Something Always Brings Me Back to You

1) Worth It

MAY 2008
Sophie's POV

"Hey baby! Hey baby girl!" I cooed to my beautiful 8-month-old daughter as a carried her under her arms to go sit in front of the TV. We had something very important to watch.

I plopped down on the old, torn apart sofa with its frayed and faded upholstery and placed Mariana, my daughter, gingerly in my lap. I looked at her lovingly.

We didn't have much, you could tell this easily by walking into our apartment, with its old couch that I also slept on. It was directly next to an old, creaky crib that I found outside a building on the pavement, which Mariana slept in at night. Across the room I had a tiny camp stove and a vintage '80s microwave. And just to clarify - not vintage cool.

After getting pregnant at 18, I had basically no credentials, and I couldn't afford childcare for my baby so I could go work. I lived off unemployment welfare now.

But I had Mariana. And looking at her face every morning, watching her laugh, and smile, and grow up, made all the pain and all the sacrifices worth it. She was also my main source of company, since my family had all disowned me and deserted me when at 18 I fell pregnant, out of wedlock, with someone they definitely didn't approve of.

I have Mariana for company. We have each other. She has beautiful, siena brown curls that surrounded her head bountifully and deep pools of chocolate brown for eyes. Actually, all her of her features, including the ones I just mentioned, she got from her father; all she got from me were my big, plump, red lips. The lips he'd fallen in love with. Or so I'd thought.

My attention was suddenly redirected back to the tiny little screen that was playing. The program Mariana and I were watching had returned from advert break. I heard the reporter speak.

"Now, we return to the scene in Moscow, where Premier League-winning side Manchester United have just secured the title of 'Best in Europe' after earning their third Champions League title. We managed to catch up with Manchester's current best player, Cristiano Ronaldo, before he goes out and celebrates with the rest of his victorious team."

The reporter laughed softly with her colleague on the screen about how Manchester would definitely be partying hard that night.

The camera switched to the pitch, and zoomed in on Ronaldo celebrating with his teammates. He was biting on his medal and lifting up the trophy, even parading it around during a victory lap of the stadium with other squad members.

"Look, Mari! Look at Daddy!" I said, pointing to the screen. "Look how happy he looks, baby girl!" I bounced Mariana and she clapped and pointed at the screen.

I tried to show her pictures of him and watch his games with her as much as possible. Apart from that, I was a Manchester United fan, having grown up in the Manchester suburbs so I enjoyed watching matches anyway.

I turned my attention back to Mariana, who was still laughing and pointing to the screen. "Are you proud of him, baby girl? He just won! He just won, Mari!" I smiled at her. "Yeah, me too. I'm proud of him too. He would be so proud of you too, baby girl."

If he only knew who you were...

A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short. I just really wanted to end it on that note!!! I hope you are intrigued by Sophie's interesting past and difficult life and are excited for what's to come! I also will take suggestions, so please comment!!! I enjoy all constructive critcism!! And I PROMISE it will get better, I have already written the second chapter and it has loads more Cristiano and is MUCH better! So don't give up yet, please!😝😂

I'm going to be doing a song of the chapter, which will be a song that I think goes really great with the chapter and sort of enhances the story, if you catch my drift. It will hopefully be great to listen to while you read!!
SOTC: 'Don't Look Back In Anger' by Oasis

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Lara
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