Seventeen | Soulmate AU | ✔

07 | Torture

here is a promised chapter that was supposed to be posted earlier in the week. i'm going to die now. oh wait, i still have to write the next chapter because this is a double update this weekend...yay me.

ugh, i'm sorry, i've had a really trash week and i'm just about dead inside. don't let me bad mood deter you from voting & commenting tons:-)

07 | Torture

S o p h i e   F o s t e r

When I wake up the next morning, it's hell. Even with the curtains shut, the morning light shines through, resurrecting last night's headache. Curse my being on the sunny side of the house.

The moment I sit up, I want to vomit. Have you ever felt so nauseous you wanted to puke, but knew that you weren't able to either way? Yeah, that's the same feeling I'm getting right now.

Everything swims, blurry, and my world feels completely off-balance. It turns, tauntingly, as I groan out.

The door bursts open to my room, so loud it sounds like someone's tried to kick it down. I wince as a man sprints into the room with a baseball bat at his shoulder, ready to swing. "Sophie, you okay? Who do I need to hit? Is there a boy in your room?"

God forbid there be a boy in my room.

Everyone, meet Grady Ruewen, my father. Overprotective as hell. With dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, he looks like he's straight out of a modeling magazine featuring Chris Hemsworth.

I let out an even louder groan in response to his questions, instead choosing to roll over in my bed and face-plant into a pillow. My muffled response consists of, "Why in the fudge would there ever be a guy in my room? Lower your voice."

His eyes narrow as they scan my room for movement not coming from the dead soul known as me. Fortunately, he does knock his person volume down to a two for me. "So, none of the male species have stepped foot in your room?"

"That is correct."

He looks confused at the sarcastic smile I offer. "Is there a reason why you groaned, then?"

"Yes!" I exclaim, throwing my arms up into the air, exasperated. "My head is trying to murder me!" My hands instinctively reach to my temples, and I massage them, trying to lessen the ache. A finger or two strays to pluck a loose eyelash from my eyelid – something I tend to do when I'm feeling distressed in any sort of way. I suspiciously glance at him. "You're a doctor. Fix me!"

It's his turn to look exasperated. "I operate on animals, not humans!" His face contorts for a split second, and I can't stop him in time from his next sentence. "Of course, maybe you could be considered an animal, you've definitely got the nature of one..."

"Humans are animals, remember? Didn't you have to go through school to be a veterinarian? Shouldn't you know this?"

Grady throws his hands up in the air, giving up. "Fine. Well, you've got to go to school either way," he says, pointing at my clock.

I think about his words, but a certain memory plays through my head: of yesterday, right before I blacked out. The weird zap that went through my body as I made contact with that boy.

Injuries shouldn't have me feeling so nauseous. There's only one explanation as to why I could be feeling this terrible – I've never once in my life ever felt so empty and miserable.

Whoever made this soulmate thing didn't think this through. Promoting depression? Bah.

I give my father another side glance, too quick for him to spot. I almost consider telling him about what I think is going on but realize that unless I want to be suspended from school by my own father for as long as he can resist Edaline's soft persuasion tactics, it's not worth it.

That, and the fact that this feeling can only get worse. I'm already way over my head in this.

My eyes flutter shut. "Get out of my room so that I can change, then," I order, not in the mood for dealing with fellow human beings.

Grady gives me a look I'm unable to decipher, nodding and backing out of my room. He makes sure to close the door behind him.

I call up Dex. As soon as he answers, I inform him that I'm unable to drive and he's going to need to pick me up in ten minutes. I know I'm going to get a grumpy response, so I hang up before he can even get there.

Changing into something and spending extra time picking out something – I have to look good for this Sencen boy, whoever he is – I finish off my morning routine and make my way downstairs. I give both of my parents a kiss on the cheek.

"We'll take Amy today," Edaline informs me, and I nod, giving her an appreciative glance.

A car pulls up outside, honking its horn, and I shout, "Coming!" I slip on my shoes as I race out to the car, trying to ignore my throbbing skull.

My soulmate better be the best thing on this earth, because I'm about to go through torture.