The things we never had

Chapter 26

My eyes fluttered open to the sound of shouting. I was still slumped against the door. The shouting became clearer as I woke up more.

"Sophia! Open the door!"

God, I thought. I feel sorry for whoever this Sophia is. Oh, —that's me.

Why are they shouting?

I reached up to unlock the door. When had I even locked it? As I swung it open, Christian was mid-shout, fist raised, pounding on the wood. Behind him, I saw Alex and Romeo coming down the corridor, carrying some serious-looking machinery.

Dramatic music might as well have been playing in the background.

Christian's hands dropped to his sides, fists clenching as he took in the sight of me.

Oh, shit. This is worse than I thought.

"Yes?" I say, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

Silence falls over the group. Finally, Alex breaks it. "Why weren't you answering the door?"

"I was asleep," I mumble, hoping they buy it.

Charlotte's voice is softer but tinged with worry. "Sophia, we were shouting for a while."

I manage an uneasy smile. "I... went to bed late last night. I was probably still deep in a dream or something."

Christian's expression doesn't soften, and Alex and Romeo exchange a look. Not exactly buying it.

Christian crosses his arms, narrowing his eyes. "A dream, huh?" His voice is tight, like he's holding back a million questions and not liking any of the answers he's getting.

I swallow, feeling my throat go dry. "Yeah," I say, keeping my voice light. "You know, one of those deep dreams where... you don't hear anything?" My smile probably looks ridiculous, but it's the best I can manage.

Alex glances at Romeo, raising an eyebrow, and Romeo just sighs, setting down the machinery with a thud that echoes down the corridor. "Sophia, you can't just lock yourself away like that," he says, his tone far gentler than Christian's. "We thought something happened to you."

My face heats up. "Sorry," I murmur, looking down. "I didn't mean to worry anyone."

Charlotte clears her throat. "Well, get ready and come downstairs. We've got some stuff to talk about, okay?"

I nod, watching as everyone disperses. Christian heads to his room, and a spark of curiosity—or maybe boredom—pulls me to follow. I trail behind him and wait until his door closes before quietly slipping inside. I've never actually been in his room before, so when I open the door, I'm not too surprised to find everything neatly arranged. Typical Christian: everything in its place.

The faint sound of the shower running drifts from the bathroom. Christian must be in there. I wander over to his bed and sit on the edge, eventually letting myself fall back until I'm sprawled out in the middle, staring up at the ceiling. After a minute or two, boredom creeps in again. My fingers twitch with temptation—why not snoop around? I feel a strange mix of excitement and nerves, butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

I make my way over to his closet and crack it open, marveling at how organized it is. Unlike mine, which currently looks like a tornado hit it, Christian's closet is all perfectly lined suits, dress shirts, and ties, everything pressed and ready to go. I'm about to close the door when something at the bottom catches my eye—a soft, furry pink object sticking out beneath the suits. Curiosity piqued, I reach down and pull it out.

It's a pale pink bunny, worn but familiar. A strange sense of déjà vu washes over me, but I can't quite place it. I'm staring at it, lost in thought, when the sound of the shower turning off jolts me back to reality. Heart racing, I shove the bunny back where I found it, close the closet door, and dart back to the bed. I sit on the edge, fingers twisting nervously in my lap, trying to look casual.