Sophia woke up slowly, her body rising from the bed like a flower growing in spring. She stretches her limbs and yawns, not bothering to run her fingers through her surely tangled brown hair. The bed sheets fall away from her body as she sets her feet on the cool wooden floor of her room. Two days since her panic attack and she’s finally back to normal-well as normal as Sophia gets. She walks outside her bedroom and to the bathroom. Turning on the light she sighs, noticing the mirror is covered with a towel.
“I thought you were doing better.” Sophia mumbles, ripping the towel off the only mirror in the entire apartment. Sophia leans over the edge of the sink to get a closer look at her pale face, her blue eyes looking back at her as if to say ‘I’m watching you’. She shudders, then presses her eyes closed, maybe covering the mirror isn’t such a bad idea after all. She shakes that thought away and turns on the hot water for the shower. The steam from the shower overflows into the bathroom as Sophia strips from her pajamas. The mirror fogs at the edge and Sophia glances at her bare reflection once more before stepping under the warm water. The water burns for a moment, before relaxing her muscles. Warm showers are her second favorite kind of therapy, the first being her actual therapy with Alec Parkin. Sophia and her therapist are on a first name basis, its one of the few comforts she gets from the weekly sessions.
After she washes her hair and the hot water turns cold the warm air isn’t enough to blanket her, so she opts for a towel to warm her. Quickly she rubs the fog off the mirror and looks into it, checking over her shoulders for anything, or anyone. This is just another habit, one her therapist is trying to get her to stop doing. Alec tells her to stop being so paranoid, she is safe now, especially in this apartment. It was picked out specifically for the security, there are no stairs to the windows, no ladders, which of course means no easy fire escape, but also means no one knocking on your window at four in the morning ready to- stop. Sophia shakes the thought from her head, no use in torturing herself over tragedies. She backs out of the bathroom and walks calmly to her room, Katha waiting in the hall for her turn.
Katha immediately notices the uncovered mirror and her breath catches in her throat. She knows that Sophia didn’t mean for this to scare her, but to help her get over the fear, but honestly today is not her day. Katha closes her eyes, already knowing exactly where everything is in the bathroom. She turns on the faucet and lets the cool water run over her fingers, then washes the sticky jam from her fingers. Back in the kitchen a jar full of jam collects on the floor, glass shards await unknowing feet. On the counter Katha’s weakness rests, a metal spoon, reflective. It didn’t matter what she saw, but the fear struck her like a knife. She dried her hands quickly, daring to look up at the mirror. One second is all she last, the presses her eyes closed and leaves the room, careful to shut the door behind her. When she looks up Sophia is there, mouthing to her, Katha hears nothing, she gave up expecting to a long time ago.
“-Therapy.” Katha motions to Sophia to repeat what she said. “Today we are scheduled for therapy. As we are every week.” But for both girls the weekly visit couldn’t come soon enough. It’s like a drug that they can’t live without. Sophia is dress and ready to go, an hour early, while Katha stands before her, jam smeared on her pants. Sophia finally notices, then cautiously walks into the kitchen where the mess is found. The glass shards are there, covered in red jam, too think to be blood, and yet her mind wanders to the possibilities. She shakes the thought from her head and starts to clean up the jam jar, one piece of glass at a time. Katha watches, hoping Sophia doesn’t notice the spoon, it’s on the table, and Katha can’t help the crawling feeling on her skin, fingertips traipsing across her neck, falling down her arms. She shivers, pressing her eyes closed, blocking out the memories.
“Katha, what happened?” Sophia asks, but Katha isn’t looking to read her lips, trapped in her mind. “Katha.” Sophia says louder, waving her hands to snap her out of it. Katha returns to her senses, but doesn’t respond to Sophia. Katha leaves the room to change into clothes unaffected by the episode this morning. Sophia knows that things are bad for both of them, but they should be getting better, at least she hopes.
Noon can’t come soon enough for the girls as they walk into the calm colored office building, soft music plays in the lobby as both girls check their surroundings, aware of everyone. Sophia follows behind Katha, watching her short red hair bounce with each step she takes. The receptionist looks up at her smiling.
“Do you have an appointment?” Katha nods, and Sophia takes over.
“Katha Stevenson, and Sophia Marsh.” She introduces, the receptionist is new, her eyes are brighter than the last lady’s.
“Dr. Parkin and Dr. Green will be with you two in a few minutes, feel free to have a seat in the waiting room.” She waves them over to the familiar seating arrangement and they take their usual seats in the corner where they can both see everything and everyone, without being vulnerable out in the open. Sophia’s music overpowers the music playing in the room and she taps her foot on the floor anxiously instead of to the beat of the song. Her fingers shake subtly, just enough for Katha to nitoce, but not Dr. Parkin when he walks into the waiting room. Sophia tenses up, her foot tapping up and down faster as he approaches, she trusts him not to hurt her, but her body reacts anyways when he holds out his hand to help her up from the seat. She flinches, her eyes flashing closed, then opening in realization she is safe with him. This happens every single time.
“Much better.” He says as she grasps his calm hand with her shaky one. “You didn’t fight it that much this week.” He nods in approval and walks her back to the room, nodding to Katha as they leave her behind. Sophia bites her lip as he closes the door behind them, trapping her alone in the room with him.
HEY! What's up? Long time no see. Jk it's only been a week, but I'm here now, with a new update! Only a few more chapters until the guys are revealed, so again I'll ask you to comment on who you want to be the main guy (Zayn, Louis, Niall, Harry, Liam)
So far Harry is in the lead, and you can comment a name more than once, as long a they are on different chapters, so get voting!
Thanks for reading!
P.S. I'm so ready to start editing this because so far this need editing, and a ton. So if anyone wants to shadow read, and help edit that would be awesome.
