hey everyone! thank you guys so much for clicking on this story, and i hope you enjoy! make sure to vote and comment, and check out my other stories! i have a published sokeefe oneshots book and a sotam book which is coming soon! 

guys, i know that elves have like an infinite supply of money, but this story is a slight AU where they earn their money.  - tokyo

"Hi, Dex .." Sophie said sheepishly through the phone. Sophie tugged out an eyelash, biting her lip in nervousness. 

"What's wrong?" Dex asked immediately, catching on. 

Curse her best friend that could see through everything she said! But she felt her lips slip into a small smile, just because her best friend knew her so well.

"Um ... welll ..." Sophie mumbled, trying to figure out how to word it. How do you say "I'm too poor to pay for an apartment so can I live at your house even though two other people are living there as well?"

"Who's on the phone?" I heard Fitz in the background, asking Dex who it was. The fact that Fitz and Biana were already staying with Dex made Sophie even more ashamed of what she was trying to ask.

"C'mon, Soph. You're not on speaker, don't worry," Dex whined.

Well, screw it.

"I need a place to stay!" Sophie blurted, then covered her face in embarrassment.

"That's all it was?" Dex said, laughing. "'Course you can stay at my place!" 

Sophie took her hands off of her face hopefully, "Really?"

"Seriously? Yes! We can figure out sleeping arrangements soon. Now get your butt over here!" Dex said.

Sophie's smile was wide and bright. Dex had said yes! 

"Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!" Sophie felt like jumping up and down. 

She dragged her suitcase to the Leapmaster after hanging up with Dex, and looked back at her mangy apartment one more time. Expensive, but HORRIBLE quality. The reason why was because it was close by to her college, which was public so loads of students went there and any apartments close by to the school were crazy expensive. 

"Sophieeeee!!!" Biana ran over to the door of Slurps and Burps and wrapped Sophie up into a tight hug, and Sophie returned the favor. 

"Hey, Bi,"  Sophie said, laughing.

"Hey, Sophie," Fitz nodded, offering a small smile.

Sophie gave a half-smile back.

Biana had always been a close friend, but "best friend" was reserved for Dex. She was sweet and funny- and spectacularly beautiful. Her famous "Vacker teal" eyes were only found on two other people- her father, Alden, and her brother, Fitz. 

Fitz ... was complicated. Sophie remembered in her early years- the beginning few years at Foxfire- she had a mega crush on him. He was unquestionably in the superiority of the looks department ... but Sophie had always thought his personality was a little iffy. Kind of ignorant, and he definitely had anger issues. After Fitz had gotten angry at her for something that was hardly her fault for the fourth or fifth time, she was done with THAT love interest. They stayed friends happily, and Sophie had moved on from her crush.

Sophie went over and hugged, Dex, too, saying, "Thanks for letting me stay here."

"No problem!" Dex grinned. "We're best friends, anyway."

The four walked up to the second floor of Slurps and Burps and into Dex's flat, where Fitz and Biana were also staying. Two mattresses lay on the floor on either side of Dex's bed. There was a couple of closets around and two tables next to each other in the corner, covered in chemicals and similar alchemy things.

"Okay, so ... you and Biana can share a mattress, and Fitz can have his own. Or, Fitz and Biana can share, and you can have your own mattress," Dex said to me.

"I call Sophie!" Biana said, grabbing Sophie's hand in the blink of an eye. "I CANNOT survive Fitz's morning breath."

They all laughed.

first chapter, done! let me know what you think in the comments. i know this seems like just a little entertainment story so far, but it will get into more mystery and romance soon. thank you! - tokyo