15:

SOPHIE BELIEVES

Sophie Carmella placed down a single lily on her father's grave. She stepped back and smiled down at his grave, the cold bitter air nipping at her ears.

"Hey Dad," she smiled. "I can't believe it's been a year. You know, I should be sad that you're gone. That it's your death anniversary today. And I am. I am sad, Dad, because I wish you were still here. You were a piece of me whether I wanted you to be or not. You're the piece that's irreplaceable. But, I can't help but feel sort of happy."

She took a deep breath, wrapping her coat tighter around her waist. "I miss you. I miss you so damn much. I love you, too. You know, it's weird how time changes us. Andrew is on a scholarship. He was so happy to get it! His university is over in the next town and what's better is that he's only a three hours drive away! We alternate with visiting each other on the weekends. Oh, and he is spending his winter break here. That means I get to see him all week!"

Sophie beamed, a silly smile on her lips. "You know, Dad, I know you didn't like him much but I'm sure you would have been proud of him, too. For making me happy. He would've been like a son to you."

Sophie's tone was quick to change from happy and lighthearted to nostalgic with dampening feelings. She couldn't stop the treble in her lips as she gave out a shaky sigh.

"Things are going okay. They aren't so very great and it gets rocky from time to time but things are okay. I just... I miss you so much. I don't even think those words are sufficient to express how I truly feel about your passing. I wish you could just come back. I wish I had my Daddy back."

Sophie sniffed and brushed away a tear that had escaped. "There's one thing I am thankful for, however. Your death taught me something. There were times when I just felt like giving up, when I pushed Ma and Andrew away and got comfy in this dark lonely shell. And your death, it made me realise that I don't quite have the time that I thought I had. I owe you that, Dad. You opened my eyes."

Sophie smiled through the tears that blurred her vision before she bent forward and placed her lips on the rough and ice cold headstone.

"I love you, Daddy. I promise that one day I'll make you proud," she whispered before she gave her father's grave one last sweet smile and left.

[•••]

Andrew's lips worked on hers like magic. He was pushed up on her headboard with her pressed up against him.

"You look like you want to strip me naked," he mumbled against her lips, slipping his hand further north from her waist. She sighed when she felt his cool fingers rim the undersides of her breasts.

His fingers on her skin - she never grew tired of it.

She smiled cunningly down at him. "And who said I don't want to?"

Andrew laughed, his laugh filling her heart and her body, rumbling up and about throughout her. His laugh did strange things to her. Sophie was still surprised that after all the years they had spent together she still felt so strongly about her boyfriend. Everybody expected their relationship to disintegrate at end of high school but it hadn't. And it wasn't like there was much distance between them - three hours is nothing compared to more than just that.

But nobody quite understood just how much they loved each other. They were once teenagers in love. They are new adults in love. And in the future they would be old people in love because that's just how much they loved each other, because that's just how much they were stingy about each other.

Andrew tucked her beside him and beamed down at her. "I want to tell you something," he said, his eyes serious but the smile on his lips was playful.

"Yeah?" Sophie raised her eyebrows. "Are you going to tell me that you decided to drop out of school?"

He glared at her. "I'm a man, Soph. I'm tough."

She tried not to smile as she ran her hand down his abdomen and winked at him. "Oh, I know." Her hand tugged at the waistband of his jeans.

"Goddamn it, stop trying to turn me on! I'm trying to tell you something important!"

Sophie couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled from her lips. He was so easily flustered and as he had put it, so easily turned on.

She retracted her hands with a giggle and smiled at him. "Okay, okay. So what's the news?"

His expression lost all its playfulness in one go and Sophie was left staring at an ever so serious expression on Andrew's face. Her heart immediately picked up its pace. What was he going to say?

"I love you, Sophie." Sophie could only nod as nervousness crept it's way up to her. "And one day I want you to be my forever. One day I want to prove the world wrong. One day I want to show them who my forever is."

"Andrew," she whispered, a prickling sensation beginning at the back of her round brown eyes.

"I want to marry you, Sophie. But only once we've both graduated or once one of us can provide support because all I want is you, and mini-you's and mini-me's. I want you to have my babies. I want you to be my forever."

Sophie choked on a laugh as tears began to blur her vision. Andrew slid his hand over her cheek and brushed his thumb over it, removing the tear that spilled over. "Are you proposing to me?" she teased.

"Shit, I almost forgot!" he exclaimed before he reached across the bed for his jacket. He pulled out a small pocket bag before he returned to his previous position. He opened the bag and Sophie's heart was stammering so fast she was certain he could hear it.

"As cheesy as it sounds, I got you a promise ring. This is me promising that one day, you and I will be forever." Andrew smiled down at her and Sophie felt so overwhelmed that tears began pouring down her face.

Andrew reached for her hand and when she nodded eagerly, he slipped the ring onto her ring finger before he gathered her into his arms and hugged her tight. She giggled, her face a mess of happiness and tears.

"We are so naming our first child William," he said, kissing her neck, as she lifted the ring to her eye-level to examine its beauty.

Beautiful didn't even compare to what the ring looked liked. It was plain and simple but that's what Sophie found brilliant, why Sophie thought it was more than just beautiful. Because there was a little irony at play. The ring didn't represent them. No, they weren't plain and simple. On the contrary, actually. But the ring symbolised their promise - simple and plain, easy to understand. They were never ever going to push the other away.

"And what if our first kid is a girl?" She smiled, rolling her head to the side to allow him better access. His lips caressed her skin. "Bertha," he whispered over her skin.

She pushed him away. "We are not naming our child Bertha."

Andrew chuckled. "Flora. Flora Sylvi Smith."

She glared at him. "What sort of middle name is Sylvi? Bertha is even better."

He rolled her eyes before she tackled him onto the bed. He laughed, his eyes alight. She loved seeing him like this.

"Andrew?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

He smiled softly this time, running his fingers through her hair. "And I love you, Soph."

And as Sophie fell asleep with Andrew, spooning with him, she realised - no, she understood why people had faith. She understood why people believed in a greater good - why people believed in God. And even the terrors of life looked frightening but defeatable because Sophie knew now that life was more like a test for something better. For something greater. For the hereafter.

And so Sophie let herself believe.

[••• FINITE •••]

If you guys want to make covers/banner for Sophie then feel free to make them and send them to me! I'll be putting them all up in the next update along with the thank you note (and keep adding to the list for whoever makes anything after I've posted the last update) and don't worry, you'll get credit for the cover/banner you make :)

If you have questions, ask away! I'll gladly answer.

I loved writing this novella! Hunting for gifs was one of my favourite things to do for this to be honest. I don't know why but I really picture Bridget Mendler as Sophie Carmella and Shane Harper as Andrew Smith. Bridget and Shane were one of the many inspirations to write this (when they were still together, of course).

xo - Anha - xo