Sophia lived alone, in a small flat in London. She had a pretty boring life, she spent most days stocking shelves in the local supermarket. She barely spoke with her parents as they thought her a disappointment. She had a handful of friends and a pet cat named Axel. He was a Jet black oriental with ears like satellite dishes and slightly slanted eyes, his fur was shiny and sleek. She confided all of the deepest and darkest secrets in Axel, after a crappy day at work, after an amazing night out with her friends, yep Axel heard all about it.

Sophia's three closest pals are Marnie, Lucas and Dave. They have known each other since secondary school and been attached at the hip ever since. Marnie was a barmaid and part time Potterhead which at 24 years of age, Sophia found hilarious. Lucas was an apprentice mechanic and Dave was studying while working part time in a local coffee shop.

Sophia was teasing Marnie about her Harry Potter obsession, she just didn't get how people could become obsessed with fictional characters, it was highly illogical to Sophia.
"You can't judge Soph, you haven't even read one of the books!" Marnie groaned, she was fed up of being ridiculed for her fan girl tendencies. "No, I haven't and I don't intend to! Honestly, wands and wizards? Please." Sophia snorted, "as if any of that stuff exists, it's a story for children." She insisted, Axel wound in and out of her legs with his usual swagger. "I'll feed you in a minute Axel, calm down." Sophia laughed, trying to ignore the cheeky little fella.

"You should read one, just one. And then you can give me your opinion." Marnie told her friend plainly, throwing a copy of  'The Philosophers Stone' at Sophia. "Oww!" Sophia cried out, "why are you throwing a fucking hardback you could have had my eye out!" She scowled.
"You are like Professor Snape, you really are!" Marnie giggled and pouted, "I'm like who? What? Wait he's not another weirdo from that damn book is he?" Sophia sighed, "he certainly is, he's one of my favourite characters!" Marnie beamed, "well I would ask you who your other favourite characters are but sadly I don't care." Sophia smirked, causing Marnie to laugh and point at her, "what?" Sophia asked with a mistrusting glare. "Nothing, you just sound familiar"
Marnie grinned.

"Well, I'm heading off I promised my sister I'd help her choose an outfit, she has a date tonight." Marnie sighed, "you don't sound too happy about it?" "I am, it's just I have been single for so long I have cobwebs in my..." "Ok, ok! Eww, way too much information!" Sophie grimaced as she cut Marnie off. "Just because you're the 21 year old virgin, some of us have needs!" Marnie smirked, and gave her friend a small wink. "And by the way I have left the rest of the books over there.

After flicking through the to channels and finding nothing to watch, Sophia begrudgingly picked up the book Marnie had left for her, "might as well see what all the fuss and lunacy is about!" She snorted. She read the book for what seemed like a few minutes but was in fact hours, "I've been reading this for most of the day and night" She exclaimed to a purring Axel. Who replied very simply with "Meow"
"I have to admit it, it is rather good. Quite a page turner, I can't wait to see what happens in the next book." She admitted, feeling guilty that she enjoyed the "book for children" as she called it so often.

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A week had gone by and Sophia had read a few more books, "now i see what Marnie meant." She told Axel, he meowed in response.
After a weeks hard graft she was glad it was Friday night, she had weekends off and that's when she could binge watch box sets and not move from the sofa, the two days of the week that she was actually in a good mood. She spent the evening drinking vodka and orange and flicked through a celebrity gossip magazine. "Look at the state of her!" She snorted showing Axel the picture, as if he could understand. Around 10pm she gave in to the tiredness that had her by the pyjama collar, so she headed to bed, falling into a deep sleep.

Axel

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