Chasing Sofia

Prologue

I never thought my senior year of high school would feel like such a drag. Especially not the final weeks. People always talk about how it is the best time of their lives, how they hold the sweetest memories of it. I wish I could say the same. But the truth is, it feels nothing like that to me.

I flip through the channels of my TV for what is probably the fifth time, and finally land on a re-run of Office Space. I crack a grin seeing it is the scene with the two Bobs. Okay, this just might do. God knows I need something to improve my sour mood.

“Sofia! You down there?” Nico’s voice yells.

I have to keep myself from groaning. My lovely twin always seems to pick the worst moments to show up and bug me.

“I know you’re down there, so don’t even try to pretend you can’t hear me!” he continues.

“Go away!” I yell back. God, why does he have to be so annoying?

I hear his big footsteps make his way down to the family room and I try to ignore him. “Are you hiding again, princess?”

“Just watching a movie,” I mumble, not even bothering to look at him.

That all changes when he decides to set foot in front of the TV and block the view of my precious programming. “Get your ass up, we’re going out,” he orders.

I try to look over his bulky frame, but it is an exercise in futility. Being the soccer player that he is only makes him bigger and bigger by the day. Ever since he joined the college team earlier this year, I can’t believe how many extra pounds he has quickly gained.

“I’m perfectly fine here, thank you,” I tell him.

“This is such bullshit, Sofia. It’s your senior fucking year of high school. What are you doing?”

“What does it look like? I’m watching a damn movie. Now get out of the way, you’re ruining my favorite part.”

“You are impossible sometimes, you know that? Suit yourself,” he says before storming off.

I shrug, seeing that he gave up so quickly. Usually he puts up a bit more of a fight, but maybe his patience is finally running out. Good.

I settle back into watching the movie. Peter is in the middle of getting hypnotized when I hear footsteps behind me again. Great, now what does he want? Maybe I sang victory too soon.

“For the love of god, just leave me alone! Can’t you see you’re ruining my favorite part?”

“I thought the two Bobs was your favorite part.”

I freeze at the sound of his voice and try to sink further into the couch. That voice doesn’t belong to Nico, but to Adrian, my brother’s best friend and my secret crush since I was 15. Dammit. You would think I would remember he practically lives at our place by now.

He flops down casually next to me on the couch, which forces me to look in his direction. I wish I hadn’t. Sometimes his good looks just hurt too much to look at. Everything from his light brown hair and his chocolate colored eyes, to his perfect abs I’ve had the misfortune of seeing way too many times over the last few years.

“Hey, princess,” he says with an easy smile.

Oh, and how could I forget that rugged American accent? It is just too much for a girl to handle, let alone a half British girl like me. Whenever he speaks, it’s like watching a Hollywood actor on the big screen.

“Please don’t call me that,” I immediately respond. I never liked the nickname, even more so coming from him.

“Sorry. I forget. Everybody in your family calls you that, and it just gets stuck in my head.”