Recap:

After a few moments of silence had passed, he said something. "And Sophie?"

"Yes, Troy?"

"Why were you mad at me?"

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Sophie's Pov ~

As soon as he asked that question, my smile disappeared, and I looked at the ground. I was clearly uncomfortable with the situation...

"Sophie," he repeated.

"Yeah, I heard you the first time," I told him. "I have to go." Without even looking back, I headed out Troy's bedroom and downstairs. I made my way through the the front door.

Hmm, where should I go? I thought to myself. An idea popped in my head. I'll go to Mrs. Laura's flower garden.

The garden was very beautiful, but over-sized. Even though it was in the park, Mrs. Laura still owned it. The whole garden was located in the woods. Entering the woods, I saw a brick path so I decided to follow it. I've never actually been to this garden before, but Mrs. Laura has told me about it.

As I walked down the pathway, I heard something that sounded kind of like....rushing water? I picked up my pace, eager to find out what the noise was.

There was a beautiful creek that flowed right in front of me. The creek wasn't wide at all, and I doubt it was very deep. The current was moving slow and created a peaceful sound. The pathway ended in front of the creek. At the end of the path, there was another path, but guess what....It was in the water. In order to get to the garden, I had to cross this creek. Mrs. Laura couldn't have built a bridge!? I mean isn't she rich or something?

I'm glad I decided to wear shorts today... Taking my right foot, I placed it on the first stone. When both of my feet were on the rock, I moved to the next one and so on. As I approached the fifth stone, I heard a voice call my name.

"Sophie!" the voice called. It was Troy.... I had to get across the creek. I took my steps carefully and eventually I made my way across to the other side.

Running through the garden, I noticed that it was beautiful. The trees were slightly turning orange, yellow, and red since it was the beginning of autumn. I was now surrounded my colorful flowers and plants. Tall trees and smaller trees surrounded me.

Sprinting through the garden with my short legs, I spotted a good climbing tree. I decided that it would be a good place to hide, so I ran over to it. By now Troy's calls were somewhat distant.

I placed both of my hands on the lowest branch and pulled myself up. When I got about halfway up the tree, Troy came into view. And of course he was still shirtless.

"Sophie!" he called again, putting his hands up to his mouth to amplify his voice. "Come on why are you running from me?"

No the question is, 'why couldn't you put on a shirt?'

"I found a unicorn that was eating bananas!" he added, making me chuckle lightly to myself. "Sophie?"

"He heard that? How could he have heard that?" Crap, I said that aloud, didn't I?

He walked over to the tree I was in. "Sophie, are you in this tree?"

"No dip, Sherlock," I replied. "Shouldn't it have been obvious by now?" 

"Why the heck are you in a tree?" he asked, crossing his arms. Even though he couldn't see me, I had a perfect view of him.

"Because I love trees, duh."

"Answer the question seriously," he said. "And why can't I see you?"

"Because I'm awesome at hide n' seek." I smirked, but felt stupid because he can't even see me. "Now leave me alone."

"Answer the question, Sophie."

"I told you, I'm good at hide n' seek!" I said slowly. 

Irritated, he replied, "I mean the first one!"

"I answered that one too. Now leave me alone."

"Come down from the tree."

"Never."

"And why are you mad at me, Sophie? I don't get what I did...." He scratched the back of his head.

"Let me say it again, Troy. Leave. Me. Alone."

He huffed and turned around and began walking away.

I let out a sigh of relief then I noticed a cute birds nest. Aww....the little bird was so cute!! It was a cardinal. I could just barely see the four eggs that were underneath the mother. "Aww!!" I cooed. The mother looked at me before flying at me and attacking my face. (A/N sorry I had to say that!!!)

I swatted at the bird, losing my balance in the process. Oh, and guess what else happened! I fell out of this stupid tree and landed on the ground with a loud thump.

I saw Troy turn around and run towards me. "Sophie! Are you okay?'' he asked with concern and worry written all over his face.

"It was my parents..." I trailed off. then everything went from colorful flowers to pitch black.

~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~

My body was bobbing up and down, bringing me back to my senses. With my head pressed firmly against a hard surface along with the rest of my body, my eyes fluttered open. Immediately, I saw Troy's face. My head was lying against his bare chest and I was being carried in his arms bridal style.

"Uh, Troy, what are you doing?" I asked him, quirking on of my eyebrows up at him.

"When did you wake up?"

"When do you think?"

"I thought you've been awake, but you like me holding you like this," he replied, smirking down at me.

"Shut up and put me down."

"Okay, okay." He put me down gently on the ground.

"What happened to me? And why were you carrying me?"

"Oh we were riding unicorns and you fell off, so I had to carry you back home," he replied casually.

"Awesome!"

"Hush. I was kidding—"

"Oh really? I had no idea!"

"Cut the sarcasm. You fell out of a tree."

"I was in a tree?"

"Yeah, because apparently you love them." He smirked to myself as I remembered the little scene.

"Oh, I remember now. You were being so annoying..."

"Uh-huh, whatever." A few minutes passed before he added, "And what do you mean when you said 'it was your parents'?"

I stopped dead in my tracks. I said that? Oh my gosh! I did say that!! Gah, I hate myself right now!

"Um, I didn't say that, Troy."

"Sophie, I know you said it. Don't play dumb with me. What did you mean by that?" he repeated.

I guess now is the right time to tell him. Finding a log, I went and sat down on it. "Do you really want to know? I'd rather not tell you, but you're kind of forcing it out of me."

"Uh, if you don't want to then...." he drifted off as he walked over to me.

"I guess I might as well. Sit down." Once he sat down I asked, "So do want to know the whole story, or why you think I'm mad at you?"

Well I'd have to tell him the whole story anyways...so... "Never mind, I'll just tell you the whole thing. You ready?"

"I guess so."

"Well it all started when I was five years old," I began. "My parents —mostly my mom— called me Marie, my middle name."

"So...?"

"Would you please shut up? I don't mean to be mean or anything, but this is a very painful story to tell, okay?" He nodded, so I continued, "Thank you. Okay, well anyways, they used to call me Marie. But that was before they became alcoholics...." Tears built up in my eyes, but I tried to keep them at bay.

"By the age of seven, they were drunk almost every day and night....I was usually left in my house all alone...And by the way, it smelled like alcohol because of them. Then, my dad started beating me while my mother just stood there and laughed at me." I couldn't hold them in any longer, the tears were just coming out like a waterfall by now.

"Every day at school, I would smell like alchohol, and trust me, it wasn't a good thing. I couldn't tell anyone about my parents, but at some point I had to. And that's when I met Kayla — the only person who was nice enough to talk to me. Eventually, we became best friends, and I told her everything. She was the only one who knew about my parents, that is until now. She told her parents and they called the cops. One day I came home and my parents were being hauled out of my house by police officers." 

Troy looked at me dumbfounded. "Oh, and I was happy, but I was only seven years old, so I had to learn to take care of myself. Sure, I had Kayla's parents to look over me most of the time, but that hardly made life any easier for me. The day after my eighth birthday, I was coming home from school, and there they were....My parents were back. I don't know how they got out of prison, but they found a way. Of course all they did from there was beat me up, and by then my mom even joined in. My life was the same it had been a year before. One day, I found my dad's pistol in his bedroom, and thought to myself, 'what do I have to lose? I might as well...' But as soon as I was about to pull the trigger, I saw something. I'm not sure what it was, but it told me not to do it. I vaguely remember what it looked like. All I know was that it looked like a man, but it was glowing. It gave me a note before disappearing."

"I honestly do not know how I remember all of this, but I do. Right now, Kayla has the note in a safe place. That man saved my life. I still remember exactly what the note said, Troy."

"What did it say?" he asked.

"It said:

'Dear Sophia Marie Williams,

I know that your life has been terrible so far, but it will get better. Whatever you do, Sophia, do not touch that gun again. It is a terribly violent weapon that was made to kill. Do not try to kill yourself again, because I promise, It will get better. You have a great life ahead of you. Whatever you do, do not give up. Just do what I have said in this letter, and I will guide you in the right direction.' 

I still don't know what it meant, but from that point on, I never touched that gun. I was afraid of touching it. Don't ask me to explain what the note meant, because I have no clue whatsoever....But back to the main story, when I was ten, I ran away, but eventually came back. As soon as I came through the door, I saw them in the living room, drunk of course. My dad said a bunch of things before punching me in my stomach and basically kicked me out of the house. For a couple days, I was homeless. I ran away and never gave it a second thought, not even once. Eventually I came to this city, where I was taken in by Martha, the lady who works at the adoption place up the street. Six years later, your mom adopted me, and here I am!"

"Wow...." was all he said. "So that's why you got mad at me for calling you by your full name?"

"I was never mad at you, Troy. But, yeah, remembering my childhood kind of felt like getting hit by a bus."

"I'm so sorry, Sophie. I didn't know...."

"Don't be sorry. It's not you're fault."

He wiped away one of my tears and looked into my eyes. "No, I am sorry."

"Actually I'm sorry, Troy."

"Why are you sorry?"

"Because I was being a jerk to you, so sorry...." I trailed off, breaking eye contact and looking anywhere but at him.

"Well I don't forgive you."

"What? Why?" I questioned. 

"Because, I was the reason behind it, and I made you cry."

"Oh," I replied, breaking eye contact again, but he cupped my chin and forced me to look at him. He moved his hand to my cheek. Why would he do this now? I mean I probably look terrible with my eyes all red and puffy. His blue eyes were sparkling in the sunlight as his hair slightly moved in the breeze. His eyes were filled with something I have never seen his eyes before....Oh well, I couldn't make it out anyways. His eyes flashed down to my lips.... Is he gonna kiss me?

"Sophie! Troy!!" I heard Kayla yelling in the distance.

"Uh, we should go back to the house..." I said to Troy.

"Oh, yeah...." he replied, retracting his hand. All of a sudden, I felt cold when he did that....Weird.

~ ~ ~ ~

HELLO!!! "Why the note?" you ask.

"Because it was a nice touch, and I'm a Christian, duh," I reply.

"Oh..." you reply.

"Got a problem?"

You look around, feeling awkward, "no."

"Good."

Hehe did you like this chapter??? And yes the note is simply for the reason I have put above ^^ I am a Christian, and I'm proud of it xD So anyways, I finished this chappie earlier than expected. Well, now you know more about Sophie's childhood!! Isn't it sad? :'( And guess what! At first, I was about halfway done with this chapter but then Wattpad deleted all of it! So I had to re-write it >=( But I got it finished, didn't I?? OH, AND PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO TO THE SIDE!! xD Okay, well, BYE MY LOVELY BANANAS!!! Xoxox

      ~Storylover11~