still want to rule Beldovia, except for the fact that it’s now more of a burden.”

“I’m not the type of person to settle down, and I refuse to get married for the crown.”

“Even if it means I won’t be the one to rule over Beldovia.”

Sophia stopped talking.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she spotted Clarisse running from a large crack in the door that’d been left open.

She said to Louis, “You can finish dinner without me,” before rushing off.

She followed Clarisse to her quarters.

Before Clarisse closed the door, Sophia placed her foot at the door crack.

“What happened?” She asked.

Clarisse said convincingly, “Nothing, go have dinner.”

Sophia remained unconvinced.

“As part of my promise to become a better friend, I’m staying till you tell me what’s actually going on.”

She looked into Clarisse’s eyes, “You’ve been crying,” Sophia mused.

“So I ask again, what the hell happened between you and Blaine?”

Clarisse gave her a look.

“Don’t give me that look, it couldn’t be more obvious.”

‘So he didn’t listen to my warning,’ Sophia mused.

“How–”

“Instinct,” Sophia answered, letting herself in.

“I’m not leaving,” she insisted.

“And if you’re going to tell me I simply can’t walk in like I own the place… I can, because I technically do own the place.”

“So I’m staying,” Sophia insisted next.

“Whether you like it or not,” she added.

“So what’s up?” Sophia asked casually.

Clarisse whirled around, blurting, “He told me he loves me.”

“Okay, calm down.”

“Back up.”

“Just… start from the beginning why don’t you,” Sophia suggested.

“And not with ‘He told me he loves me’.”

“That’s a tad bit too dramatic,” Sophia admitted, being hypocritical.

She sighed, she’d have to have a chat with Blaine.

“What did he say to you?” She asked firstly.

“That he did everything for a reason and that why he broke up with me was because he wanted to protect me.”

“That it was because he couldn’t protect me from his family.”

“And now he says he can.”

Sophia listened intently.

Blaine was dead to her.

Just wait once she was able to lay her hands on him.

He’d done the one thing she asked him not to.

She regretted calling him as Clarisse went on about what Blaine told her.

She remembered the time she’d put aside her finals for Clarisse.

“Go on,” Sophia said.

“Keep going, I’m not stopping you,” she said to Clarisse.

“Really.”

“Yes,” Sophia answered.

Clarisse was sceptical but went on.

She told Sophia everything, everything but her feelings, and asked her not to tell her brother what happened.

Sophia winced.

“I’m his sister,” she said to Clarisse.

“How’d you expect me to keep this from him?” She asked realistically.

Clarisse shot her a pleading look.

“Please?” She asked.

“Your feelings,” Sophia muttered.

“What?” Clarisse asked, knitting her eyebrows in confusion.

“What are your… feelings on this?” Sophia asked when in reality she couldn’t care.

She was keeping her word and trying to be a friend.

“Your ex confessed he still loves you, if you insist you feel nothing about it then you’re more coldhearted than I thought you were, Claire.”

“So, what is it you’re feeling or thinking?”

“Well, my thought is, you’ve got to stop with this whole better friend thing, it’s getting concerning.”

“Go back to good ol’ Sophia, I rather you be who you really are then someone you’re not.”

“But you said–”

“I take it back,” Clarisse said in an instant.

Sophia rolled her eyes.

Clarisse never knew what she wanted. She was indecisive most of the time, and this proved it.

“What do you want?”

“Tell me what you want,” Sophia said to Clarisse.

“If memory serves me right, years ago you were crying over him and compiling songs to as you put it ‘heal your broken heart’ and now you’re telling me this because you’re considering getting back together with him?”

Clarisse sputtered indignantly, “How did you–”

“Cut the crap, Clarisse,” Sophia said.

“Just tell me, after all these years, did your feelings for him die out?” She asked impatiently.

Clarisse kept quiet.

Sophia immediately understood. She had a look of fathom on her face.

She narrowed her eyes and studied Clarisse.

“You don’t get to judge me.”

“I’m not judging you,” Sophia assured.

“I’m just wondering what you’re doing considering someone like him.”

“Aren’t you fond of him?” Clarisse asked.

“What he did to you is essentially none of my business, Claire,” Sophia said, her voice flat of any emotion. She sounded stern and impatient.

Clarisse sighed, this was more like the Sophia she knew.

She never showed a sign of vulnerability, and when she did, it was usually when Clarisse was at her lowest point. Or when Sophia was at her’s.

She admired that Sophia was so strong, that she never seemed to cower or weak when dealing with obstacles. She dealt with it head on, and that trait itself would make her an amazing queen.

Sophia read the room. She knew. Something told her Clarisse had never gotten rid of those feelings of hers – and Sophia didn’t blame her. She was simply… disappointed.

She watched as Clarisse attempt to come up with something.

She waited, and waited, and waited, until Clarisse spat, “I still love him.”

“But you already knew that,” she nodded at Sophia.

Sophia sighed, “So you really aren’t over him.”

Clarisse pouted, plopping down on a nearby sofa.

“Disappointed I’m this pathetic?” Clarisse asked.

Sophia stared at her.

She shooed Clarisse away from the sofa, forcing her to get up.

“You do not get to call yourself pathetic and act miserable,” she said.

“Get up off your ass and make a decision,” Sophia said, sounding just like herself years ago.

“It’s not a life-threatening decision, it’s a complicated one.”

“So he loves you, and you love him.”

“You’re better than this.”

“And frankly, I’d have thought you watched enough movies to know what happens if two people love each other very much.”

“And no it’s not sex,” Sophia said with a sigh.

“He’s confessed, you’ve confessed. I assume you’ve already cried in front of him, gave him the depressing details of your breakup and all that jazz, yes?”

Clarisse nodded.

“So you’re left with one question.”

“He said I could take whatever time I needed,” Clarisse reasoned.

Sophia narrowed her eyes, “You and I both know if you spend more time pondering on this you’re going to over-analyze this and blow this into even huger proportions.”

An idea came to her mind to cheer Clarisse up.

She stared at her.

“Feeling low-spirited?” She questioned Clarisse.

“Whaddya think?” Clarisse asked in return.

“Alright then, come with me,” Sophia said.

She had to drag Clarisse out of her quarters. She wouldn’t budge, even despite Sophia’s encouraging – which wasn’t the right word for what she’d told Clarisse.

“If no friend’s going to muster up the courage to say these harsh things to you, than I will,” Sophia said, bringing Clarisse to the gardens.

Clarisse looked around, confused where she was being dragged off to.

“Why are you bringing me here, Soph, I’ve been here like, a bajillion times.”

“You’ll see,” Sophia insisted as she neared the gates to the lake.

“You’re not kidnapping me are you?”

“Or taking me somewhere to do something?” Clarisse asked jokingly.

“I still don’t find your dark humour in these types of situations amusing,” Sophia said, raising both her eyebrows.

“Really don’t,” she added, walking towards the gate.

Clarisse halted.

“That’s a wall.”

Sophia stared at Clarisse before she did something with what Clarisse thought to be a wall.

The so called ‘wall’ swung open, and Clarisse realized it was a hidden gate.

“How did I not realize that was a gate?” Clarisse asked.

Sophia scoffed, “You and the entire Beldovian staff.”

“No one knows about the place.”

Clarisse grinned.

“Except you,” Clarisse answered.

“And Louis and Nicholas but that’s besides the point.”

“You brought Nicholas here before you brought me?” Clarisse asked, her grin fading into a pout.

“Are you kidding me?!”

“In all fairness I had completely no idea as to where else I’d bring him,” Sophia said defensively, watching as Clarisse looked around her new surroundings.

“This place is gorgeous,” she praised.

“But how could it stay in this pristine condition with no one handling it.”

“There’s a reason Louis and I used to call this place the magical lake when we were kids,” Sophia explained.

“And have you ever wondered how it stayed in such pristine condition?” Clarisse asked curiously.

“I have, but it’s best I don’t know certain things than to know everything,” she got as an answer.