The rain had not stopped since the funeral.
It tapped softly against the windows like quiet fingers begging to be let inside, filling the house with a cold emptiness Sophia could no longer escape. The sky outside was gray, matching the heavy feeling sitting inside her chest.
Three weeks.
Three weeks since her mother died.
Yet every morning Sophia still woke up expecting to hear Alice humming in the kitchen downstairs.
Every morning she forgot.
And every morning reality broke her all over again.
Sophia sat curled near the living room window, her knees pulled tightly against her chest as she stared outside without really seeing anything. Her oversized hoodie swallowed her small frame, making her look even more fragile than she already felt.
The house was too quiet now.
Too still.
Even the clock hanging above the fireplace sounded louder these days.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Like time was mocking her grief.
A framed family photo rested on the table beside her. Alice stood in the middle smiling brightly, her arms wrapped around Sophia and James. Sophia quickly looked away from it before the tears in her eyes could fall again.
She was tired of crying.
Tired of people saying they were sorry.
Tired of hearing, "She's in a better place now."
What better place existed without her mother?
"Sophia?"
James' voice came gently from the kitchen doorway.
Sophia didn't answer.
James stood there quietly for a moment, holding two mugs of hot chocolate. He looked exhausted. The dark circles under his eyes had grown deeper over the past weeks, and his usually neat appearance had become careless.
Grief had changed him too.
But Sophia barely noticed.
He walked over slowly and placed one mug on the table beside her.
"You haven't eaten today," he said softly.
"I'm not hungry."
"You said that yesterday too."
She shrugged.
James sat down across from her carefully, like he was afraid any wrong movement would shatter her completely.
"I know things are hard right now—"
"You don't know anything," Sophia snapped suddenly.
The room fell silent.
James blinked in surprise but stayed calm.
Sophia immediately regretted it, but the anger inside her had nowhere else to go.
"She was my mother," she whispered shakily, staring down at her trembling hands. "You can't tell me how I should feel."
James swallowed hard.
"I'm not trying to."
"Then stop acting like everything is okay."
"I know it's not okay."
"No, you don't."
Her voice cracked.
The tears finally came.
"I watched her die, James."
That sentence broke something between them.
James lowered his eyes painfully.
Sophia rarely talked about the night Alice died. Every time someone mentioned it, she shut down completely.
But now the memory flooded her mind all over again.
The hospital room.
The beeping machines.
Her mother's weak smile.
Her cold hand slowly slipping away from hers.
Sophia squeezed her eyes shut tightly.
"She promised me she wasn't leaving," she whispered. "She promised."
James looked like he wanted to say something, but no words came out.
Because there were no words strong enough for this kind of pain.
Instead, he quietly stood up.
"I'll leave the hot chocolate here," he said gently. "Just... drink it before it gets cold."
Sophia kept staring at the floor as he walked away.
A few seconds later she heard his bedroom door close upstairs.
The silence returned again.
She looked at the mug beside her.
Hot chocolate.
Her mother used to make it whenever Sophia had nightmares as a child.
The realization hit her chest painfully.
James remembered.
Her fingers slowly wrapped around the warm mug as tears rolled silently down her cheeks.
⸻
The next morning felt worse.
Sophia stood in front of the bathroom mirror wearing her school uniform for the first time since the funeral. The reflection staring back at her barely looked familiar anymore.
Her eyes were dull.
Her face looked tired.
Broken.
She brushed her hair slowly before stopping halfway.
Alice used to braid it every school morning.
Sophia's breathing became uneven.
Her chest tightened painfully.
No.
Not now.
She gripped the sink hard, trying to calm herself before another panic attack started.
A knock came at the door.
"Sophia?" James' voice. "You okay?"
"I'm fine."
It was a lie.
But she had gotten good at lying lately.
A few minutes later, she walked downstairs and found James waiting near the dining table.
He looked relieved seeing her dressed for school.
"You sure you're ready for this?" he asked carefully.
"I can't stay home forever."
James nodded slowly.
Breakfast sat untouched on the table between them.
Sophia grabbed her bag immediately.
"I'm leaving."
"At least eat something first."
"I said I'm not hungry."
"Sophia—"
"I'm late."
Before he could stop her, she headed toward the door.
Then suddenly—
"You don't have to push me away."
She froze.
James stood behind her quietly.
"I know I'm not your father," he continued softly, "but I care about you. A lot."
Sophia tightened her grip on her bag.
Part of her wanted to believe him.
Another part was terrified to.
Because loving people meant losing them.
And she couldn't survive that pain again.
Without turning around, she whispered:
"I'll miss the bus."
Then she walked out.
⸻
The cold morning air hit her face immediately.
Clouds still covered the sky, threatening more rain.
As Sophia walked toward the bus stop, she spotted a familiar figure waving excitedly at her from across the street.
Jessica.
Her childhood best friend ran toward her and immediately pulled her into a tight hug.
"Oh my God," Jessica breathed. "I missed you so much."
Sophia hugged her back weakly.
Jessica pulled away and studied her face carefully.
"You look terrible."
"Thanks."
"You know what I mean."
A small smile almost appeared on Sophia's lips.
Almost.
Jessica linked their arms together as they walked toward school.
"You don't have to talk if you don't want to," Jessica said gently. "I'll do enough talking for both of us anyway."
"That sounds exhausting."
Jessica gasped dramatically. "Excuse you? My personality is a gift."
Sophia let out the smallest laugh.
Jessica immediately pointed at her triumphantly.
"There! I knew I could still make you laugh."
For the first time in weeks, Sophia felt a tiny warmth inside her chest.
Maybe things wouldn't always feel this heavy.
Maybe healing was possible.
But deep down, pain still followed her everywhere.
Even at school.
The moment they entered the building, whispers started.
Students looked at Sophia with pity.
Teachers gave her sad smiles.
Some people awkwardly avoided eye contact altogether.
Sophia hated all of it.
"She's here..."
"That's the girl whose mom died..."
"I heard she watched it happen..."
The whispers made her stomach twist painfully.
Jessica shot an angry glare at nearby students.
"Mind your business," she snapped.
Sophia kept her eyes down.
Every hallway suddenly felt too crowded.
Too loud.
Too suffocating.
During class, she barely heard anything the teacher said. Her mind drifted constantly.
To memories.
To grief.
To her mother.
At lunch, Sophia sat quietly poking at her food while Jessica talked about random things just to distract her.
"...and then he literally fell into the trash can," Jessica finished dramatically.
Sophia blinked.
"You weren't listening at all, were you?"
"Nope."
Jessica sighed. "Fair enough."
A group of girls nearby suddenly laughed loudly.
Sophia flinched slightly at the sound.
Jessica noticed immediately.
"You okay?"
Sophia stared toward the large cafeteria windows.
Outside near the school gate, a younger student hugged her mother tightly before getting into a car.
The sight shattered something inside her again.
"I don't know how to do this," Sophia whispered suddenly.
Jessica's expression softened.
"Do what?"
"Live without her."
Jessica reached across the table and held her hand tightly.
"One day at a time."
Sophia looked down, trying not to cry again.
One day at a time.
Maybe that was all she could do.
⸻
By the time school ended, dark clouds had completely covered the sky again.
Students hurried outside before the rain started.
Jessica adjusted her backpack while walking beside Sophia.
"You sure you'll be okay getting home alone?"
Sophia nodded.
"Our houses are literally two miles apart, Jess. I'll survive."
Jessica looked uncertain.
"You can still come home with me if you want."
"And make your mother force-feed me cookies again?"
"She does make amazing cookies."
Sophia smiled faintly.
At the familiar street intersection, they stopped.
Jessica pulled her into another quick hug.
"Text me when you get home."
"I will."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Jessica finally walked away, glancing back twice before disappearing around the corner.
Sophia continued alone.
The streets were quieter now.
Too quiet.
The wind felt colder.
As she adjusted her bag on her shoulder, she suddenly noticed a black car parked farther down the road.
Its engine was running.
Her steps slowed slightly.
Probably nothing.
She kept walking.
Then the car started moving too.
Slowly.
Following her.
Sophia's heartbeat quickened.
She looked back again.
The tinted windows revealed nothing.
A strange feeling crawled up her spine.
She started walking faster.
The car did too.
Fear gripped her chest immediately.
Sophia pulled out her phone shakily.
No signal.
"What the hell..."
The sound of another car passing nearby made her jump.
Her breathing became uneven.
Don't panic.
Don't panic.
She turned the next corner quickly—
—and suddenly froze.
A tall man stood directly in her path.
Her stomach dropped.
Before she could react, another figure grabbed her violently from behind.
A hand covered her mouth.
Sophia screamed against it desperately.
Her phone fell to the ground.
"Get her in the car!"
Her eyes widened in terror.
She kicked wildly, tears streaming down her face as panic exploded through her body.
Nobody was around.
Nobody heard her.
Her school bag slipped from her shoulder onto the wet pavement.
The car door opened.
Then everything disappeared into darkness.
⸻
Hours later, James checked the clock again.
7:43 PM.
Sophia was never this late.
An uneasy feeling settled heavily in his chest.
He grabbed his phone and called her again.
Straight to voicemail.
His hands tightened.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
He immediately called Jessica.
The girl answered quickly.
"Hello?"
"Jessica, is Sophia with you?"
A pause.
"No... she left after school."
James stood up instantly.
"What do you mean she left?"
"We separated at the intersection like always. She should already be home."
Fear crashed into him immediately.
James grabbed his car keys without another word.
Rain poured heavily outside as he drove through the streets searching desperately.
Bus stops.
Stores.
Sidewalks.
Nothing.
Then suddenly—
His headlights caught something lying near the roadside.
A school bag.
James slammed the brakes.
His heart nearly stopped as he stepped out into the rain.
Sophia's bag.
He recognized it immediately.
Shaking violently, he picked it up from the wet ground.
Inside was her broken phone.
Her notebook.
And a small family picture of Alice.
James' breathing became uneven as terror consumed him completely.
Sophia was gone.