Until My Last Breath

Chapter 1

As the rain falls down Sophia's window the tears fall from her eyes. It's been almost a year, she should be over this already. But, she wasn't. How could she? He's everything she ever wanted. Everything. People would come and see her about twice a week, trying their best to understand, but everyone knew that they couldn't. She sat down in front of the window in a chair that was old and that she would sit in when she was just a child, she was wearing a sweatshirt that belongs to him and stared out the window. Then, as one more tear fell down her face, she closed her eyes. As the memory flooded her brain, the story that was told just like a movie, began.
                                              ••

   It was the summer of 2018, Sophia had just gotten her first official job and was really excited to go. She had gotten a job at her favorite book store, Adventures On Paper. She came in early to help open and do anything she needed to do to help her coworkers set up. She was checking out a middle-aged woman buying her favorite book, "The Fault In Our Stars".
"You picked a good one." Sophia said, scanning the bar code on the back of the book.
"Oh, well, it's not really for me. More so of my daughter. But that's good to hear, thank you." The lady politely smiled and walked out of the front door. The next customer, a boy, the same age as Sophia has walked up to the check out counter. Coincidentally with her second favorite book, "Snow Falling" by Jane Gloriana Villanueva.
"This is my favorite book." She said with amusement in her voice.
"Really? I just read the back of it and found it interesting. Is it any good?"
"Only one of the best. You don't know where this book is from?" Sophia said almost in disbelief.
"No ma'am." Said the stranger.
"Why don't you go sit in the café until my break is over, I'll tell you all about it." She said. The tall, young stranger did exactly as she said. He waited for about 15 more minutes until he saw her walk over to a table in the middle of the café watching her sit down right across from him.
"Now," she said "You can't read this book until you know where it comes from."
"Well please educate me." He said with a flirtatious smile.
"My favorite telenovela, Jane The Virgin..." She went on a explaining the plot of the show. Told him how this was the novel she wrote in the show and how she had to get it as soon as she knew it was an actual book and how much it was worth it.
"I really hope you enjoy it..." she paused, not knowing his name.
"Noah."
"Noah." She said and smiled.
"Well maybe I'll see you around here Noah." She got up and started to walk away from the table. But not until he said "Maybe you will."
•••
Sophia walked into her house and set her keys on the side table. Walking into her room and getting her shoes off of her achey feet as soon as possible. She laid down and as soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep. Until she woke up to a loud bang across the house. Wearily, she checked the time on her phone that said 1:30 am. She cautiously stood up from her bed and walked out into the living room, only to find her father passed out face down on the couch, and her mother, hunched over in the corner with blood running down her lip.
"I'm so sorry baby" her mother said, but honestly, Sophia didn't know if she was apologizing to her, or to her father. Sadly, this is an often reoccurrence of her parents' behavior. Sophia has been working since she was 14 when she had to start fending for herself because her dad was either too drunk to notice or her mom was too injured to do anything. She had to survive. Sophia began to speak
"Mom, you need to get out of here."
"I-I can't" Sophia's mother, Jenny said shaken.
"Why not?"
"I can't leave you with him." She responded.
"Mom, while that is true, I'm going to be 18 in 2 months, I've been saving every penny i make at that store, I have since i was 14. Im going to move out as soon as it's legal, but you...you need to leave him."
"I...I can't!" She hush screams.
"But why?"
"Because....what if no one else loves me?"
"Mom...you know that's not true, there's so much to love about you." While Sophia knew that her mother took these words very lightly, she figured she would try as hard as she could.
"Well thank you honey, but we'll see how this turns out." Her mother got up and patted her on the shoulder.
"Well, please just think about it"
"I will."
Sophia went back to her room and began to pray. She was on her knees in tears begging God to take her mother out of this situation. She knew it's not good for her at all. She falls asleep with tears stained on her cheeks.
•••
Sophia was woken up by the light shining through her window. She checked the time again, 8:30 am. She had to be at work in an hour. She didn't really want to go at all, but she had to have somewhere to escape her reality. She keeps telling herself "only a few more months, then you're out of here" . She gets up and puts on her uniform with her slightly dirty name tag hanging around her neck. She fixes her makeup enough to hide her red face from crying. She's gotten good at that, hiding. She walks out of her room quietly, not knowing if anyone was awake, hoping not to wake them up if they were asleep, but also trying to sneak out quickly if they were awake. Tip toeing throughout the house, she grabbed a bagel from the kitchen along with a big travel cup of coffee. She carefully walked out of the house without leaving a trace. Not that either of her parents would really notice, but she attempted anyway. She pulled up to her work early, 45 minutes to be exact. She ate her breakfast by herself, with the car off because the more you leave it running, the more gas that you need, and the more gas you need, the more money you'll spend. And she couldn't afford to do that, especially since she'll be moving out in a few months. After she finishes her breakfast she walked inside the store and saw him sitting at that same table they had met at the day before.