White Knight - A First Love Romance (Complete)

White Knight: Chapter 1

Sophie fished the rhinestone clip out of the old cookie tin she used to hold her collection of hair pins. It was a butterfly kind of day. Whenever she missed home, the blue, pink and silver pin, a gift from her sister, reminded her she was loved.

She turned to her roommate. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay here?"

"Positive I would. But Mary is already on her way to pick me up." Emily stuffed a sweater into her suitcase. "Are you sure you don't want to come home with me?"

"What, miss out on serving pumpkin pies to a hundred people?" Sophie gathered her hair into a ponytail. Even though she was in a new city, she was determined to keep her Thanksgiving tradition volunteering at a local shelter as homage to her mother. "Oh, and don't forget the dish washing duty."

"Probably more fun than hearing a rundown of my father's latest campaign manager candidates. Why he wants to run for governor, I have no idea."

"Don't they all want to change the world for the better?" Sophie snapped the butterfly into place. "Then only end up making it worse?"

"Sounds about right." A grimace flickered across Emily's face and the tension in Sophie's shoulders tightened. All morning, her efforts to keep things light and breezy for her roommate had run against a wall. This trip home had the potential to reopen wounds Emily had only recently started recovering from. "Well, at least you'll get to see your aunt again. She's back from Japan, right?"

Emily closed the suitcase. "Flew in yesterday."

The sound of wind chimes trickled out of Sophie's phone. "That's my cue. Gotta go." With a side hug, she tried to instill calm through osmosis to the woman, who was quickly becoming like a sister to her. "Say hi to Mary for me."

"Soph?" Gray eyes met hers.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for..." Emily's fingers pressed on Sophie's wrist, "well you know."

"You're welcome." With a squeeze of her own, Sophie released Emily, picked up her coat and hat, and flew out the door.

The Hilside Shelter was only two blocks away from their apartment and acted as soup kitchen, shelter, and community center for the homeless and underprivileged. Never would she have expected when she followed her boyfriend to Yale, this small university town would have a homeless population. Seemed even New Haven wasn't immune to economic strife.

Sophie quickened her pace, the cold November winds whipping through her too thin coat. The unseasonable chill foreshadowed the potential snow, called for overnight. With the trees still retaining their gold and crimson leaves, she hoped the storm would hold off. Fall was her favorite season and there hadn't been enough of it this year as late summer seemed to snap to cold overnight.

"Here she is." Kaja, the shelter's manager, kissed her on both cheeks as she entered the dining room decorated with paper turkeys and pumpkins. At least the hall was prepared for the influx of people the holiday would bring out today.

In the corner, Matt occupied his usual spot. The teen spent every weekend and holiday at the shelter, his nose either in a book or trying to lure someone into playing chess with him. Today it looked like Matt had found fresh fodder to beat at his favourite game. Although by the number of black pieces the lanky blond had piled on his side of the table, it looked like the newcomer was giving the chess enthusiast a run for his money.

"I've got good news and bad news." Kaja led her through the plastic covered tables, the hem of her leaf-patterned skirt swishing against the linoleum flooring. "Which do you want first?"

Sophie slipped off her coat. "Good news is always welcome."

The creases around Kaja's eyes crinkled as the older woman grinned. "There's a new volunteer helping us with dinner tonight."