LOVE LESSONS - a sokeefe story

Chapter 1 I My Best Friend

Sophie Foster

Life was going so far so good.

That had been her mindset for the past 3 years. So far so good. She didn't want to accidentally jinx one of the most monumental achievements of her academic career just as she was getting ahead of herself. So far, I had been at our sizeable home on Havenfield Street, in San Diego. Soon, I'd be flying to the heart of New York to go to one of THE most distinguished and reputable schools in the country. 

Foxfire. 

My best friend, Biana, since the third grade, moved around a lot, but we always had kept in touch, she was just previously in Los Angeles for a photoshoot with a modelling agency she had her dad sign her up for. Their family was crazy rich as her dad owned one of the biggest sports cars companies, and her mother, a huge fashion brand. Anyway, Biana was coming to San Diego to see me for a few days before we both flew to New York, for maybe the biggest occasion of my life. Biana also will be studying there, a fashion course on designing, I was proud of her for finally settling down and doing what she wanted to do instead of dragging me out to irresponsible crazy, police-invaded parties where she got drunk out of her mind and ended up making out with some random dude who looked old enough to be our teacher.

It was actually her dad who reccomended me for Foxfire, and I got in! I was eternally grateful. He was like a father to me too. Foxfire had been my dream, ever since I found my passion for Medical Science. I was ecstatic when I found out. 

I heard a knock on my door and snapped back to the present, done reminiscing. 

"Uh-" I quickly began folding clothes to make it look like I was being productive. "Come in!" 

My adoptive mother- oh right. You don't know Edaline. Edaline and Grady are my adoptive parents who generously took me in at age 7, after my parents died, my parents died in a car crash going to Amy's school, since my level of intellegence allowed me to go to a special school for children like me. I was oblivious to what had happened until 3:23 exactly when a stern woman with a sympathetic face turned to me and started whispered in hushed voices with my teacher who froze and nodded sympathetically. The stern lady took me to the police station and my whole world shattered. It's not like I was close with them. My mother Maya was a loving woman and my dad and my sister but I was different to them, they had tan brown skin, enticing green eyes and curly brown hair, whilst I had blonde straight hair with brown dull eyes. 

It triggered a long journey of PTSD, a very hard time for me, in which I experienced flashbacks of the moment I was taken from school, to panic attacks, to avoiding driving, which now my best friend Biana had responsibility for, I was always too afraid it may happen to me, or I'd freeze up on the road and cause an accident-o-or...and sometimes- no all the time- I had immense trouble sleeping, nightmares came and went but I could never welcome the call of sleep. 

I'd been living with Eda and Grady for the past 11 years of my life and I was so grateful for the amazing people they are.

"Hey Soph, just wanted to offer you a snack whilst packing?" Eda said whilst sitting down. Oh no. That meant she wanted to have a serious talk. But I got distracted by the snack Mallowmelt, a traditional family secret recipe. A mix of cake and marshmallow fluff and chocolate. But I sat and turned to my mother.

"Whats up?" I said.

"Are you going to be ok?" She said almost crying. "I don't want you to be hours away and not contact us when you need help. What if you have a panic attack and no one is there or something happens and Biana isn't with you? I know you have trouble making friends, but I need you to make good ones this year. I can't be hours away from you and something happen." A tear slid down her cheek. "Please promise me you'll stay safe."