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I do not own any rights to the beautiful world of Twilight other than my own original characters.
The beautiful world of Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer!
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Checking my reflection in the mirror I hear the doorbell ring. I hastily throw my cardigan over my shirt and check one last time in the mirror that my makeup looks nice, but not too nice.
"Sophia! Travis is here!" Mom hollers up to me from the living room.
"Just a minute!" I yell back. I take a few moments to psych myself up for this. Okay, Sophia, you got this. It's just a boy, a boy that you've known pretty well your whole life. No need to get worried or apprehensive. Okay? Time to go!
I purposely walk slowly down the stairs. I don't want Travis to think I'm too eager for this date. Although with my stomach flipping so much in my belly, I wonder how I will be able to eat. I don't look up from the stairs until I'm off. When I finally do look up I take a few moments to appreciate Travis's outfit. He's wearing fitted jeans, a white t-shirt underneath a black button-up shirt that is not buttoned. His long hair is pulled back in a low ponytail. He looks over to see me standing there and smiles a dazzling smile. On reflex, I smile back. I walk over to Travis and Mom and am shocked when Travis pulls me in for a light hug. Just as quick he is to hug me, he is quick to release me jumping back slightly.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I should have asked!" He apologizes.
"No, it's ok. I didn't mind." I reassure him while I'm blushing.
"Such a gentleman," Mom remarks as she smirks at us. "You two have fun! I want her home by 11, and don't do anything stupid. Oh, Sophia, your Dad will be opening the store in the morning. He'll need you to cover the evening shift."
"Oh, okay. Thanks!"
"Not a problem, sweetie. Now out you two!" Mom ushers us out of the door.
Travis is so kind, especially with his treating me like a lady. He opened and held all of the doors for me. He even waited for me to sit down before he did. I'm not used to this. The guys aren't mean to me, they just treat me like any other guy. I am so flabbergasted by his chivalry I thank him after the waitress leaves with our order.
"Thanks for being such a gentleman. You didn't have to wait to sit down, and the same with the door. I can open a door, I don't expect you to do that for me." Shaking his head, he responds.
"No, my mom raised me to treat a lady right. It wouldn't be right of me to treat you any different." He finishes taking a drink of his water. I couldn't get over how handsome and clean-cut he looked. It excited me a little to know he dressed this nicely just for me.
"Okay, but I still don't expect you to." His manners are unexpected. To be honest, it's nothing to do with Travis. I'm just not used to guys treating me this way at all. I've always maintained a bad-ass attitude at school to keep the guys away so I can focus on Jacob. God, I'm an idiot. Never again, will I allow my feelings for Jacob to hinder me from a nice guy like Travis. Truthfully, I need to just forget about Jacob. He has proven to be an asshole and I'm tired of competing with Bella Swan.
"I wouldn't expect any less from you."
"Why?" His statement caught me by surprise. I don't really hang out with Travis. How could he think he knows me?
"You're a strong and independent woman. All of the guys in school are afraid of and respect you." I can't help but giggle at his admission. Since he's being nice and complimenting me, I feel I should do the same.
"Thanks, I guess. You're a nice guy." He smirks before dropping his eyes to the table and answering.
"I try to be, at least." He speaks, almost mumbling.
"You are, honestly." I want him to believe me because it's true." I recall that he and Katie Peterson were dating not that long ago. Curious I ask. "How come you're not with Katie still?"
"Oh, well she was nice, but..." He pauses. After waiting a few long moments I can't be patient any longer.
"But what?" I ask, attempting to sound sympathetic. However, I'm genuinely curious. Everyone thought they would be together for the long haul. They were surprised to hear about their break-up a few weeks back.
"She isn't the one for me." Okay? Who is it then? That's what I want to yell because the suspense is killing me. However, I am calm when I ask.
"Oh. Do you mind me asking if you know who the one is?"
"I would like to think I do." Come on Travis! He's dragging this out and I'm dying to know over here. I shouldn't be this pushy and more understanding. However, this has piqued my interest and I really really want to know.
"Do I know her? Never mind, don't answer that. It's none of my business."
"It's ok, you should know her." Then who is it? He's smirking at me now.
"Okay, I'm sorry. Now I'm really curious. Who is she? Does she go to our school?"
"Do you really want to know?" His smirk is a little more sinister. Almost as if he's goading me.
"Yes, please." I figure if I throw out the manners he'll open up.
"Okay. Well, she's beautiful and so smart. She is very strong-willed, not backing down from anybody. She's also very kind and forgiving to her friends, even if they don't deserve it. To me, she's the perfect package."
"Wow, she certainly sounds like it. Now, tell me who she is!" To hell with manners. My nosy side is demanding to know!
"It's you, Sophia."
"What?" His admission genuinely shocked me. I just thought his flirting and asking me out in the past was a game of sorts to him.
"Why do you think I keep pursuing you time and time again. I can't get you out of my head." Woah, that's some serious stuff.
"Uh." I'm unable to formulate any words at this point. I'm still attempting to come to terms that Travis Lahote just basically called me the only girl for him. I don't know how to feel about this. It's one thing to want to take someone on a date. It's another thing to think that person is your soulmate and you haven't even dated or gotten to know them.
"I'm not sure why you decided to finally say yes. All I do know is I'm not going to let it go to waste. I've been chasing you for years, and I don't want to let you go."
Still unable to articulate a sentence, let alone a two-syllable word all I manage is to squeak as I stare at him in shock.
"I know this is probably surprising and all. I just want you to know that I don't expect you to agree to anything from here. I'm not going to hold you to anything." Okay, he is being so sweet. I can't leave him hanging, I need to actually say something.
"Um. Thank you?" I finally manage to speak, and all I can think to do is thank him. We both start laughing at my ridiculousness.
"You're really special to me Sophia. Just think about it. Please?" Even if I wanted to say no, I don't think I could. His handsome face is pouting like a cute little puppy and my resolve is wavering slightly. Maybe I could be happy with Travis? He is handsome, and now that I've taken time to go out with him I can see how sweet he is. With my mind made up I finally answer.
"Okay. I'll think about it."
By Tuesday it was known all through the school that Travis and I had gone on a date. I didn't care what everyone else thought, I only cared about how my guys felt about this. Embry had started talking to me again in passing. We didn't talk like we used to, but we were at least talking. When I asked him what he thought of Travis he grunted and said he was alright. That was the extent of our conversation. Quil was like a faithful golden retriever puppy. He was just happy to see me happy. This is nothing out of the ordinary, he's always been supportive. I didn't even bother asking Jake. On Monday we may have sat at the same table with Quil, but ignored one another.
Lunch on Tuesday was a different matter. I had just walked into the cafeteria when Travis stopped me. He asked if we could sit together since it was Valentine's Day. I happily agreed and went through the lunch line with him. When we passed by my usual table, Quil smiled and gave me a thumbs up. Meanwhile, Jacob refused to look up and just sat there stabbing his vegetables. Our little lunch date was cute and fun. Travis pulled a card and box of chocolates out of his bookbag for me. The sentiment was very sweet.
Of course, this is my life and the bad must always weigh out the good. Later that evening immediately after school I had to work. There was a mad rush earlier today when Wendy was working. Procrastinators rushing in to get something for their Valentine. She started to sort out the shelves but only managed to get part of it done before she needed to leave. I was working on a shelf in the back when I heard the doorbell ding.
"I'm back here, be out in a second!" I straightened one last thing then ran up the inside wall to the cash register.
"I'm sorry, how can I -" I whipped around the corner apologizing when I finally got a good look at the guy standing in front of the register. Fuck me. "- help you."
I didn't bother acknowledging him, rushing behind the counter. I don't think he even bothered to say anything to me as well. Ringing up the two small items I knew without hesitation who one of them was for. No clue, who the other is going to. If this was a year ago, I would say that he was getting it for me, but I knew better than to even entertain that idea. We may have only been friends, but the guys liked to 'spoil' me on Valentine's Day and my birthday. Swallowing down the pain I cautiously remind myself that I was no longer going to think of him in this way. Besides, I had Travis to think about. Certainly, we're not exclusive or anything, but he confessed his feelings for me. That gave me enough conviction to believe that we had potential.
No sooner did I collect his money than I was strutting back to the shelf in the back. I immediately got back to work on the shelf. If I had paid attention I would have noted there was no ding as the door opened. As well, I may have noticed the tall figure walking up behind me. It wasn't until I heard an intentional cough behind me that I realized he hadn't left. Great. Now I had him standing behind me. I glanced over my shoulder and saw him twiddling with the boxes, looking on the floor. I kept my back to him.
"Listen, I know I've been horrible to you lately. I'm not going to bother apologizing right now, I know you won't believe me. What I do want to say is that I miss my friend. I don't know what happened to our friendship these last few weeks." Bella happened, doofus. He pauses for a few moments.
"Quil explained how big of an idiot I am being. I am realizing that I have been putting Bella first before my friends. But, she's shattered and needs me right now. I'm honestly worried about her mental health." Do I look like I care? Another long pause.
"Soph, please find it in your heart to forgive me. I miss you."
I take a shuddering breath before I speak, "take those boxes of conversation hearts and go give them to her." Who knows how, but I managed to tell him without breaking down.
"Soph..." He's almost pleading when he says my name.
"Go, Jacob!" I say with conviction. If I turned around right now, he would see the tears falling down my cheeks. I didn't want to appear weak in front of him.
I'm standing still for almost a full minute before I hear him turn around and leave. Only when I hear the doorbell chime and the door shut do I let out my shaky breaths as I cry. When I've finished crying I look up and see one of the boxes of conversation hearts he just bought sitting on the shelf.