Like Father, Like Daughter

Chapter Twelve

Chapter twelve

Sophia

I see a white cloud, floating in the sky so fluffy and full of white life. It looks like a marshmallow, one I could put in my mouth and let its sweetness disperse throughout, making my taste buds dance from the delectable taste. I could touch that white cloud and my fingers would comb right through it. Before I get the chance to even reach my hand out, darkness takes over, starting from the corners of my vision and coming in making everything a swirling dark nightmare. The darkness envelops the cloud making it dissipate. A dark figure emerges from the darkness with no face, and a thin silhouette.

"Sophia, Sophia." I slip out of the nightmare and am reassured by Connors bright face.

"I really need to stop passing out every time I find out something new, I need to man the hell up. I'm such a baby." I can't help but joke, because it's true. I'm pretty sure I'm scared of my own shadow. I need to start handling all this better. What would happen if I cross paths with him one day? Am I just going to faint and just hope while I'm out he doesn't decide to dismantle my body.

"I'm more concerned at that tracker in the back of the neck." He brushes aside my comment as if it means nothing to him.

"Tracker? How do you know it's a tracker?" This has gotten me interested and I sit up way too fast making the tan room start to spin, but I hang out trying to regain my strength.

"I have seen them before, we use them at the station to implant them in suspected criminals. If I take you there, the others can help me eject it from your skin." I nod in agreement. There is only one guess to who put this thing in me: David. He wants to know my every move, every step I take, everywhere I go. Fear runs through my veins like lava rushes down a volcano, burning everything its path, searing, rushing, burning. I experience that a lot these days, a lot more than any other time in my life. But I need to learn to push aside the fear and be brave or else it will consume my life, making me the weak fragile thing that it wants me to be. I can't let it happen, I have to win and beat fear. In the end, fear could take away who I am and change me completely. I need to stop letting fear control my life, it's my life and I'm taking it back.

"Okay, I think it's best we get it done as soon as possible before he finds me here." I say leaving a hint of fear in my voice.

"I'll drive you up there as soon as I get some food in that little body of yours, you are barely eating these days and you need to remain healthy and eat some food girl." He says half serious half joking.

"As long as you're paying." I wink at him and he laughs slightly.

"No problem sweet cheeks." He winks back at me and a warm smile takes over his face.

~

We pull up to a cozy diner that I have never been to in my life. While I live in New York City, Connor lives on the out skirts where there are more housing developments. My mother and me were lucky enough to find a house in New York City, it was extremely hard to find but I guess being a famous lawyer has some perks. You have connections and ideally can get anything you want.

The diner sits on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Oak Street, it looks like one of those places everyone doesn't think much of and then suddenly it wows you. Something you didn't anticipate being decent turns into something you can't live without.

The diner is like an old time one, resembling one out of A Cinderella Story the movie. Connor, like the gentleman he is, holds the door open for me and I walk through being hit with the greatest smell of my life. The smell runs through my nostrils, making my nose dance with joy, this is probably the best thing I have smelled in a long time. It's like a wall hits you and you smell nothing but grease, sugar, and bacon. All three of those things mixed together are sure to put you in a food coma that will keep you out of action for weeks.

We are seated in a white and red booth, the seats being worn red leather that feel so comfortable to sit in. It's like one of those seats where you plop down and your butt sinks in, so not only does your taste buds get a full mind blowing experience but so does your butt. This place exercises control on all things that make your body satisfied, literally from your head to your toes.

A small older lady, who looks around sixty walks over. She sports brown hair that shows hints of grey and large brown eyes. She wears a nametag that tells us her name is Martha, she looks to be as sweet as pie.

"How are you two today?" She asks letting a smile dance across her face going all the way up to her eyes.

"Pretty good, thanks. How about yourself?" Connor asks; he is just so adorable and sweet.

"I'm doing spectacular, thanks for asking. Today our special is two pancakes with two eggs and two pieces of sausage for $4.99." She recites by memory without even struggling.

"I'll have that." Connor and me say at the exact same time and we both look at each other and laugh.

"And what would you like to drink?"

"Coffee and water." And yet again we reply at the exact same time ordering the same thing.

"That makes it easy for me, I'll be right out with your drinks." Martha smiles and I return the pleasantry before she turns to place our orders.

Around twenty minutes later, she returns with our food and it takes everything in me not to snatch it right out of her hand. I didn't realize how hungry I truly was until we stepped foot in The Diner. I completely forgot about the hunger eating away at me, I was distracted by the horrifying facts I have been finding out about lately. From my mother leaving to me finding out my father is a complete lunatic and to learning about my tracker, I think it's safe to say my life has been everything but normal.

Martha sets the plate in front of me and I instantly smell the grease, sugar, and fat. Normally, I try to live a healthy lifestyle, eating right; exercising daily but all of these events that have happened recently have really put life in perspective. I need to live for now because anything can happen in the blink of an eye and life as you know it could be changed forever.

I inhale my food in record time and let the taste completely shake my body. This may be simple food but it is the best I've had in a long time. The pancakes had to be my favorite, so light and fluffy and were cooked to absolute perfection.

We finish eating, me and Connor just talking about random things getting to know one another a little more.

"Maybe I can grab those reports you wanted while we are there. I must warn you though, they are extremely gruesome." Connor says to me as he holds the door to the diner open, again he is just the perfect gentleman.

"Okay, thanks." Any sane person wouldn't put himself or herself through what I am enduring, but me being me, I have to know. I have to know what this man is capable of. Fear tries to enter my veins but I can't let it. From this point on I must remain brave or I will just be a scared little pathetic girl and I can't be her, I can't.

~

After thorough examination from Connor's right hand man, Jake, they confirm that it is indeed a tracker. Using a special gadget, they insert it into my skin and pull the tracker out, and let me tell you, it hurts. It feels like you are being stuck with a million tiny needles in one spot and then they are stuck in your skin. They start to pull and your skin feels like it is going to give way, leaving a gaping hole of flesh and blood. I can't help but stifle a loud scream because the pain is so agonizing.

I manage to hold on though, I don't fade into the darkness like it wants me to, it wants to take over yet again but I won't let it. I can hang on.

They finish by stitching me up which hurts just as much, but I know this needs to be done. I need to stay safe and that tracker in me was like a ticking time bomb.

"Are you okay?" Connor looks at me with sincerity in his eyes, I can tell he feels horrible for me.

"Yeah, I'm alright." I lie, I can't worry him. As they finish I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket, no caller ID.

"Hey, I'm going to grab those reports for you, I'll be right back." Connor gives me a reassuring pat on the shoulder and walks off.

I answer my phone and walk out of the room for more privacy.

"Hello?" I say into the phone.

"Sophia, it's me, Mom."