𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 || 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭

𝟑𝟐: 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲, 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲, 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲

   "Okay, let's go." Bridgette jerked her head to the doorway, padding softly towards it . Aryan hesitated, looking between his two friends who were still in the room. He didn't seem too hot on the idea of leaving them there.

"Promise you guys will be safe?" He asked. Walker and Sophia nodded, and she gave him a soft smile.

"Promise."

Aryan ran back, wrapping them in a tight hug. "No getting hurt or kidnapped for real allowed. Got it?"

Walker nodded exasperatedly, but he was still smiling. "Yes Aryan, we've got it."

Bridgette tapped her foot impatiently from the door. "C'mon idiot, we've gotta go." She hesitated for a millisecond before sticking out her hand. "Here."

Aryan stared in surprise, and Bridgette rolled her eyes, cheeks flushing the slightest bit pink. "Just take it!"

He didn't need to be told twice, and gave one more quick wave before slipping his hand into Bridgette's, who pulled them around the corner. The sound of the front door clicking shut coming not long after.

The two stood in the dark room, and Sophia moved to her bed, picking up one half of a poster that had been ripped in two. She turned back to Walker. "What happened in here?"

He moved to her side, his hand coming up to the small of her back. He shook his head. "I have no idea, it was like this when I got here. Your dad must've gone crazy one night and did all this."

Sophia shook her head, hating that she knew Walker was right. "He really is so different from the dad I grew up with." She fidgeted with the paper in her hands, slightly crinkling the corner.

Walker sighed, rubbing his hand up and down along her back. "Sometimes people change. Once it happens there's really not much we can do, and we have to come to terms and find a way to move on, no matter how hard." He hesitated, hoping he had said the right thing. "Right?"

She looked up, studying his face as best as she could in the dark. Slight crinkles sprouted form the corners of his eyes, the smile lines gracefully accompanying the comforting expression on his face.

Sophia nodded after a moment. "You're right."
She crumpled the paper, throwing it down. "Okay, let's do this."

Walker gave her shoulder as squeeze before they picked their way back across the messy floor, going back down the hallway and stopping at the front door. "Once you lock the door behind me, stay in my closet. You'll be safe there until I come and find you again."

Walker gave her his trademark double thumbs up. "Totally got it." He paused, his hands dropping to his sides. "Be safe, okay? I agree with Aryan. No more getting hurt."

She returned the double thumbs up. "I'll try my best." And with that she stepped out of the front door and into the hallway. She heard the lock click into place behind her.

The seconds stretched into minutes, which felt like they stretched into hours, though she doubted it. Her foot tapped against the carpet, arms wrapped across her stomach as she stared off into space, waiting.

And waiting. And waiting.

Thud.

The noise wasn't loud. But it was loud enough for Sophia to determine that it had come from inside the apartment. She rushed back to the door, leaning her ear against it. Listening intently, she found comfort and terror in the fact that there were no further sounds.