Tainted Innocence [GxG]

Chapter 18

Sophia's POV

I look through my parents belongings as the memories fight to flood my mind. I try to push them back, wanting to reminisce on my parents' life, not their death.

Looking around the room, I try to distract myself from the dark thoughts that seem to come every time I'm away from Rowan.

Opening all the drawers in the room to get a better sense of what belonged to my parents, I open the one by their bed, only to find something I wouldn't expect.

I see a letter, addressed to me. Opening it quickly, tears blur my eyes as I try to read it. Finally able to focus on the words, I read the handwritten note.

Dear Sophia,

If you are reading this, you've either been snooping or we are dead. If we are dead, you have been exposed to the harsh realities of this world, and everything we did has been pointless.

Your mother and I met at a young age, but I wasn't able to help her sooner. She was being bullied, and it took a mental toll on her, causing awful nightmares and distrust in people. She didn't trust me at first, but soon, I showed her I meant no harm and we fell in love.

We decided that we wanted to protect our child from the dangers of society. We raised you alone, isolated, and taught you only what you needed to know to live your life with us. I wanted to protect you, like I should have been able to protect your mom. I didn't want you going through what she did, so we made our decision and raised you away from civilization.

Because of this, now that we are gone, you may have been exposed to many new people and experiences, and for that, I'm sorry. I hoped we could be with you for as long as possible, and maybe introduce you to the world slowly when you turned eighteen. We are sorry that not only have you lost us, but you have been thrown into a world that is completely new to you.

We wanted you to live the best life possible, and I hope you do. I hope you understand what we did. We only wanted to protect you.

Please, continue on with your life and know that we will forever be in your heart.

With love, Mom and Dad.

I didn't realize I was sobbing until my tears dripped onto the paper. Hearing a knock on the door, I try to let them know they can come in, but I can't breathe. I'm overwhelmed by what I just learned. Falling to my knees, I gasp for air, desperately wanting to be absolutely fine like how I used to before my parents died.

But was I really fine? I was drowning in loneliness, and my one friend was a dog who couldn't talk back. Turns out that running into Rowan as a dog will have forever changed my life.

I wasn't really fine, but I'm still not. But, I'm getting there, with Rowan's help.

The door bursts open and Rowan rapidly races to my side. She puts her hands on my face, getting me to face her. "Listen to my voice, focus on my breathing."

I try to listen to her, but all I can think about are my parents. If they were still alive, I'd be learning about the world in a controlled way, not thrown into the deep end without knowing how to swim.

But I also wouldn't be so close with Rowan. Rowan. She's my light at the end of this dark tunnel, and I focus on her right now, hoping she can lead me out of my spiralling thoughts.

Finally being able to breathe with her near me, I shakily hand her the note to read. She reads it quickly, before whispering, "Come here, kitten."

I dive into her embrace, sighing at the calmness that washes over me.

Rowan is my light, and because of her, I will never be left in the dark again.