The Key ♕

2

Sophie's Point of View

"Hi, Philip, I'm here for my shift." I say in an obnoxiously sweet voice to cover my desolation. "I have something to ask you."

Philip, the bar's owner fidgets around in his seat and gives me a strained smile. "I have something to tell you first."

"Yeah? What is it?" Something is wrong.

"Well..." He picks at his fingernails, "do you remember the guy who made a mess in the bar after you rejected him?"

"Yes..." I reply, dragging the word.

"He came to the bar again last night on your day off," Philip sighs, "turns out that he's the leader of a local gang. He brought his whole gang and trashed the place. We just finished cleaning up."

"Oh my god..." I inhale a sharp breath, "I'm so sorry, Philip." The emotions pour out of me. Before I know it, tears stream down my face and I ferociously wipe them away with the back of my hand.

"Sophie," he says worriedly, rushing over to put his arms around my shoulders, "what's wrong? We're not blaming you."

"Aunt Caroline and Uncle Bryan asked me to leave. The same man ruined our vegetable field. Frankly, this is not the first time it happened. I just never told anyone." I look up at his old, yet kind face. "So I'm here to ask you if you know where I can stay."

"Oh dear, Sophie..." Philip pulls at his hair nervously, "I don't know how to put this..."

"What is it?" My heart starts to beat faster and faster.

"I'm afraid you can't work at the bar anymore."

Those words slice into my heart deeper than knives. "What?"

"I'm really, really sorry, Sophie." he grunts, "the man told me that he would come every night as long as you worked here."

"No, no, no," I shake my head in disbelief, "this is my only job. I can't leave this place."

"Sophie, look at me," Philip grips my shoulders and forces me to look into his eyes. "You're the sweetest, smartest, and most beautiful girl that I've ever met. For the past year, you've been nothing but kind to me. I have an old friend who runs a wine brewery at the edge of town. Her name is Natalie. Go there and tell her I sent you. She will provide a job and a place for you to stay."

I let out the breath that I've been holding. "Are you sure, Philip? What if the man comes and give you trouble even after I leave? Will you be alright?"

"Oh, sweet Sophie," he smiles a toothy grin and smoothes my hair with his fingers, "that's what I love about you - always so considerate. I promise I will stay safe if you promise the same to me."

I nod, reciprocating his smile, "I promise."

Suddenly, the bar door bangs open. The ear-piercing sound of the door hitting the wall makes everyone jump in astonishment. "Good evening, everyone," a man says in a sickeningly fake voice.

It's him. The man who ruined the bar and Uncle Bryan's vegetable field. He looks like he is in his late twenties. The scar that slices across his left eye, unkept hair, and disheveled clothes makes him seem extremely unapproachable.

The man's eyes darts in my direction and immediately find mine, causing me to freeze in fear. "Look at who we have here. Sophie. Oh, beautiful Sophie." His cold snarl sends a shiver down my spine.

Philip's frightened look is all it takes to stir up the braveness in me, "what do you want? Stop bothering Richard and my family. I already told you I don't want to marry anyone right now."