When We Were Younger | Book 1

Sophie? Is That You?

Tom:
I walk out the door with my dog to go to the park.
It feels good to be back here, I think to myself.
The house where I grew up still feels like home.

The park isn't far from where I live, so it doesn't take long before we get there.
"Hej, Tom!" I hear a girl calling my name and I look up from my dog. She's jogging my way and when she's getting closer she starts walking.

Only when she's standing right in front of me I recognize her. "Sophie?"
I stare at her with my eyes wide open.
"Long time no see, huh!?" she looks at me with a big smile on her face and warps her arms around me. "You look amazing!" I say as I slowly let go of her. "Thanks!"

She used to look completely different as she does now.
We met in high school when we were 15 years old.
She had black short hair, black make up and was always wearing dark baggy clothes.

Now she has long blond hair and is barely wearing any make up.
"You look pretty handsome yourself!" she disturbs my thoughts and I look at her with a little grin on my face.

We start walking togheter and I can't stop thinking about the time we were in high school.
"When we left-" I pause and look to the ground.
"How did things go?" I feel her eyes burning on my skin and look up. My eyes meet her beautiful blue eyes and I feel my cheeks getting red.

She takes a few seconds to think but I can see that she knows exactly what I am talking about.
"I changed schools. I still had our friends of course, but it was different without you and Bill." I nod in silence as guilt fills my body.

"I'm sorry I left you behind"
She looks at me with a little smile on her face and shakes her head.
"It's okay, Tom. I'm doing pretty good, as you can see."
"True."

When we get to my house we stop walking.
It doesn't take long before Bill opens the door and walks outside.
I can see the same look on his face as mine earlier when I saw Sophie in the park.
"Billie!" Sophie says cheerfully and runs towards him.

Only when she's right in front of him he starts to recognize her.
"Sophie!?" He looks at her with big eyes and his mouth wide open. She wraps her arms around him.

"You look so different!" Bill says and wraps his arms around her aswell.
"So do you! No make up and blond! I don't think I ever saw you with blond hair." she runs her hand through Bills hair and smiles at him.

I walk closer to them. Bill and Sophie had the best bond. They were a lot closer them me and her. Although, we were all very close, it was different between her and Bill.
Maybe because I was running after girls a lot more than Bill did.

"I should go." she says as she looks at the watch on her wrist.
"Will we see you later?" I ask her.
"We can meet up if you want to. Just let me know what your plans are and I'll try to come."

I nod and we say goodbye to each other. I watch her walk away and follow Bill inside with our dog walking behind me.