Tethered Hearts | ✓ | Books 1 & 2

Episode 56| Bittersweet

Sophia's P.O.V.

Seeing that I had no other option, I spoke to my father for a favor. I didn't want his money; I wanted his resources.

When I was at his house recently, during a conversation on the phone, I heard him talking to man that he claimed owned a theater near downtown.

Swallowing my pride, I drove to his home with nothing on my mind other than the intent to persuade him into listening to me. It was the first time I got the chance to drive my car since it returned from the shop.

Even though I was going to pay the tab for the repairs, Bryce paid it off without me knowing. When I went pick up the car, they told me the car's repairs were taken care of. I was infuriate at how he had done this without asking me first.

I complained to Bryce, unhappy with how he essentially went behind my back to pay for something I was going to do on my own. He didn't take my complaints seriously. He merely shrugged and said that it was pocket change and that I shouldn't be enraged by a kind gesture.

His birthday would be the perfect opportunity to repay the favor and level the playing field so that I didn't owe him.

I tried my best to throw the party at Kelsey's place, but she refused to hold a party where Brooklyn would be invited. And since I already contacted her about the party, and she agreed to go, it was hard for me to retract that invitation.

Kelsey told me about Bryce's obsession with zombie movies and how he hadn't seen the latest installment of the Night of the Living Dead.

Night of the Living Dead III was playing at the theaters. If I could get access to a vacant screening room at a theater for only our closest friends, that would be amazing.

If things followed my plans to a T, then that meant after watching the movie, the party would continue at Bryce's apartment, staying on the rooftop near the pool.

Kelsey and Nicolas both agreed to help me as much as they could. Kelsey said she'd take care of the food and the drinks. Nicolas took over the decorations.

"What are you doing?" Nicolas asked. He was accompanying me to my dad's house since I didn't want to have to go in alone. Nicolas could create a fake emergency if I felt the urge to leave early. "Are you doing anything?"

"I'm the one arranging the entire thing. And most of my money is being spent on birthday cake and Bryce's birthday gift."

"How do you have money to pay for all of this, Sophia? You don't have a job."

"I used to be unemployed."

Nicolas bored his eyes into me. "No, you didn't. Please don't tell me you took that job at the bookstore. Despite the fact that I told you it would be a horrendous idea."

"Horrendous is a bit of a stretch. What's so wrong about me having a job anyway? I need my own money," I exclaimed, rotating the steering wheel. "I'm only taking a part-time position. It's not that bad of an idea."

I went back to the bookstore earlier last week and was hired on the spot after turning in my application. I never had that happen before. Jenny, the owner of the bookstore, liked our short talk in her office. I liked her vibe and attitude.

"I'll only be working on the weekends and on Fridays." Those were the only days I didn't have classes. And when the semester ended, I promised to take more hours during winter break. "I really like the owner and the customers that come in."

"Do you work alone?"

"For the most part, yeah I do. I'm scheduled to close up the store starting next week."