Dear Diary

Chapter 45

Sophia sighed as she collapsed onto the leather couch in her living-room. The day had been a spin-top for her. When Sophia arrived at the group's spot under the trees with Mindy, the rest of the girls had not even been surprised to see her.

But the challenge for Sophia had been forcing her to eat a sandwich, apple and a small dessert. Sophia knew she was anorexic, a bulimic person didn't lose weight the same way: Mindy was a skeleton. Sophia had refused to let Mindy go anywhere until she had finished every crumb and it was half way into the history lesson when they finally arrived at class.

Sophia had told the forever-grumpy Mr Evans that Mindy wasn't feeling well at break. The lie was made believable as Mindy did look a little green due to eating an amount of food sitting in her belly. 

Mr Evans eventually let them off with a warning and they made their way to their desks. Sophia closed herself off to Luke when he tried to ask her questions on what really happened and didn't reply to him. The whole school knew that Sophia wasn't someone to help any random person who felt ill, so there was definitely a story behind it. 

He eventually took the hint.

Sophia took a sip from her coffee as she began scrolling through her phone contacts. She stopped when she found the correct one. General Smith: the man who had taught Sophia how to fight and, for a while, she considered him more of a father than her own biological one.

She tapped the call button and brought the phone to her ear. She waited a few rings before she heard it get accepted. 

"Hello?" a deep voice asked and Sophia instantly smiled. 

She hadn't realised how much she missed that voice.

"Hey, General Smith. It's Sophia, General-"

"Sophia?" the man's voice asked surprised, cutting her off as she was about to say her father's surname. "Is ... Is it really you?"

"Yes, sir," Sophia said and the smile on her face was evident in her voice.

"Ah, my girl, it's been so long since you've last called! How's it going? Where are you at the moment? How's your old man?" the voice asked excitedly.

"I'm doing fine, sir. I'm currently located in a small town in Connecticut and as for my father ..." Sophia paused. "He's the same as ever."

"Oh, things still not improved, eh?" the excited voice turned grim.

"Yeah," Sophia sighed. 

He was the only person who knew exactly how her relationship was with her father. Not even her Aunt Tess knew the full extent to their relationship. 

When Sophia was too young to stay by herself, her father would take her to the base and General Smith had seen the coldness that her father held towards her. He took pity on the small eight-year-old and began to talk to her. Next thing he was teaching her how to fight and bonding with her as though she was his own daughter. 

When Sophia left him, it broke her heart that she swore never to get attached to anyone again. She didn't speak to anyone after that and when she was finally given a phone five years later, she made a point of finding his number and contacting him. He was the only one who understood her, which was also why she tried so hard to keep in touch with him.

"So, what can I do for you?" General Smith asked with a significantly brighter voice after a moment.

Sophia leaned back in her seat. "Well, now that you mention it, I do have a favour to ask..."

-

When Sophia woke up the next morning, she groaned when she heard the pouring rain against her bedroom window. Normally she would ride her bike in the wet weather, but not when it was coming down in torrents. That was just being stupid.