Reversed

xxxix. thirty-nine

Sophie woke up inexplicably early—so early she could see the beginnings of a bright sunrise through the dark shades of her room's walls. Once her eyes opened, she couldn't shut them again. She threw off her covers, swung her feet onto the floor, and padded to her bathroom, Ella in hand.

Sophie stared at herself in the mirror for a few moments after she closed the heavy, big door behind her. She'd changed so much since the last time she'd looked at herself in this mirror. Not just her physical appearance—the scar starting behind and arcing under her ear, her tanner skin, her leaner, more muscled frame, her lighter hair—but something had changed in her eyes, too.

They looked harder, more guarded. She'd been through so much the past seven months, and it showed in her eyes. The gold flecks seemed more shattered, the browns brighter.

She shook herself, forcing her eyes away from the mirror. The bathroom hadn't changed, either, just as her room hadn't. It was exactly the same. It reminded her uncannily of when Grady and Edaline kept Jolie's room exactly the same for fifteen years, unable to bring themselves to change it.

Sophie gathered all the soaps and shampoos she needed for her shower, turning the water on and letting the rainbow-coloured streams warm up. She got in, closing her eyes and letting the currents wash her grogginess away.

The familiar scents of the soaps started bringing back even more memories in Sophie's mind. The first time she'd ever taken a shower at Havenfield, still shaken up by having to leave her parents, the shower she'd taken a cold shower after Eternalia had burned down, the times she'd rinsed herself off after a long day with Silveny or working with the animals. . .

Memories were a curious thing, she realized. They could hold so much sentimentality and so much worth yet cause so much pain at the same time. They could be used against someone to cut them to the core, or utilized in the right way to turn someone against their fundamental beliefs, like the Neverseen had done with her.

She almost wished there was a way to erase certain things from her mind without hurting herself—the things that caused the most pain, especially with her still mixed-up emotions.

Sophie finished her shower, drying herself off and digging through her closet for a while before finally settling on pants and a loose tunic.

She walked towards the door, planning on going downstairs for breakfast.

"Sophie?"

She jumped. Her head whipped towards the mirror—towards the sound of the familiar voice—

"Vertina?"

The procacious dark-haired mirror-girl crossed her arms in the corner of Sophie's mirror. "Where have you been?"

Sophie gave a small laugh. "It's a long story."

Vertina raised an eyebrow. "Mm-hmm. Well, wherever you've been, they obviously didn't have very good hair care. Yours looks like its been to Exile and back."

Sophie smiled at the tiny, dark-eyed spectral mirror, surprised to realize that she had actually missed her. "Maybe I'll see if Edaline can help me cut it," she said.

Vertina sniffed. "You better have her do it in front of me," she said before blinking away.

Sophie treaded downstairs, only partially surprised to find Grady and Edaline already awake and sitting at the table.

Their appearances definitely looked better. The bruises under Edaline's eyes looked lighter, both of their clothed less wrinkled. They looked fuller, healthier.

While they weren't fully back to normal, it was a start. A small sign that things could go back to the way they had been. . . before.

"Good morning, Sophie," Edaline remarked with a small smile as if she liked the sound of Sophie's name on her lips. "You're up early."

"Yeah," Sophie said, dropping into the empty chair. "I have a feeling it's going to be a while before my sleep schedule is back to normal."

Edaline traced the rim of her cup with a finger. "And what about. . . your school schedule?"

Sophie's jaw dropped, and she scowled. "You've got to be kidding me."

Grady smiled at her. "Sorry, kiddo, but you've already missed more than anyone else recorded in a long time. We're lucky they're not holding you back at all."

Sophie crossed her arms. "You already talked to them about it?" She sourly took a piece off the blueberry tart Edaline had baked for breakfast and put it in her mouth.

Grady and Edaline guiltily looked away. "Just Magnate Leto," Edaline said, attempting to make it better.

"In hindsight," Grady said, "maybe we should've waited a little longer before bringing it up."

"Maybe," Sophie agreed. But she wasn't that mad anymore. Maybe it was the fact that it was Grady and Edaline, or the fact that she was eating something homemade my her mom, or the fact that tings were starting to. . . resemble something of what they used to.

"We also talked to Magnate Leto about possible solutions for your emotions," Grady added. "We planned on having Livvy and Elwin take another look at you to see what they could find."

"I don't see how much help they will be, considering the problem is in my mind and emotional center."

Edaline shared look with Grady. "Yes. That's why we also thought it would be a good idea to have an Empath who is familiar with you along."

"Who?" Sophie asked.

"Keefe Sencen," Grady said.