The Newest Annoyances to A Certain Duchess: Dealing with Feelings, Clarissia, & Crumbling Friendships

Sophia was astonished by Clarisse's sudden words. Save it? What happened, when had it happened, and why was she all of a sudden so cold?

"What are you talking about?" Sophia asked, still a tad bit discombobulated from her nap that had been unpleasantly interrupted. She straightened her hair.

"You are unbelievable," Clarisse said with a scoff, taken aback by her friend's lack of guilt and remorse. She crossed her arms.

Sophia blinked, not seeming to be too affected. She was wondering what this was about before it hit her.

This was about her telling Clarisse to talk, which she did, but whatever she said, Sophia never managed to hear, because she had fallen asleep. Frankly, she had wasted Clarisse's time and energy. That, and the fact that she'd embarrassed her friend when all she meant to do was lend a listening ear.

"Oh," Sophia said.

For a change, Clarisse was glaring daggers at Sophia, extremely distraught.

"Claire," Sophia called.

"Listen, I know I dozed off during your venting session, but... it is what it is. I'm a human, I get to doze off whenever my body feels like it and I don't have to apologize or feel some sort of way you want me to, or pity you, for that matter," Sophia said harshly. Clarisse could be too sensitive at times, but Sophia hadn't realized that she wasn't completely innocent either.

Clarisse growled.

"You don't get it do you," she said, frowning.

Sophia stayed silent, unsure of what Clarisse was going on about.

"I've been there, for you, every single time you needed me," Clarisse said.

"I was at your beck and call," she told Sophia.

"Our entire friendship was entirely about you, yourself, and again, you," Clarisse said harshly.

"It was a losing situation for me, but a win for you," Clarisse admitted, continuing, "But, I accepted it and kept a smile on my face, because I thought we were friends."

"On the other hand, the only person you seem to care about is you."

"With Julia, Louis in the mix. And perhaps, even Nicholas," Clarisse added unhelpfully.

"We're two completely different people, and frankly, the difference between you and I, was that you were given a choice as to what you wanted to do with your life. I wasn't."

"The point is, you've never cared about any other person other than yourself, and it's beginning to show clearly."

"For instance, what happened today. Whilst I was going on about what I was going through, a topic that's very sensitive to me, you… you…"

She couldn't bring herself to continue.

"Sophia, I'm done with you," Clarisse managed to say aloud.

Usually, Sophia was the spontaneous one. In this case, it was safe to say Clarisse topped what Sophia had done during her spontaneous outbursts. For the meantime, of course.

She stood up, wanting to chase Clarisse, before she plopped back down to her chair, heaving a sigh.

"She's not coming back no matter what I say," Sophia said, knowing how stubborn Clarisse was. The fact that chasing after Clarisse was practically asking her ego to be degraded.

A voice in her mind demanded, 'What are you doing here? Go after her, she's your friend.'

Another voice reasoned, 'She won't listen to reason, and you know that.'

'Clarisse has always been extremely stubborn, with what kind of a mood she's in, nothing you do will (make her listen to reason),' the first voice retorted.

The second voice then reasoned, 'You're going to have to do something eventually.'

Sophia yelled, "Just shut up!"

She hadn't realized she wasn't talking to herself, and that she'd spoken louder than she'd meant to. That, and the fact that she wasn't alone.

"Alright, you didn't need to yell," someone told her.

"I wasn't even talking," Louis said, leaving the threshold and closing the door that had been previously left ajar.

He entered Clarisse's quarters. He'd expected more broken items and tears, which hadn't been the case this time.

"Didn't notice you there, sorry," Sophia apologized. She hadn't meant to take her anger out on Louis. She was just… lost. Lost as to what to do with Clarisse. Who was she to come to for advice? Louis wouldn't be the best person to ask, Julia… she'd rather stay clear of her grandmother for now, and Nicholas was one person she rather not talk to in the meantime.

She asked, "What brings you here to Clarisse's quarters?"

Louis blinked.

"The door left open wasn't cue enough?" He asked.

Sophia nodded slowly.

"Right."

Louis decided to pry, asking, "So, what did you do that made Clarisse leave in a temper?"

"I've never seen her so upset," he admitted.

Sophia was aggrieved.

"And you automatically assume it has something to do with me? You wound me, Lou," Sophia said with a pout.

Louis reasoned, "You're the only person that could've left her in such a temper. What do you suppose it led me to think?"

Sophia sighed.

"I don't have the time to deal with you and your assumptions, brother, I've got to fix me and Clarisse's friendship," Sophia said reasonably.

Before she could leave, Louis asked yet another question, "Just one last question, what did you do?"

Sophia bit her lip.

"I blame the darned alcohol," she mumbled.

Louis shook his head.

"As harsh it may sound, you have no other person to blame but yourself, you know that?" Louis said truthfully.

"So, spill," he urged, curious.

Sophia sighed.

"I had finally convinced Clarisse into letting me in and telling me what was going on in Samar."

"But, things didn't end well when I'd dozed off whilst she was venting," Sophia said, bitterness in her voice.

Louis had assumed it was something far more serious than falling asleep during girl-to-girl talk, but, if Clarisse had acted so severely to her closest friend dozing off during it, it truly must've been important to her that Sophia heard her story and gave her input or a listening ear in general.

He knew better than to pry between the two girls' friendship, especially when it was at stake. He was completely neutral - unbeknownst to Sophia, of course.

He smiled reassuringly, "You'll find a way to fix things with Clarisse."

"After all, you're Sophia and Clarisse."

"Together, you make Clarissia."

Sophia groaned.

She'd had enough ship names for today.

There was already Winbrose, and as of now, Clarissia.