-For a week straight, Sophie Foster had been forced to stay in bed all week after the whole almost breaking incident. Though her parents insisted that it wasn't punishment for letting her mind break, she knew that it was their way of getting back at her. The only reason she wasn't bored out of her mind was that her friends came over after school every day. They didn't all come at once, but they kind of switched off, like they were taking turns coming over. Well, except for Fitz, he came over every day, and at the beginning of the week, had slept over a few times, just to make sure that she was okay. Something was a little different between them, but she couldn't tell what it was. Fitz seemed to be a little nervous when he was around her, probably because he was worried about her breaking again. Maybe that was it.

Keefe had only been over once, and he didn't stay for every long. His dad had been keeping him on a tight leash ever since the whole thing with his mom... He had come over late in the week, and he updated her on all the weird happenings at school. Mostly Valin had skewered a snake and put it on Keefe's locker, as well as how Stina "mysteriously" had troll feet after "accidentally" spilling her alchemy homework on to Dex. Though after the two tales were told, he was hailed home by his dad, and she hadn't seen him since. Linh, Tam, and Marella also visited only once, not staying for long. Maybe they were all really busy, their lives were pretty darn crazy.

Dex came twice (without the triplets), bringing a different human movie each time. His mom had a passion for them, and though she didn't have many, she had lots of good ones. The first time he came, they watched Better Off Dead, a hit comedy from the 80's starring John Cusack, and the second time, he brought Funny Face, a star rom-com from the 50's with Audrey Hepburn. It was a lot of fun, and while Sophie couldn't decide which one she liked better, Dex preferred Better Off Dead, while Fitz adored Funny Face. He only came once with the triplets, and that was the day after she was saved. They didn't stay long, because she needed rest, and she had spent most of the time convincing Bex that she was okay.

Biana came almost every day, bringing her her classwork, and on the days she couldn't come, she passed the classwork onto Fitz to bring. On the day's other friends came, Biana would partake in what they had to share, but when it was just Fitz, Biana would bring out board games, make up, and spooky stories. One day, she even did Fitz's make up, and he thought that it looked so good, that he wouldn't let her wipe it off as an apology, insisting that it "helped his inner beauty shine through." Both Sophie and Biana agreed. The sparkly cobalt eyeshadow really brought out his eyes.

Now, it was Sunday, and Fitz had arrived early that morning. He had come so early, that Sophie wasn't even awake yet! Gosh darn morning people. They were all eating breakfast when Biana burst into the kitchen moments after arriving on the leapmaster.

"Now that you're better, I think that it's time to request our matchmakers scrolls! Originally, I thought that we could do it with the rest of the girls, but Linh says she's busy with the whole thing about their parents and where she and Tam are going to stay. Marella also said she wasn't ready because she hasn't manifested yet, so that just leaves us!" Biana jumped happily, grinning from ear to ear.

"What am I, chopped liver?" Fitz smiled, using his favorite human phrase that Sophie had taught him. After all these years, Sophie still couldn't get over how cute and dorky her cognate was.

"You're requesting too?" Sophie asked, eyebrow raised.

"I'm just joking, I already requested mine." He said a bit smugly.

"Really?" Sophie almost dropped her fork. "When? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I requested it yesterday, because Biana said that you two were going to request within the next few days, and I wanted to say that I got my list before hers."

"Petty, isn't he?" Biana crossed her arms, fake pouting. "Anyways, Grady, Edaline, can Fitz and I take her after breakfast? It'll only take a few minutes."

"Of course, she'll be back at school tomorrow, so why not?" Grady shrugged, his face covered in jam.

Edaline frowned, laughing quietly, "Grady, you've got something..." She gestured all over her face.

"What?" He asked, his mouth full with another bite of his roll.

Without another word, Edaline took a few napkins and wiped his face clean. Sophie couldn't help but laugh.

"Do you want some breakfast?" Sophie offered, noticing from the corner of her eye that Fitz's face was messy too. "You're covered in jam too," she transmitted to him.

"I am? Where?" He replied with a goofy smile.

"No thanks, I ate before I came, unlike somebody." Biana looked pointedly at her brother.

Fitz looked up from his role innocently. "I wanted to see my cognate, is that so wrong?" He still hadn't wiped the jam off his face.

"You didn't even change out of your pjs!" Biana laughed.

Sophie, just like her mom, took a few napkins and wiped off his face. "There," she transmitted.

He just started laughing, and Biana rolled her eyes with a smile. "You dorks."

When everyone who was eating breakfast had finished, Sophie, Fitz, and Biana went upstairs, because neither Sophie nor Fitz were dressed, while Biana just wanted to help Sophie pick out an outfit. Fitz pulled clothes out of his drawer and headed to the bathroom to change, while Biana immediately went to Sophie's closet and started leafing through her dress selection. By now, Sophie trusted Biana to pick out things that she would actually wear, so she just sat to the side, waiting for a verdict.

Two minutes later, Biana had pulled out a buttercup yellow shift dress, and handed it to Sophie. "This is the one."

She laughed, "alright, if you say so."

Moments later, Fitz came out of the bathroom, looking stunning, as always. Sigh. "Bathroom's free."

After Sophie got changed, she let Biana put some light makeup on her face, because it was a special occasion, and that's what she did to make special occasions feel more special, you know? It's a thing. Fitz waited patiently, sitting on her bed, reading through her copy of their telepathy book.

"There," Biana smiled triumphantly as she dotted a faint blush onto Sophie's cheeks. "Now we're all ready to go!"

"Alright, let's go tell Grady and Edaline that we're leaving." She smiled, nervously gripping the hem of her dress.

The three found them talking over tea at the dining room table, talking seriously. "I know that it's her choice, but he's so-" Grady started, but Edaline stopped him as she noticed the three friends walk in.

"We're leaving now," Sophie announced, and hugged her parents goodbye. "We'll be back soon."

"It seems like you were just twelve yesterday," Edaline wiped her eyes, a huge smile on her face. "Now you're going to go get your matchmakers list!"

"They grow up fast, Edaline. They grow up fast." Grady shook his head with a smile.

"Be safe guys, stick together!" Edaline waved, and the three friends climbed onto the leapmaster.

"Matchmakers Office!" Biana shouted, and they were whisked away with a ray of light.

By the time they got to the Matchmakers office, there was a huge line going out the door. Sophie groaned, not expecting this. "We have to wait in that huge line just to request a list?"

Fitz laughed, "I thought that too at first, but it moves pretty quickly."

"Still, it's really long. Maybe we should come back later..."

"No second thoughts, let's go inside!" Biana grabbed her hand and dashed them to the end of the line, which was actually pretty fast. Within the next minute, they were walking into the marble building adorned with greek style columns. The lobby was incredibly small, which was ironic because the building itself was so large! It was about 15'x15', and aside from a few decorative potted plants at the sides of the room, there really wasn't much to the place. The line went straight to a glass movie theater style window, where a tiny elf sat on the other side, handing out applications, pamphlets, and submitting list requests to match makers who were hard at work.

By the time Sophie had taken in her surroundings, it was their turn in line to request. Biana pulled her up to the desk with a smile. "We're here to request our first lists. Sophie Foster and Biana Vacker."

The elf behind the glass smiled, wrote each name on an individual little slip of paper, and sent it up an air shoot. "Alright, and you, Fitz Vacker? Your list should come tomorrow or the next day if it hasn't already, or are you here to request a second?"

Sophie and Biana looked back at Fitz, who was close behind them, his face tinted pink. "Oh, no, I'm not here for anything. I just came to escort my sister and my cognate to get their lists requested, that's all."

"Oh how gentlemanly of you!" The elf cooed, before turning her attention back to Sophie and Biana. "You girls can expect your lists as early as tomorrow, and as late as Tuesday."

"Thank you," Sophie smiled, and as they were walking away, the elf behind the desk called to her.

"Oh, and Sophie, that's a really cute dress!"

She blushed and thanked her, while Biana smirked with pride. Fitz walked in between the two girls, and offered them each one of his arms. They both accepted, though Sophie knew that her face was probably bright red.

"Whoa!" A guy from the line rudely called out as they passed by. "Babe alert! What I wouldn't do to have them in my bed-" The guy was interrupted by Fitz, who cooly used his telekinesis to drop a dying potted plant on his head: pot and all.

As the guy swore after them, Biana stuck her tongue out at him, while Sophie smiled up at Fitz. "I wish I had thought of that first."

Fitz looked down at her sheepishly, looking into her eyes, "seriously?"

Biana laughed, "me too! That was awesome! We better get out of here before he gets out of line."

"You think he'll really come after us?" Fitz asked, like he was ready to hit that guy with another potted plant.

"I doubt it, but still. I for one don't want to see him all mad."

"I agree, but we probably shouldn't tell Grady about this, or he won't let me go out alone, or without Fitz at least." Sophie giggled.

Fitz frowned, and Sophie could tell he was a little hurt. "You don't want to be around me all the time?" She could hear his attempt to make a joke out of it, but didn't buy it.

"I do, but shopping for your birthday would be waaaay harder." She explained, "besides, you have a life other than me."

His face brightened, and asked playfully, "I do?"

While she blushed, Biana pretended to barf, "come on guys, stop flirting, I'm right here!" Biana laughed as they climbed onto the leapmaster, while Sophie and Fitz's faces were still bright red. It took all of Sophie's will power to push the thought of Fitz flirting with her as the light carried them back to Havenfield.