"Lily?!"
Sofia shouted all of the sudden.

"What are you doing here? How did you get here? When did you come? Why are you here?"
Sofia kept asking incoherent questions.

"Calm down!"
Lily yelled.

"Calm down will you?"
Lily spoke softly this time.

She stepped forward and gave a warm hug to frozen Sofia.
Sofia's eyes became even more wide at this. She fisted her hands tightly on her sides.

"I was calling you from behind constantly but you were zoned out so I came from my roof to yours."
Sofia was stunned at Lily's explanation.

"What?"
Sofia asked stepping back a little.

"Umm yeah we are neighbors."
Lily scratched her head in embarrassment.

"Lily?!!!!"
This time both Lily's and Sofia's eyes widened someone from Lily's roof top was yelling her name.
Sofia grabbed her hand and pulled Lily towards the corner they won't be seen from the other roof.
Sofia's concentration was disturbed when she heard giggles.
She looked at her side to see a cute Lily giggling with red cheeks. She appeared so cute, so feminine and just amazing.

"What's so funny?"
Sofia asked.

"Us hiding together in our pajamas. What do we need more?"
Lily replied and that's when Sofia noticed hed attire tangled hair, creased clothes and puffy slippers.
Sofia giggled unintentionally.
Lily stopped giggling and looked at Sofia who had a small smile on her face.

"You have a pretty smile babygirl."
Lily spoke and Sofia stood up.

She couldn't understand why she hid? It was Lily who needed to hide not her.

"Lily?!"
Oscuro's voice reached their ears.

"What the hell are you doing there?" Oscuro asked in shock.

"I ..u...I"
Lily stammered.

"Why are there clouds over your heads?" Oscuro asked smirking.

"Were you guys up to something?"
Oscuro asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"No!"
Sofia and Lily spoke together.

"Oh... I see~"
Oscuro being a menace was enjoying their guilty eyes.

"I was calling her but she didn't respond and I couldn't keep the excitement that we are neighbors so I jumped onto her rooftop but you got there and started to shout like a mad man so I hid."
Lily replied with red cheeks.

Sofia looked at her and tried to control her shivering hands.
Oscuro was having fun teasing his cousin. He came to Sofia's roof top as well.

"I don't think uncle will like it when his daughter is jumping to other roofs at 5 am when he is deep asleep. Also your mother will be interested to know the details before you get whopped up."
Oscuro spoke wiggling his eyebrows and coming towards both of them.

"It's not like I jumped to this roof to meet my 'boyfriend' dear cousin."
Lily was herself a tease.

Lily and Oscuro were bickering when Lily saw Sofia's shivering hands.

"Sofia what happened?"
Lily tried to hold her hands but Sofia wasn't in the condition to do so. Oscuro also got worried.

"Hey it was just a joke. I won't tell anyone." Oscuro thought he scared her.

"No..I..it's not.... because of....that....I am just a little cold."
Sofia cursed at herself for stuttering.

"Um... Lily will you meet me at the same cafe after school?"
Sofia asked this time with less stuttering.

"Yeah sure."
Lily replied and Sofia walked towards the stairs.

Both cousins got the hint and walked back towards their own roof top.
The sun was shining in the sky witnessing many beginnings.
As Sofia walked back to her room. Her shivering got even worse. She had severe anxiety. Even normal situations scared her. She never got it tested but she knew she had anxiety. She tried to get normal thinking positive, drinking water, breathing slowly and deeply nothing worked. She saw the last donut that was placed in the box. Without thinking twice she ate it. Slowly she started to feel better. Among all the perspectives she hid in herself, her most vulnerable side got attracted to Lily, it liked Lily and accepted her. Sofia didn't think much about this and started to get ready for school. She saw her old tacky bag pack was replaced by a brand new beautiful bag pack. She sighed and took it. After discarding the empty box of donuts she kept the paper bag and folded it carefully.
She smiled a little and placed it in her cupboard.

She heard her mother's giggles again but ignoring them was a daily ritual got her so she did it and walked away. She came out of the small gate and locked it. She saw the word Reyes written beautifully on the main entrance gate of the mansion. Her hands fisted again. She was the heir the only heir of Reyes and this is how she is?
Guilt was the smaller word for what she felt at that particular moment.
She started to walk towards school again. She was walking when she saw Lily  and a guy wearing their school uniform walking a little distance from her. She ignored her and stopped for a few minutes when the distance between them increased and she started to walk again. She assumed the guy must be Oscuro. They suited each other Sofia thought to herself and kept walking.

*At The School*

Layla was already there as usual. Sofia sat by her side. She saw how Lily waved at her to which she replied with a simple smile. 

"Good morning Layla."
Sofia spoke placing her bag pack on the floor as usual.

"Hmm.."
Layla replied.

"You and Evelyn forgot to tell me about the hangout?"
Sofia asked slowly looking at her friend's face.

"Ah about that yeah!"
Layla replied looking away from her.

Something bitter stirred up in Sofia's heart. The pinch she felt in her heart was so strong that she got lost into her mind again.
The day was going even slower than usual. Or maybe when heart is in pain then hour hand of clock also starts to test your patience. Sofia felt the same.
Lily was seated next to her table.

"Pss...."
She tried to get her attention.

"Sofia?????"
She whispered her name this time. But Sofia was lost into her mind. Lily pinched Sofia's thigh as soon as the teacher turned around.

"Ah!"
Sofia yelped but controlled herself.

"What?"
She asked being pissed with a frown on her forehead.

"This!!"
Lily passed a note to Sofia.
Sofia placed the note on her lap so the teacher won't see her.

'Isn't this lecture too boring to handle?' Sofia giggled silently.

"Stupid!"
She whisper yelled at Lily.
They laughed silently.

"Can you shut up?"
Layla snarled.

"I am sorry."
Sofia just looked at the board in boredom getting in her thoughts again.

Lily tried to get Sofia's attention but to no avail Sofia was so into her thoughts that she didn't move her eyes even a bit.
The lecture ended but Sofia's eyes were stuck at the same spot.

"Sofia!!!"
Lily shook her violently.

"Hi!"
Sofia spoke.

"Hi?"
Lily scoffed still holding Sofia by her shoulders

"What happened? Where are you lost?" She asked worriedly.

"Lost? I am just here."
Sofia replied holding her hands together tightly.

"Babe you are here but where was your mind?"
Lily asked softly.

"I am sure you aren't deaf or something Lia!"
Layla spoke with the most annoying smile lingering on her lips.

"Lia? My name is actually Lily."
Lily thought she mistakenly called her by the wrong name.

"I know your name is Lily. But unlike you Lia my ears work perfectly fine."
Layla replied tilting her head a little and with her elbow on the table she was rolling a pencil in her hand.

"What is that supposed to mean?"
Lily now stood firm on her ground.

"Lia was a character in the movie I watched yesterday with my friend and guess what she was as annoying as you are. She was also deaf."
Layla spoke with a chuckle that caused all her hair to fall into one direction. 

"Are you in your senses what nonsense are you ranting?"
Lily was getting furious at this rate.

"Wait you aren't deaf? So why can't you listen that Sofia said she is alright?"
Layla was standing in front of Sofia with a proud smirk.

"There the door. You can leave."
Layla replied before turning to the other side.

"Huh? Delusional enough to think this school is your property where you can show people the door to leave."
Lily scoffed.

"I would rather drown you than to talk to you. So bye."
With that Layla left the class room.

"What's with her?"
Lily was pissed she kept looking at the door.

"I am sorry Lily. But -"
Sofia tried to explain but Lily cut her off in the middle.

"You can keep that explanation for another time. I just wanted to ask, are you coming to the party on Saturday or not?"
Lily asked and crossed her arms.

"Um...I will think about it."
Sofia replied.

"No you are coming because outsiders are also allowed."
Lily responded and stared at Sofia keenly.

"Ok. I will think about it."
And with that Sofia almost ran out of the class room.

Lily felt a little pain in her heart.
Sofia started to run fast to reach Layla.
What if she got hurt by Lily's behavior because of her.
The chain of her thoughts got interrupted when she tripped and fell down.

"Ahhh!!!!-"
her ankle got twisted quite bad.

"Watch where you are going!"
A male voice yelled behind her.

"I..I am sorry."
Sofia spoke trying to suppress her tears.

"Sofia?!"
The person spoke loudly.

Sofia's hands started to shiver thinking someone saw her tripping over something.
Before she could try to run away. A person came in her view.
It was Lily's cousin.

"It's really you! Are you okay?"
He asked so softly that Sofia got tears in her eyes.

"I...I slipped."
Sofia explained without even being asked to do so.

"It's okay we fall that's fine I slip as well." He smiled and helped her up.

"Let's go to the dispensary."
He spoke softly.

"No...I can't."
She replied in a scared voice.

"Why?"
He asked gently.

"I am really fine."
Sofia tried to get away.

"And I said let's go to the dispensary."
He spoke and without even listening to her tantrum he took her to dispensary.
The usual male nurse was sitting there.

"What happened?"
He asked professionally as always.

"She tripped and fell her pants have blood can you check her please?"
Oscuro spoke still giving support to Sofia he could feel her shivering.

"It's okay."
He whispered.

"Your name my dear."
The nurse asked Oscuro.

"Oscuro Gracia. Her name is Sofia Reyes."
Oscuro replied sitting down.

"You wait here I will treat her."
The nurse assured Oscuro and walked away.

Oscuro was feeling something unsettling. He walked towards the bed where Sofia was laying down. He heard her whimpers. He pushed back the curtain to see the nurse smirking. Oscuro was confused. He was holding Sofia's leg unnecessarily tightly.

"Oh no Sofia dad is getting mad knowing I took you to the dispensary instead of home. He has already called the doctor. If he sees the bandage then I might get one as well."
Oscuro laughed.

Sofia didn't understand a thing. Oscuro removed the nurse's hand from her leg and made her stand.

"Sorry John, brother gotta take her home." Oscuro looked dead serious in his eyes and took a half day leave for both of them.

"Wait here I will bring your stuff. What does your bag look like?"
Sofia told him the appearance of her bag. After making Sofia sit in the office he went to Sofia's class. A whimper left Sofia's lips along with a sniff.

*In The Classroom*

*Layla's pov*

So this idiot not only caused a mess in the class but also dare to leave me alone without any notice. That Lily and Sofia both are missing. They must be badmouthing about me somewhere.
I was in my own thoughts when I saw a fine student standing near the front bench and talking to our class monitor Susan. Wait why is she pointing at me? Wait wait woah why is he walking towards me. Don't tell me I am his crush or something. Gosh he is smoking hot.

*End of Layla's pov*

"Hey!"
Oscuro greeted Layla.

"Hi! How can I help you?"
Layla spoke with a wide smile on her face.

"Is this Sofia's seat?"
Oscuro asked pointing at the empty bench.

"Huh?"
Layla was shocked to her core.

"Sofia Reyes is this her seat?"
He repeated his question.

"Um..yeah yeah."
Layla replied.

Oscuro took her neatly packed bag and walked out of the class room.

"What the hell!" Layla punched her own table in anger and dialed Evelyn's number.

Oscuro looked at the brand new bag. It was heavy. He always thought girls carry light weight bags. Was he wrong or was something wrong with this specific female? He just shrugged his shoulders and walked towards the office to fetch Sofia.

"Your bag."
He forwarded her bag. Sofia grabbed her bag and tried to stand.

"Wait. Silly me you twisted your ankle and here I made you carry more weight." Oscuro spoke and took her bag from her again.

With little support Sofia was able to walk towards the cab that Oscuro ordered.
They both sat in the cab and drove off.
The cab wasn't going towards either Sofia's or Lily's place it was going somewhere else.

"Os..os...Mr. Where are we going?"
Sofia asked, holding the door of the car.

"Pharmacy."
Oscuro replied and at that moment the cab halted in front of a small pharmacy.

He took Sofia inside and the pharmacist gave her the required first aid. Oscuro took her to the cab again when he remembered something and kept standing outside.

"I will be right back."
Oscuro spoke and left the car.

Sofia was tensed by getting left alone with the driver. Sofia's hands were shaking. She was feeling severe palpitations within her body. Her anxiety was rising every passing second. Her breathing rate started to get irregular.

"Mam?"
The cab driver asked Sofia, looking at her sweating profusely.

"Is this man threatening you or something?"
The driver asked again.

"I ... I am... Fine!"
Sofia spoke looking away from the driver.

"It's okay I can -"
The driver tried to make her speak.

"I said I am fine!"
Sofia yelled at the driver.

Now her while body started to shake.
Thankfully Oscuro returned back.

"What happened to you Sofia?"
Oscuro asked looking at her who was shaking badly.

"Hey? What happened to her?!"
Oscuro snarled at the driver who looked at him and replied.

"I don't know." 
The driver replied hurriedly.

"You better not if I get to know you dared to do something then your job is good as gone!"
Oscuro threatened him.

"I swear I didn't -"
The driver tried to defend himself when Oscuro stopped him.

"Save it to yourself and drive!"
He growled at low pace and looked at her who had turned white from fear.

"We are here Sir!"
The driver spoke obediently.

Oscuro got out of the cab and walked to Sofia's side. Before he could open the door for her driver came out and spoke.

"Sir she was shivering and hyperventilating so I thought maybe you kidnapped her or something that's why I only asked her if she was fine. That's all I swear I did nothing. There is a camera in my cab you can see the footage yourself."
The driver explained nonetheless.

"It's okay."
Oscuro spoke and patted his shoulder.

He gave his ride 5 stars in front of the driver so he could breath in peace and opened the door for Sofia. He took her to a park.

"Why are we here?"
Sofia asked slowly.

"Your parents might get tensed if they see you like this so I took you here."
Oscuro replied and took her towards a bench placed under the shade of tree.

Sofia didn't reply to him.He took out a box of pills and took out a pill.

"Here."
He handed her the pill and water bottle.
She took the pill and gave him the bottle back.

"How long has it been?"
Oscuro asked slowly.

"What?"
Sofia kept looking at a distant tree. Her leg and ankle were bandaged.

"Harassment."
Oscuro spoke a bit firmly.

"I was sitting just a few feet's away from you and you let that piece of trash harass you? Why didn't you call for me?"
He asked slowly.

"Why will you come to save me?"
Sofia's voice was distorted which made him realize she was in tears.

"Because it was my responsibility. I took you to the dispensary."
Oscuro made an excuse.

"I tried to stop you but you didn't listen."

"I am sorry."
He was feeling guilty.

"But you haven't replied to me since when is this going because he was too easy with you for a person doing that for the first time."
Oscuro stated he wasn't in the mood to get distracted.

The man was adamant on getting answers and won't leave without it. Sofia was holding all this for so long finally there was someone interested to know her story. So her guard was let down itself and she started to speak in trans.

"It all started a year ago. When I felt my heartbeat getting very fast I was feeling something so strange. Teacher made me go there with my friend Evelyn. Evelyn is a flirt. She starts to flirt with literally anyone for bare minimum benefits. She used to flirt with him so he can help her bunk. He thought of me as the same person. And that day when Evelyn was mad at him for some reason he tried to take it out on me by harassing me. I was in luck so another student came in time and I was saved. But whenever he saw me he would give me the look that always made me feel sacred as if something was crawling on my skin. He knew he succeeded in tormenting me and he took its advantage as much as he could."
Sofia's tears were rolling down her chin now.

"Why? Why did you stay silent?"
Oscuro was shocked to know that Sofia had been suffering like this for a freaking year! 

"There wasn't anyone who would have helped me. I had no choice."
Sofia replied.

Her heartbeat and breathing rates were normal. She felt light headed.
Surely it was the effect of pill that made her spill out the truth. Otherwise she was a hard nut to crack.

"Why do I feel so good all of the sudden?" Sofia asked slowly.

I gave you an anti anxiety pill.

"What?"
Sofia couldn't understand what he was saying because she was getting drowsy.

*Earlier*

"I will be right back."
Oscuro spoke and left the car.

Oscuro went back to the pharmacist and explained Sofia's shivering condition to the pharmacist who diagnosed it as an anxiety and gave Oscuro an anti anxiety pill.

"Give this one pill to her. And make sure she visits a doctor to get a prescription."
The pharmacist said strictly and went back to his work.

*Back to the present, In the cafe*

It was 2 hours later the off time Lily was waiting for Sofia who never showed up. Sofia had asked her to visit that cafe with her this morning only. Lily was worried for her when she saw Sofia missing after the break but when she asked the office staff member she came to know Sofia had taken a half day day leave.

"Seems like she didn't even bother to tell you that she was going on a romantic date with her boyfriend. And here you were sticking your nose to where it didn't belong to L.I.A!"
Layla mocked Lily when they were walking towards the main entrance at the off time. Lily remembered it while waiting for Sofia.

But even after waiting for 2 hrs Sofia still didn't arrive Lily got up and left the cafe with a bitter feeling of anger.

*At Lily's place*

"Ugh.."
Sofia rubbed her eyes.

"Where am I?"

"At Scott's residence."
A firm voice was heard.

Sofia's heart dropped and she looked up to see Oscuro controlling his laugh.

"Yeah you are at Lily Scott's house."
He spoke again.

"Why?"
Sofia asked sitting on the same couch in which she was placed when she fainted.

"Because you weren't in a condition to be sent home."
Oscuro shrugged his shoulders. He was no longer in his uniform. He was wearing his sweats.

"I am home!"
Lily's voice could be heard from the entrance. Sofia's throat dried when she remembered that she was supposed to be at the cafe with Lily.
"Hey Lily!"
Oscuro waved at her when she entered.

"Hey- Sofia?"
Lily was stunned to see Sofia at her place.
"I am so-"
Sofia was about to apologize when Lily rushed to her.

"What the hell happened to you?"
Lily was worried about Sofia.

"I...I."
Sofia couldn't form the words. She didn't expect this reaction from someone.

"She fell from the stairs."
Oscuro replied.

"That lowly! She told me that you went on a date with your boyfriend."
Lily spoke out in frustration.

"Who said that?"
Sofia asked.

"Layla!"
Lily replied checking Sofia's bandage.

"How did you slip? Don't tell me!"
Lily glared at Sofia.

"Oscuro! Leave us alone."
Lily spoke in anger glaring at Sofia. He simply walked away.

"How the hell? How the hell you fell down the stairs? Was it during the break?"
Lily asked in a serious tone.

"That's none of your concern!"
Sofia yelled.

"I am sorry! I am sorry I couldn't make it to the cafe I will surely reschedule it. And make it up to you later."
Sofia spoke and grabbed her bag before walking out of the house.

"Sofia! Sofia wait!"
Lily yelled but Sofia held her hand in the hair and walked out limping.

"Lily don't!"
Oscuro stopped her before she could follow Sofia.

"You shouldn't have to be harsh with her." Oscuro spoke looking sad for whatever happened.

"Care to explain why she is at my place." Lily asked looking at him who was still looking at the gate. Oscuro tore his gaze from the gate and walked towards Lily's room.

"Come and you will get to know."
He spoke.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Hope you all liked the episode. 💫
Don't forget to vote and share your thoughts.
Thanks for reading 🫂