Chasing Sofia

Loving Olivia

A/N: Nico's story is now up! Below is the first chapter. Go find the book on my profile and it add to your library to read more!

Chapter 1 - The Lone Wolf

Nico

I never understood the real meaning of loneliness until they left.

By they, I'm of course referring to the two most important people of my life. My twin sister and my best friend.

I always knew it would happen at some point, that Sofia and Adrian would end up together. It was obvious to me from the moment they met, even though they always tried to hide their feelings from each other. I feared it because I knew once they would get together, I would lose them. They would no longer be my twin sister and my best friend, but a couple, and my two different worlds would never be separate again.

But I never imagined that they would end up moving away to Washington, DC together, and I would lose them in a literal sense of the word through a distance of 3,781 miles and the world's second largest ocean in between. Even worse, I never imagined the profound impact it would have on me.

At one point in time, I would have considered my ex-girlfriend as constituting part of the Reasons Nico is Lonely list, especially due to the fact that she's been my first and only girlfriend and we were together for more than two years, but I refuse to miss her any longer after what she did to me. Now she just belongs under the Reasons Nico is Angry list, and to be honest, that makes things a whole lot easier for me.

It's been three months since I've been living on my own in Madrid. Technically, my parents still live here, but they've been traveling for work so much lately I'm lucky if I see them once a month. So that only leaves the housekeeper, but we came to an agreement where she'll come by once or twice a week since she didn't have much to do anymore with only one person remaining in the household of originally a family of six.

Even she was completely bored out of her mind. After a week where the most exciting thing she had going on was playing cards with me to pass the time, I decided to draw the line. I felt bad that she was waiting on me like a stupid little rich kid when she could be spending quality time with her family instead.

At first she didn't like the idea and refused to leave even though she would still be getting paid full-time. This was an agreement between her and me, and my parents didn't need to know about it. I guess the concept came as a shock to her, especially considering that she's run this house since I was a child, but I suppose even the most permanent things come to change.

I make my way to the kitchen, intent on sticking two pieces of bread in the toaster and eating it on the way to school, but I see that a full breakfast is already waiting for me. I guess I should have expected Carmen to be here today since it's Monday and the first day of a new semester. But it's been a long summer and I lost track of the days once they all started to blend in together.

I take a seat at the counter and try not to notice the empty placemats on either side of me. Just the thought is rather depressing, knowing that Sofia and Adrian would normally be sitting here with me. Even if none of us really talked much in the morning, the absence of their company hits me harder than I expected it to. It makes me wish I had skipped this part after all.

I finish eating rather quickly, and Carmen walks into the kitchen just as I'm about to head out. She gives me a saddened smile, and I give her one in return. I end up leaning down and hugging her goodbye. She gives the best hugs in the world, and I'm already in desperate need for one today.

On the drive to school, I keep expecting to hear a quip from Adrian coming from the passenger seat, which I would have gladly responded to in turn, and for Sofia's face to appear every time I look in the rear-view mirror, trying her best to ignore us, yet failing miserably. But neither of those things happen. The silence in the car becomes deafening, and I turn on the radio to try to stop it. After hearing some annoying pop song I can't stand, I find myself lowering the volume, and then turning it off altogether before it gives me a headache.