Sophia was just starting to feel a little better about the epic fail that was the first and second year dance. She had regained her composure and even had a little to eat, and in doing so the night had seemed like such a waste. Her dress she had kept clean, the curls in her hair were not as tight as they once were, but they still managed well, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. Even her favorite sleuths seemed to be doing well on her own. Her parents seemed to be having a good time as well, and she thought she spied them dancing together earlier. It was beautiful, and watching the way they moved together made her heart swell with pride. She was ready to be home with her family, but would miss her friends. However, after the entire diary ordeal she was ready to have some alone time, and perhaps this was what pushed her to the edge of the room even now.

Never one to be a wall-flower, she was rarely found along the edge of the dance floor, but she certainly wasn't the social butterfly her sister often could be. Instead, on a normal night Sophia would have been found in the garden somewhere with her nose down in a book, but with most of her things already packed she didn't have that escape. So she settled well on the her little perch somewhere near the stairs, and watched the older years dance as they did--looking absolutely flawless. The couples seemed so well suited, and even Cy looked like she simply shimmered. However, the couple that stole the spotlight made her heart hurt the most, but Sophia kept those thoughts to herself.

After having his fun with his cherries and picking on a few other people for the night, Lucas started wondering around and relaxing a bit. He hadn't really been concerned with being all formal and proper and such. at this point, his jacket was unbuttoned and his under shirt was pulled out of his pants.

He had enjoyed himself more than he thought he would. He had a lot of fun with Thales that night getting into mischief and such. He hadn't really danced other than when he absolutely had to and when he joke danced with Thales. He was actually looking forward to the next years balls to see how they would be.

As he wondered around, he noticed Sophia sitting alone close to the stairs. He looked around to see if there was anyone around her or coming toward her. When he noticed she was alone and watching the dance floor, he walked over to her.

"No tricks this time," he said as he approached her with a slight smile on his face and his hands in the air. He sat beside her and nudged her with his shoulder.

"C'mon, Sophia. This isn't like you to sit alone and look so sad. Do you want to dance?"

Lucas was actually sincere. He smiled and held his hand out to her. He didn't particularly care for the whole dancing thing, but he would do it for her. He liked Sophia much better when she was happy and smiling. She looked really pretty tonight and he would hate for her to get all dolled up to just sit and look pretty. She needed a chance to show off a bit.

"I'm not sad!" She squeaked and sat up straight on the stairs, "I'm just tired is all. It's been a very long week." That wasn't far from the truth, and her feet had hurt. The dress was heavy despite the fabric, and simply wasn't what she was used to. Sophia always dressed in a very practical manner, in fabrics that were light and airy; ones that didn't need ironing often, and could repel stains well enough. (Especially when she sat with her friends at lunch)

Sophia took a moment to look between Sasha and the first year in front of her, and couldn't help but compare. Sasha in all of his perfection was as put together as they came. Every button was in place, every bit of fabric perfectly pinned and ironed, and even his shoes Sophia figured would show her reflection. However, with one look at Lucas she arched a brow...would you consider that shirt half tucked in, or half out? She wasn't the glass is half full sort of person, but she did have manners at least to refuse nicely.

She wanted to, OH how she wanted to, but her father would probably frown.

"I appreciate the offer," She took his hand, but only to gain assistance in standing, "But I have to decline. I was actually thinking of going to get some air. Want to escort me outside?"

Lucas stood up and did an overly exaggerated bow. He thought, if anything, he could make Sophia smile. He wasn't perfect by any means. He didn't dress properly and he wasn't very eloquent. He was eleven. He didn't think it was all necessary but he had to at least try for her. He knew she didn't care for how frumpy he looked most of the time and he often didn't understand why she wanted to hang out with him. He didn't try to understand it though. He was just glad she was there.

"Miss Sophia, it would be an honor to escort you outside."

He smiled, laughing a bit, and nudged his arm out for her to link arms with him. He wished there was something he could do to cheer her up. He could tell she was trying to hide it. He didn't know what to do to make things better for her, so he figured he would do what he does best. He was usually able to make her smile by picking and joking.

"And if you get cold, I'll even be a gentleman and let you wear my jacket."

His smile was genuine and he hoped he could cheer her up, at least a little. If she didn't want to dance with him, he could try this at least.

"I haven't gotten to tell you yet... but you look really pretty tonight."

Sophia smiled a little at his bow, and laughed lightly at his offer of his jacket. She would be fine, or so she thought with her little wrap. They wouldn't be out there that long, she didn't think. Sophia didn't mind him half the time, and rather enjoyed his company. The thought of her father not approving of their sneaking off together, hadn't crossed her mind until the night air hit them, and the music seemed to quiet.

"Oh thank goodness." The whole night had been rather overwhelming, and now that she was outside long enough she could slip out her little pen she tucked beneath her hair, and jot down a few notes on a bit of paper that she kept...hidden.

"Have you had the chance to dance with anyone? Or have you spent the entire night pranking people?" She smiled up at him and took the compliment with kindness,

"Thank you. I rather feel it actually. You look..well..like you, which isn't a bad thing I suppose."

Lucas shrugged. He wasn't much for the whole dressing up thing. He actually felt a little silly dressed the way he was. It had finally gotten almost unbearable, which was why he was now so unkempt. He wasn't concerned with how he looked. A lot of people had left the ball and it was coming to a close anyway. He didn't really need to look tidy anymore.

"I hope it's not a bad thing. I can't look any other way," he said with a laugh.

"I really haven't danced with anyone. Well... except Thales for those few seconds and the first dance we -had- to do. I haven't seen you out there either though. That's why I asked if you wanted to."

He looked around at the other people outside. They were mostly older couples coming out for some privacy. So gross. Why would they do that where people could see?! It didn't make sense to him. He looked back to Sophia and the cold air nipped at his face. She had to be at least a little chilly. She wasn't in proper winter wear. He took his jacket off and carefully draped it over her shoulders.

"Just in case," he said with a smile. "Whatcha writing down? Taking notes on how the ball went?"

"So you didn't see then?" She asked still writing, "The way my partner nearly took out the hem of my gown, and my toes? I'm surprised. I thought for sure that the whole school was watching me make a fool of myself. I would have been better off dancing with you...or Thales really. The both of you really are something." She smiled up at him, the cold wind nipping at the end of her pink nose.

"I appreciate the offer, Mister Trumble, I really do, but I think for once I'm just happy to be here. I'll be ready to go home. I might get a kitten!" She said in the most childlike way she could have, without realizing--Sophia was acting her age, instead of like one of the grown ups.

"What about you? Will you be getting something amazing for Christmas? Will your family have a big feast?" Sophia realized she didn't know anything about his family, and tucked away the bit of paper while putting the pen back in her hair.

"You do have family don't you?"

"Oh yeah. I have a huge family. Zel is my big brother actually. I have a few brothers and sisters. Then I have my parents. I don't really know what I'll be getting for Christmas. I don't think I'll be getting anything really amazing or anything. We'll probably have a big dinner for all of us on Christmas day. It's... difficult at home sometimes. It depends on mom's mood what goes on."

Lucas looked down a moment, then out across the school yard. He didn't like to talk about his family much. There were a lot of hardships there. Especially with some of them being werewolves. He really wasn't looking forward to going home. He liked it at school much better than home. He  decided to change the subject and -fast-.

"I didn't see you mess up. I really don't think anyone was paying attention to you specifically. I wouldn't worry about it too much. My partner wasn't that great either. She kept stepping on my toes and trying to spin the wrong direction. I think I would have been better off dancing with you as well."

He looked back to Sophia and smiled.

"I wouldn't have stepped on your toes and I'm sure you would have turned the right directions. Next year maybe."

She regarded him heavily, searching out the tell-tale signs of a troubled homelife, and despite her better judgement she let the topic drop for now. She wanted to ask him about his brother, but was quickly distracted by the way Lucas made it seem like her dance had been ruined by something she did wrong.

"Oh no, it wasn't me. I did just fine. It was my partner. He was too nervous! You should have seen him. He looked like a little boy and didn't even want to hold my hand. Like I had some plague or something!" She shook her head, and seemed distracted for a moment. "Yeah...maybe next year." Always the practical one she didn't see anything wrong with Lucas really, other than his poor choice of attire (or how poorly he kept it together), but she knew no matter how much one could clean him up he wouldn't be marrying material. At eleven, she shouldn't be concerned with these things, but after everything she thought she knew about her own family there wasn't much that kept it from her mind.

Without changing her mind, and without truly giving herself time to doubt she wrapping her arms around Lucas's shoulders and pulled him into a tight embrace. With a squeeze she spoke,

"If you get bored over the break you will OWL me won't you?" She spoke softly looking over his shoulder back at the party, making sure no one was watching. "Or if...well you know, you need a break from your family?" It would have to be when her Father was at work, but she would like for Mother to meet him. He and Thales both. Maybe even Frank....maybe. Father would like Frank, Thales too, but Lucas...She wasn't so sure.

"But you will be alright won't you?"

When Sophia put her arms around him, his eyes widened a bit. She hadn't hugged him before. In fact, it seemed like most of the time she completely avoided all physical contact with him at all. It was a surprise to him and caught him off guard a bit. He gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He laid his head on hers and closed his eyes a moment. She smelled nice.

"If you get bored over the break you will OWL me won't you? Or if...well you know, you need a break from your family?"

She actually cared about his well being. He wasn't use to that. Sure he wen't to Zel if he needed someone to talk to, but Zel was... different. He knew what all was going on at home and how bad things could get. Sophia didn't. He didn't really feel comfortable talking to her about everything at home, but he would certainly look at her a little different now.

"I'll be fine, Sophia. I promise. And I promise I'll OWL you. Even if I'm not bored and don't need to get out of the house. I'll OWL you because you're a friend. A true friend. It... means a lot that you would worry about me. If I need somewhere to go, I'll let you know."

Lucas gave her another light squeeze and gently rubbed her back.

"Sophia? Will you dance with me at least once before the night is completely over? I'll tuck my shirt back in and everything," he said with a slight laugh.

"You say that," She said blankly, unwilling to admit how much emotion she felt for her friends, and perhaps it was just from being so darn practical about everything. "But people can just say that sometimes. I may not admit it, but I can see right through you. Just like I can my..." She stopped and scrunched up her nose as she felt it twitch, and her eyes to grow heavy from a sting that she wasn't used to.

"Sometimes people use laughter and smiles to hide their true problems." She finally pulled away and in doing so looked up at him, "I know this all too well. And I will worry. I don't know what any of you boys are going to do without me." She brushed her hands over the front of her dress to smooth out the lines, and when he asked her to dance one more time she looked up at him with an arched brow and a smirk,

"You will have to do more than just tuck your shirt in again. Your hair is a mess, your shoes need cleaned off, and is that cake on your face?" With a lick to her thumb she went to rub whatever that stain she thought she saw off the corner of his mouth.

Lucas scrunched his nose as she wiped the left over icing from some chocolate cake off his face. He didn't think he had made that much of a mess of himself. Sometimes he wished Sophia wasn't as neurotic as she was. She would be much happier if she just let go and had fun. She didn't have to be an adult all the time. And always trying to impress her parents. Or at least make sure they weren't on her case about something. He couldn't help but feel bad for her in a way. Still he couldn't help wishing he could be himself and still be up to her standards.

When she finished wiping his face, he tucked his shirt back in and ran his fingers through his hair to make it look more presentable. He also took a handkerchief out of his pants pocket and started trying to wipe his shoes off a bit. He stood back up straight and looked at her a little wary.

"Is this better? I'll button my jacket all the way up when I get it back and make sure it's straight and everything."

There was only so much he could do to fix his appearance. He still thought he would enjoy it more if he could just be himself, but people make sacrifices every day right? He could sacrifice being comfortable to make sure Sophia was able to shine at least once tonight.

There was something so darn endearing about this boy she couldn't put her fingers on the right words, but Lucas was certainly something. When he did his best to clean up and gave her that wary look she smiled, "No. No I don't think you will need to button your jacket up all the way. I think that did the trick."

Extending her hand she took his elbow so that way he could escort them both back inside. "Let's just stay away from where my father is standing if we can help it." Sophia ducked her head to better look for her father, using Lucas' height as a shield, until she spotted him.

"Let's join in over there. It's a faster song anyway. More to your liking I would think. You do know it don't you?" Finally, she looked up at him again and squeezed his arm. Giving him a look of...

So help me god if you embarrass me Lucas, I'll never speak to you again.

"Don't worry, Sophia," he said with a chuckle. "I happen to think you'll be pleasantly surprised."

Lucas put his hand on hers and smiled reassuringly. He lead her to the area of the dance floor she had decided was appropriate and faced her. He carefully took the jacket off her, so as not to mess up her dress, and put it back on. He buttoned a few button, grateful for the fact she said he didn't have to button it all the way.

He put his hand on her waist and took her other hand in his. He smiled at her and started moving with the music. His movements were surprisingly graceful and fluid as they moved with the music. He even lifted her appropriately during the song, keeping his height in mind and making sure not to lift her too high off the ground. He smiled and kept eye contact with her and made sure t was known he -wanted- to dance with her and didn't want to avoid her.

"I hope I'm doing well enough for you and not being too embarrassing."

"With everything else about you Mister Trumble, I'm certain I will be. Though I shouldn't be so surprised that there is a perfectly fine gentleman beneath all of your pranks." She smiled up at him and accepted the dance, her eye going down the line to where some of the older girls were, and she tried to see if Sasha was there as well. However, when the music started her attention was quickly captured by her friend, who truly was rather good at this!

Sophia even messed up a few places, but taking Lucas' lead she simply did the unthinkable and laughed--at herself, and how easy it was to let go of the mistake. Once they really got the hang of it, she smiled and brightly so, but her far too practical mind wouldn't allow her to not worry. Father wouldn't be too upset about her dancing, he might even over look that her partner was...well...Lucas, but she didn't want him to think her interested in him like that. She was too young, and kept her attention mostly on the other dancers, laughing with them as she held onto Lucas when he would lift her.

"So now I'll owe you, more than just an apology." She smiled up at him, grinning so brightly that her cheeks hurt.