𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 → KOTLC

Chapter 3

Sophie was running. Smoke clouded her vision, agonizing screams filled her ears, the heat burned her skin, and fiery flames burned all around her. She didn't know where she was running, she just ran. She couldn't think, and all she felt was a wave of panic rippling through her body.

An all too familiar voice echoed, screaming for help. Her head snapped towards the source of the cry. Amid the smoke, was a dark figure, his blond hair speckled with grey ashes and smoke, and his leg seemingly stuck under a large, heavy object. 

She ran towards the figure when the ceiling began to cave in right above the blonde boy. Paralyzed in fear, everything around her seemed to slow down, as she screamed in horror, electricity burning through her veins, her eyes widened in fear.

Mid-air, it froze, defying the laws of gravity. Her mouth fell open, puzzled and desperate, her body shaking. "H-how?" She whispered to herself, softly, wondering if this was all just a terrible nightmare. There was no way she had just made that happen.

And then, she lost control, gravity pulled down the ceiling. Everything went dark, as her body was crushed under the rubble, and the only thing she could hear was screams and then nothing.

Sophie woke up to Dex shaking her. Sophie let out a shaky breath and nodded, unable to get any words out.

She hadn't had that nightmare for years now. She'd been in the system until she was twelve and was adopted by the Ruewens, a few days after her orphanage had burned down.

She had made it out with just a few scratches and burns. Not everybody made it out though. He hadn't. They said that his body was never found, and was destroyed in the fire. She winced just thinking about it.

The doctors said she was lucky. And when she told them about how she made the ceiling freeze for a second, they said that it was all in her head, a result of PTSD. Eventually, it was just better to believe them than question herself, even though a fragment of her still 

Catching her breath, she muttered, "Yeah, I'm okay... just a nightmare. It's stupid, I know."

"No, it isn't, I completely get it." Dex smiled at her reassuringly, in an attempt to calm her. Sophie smiled and then looked around. They were in Dex's car, parked on the side of a bustling road, trying to collect herself and divert from her thoughts and her pulsing heart rate. 

"Let's get home and you can rest. I mean, you can try to rest. The triplets would be back from school by now, so I can't promise any quiet or peace," Dex told her with a chuckle as he sat back into his seat and began driving again. 

Sophie smiled, trying to keep her mind off the nightmare again. Soon enough, they were at his house, tucked away in a pretty corner of a quiet street. It was fairly average-sized, about the size of one of her old foster homes, but much, much smaller than the Ruewen's house. A gorgeous tree with little periwinkle blue flowers stood proudly in front of the house.

Although their street looked almost picture-like and serene, the chaos taking place inside the house was anything but. Sophie realized that as she stepped in. 

"I already told you, Rex. Stay away from my room!" A voice screeched, and Dex and Sophie winced simultaneously. 

"Bexy has a boyfriend, Bexy has a boyfriend." Two identical boys childishly chanted while dangling a diary in front of their look-alike sister. 

"Give. It. Back." Growling, the girl tried reaching for her diary. "NOW." 

Her brothers, who were three inches taller than her, stood there, unflinching with a smug smile as they dangled it above her, away from her reach.

"Dex, tell them to give it back!" She turned towards Sophie and Dex, whining. 

Dex snatched the book from his younger brothers and instead of returning it, began to read out the contents. 

"Dear Diary, I saw him again today. His eyes are a perfect shade of emerald green and his hair. Oh, I just want to put my hands in them agai-" Dex burst into laughter, mocking his sister. 

Shoving him onto the couch harshly, Bex snatched her diary and stormed off to her room. A loud slam resonated around the house. 

"Dex! Really?" Sophie found herself speaking, sympathetic towards Bex. "Why would you do that? She's just thirteen, isn't she? She's probably just getting used to this stuff. Give her a break, guys!"

Dex was still unable to control his laughter. "I-I'm sorry, but it wa-was too irresistible! Bex and lik-liking a guy." His brothers joined in, laughing uncontrollably, as the front door opened yet again. 

A woman entered the house. With her wavy amber hair and turquoise eyes, she mirrored Edaline exactly. However, Edaline's cheerful aura was missing, replaced with a weary and tired look. The woman's eyes softened and pink lips curled into a warm smile as her gaze fell on Sophie. 

"Sophie! You're here already. You look even prettier in person. I really hope that they," She gestured to her sons. "Haven't been much trouble." 

"Oh, of course not! Thank you so much for having me here. It's really nice to have someone here with me." Sophie shyly replied. 

Juline pulled her into a warm embrace. "Anything for family," Sophie swore that she saw a tear glistening in Juline's blue eyes as they pulled apart. And with a blink, it was gone.