A F T E R D A R K | PAUL LAHOTE - 1

04

"Sophia c'mon, we're going to be late!" Bella called up to me from the bottom of the stairs.

I fixed my second ear-ring in the mirror and rolled my eyes. It wasn't even quarter to yet and she was freaking about being late. We'd been going to school for a while now, it's acceptable to be late. Especially if it's me.

"Yeah Bel, give me two seconds!" I shouted down.

I probably should've gotten out of bed at a decent time this morning and not ten minutes ago but it was just too warm to pull myself from.

I heard Bella sigh from the bottom of the staircase, "Right well, I'll go start the truck."

"Okay!" I called back and hurried to grab a jacket out of my closet. I shrugged into it quickly, the left sleeve of my long sleeved top rolling up underneath it. I ignored it and ran for my bag that sat open on my bed. I took it by the handle and shoved my foot into one of my converse in the middle of the floor and dropped my bag on to my desk. I fought against the notepad as I tired to push it into my bag, still shoving my foot into my shoe.

When the notepad was in my bag I bent over and pulled my other shoe on, tucking the laces in the side. I ran out of my room and down the stairs and outside where Charlie was just getting into his squad car, heading to work for the day.

"Hey you know we wouldn't have this problem if— oh-oh for god sakes is-is it raining?" I yelled in frustration, looking up to the sky and holding my palms out towards the grey coloured sky.

Charlie laughed at me as I reached for the hood on my jacket and pulled it up, "You were saying?" He asked me with a chuckle.

I sighed as I walked down the steps to the truck, "That Bella and I wouldn't be having this problem if I had my own car."

Charlie nodded his head, "Yeah, maybe if your good I'll get you one for your birthday."

"I'm not eleven dad," I rose my brow, "And it's not my birthday until September."

Charlie nodded while frowning weirdly, "Yeah, yeah.. anyways I was just telling Bels that I won't make dinner tonight. I'm sure she'll fill you in. Have a good day at school, be safe."

"Bye dad." I smiled half heartedly. He closed his door and pulled out of the driveway, leaving Bella and I to it.

"Hey, Sophia come on, get in the truck." Bella urged, already climbing into the drivers seat.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." I stuttered, jogging to the passenger seat and sliding into the truck. She started up the engine and pulled out the driveway and onto the road. Once we'd been going for a minute or so I cleared my throat, "Hey, Bella?"

"Yeah?" She didn't take her eyes off the road as she replied to me.

"Do you think we look alike?"

Bella looked to me fractionally before focusing on the road again, "I mean yeah, we've got the same hair colour."

"My hair is dyed Bel." I told her, "I'm a natural blonde."

"Oh yeah, right," My sister frowned, "But there are such things as fraternal twins, remember?"

"How could I not?" I grumbled, "Dads been drilling the word into my head since I came up with this adoption theory."

Bella looked at me again, "Why, what's brought this on?"

"I-I don't know. I met Jacobs friends the other day and one of them agreed with me that they thought I was adopted."

Bella laughed, "C'mon Soph, if you were adopted I'm sure mom and dad would've told you about it by now."

"Or they're just incredibly guilty and don't want me to find my real parents." I posed. Bella turned to look at me again with a raised brow, "What? I've been reading theories about it." I shrugged nonchalantly, turning and looking back out of the window.