Finally Free

01

S O P H I A | first kiss

3 years ago...

"Oh my god girl that is totally cute." Nina exclaims getting out of the car. I showed her the pastel pink dress I bought over the weekend. "I know, I'm going to wear it to Liam's party tomorrow." I force a smile. Tomorrow is my least favorite day of the year. My brother Liam's 16th birthday.

The day that I don't exist. Since Liam is very obviously the favorite, our parents ignore Paige and I and focus all their attention on the golden boy.

Bella and Nina seem to notice but they don't comment on it. I wave hello to Irving, the doorman and we go up to the top floor into my family's penthouse.

I open the door and see Liam and his best friend Owen playing video games on our plush couch. "Hey Soph." Liam says, not looking away from the TV. "Hey Sophie. How was school?" Owen, Liam's best friend asks and actually looks at me. I've had a crush on him for a long time. Ever since I was 8 years old. "It was okay, I hate Algebra though."

"Well, I can totally help you if you need it." He winks and Liam rolls his eyes. "Dude stop flirting with my sister, she's 14." He lightly smacks him on the arm. I feel a blush creeping up my face.

I roll my eyes and Nina and Bella join me in the kitchen. "Owen totally has a crush on you. It's so obvious." Bella gushes and goes into our fridge, pulling out a slice of leftover pizza.

Suddenly the door slams open. Paige is in tears. "What happened?" I ask, pulling her in for a hug. "Patrick Davis called me fat and ugly today." She sobs. "Who? I'll kill him." Liam exclaims, pausing the game. We try to console her but nothing seems to be working, I look at Liam and we both know that if she keeps going like this she'll spiral into an asthma attack.

"Paige just breathe, you know that this isn't true." Liam says.

"Plus he's a 10 year old boy, he's full of shit." I joke in an attempt to cheer her up.

"Shush Soph." Liam flicks my head which prompts me to slap him back.

"I hate boys." She sniffles. I let out a laugh, "Me too."

"Hey we're not all bad." Owen says defensively. "Yeah you are." Nina and Bella say in unison.

The next day at school I was putting away my books in my lockers when Nina came sprinting up to me, out of breath. "Fight. Owen. Come." She manages to get out through multiple gasps for air.

My eyes widen in shock before she pulls me along with her. There is a large crowd yelling at something in particular in the quad. I'm able to push through the people yelling and I see Owen beating the shit out of James Moore. What the hell? James is just a quiet, nerdy kid who probably did nothing wrong.

My mouth falls open and I'm frozen. I know that Owen has anger issues but he's never taken it out on anyone physically. What's gotten into him? Just as he's about to punch again he looks up and our eyes meet. His eyes soften and he realizes what he's done.

Liam finally manages to pull Owen away, "Are you insane?" Liam yells at his best friend. Liam and Owen are exact opposites. Liam is a dork, while Owen is the star football player.

The principal struts over with a few teachers. "Mr. Harris, my office now."

Owen looks like he could care less about what the principal is saying, instead he keeps his eyes trained on me. I see his hand move out towards me but I'm too upset to talk to him. I stormed out of there. God how could he be so reckless? He could get expelled.

Liam spent the rest of the day ranting about Owen's stupidity. He doesn't even know why he did it. "If you ask me, it's his parents fault." My mom says at dinner. Owen's parents are going through a nasty divorce right now and don't really talk to him.

They never cared for him much in the first place which is why he's always at our place. He spends every hour of every weekend here and eats dinner here every night.

"God he was so out of control." Liam sighs, shaking his head. "Why did he do it?" I suddenly ask.

"I don't know but he had been in a particularly bad mood all day and then James bumped into him and he just snapped. It was like someone flipped on an anger switch. He just went batshit crazy."

"Language." My dad scolds, covering Paige's 9 year old ears. Which makes her giggle. Liam spent the rest of dinner talking in a huff. It was really odd. I'm just worried about Owen because he's really been struggling.

"Happy Birthday baby boy." My mom exclaimed, planting a kiss on Liam's cheeks. He tries to shrug her off but she keeps her arms firmly around his lanky body. "Mom haven't you heard, Liam's a man now. He's too old for kisses." Paige jokes sarcastically. 

The guests started arriving at the most boring party in the world. I just hung around Nina and Bella, talking in the corner. I made awkward eye contact with Owen a few times. Every time a guilty look was etched on his face. He got suspended for a week and detention for a month. I was still pissed at him for beating poor James up.

"I'm going to go get some drinks, do you guys want anything?" I ask them, very bored. "Coke. With vodka." Nina whispers the last part and I roll my eyes. This party is just Liam's friends and our parents friends. It's more like a dinner party if you ask me.

"Hey can we talk." I hear his voice behind me just as I was about to grab a can. "I'm busy Owen."

"Please Sophie." My heart melted at the nickname that only he uses. "Fine." I heave a sigh. He grabs my hand and brings me out to the balcony. "I'm so sorry." For the first time Owen looks nervous. "What the hell happened?" Is all I can say.

"I don't know, I was having a shitty day and-"

"A shitty day? That doesn't excuse how you acted. You beat the shit out of James." I snap, growing frustrated. "I know and I feel horrible." That's all he can say?

"This isn't going anywhere Owen, I have to get back to the party."

As I turn back he stops me, grabbing my arm. "Look Sophie, I know I can't make up for what I did but I just want you to forgive me." He smiles sheepishly. "Why do you care so much about what I think?"

He shoves his hands into his pocket and shrugs. "Because."

Then he looks conflicted, like he's considering something. "Oh fuck it."

He grabs my face and plants a soft gentle kiss on my lips. All I feel is pure bliss. I forget everything that just happened, why I'm mad at him. What he did. Owen Harris, my lifelong crush.

Was my first kiss.

But little did I know that this kiss would be my downfall.

That kiss fueled my growing attachment to him. I was so in love with him, but deep down I knew he wasn't in love with me. He never asked me out, he never kissed me again. My heart would break every time I saw him with a girl in our house. I shed too many tears. For two more years I would blindly follow his every move up until I was 16.

I really wish I hadn't.

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Author's Note:

Welcome to the first chapter. This is a little background on Sophia. You have no idea how excited I am for this story. The next chapter will be from Carter's pov.

Get ready for their story.

Can we get some votes and comments please?

It's greatly appreciated.

Xoxo,

Lulu