How To Be Perfect {Discontinued}

Chapter Twelve

I shoved my hand towards where I usually held my bag, about to pull out my keys, but there was nothing there. My bag was missing. I had forgotten it somewhere, possibly at the bookstore or with Kai. The only bag I had was the plastic one holding my newly bought books. It wouldn't have mattered if I did have my bag, anyway. I had gone to school with Audre in the morning because Jason needed my car. With a heavy sigh, I knocked on the door. 

CREAK

The door swung open, my furious mother standing in front of me. She scowled and slammed the door shut, locking me in the cold. I knocked on the door desperately. "I'm sorry, mother! I sent you a text... I'm sorry! It'll never happen again!" I shouted as snow began to fall. Small flakes of ice drifted to the ground, brushing my soft skin like the fleeting touch of another person. I shivered, I hadn't worn a jacket to school that day. "Please, mother..." I whispered, sliding down the door. 

My shouting had alarmed the neighbors, but they were too scared to do or say anything. Telling another person how to raise their child is rude, after all. They must've assumed that my mother would let me back in sooner or later, not doing so would result in my death. But, they didn't know my mother. She would leave me out there, probably forget I was there. My teeth chattered as I pounded on the door weakly. The snow melted as it reached my skin, but I knew that wouldn't last long. As soon as my skin became cold enough, the snow would pile on my body. 

I was wearing a white and black striped t-shirt with a black skirt and black high-heel boots. I wasn't in the type of clothes that I could wear in the snow. I would freeze. The cold was rather soothing in a way... The breeze calmed me. I closed my eyes, even though my knowledge of the cold screamed for me to stay awake. Slowly, I fell limp against the door, tiredness coursing through my body.

"Sophia...? Sophia!" Someone shouted almost an hour later, their steps crunching through the layers of snow. Warm hands picked my freezing body off the ground. The wind that would've rushed against my skin as they ran was blocked by some type of cloth, most likely a jacket. The person opened their car door and placed me in the back seats, then found a blanket from the front and wrapped me in it. They slammed the door shut, making me wince, and stomped back up to the front door of my house. I peeked open my eyes, the rush of heat in the car soothing my muscles. I lifted my head to see Kai standing at the front step of my house, pounding on the door. 

My father opened the door, an annoyed expression on his face. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was obvious Kai was shouting. He was red-faced and angry, but my father could care less. It was when Kai pointed at me, in the car, that my father's expression changed. His face lit up with confusion, anger, and another indescribable emotion. Without saying another word, he ran down to the car to come get me, but Kai locked the doors. They were now close enough to the car for me to hear them

"Open this door!" My father screamed in pure anger.

"No! I'm not going to leave her in your care! Especially not when you were willing to let her freeze to death! You almost killed your own daughter!" Kai screamed back furiously. He stood in front of my father, the determination in his eyes unwavering. 

"I'm a fucking doctor! I can save her, you idiot! I didn't even know that this happened!" My father pulled the door handle, but it was still locked.

The look on Kai's face was unreadable. It seemed like he was thinking about what my father had said. "Fine, but I'm staying by her side the whole time and you nor anyone in your family will lay a single finger on her." My father nodded eagerly, almost desperately. 

Quickly, Kai unlocked the door and reached towards me. He pulled me into his arms and covered me with his jacket. "Thank you..." I croaked. His soft green eyes landed on me, a small smile on his face.

"Don't speak, yet." He rushed into my house. "Where?" He shouted back at my father. 

"Upstairs, to her room!" I watched as my father raced up the steps, throwing open the door to my room. Kai followed close behind, lying me on my bed and covering me with the comforter. 

"She'd better be okay." Kai glared at my father. "Hurry up and get what you need!" The usually soft, kind person I knew was now rude and demanding. The reason why was because he was worried, very worried. 

I hadn't even noticed that he had left the room, but my father came racing back in with a small kit in his hand. He checked my temperature while Kai called Audre. "Sophia?" A small voice came from the door.