Number Seven

012

Sophia woke up to the warmth of the morning sunlight streaming through her window, and for a moment, everything felt perfect. The memory of her date with Mason the night before still lingered, his smile flashing in her mind as she stretched and lazily grabbed her phone. She hadn't felt this happy in days, maybe even weeks. The quiet joy from their time together—walking side by side, eating McDonald's, laughing at the show—felt like the first time in a long while she could just be herself.

She smiled at the screen, checking her messages, when she saw it.

A photo.

It was of Mason with another girl—a blonde, laughing with him as they made their way to his car. Their arms were almost touching, their chemistry obvious even in a simple snapshot.

Sophia's heart dropped into her stomach as she stared at the image. The warmth she'd felt just moments ago seemed to drain from her, leaving her with a hollow, aching feeling that she couldn't explain.

It could be nothing, she told herself. Just a friend. Maybe she was overthinking. But the pang in her chest didn't subside. The doubt settled deep, gnawing at her as she ran her fingers over the screen, tracing the picture again. The girl looked so perfect, so happy next to Mason. Was he already moving on? Did she mean anything to him?

Her thoughts spiraled, and her chest tightened as she pushed the phone away, trying to suppress the wave of emotion that crashed over her. She couldn't let this get to her. She wouldn't.

But the image kept replaying in her mind.

The day wore on, and Sophia tried her best to act normal, to put on a mask and push through. But the tension from the photo still clung to her like a shadow, and she couldn't shake the bitterness that had settled in her throat. She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want to explain the storm that was brewing inside her.

So, she did what she always did when she was upset: she distanced herself.

At breakfast, when Victoria asked if she wanted anything to eat, Sophia barely responded, her voice flat. "I don't care," she muttered, her eyes glued to her phone.

Harper, sensing her mood, tried to cheer her up. "Soph, how was your date last night? You looked like you had fun!"

Sophia barely lifted her gaze. "Yeah, it was fine," she replied, her words dripping with indifference.

Harper didn't know how to respond, and David and Victoria exchanged quiet glances, unsure of what was going on. Romeo, on the other hand, had noticed his sister's sudden change in demeanor, and it didn't sit right with him.

"Hey, Soph," he called out as she stood up to leave the kitchen, "what's going on? You've been off all morning."

Sophia snapped her head towards him, her patience wearing thin. "What's going on? What's going on?" Her voice rose, laced with frustration. "Maybe I'm just tired of pretending everything's okay when it's not. Maybe I don't want to talk about it!"

Romeo frowned, his voice soft but concerned. "You don't have to pretend, you know. We're family. You can talk to me."

Sophia's heart began to race, the emotion that had been building up for hours finally spilling over. "You don't get it, Romeo! No one does!" she shouted, her face flushed with anger and hurt. "I'm sick of everyone asking me what's wrong, like I'm some kind of problem! Maybe I just want to be left alone for once! Ever think of that?"

Romeo's expression shifted to one of confusion and concern, but before he could respond, Sophia's frustration boiled over.

"I said leave me alone, everyone!" she screamed, her voice raw and choked with emotion. She didn't wait for anyone to respond before storming out of the kitchen, slamming the door behind her as she made her way upstairs.

The slam of the door echoed through the house, and for a moment, there was complete silence.

David sighed deeply, his face a mixture of concern and helplessness. "She's going through something, I just don't know what."

Victoria placed a hand on his arm, her expression pained. "We'll have to give her space, but we can't let her shut us out. She's clearly carrying a lot."

Harper, looking up at the stairs where Sophia had disappeared, bit her lip. "She'll talk when she's ready, I guess."

But Romeo wasn't ready to let it go.

Without saying a word, he stood up from the table and walked toward the stairs. The house was quiet, except for the distant sound of a door shutting upstairs. He knew his sister—knew when something was really wrong. And right now, he could feel the heaviness in her absence.

He knocked lightly on her door before pushing it open, his eyes soft but determined.

"Soph?"

Sophia was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling, tears silently streaming down her face. She didn't even hear Romeo enter; her mind was too lost in a sea of tangled emotions.

Romeo stepped inside quietly, his heart breaking as he saw the pain etched in her features. Without saying anything more, he walked over to her and sat on the edge of the bed. She didn't look up, didn't acknowledge him at first.

"Soph," he said softly, his voice gentle but firm, "you don't have to carry this by yourself. I'm right here."

For a long moment, Sophia said nothing, her body tense as she tried to hold it together. But the wall she'd built up finally crumbled, and before she could stop herself, she burst into tears.

Romeo moved quickly, pulling her into a tight embrace as she collapsed into his arms. "It's okay, Soph. I'm here," he murmured softly, rubbing her back in slow, soothing motions.

Sophia cried harder, her body trembling in his arms as the weight of everything finally hit her—the photo of Mason, the doubts, the pressure of school, the endless scrolling through social media, and the constant feeling like she wasn't enough. It all came rushing out in a flood of raw emotion.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, Romeo," she whispered between sobs. "I just feel like everything is falling apart. Mason... I thought maybe he liked me. But now... maybe I'm just not what he wants. Maybe I'm not what anyone wants. Everything isn't for me. I don't know how to be enough."

Romeo held her tighter, his own heart aching for his twin. "You are enough, Soph. You've always been enough. I don't know what you're going through right now, but you don't have to carry it alone."

Sophia sniffled, wiping her tears on his shirt. "I don't know how to do this. I don't know how to fix it all."

"You don't have to fix everything, Soph," he said softly. "You just have to be. And we'll figure it out together."

Sophia's sobs slowly quieted as she buried her face in his chest, the comfort of her brother's presence soothing her. In that moment, it wasn't about fixing everything or making it right. It was about being seen—being loved, even in the mess.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, Sophia allowed herself to feel it.