The Nuisance Across The Hall

Nine: Sweet Cheeks Invades My Home Again

Before she could reply, Sophia came running out of my room. She had tears running down her face. She didn't even bother stopping, she just ran straight to her room and closed the door.

"Was she...?" I questioned, I didn't want her to be.

"The yelling scared her. I kept her close." Sky admitted.

I can't believe it. I knew what yelling could do to a little kid, yet it didn't occur to me Sophia was listening to every word. God, I felt horrible. I just made my daughter cry. My laughing, lovable daughter was in tears. I felt like the worst mother ever.

"Oh my god." The words escaped my mouth almost like a sob. I ran to Sophia's room. I couldn't let her fall asleep thinking I was a monster.

I softly knocked on her door, trying to be as quiet as possible. I could hear a few sobs from the other side and it broke my heart. I did this to her.

"Sophia, can I come in?" I asked softly. She didn't say anything, but I came in anyway.

She was sitting on her bed, hugging her stuffed Olaf, crying. Her eyes were red and puffy. She had snot running down her nose.

"Hi, sweetie," I said sweetly. I walked slowly to her bed and sat down next to her. "Are you okay?" I asked her.

"Why were you yelling at Zack?" She asked me, the words getting caught in her throat.

I sighed and placed my arm around her. "He wasn't nice to Sky and I didn't like that. I shouldn't have started yelling. It was wrong of me to do that." I admitted. I did feel bad about yelling so quickly. I couldn't help it. I got defensive of Sky. She was the only person who stood by me through the hell I had to go through.

"Then why did you do it?" She asked me, wiping tears from her cheeks.

"You don't understand just yet, but Sky is a one in a million person. She helped me in my worst times. I didn't like that Zack treated her wrong, so I got carried away and started yelling." I told her.

She let go of Olaf and hugged me. "You scared me, Mommy," Sophia admitted, tears starting to fall down her face again.

"I am so sorry, Sophia. I never wanted to scare you." I hugged her back and kissed her head. "I always hated it when people yelled too."

Without knowing it was coming, a tear rolled down my face. Memories from my past were flooding back, but I pushed them away. I needed to be here for Sophia. I couldn't deal with my problems right now.

I don't know how long I sat there holding Sophia, but next thing I knew, she was asleep in my arms. I softly laid her head on her pillow and covered her up with her favorite blanket. I kissed her head again and turned off her light.

I closed her door quietly just as Sky was walking back into my apartment. I couldn't tell how she was feeling. Her face was blank.

"I talked to Zack." She told me.

"What did he say?" I asked, becoming more aware of how much I overreacted.

"He apologized for acting the way he did. He admitted he doesn't really see me that way, he just wanted to get under your skin so he asked me out." She informed me.

"Why would he want to get under my skin?" I questioned. What did I ever do to him?

Sky shrugged and said "I don't know, maybe he thinks it's funny. Sometimes I do." She said with a smile.

"Whatever," I said with an eye roll. "It still doesn't give him an excuse to act the way he did."

"He apologized for that too. I think it's time for you to do the same." Sky said like she was my mother.