Healing Sophie

14

A soft knock sounded at Sophie's bedroom door, but she ignored it.

"Soph," someone said. "Please let us in."

Chase.

She continued staring at her ceiling.

What time was it?

She had called into work and school for a few days, feigning sickness. She couldn't go out there. She couldn't face the fact that she had lost her best friend.

She closed her eyes, determined to sleep the pain away.

A sound emitted from her window. It wiggled a bit and then opened, revealing Theo.

"Theo, why are you climbing through my window? You're going to get hurt," Sophie scolded and helped him as he squeezed his body in and landed not so gracefully inside of her room. On his face.

He stood up and frowned. "Because you were ignoring us."

She scowled. "I'm sad. I just lost my best friend."

"And your boyfriend apparently," he grumbled bitterly.

She whipped her head around to look at him. "What?", she demanded.

He paced towards her bed and flopped onto the end. He didn't respond but his eyes looked sad.

Her face softened. "Theo, is this because I told Finn I had feelings for him?", she asked and sat next to him. He only nodded. "Why does that matter to you?"

"Because you didn't deny it when he said you have feelings for us as well." His tone was strained.

She sighed. "I can't deny it." His head turned towards her. "I've never had much experience with dating or any of that. And right now my head is confused because I love being around you guys, but in the same way that I love... loved being around Finn."

He was silent for a moment before he whispered, "We love being around you, too." Her heart skipped at the words before she remembered Finn's own words for the thousandth time since he had said them.

Have fun being their whore.

Sophie turned to Theo and her eyes watered. "I can't like all of you. I don't want to be a whore," she rasped out.

His head snapped up and his brown eyes softened. He grabbed her hand in his and brushed a thumb over it. "You aren't, Bambi. Sometimes people like multiple people." She looked away, but he pulled her chin back up. "You remember how I told you that Chase and I sometimes date, but we also like being with other people?" She nodded. "Well, sometimes we just have so much love in our hearts to give, so we give it to multiple people. Victor, Chase, and I like to share one person together. It brings us closer."

His words set in. She had never seen this more serious, protective side of Theo, but she really enjoyed it. His company made her feel better.

Heat filled her chest as she looked at the man beside her and considered his words. She leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, Theo."

She did like all of them. She couldn't help herself. They each understood a different part of her. Chase was gentle but stern and made her feel secure. Theo was softer and made her laugh even during the bad moments. Victor struggled a lot with his own demons, but he always made her heart feel funny. And Finn...

Finn was fire and ice. He was anger and sadness, sweetness and stoicism. But to be loved and cared for by him was intense.

She missed him so much.

Theo went to leave but Sophie stopped him. "Can you stay with me?" He looked at her and she hated the exhausted, worried look in his eyes.

"Would that help you feel better?"

She nodded. "Always." He gave a soft smile and laid down on her bed. She crawled over to him and curled up to his side. He stared up at her ceiling with deep concentration. His usual devilish grin was replaced with a frown and his eyes were dimmed. She poked him in the side and he raised an eyebrow at her. She propped up onto an elbow and studied him, their eyes boring into the one another's with heated intensity.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She asked.

He stared at her for a moment before wrapping an arm around her hip and pulling her back to his chest. "I just missed you, Bambi. My heart can't handle not being around you." Her chest ached at the words and she hugged to him tighter.

"I missed you too, Theo."

He started to speak but stopped himself. She rubbed a thumb over his chest, encouraging him to go on. "I struggle a lot with depression and my ADHD. When people leave or things change, it makes me feel a bit rattled."

Sophie grabbed his hand and looked up at him. "I get it. I'm autistic. I prefer things that are black and white or that can fit into a routine. Anything in between has always made me feel like the ground beneath me is shaking."

He nodded and smiled at her. "I like being around you. It's not something I have trouble understanding. But these past few days with you holed up in here have been a little rough. You're like this little bright, sunshine-y fairy." He pinched her cheek and grinned.

She swatted his hand away and cherished the grin back on his face. "Says you. Your smile makes me feel good," she said shyly. His face blushed and she giggled. "Wow, did I actually get you to blush?"

He rolled his eyes and pressed her closer to his chest. "Shut up and cuddle me."

She complied and cuddled him the rest of the afternoon. She didn't know who needed it more, but it felt like it healed the both of them.