Seven Souls

Caught red-handed

Christiana's POV

I got cozy on the couch, going through Sophia's journal, stuffing the spoonful of cookie dough ice cream with my free hand as I read the neat handwriting.

Two hours passed since Sam left for work, leaving me alone again. I got used to that. A part of me was annoyed because I wanted to spend some more time with him after… oh goodness, I can't believe I f****d him.

The doorbell rang, giving me a mini heart attack. I dropped the spoon in the half-filled box, placing my feet on the cold floor before freezing in my place.

My mind wasn't even functioning. I was about to open the door without hiding her journal. I placed it under the couch, then turned on the TV, surfing through the channels for something Sophia would watch.

I stopped at one of the channels, showing her favorite tv show.

That's great.

The bell rang again, and I started realizing it wasn't Sam. It couldn't be him. He has keys.

Maybe it was Alec.

I carried myself to the door, peering through the magic eye, seeing Kylie standing outside. I rested my forehead on the wooden door, taking in a deep breath.

The last time I saw her was at the hospital. I had to push my sister away from me. It was for her own good, so she wouldn't get her heart torn over me leaving again.

We both had too much emotional damage to deal with for most of our lives, and I can't add that to her.

I lifted my forehead, letting out the air through my mouth as I placed my hand on the knob, opening it hesitantly. Kylie came into my view, anger and disappointment written on her face.

Somehow I knew she figured out that I wasn't Sophia, and I was playing her all along.

A tingly sensation in my body made my gaze leave Kylie's figure, going to the petite figure next to her. There stood a blonde teenager, and her grey eyes locked with mine. "You have a lot of explaining to do," Kylie exclaimed, pushing me inside the house, with that teenager following her.

My eyes never left the girl's eyes, the little voice in my head telling me it was her, it was Sophia.

She approached me, and with each step she took, I took another backward, shaking my head in disbelief. "You lied to me when I was worried sick about you," Kylie shouted, and my gaze snapped to her.

"I thought we would approach her nicely," the girl whispered to Kylie, who took a deep breath. Her hands went on her now very visible baby bump, rubbing it slowly to calm herself down.

"Right… and this isn't good for the baby," she murmured under her breath.

"Um… surprise?" The girl shrugged, earning an eye roll from my sister, who still looked like she wanted to murder me for lying to her.

"H-how? You died in my arms," I whispered, feeling my chest tighten as the nightmare from earlier replayed in my head.

My gaze flickered between Kylie and the girl that's supposed to be Sophia now. Her lips were moving, but I couldn't hear a single word.

Both of them looked at me with concern, and once that girl grabbed my wrist, the darkness filled my eyes, memories flashing in my head.

Her memories…

The banging of her hands on the closed coffin rang in my ears. Her voice called out for someone to help her. Her lungs burned as the air left them slowly as she continuously banged on the coffin with her fists.

How was it possible for her to be alive?

A white blinding light filled my vision, and I protectively covered my eyes, letting the light swallow me whole.

I sucked in the air as my eyes flew open, meeting Kylie's worried gaze. And behind her was Sophia. Feeling the soft material of the couch underneath me, knowing I passed out.

"So, you finally f****d Sam…" the words were obviously directed to me.

She nibbled on her lips, glancing at Kylie, who gave her a side glare. "I'll leave you two." She trailed off, getting up and leaving me with Kylie.

I sat up, grabbing my head as a throbbing headache broke in, a groan escaping my lips when the pain increased. It was as if someone hit me with a baseball bat straight in the head.

"Why did you lie to me?" Kylie's broken voice came out as a whisper, yet her voice was full of anger.

The tears formed in my eyes once I met her blue eyes, the guilt I was keeping in finally coming out. "I didn't want to lie to you, but I thought it would be easier for you to move on-" the words latched into my throat as she pulled me into her embrace, startling me from the sudden hug.

"Never leave me again without saying goodbye," she whispered in my ear and I wrapped my arms around her, letting the tears stream down my face.

In the corner of my eyes, I saw Sophia wiping her tears, hugging her body with one arm as she looked at us with a small smile.

Kylie finally pulled away, her hand cupping my cheek, tucking the loose damp strands behind my ear. "I never wanted to lie, but I realized once I'm gone you will be alone again," I breathed, lowering my gaze to my lap.

"I'm dead, for god's sake." I spat the word, the one I've been repeating since I woke up in this body.

"Who knows how long I have left? Or why did my soul survive this?" I shouted, lifting my eyes to Kylie, who was looking at me with sympathy, her thumb caressing my cheek.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath to calm myself down. "You don't ever look at me like this, Ky. Not you."

She grabbed my hand with her free one, squeezing it lightly, and I fluttered my eyes open, seeing that motherly look on her face. She pulled me into a side embrace and I placed my head on her shoulder, letting her play with my hair to calm me down.

"You have unfinished business, that's why," Sophia chimed in as she placed the tray on the coffee table.

"Or that's what Allegra told me…" she mumbled, lifting her grey eyes to mine. "This is Hazel Brown, a seventeen-year-old teenager. She died in a car accident, and my lost soul jumped into her body. So I could help you out." My gaze followed her as she sat beside me.

"Is she telling the truth?" I asked Kylie, not moving my eyes off Sophia, who was staring at the nothingness.

"Yes, she told me two weeks ago…"

My jaw flew open as my gaze snapped to my sister. "You knew for two weeks-"

"I've wanted to rip your throat for the past two weeks. You don't understand how angry I felt for you lying straight in my face…" she paused and Sophia let out a deep chuckle.

"Sophia stopped me because we couldn't just approach you without a plan, and Sam was glued to you." She continued.

"So… My nightmare won't be over until I know why my soul is hanging to the living world," I murmured.

"I think so," Sophia shrugged, and I looked at her as she picked up her mug, bringing it near to her lips and taking a long sip.

My brain wasn't even functioning anymore. How was she still alive? But at this point, I don't know if anything made sense.

"How did you find f*****g Sam?" she asked once she lowered her mug, and I blinked at her, feeling the blood traveling to my face.

She wasn't letting it go any sooner.

Even with my oversized hoodie. She could tell if he f****d me, and thanks to Sam for leaving hickeys everywhere, starting with my neck.

I shook my head, brushing off the memories of earlier. It was traumatizing my poor mind. "I was at a dead-end, he was so… sad, full of regret, letting the guilt burn him inside for pretending he was okay."

I wanted to tell her that, but I just remained silent.

Maybe I told him I needed therapy, but I didn't. No therapy would fix me. I died and my soul was still roaming the earth. How do I tell that to a therapist?

Her gaze found mine, and a sad smile crept on her face. "He sees you as… me, and I stated in the journal for you to pretend to be me, but I can't help the feeling of jealousy. I know you developed feelings for him because I know you would."

I pretended to be her before I found the journal, but I was still in denial. She was gone, and I was all alone. I pushed my sister for what I thought was better for the two of us.

And I'm still in denial of being Sophia.

"I don't have feelings for him," that's a big lie. I really liked him, adored the care and love he was offering to who he thought was Sophia. "And I tried to stop him, but he's…" I stopped myself from completing the sentence. Does she even know how he is doing?

"He broke down. It took him longer than I expected." She continued my words, the tears rolling slowly on her cheeks, but she wiped them, thinking I wouldn't notice.

"The two weeks I had with him made me realize how bad he was trying to hold himself for me. Guilt was eating him alive, but he never showed it-"

"He perfectly hid his feelings under the act of being fine." I cut her off, and she sighed, closing her eyes and letting the tears fall.

"I was so selfish to spend some time with him, and what did it cost me? My soul nearly vanished, and now I'm in the body of a dead teenager," she breathed, opening her eyes and placing down her mug on the coffee table.

A long silence mastered the room, only our constant breathing filled the room. Each of us was left with our own thoughts and doubts before having another conversation.

I was left with unanswered questions in my head, and I didn't even know where to start or how.

“Um… how did you two know Sam wasn't here?” I shot my first question, and Kylie looked at Sophia, who wiped her tears.

"That was the plan we were working on," Kylie started, and looked at Sophia for a sign to continue. She took a deep breath. "Alec hired that new secretary, but she's not actually a secretary. She was keeping an eye on Sam because he seemed off, and we were right." She trailed off.

"They came yesterday to get him to go to therapy. I knew he would find closure in you the next day, some comfort to feed his guilt and regret. Knowing too well you would tell him to take the day off because you're concerned. And he wouldn't leave unless it was a really important work deal." Sophia added in a flat tone.

They left the rest for me to complete the picture. The secretary called him for the important deal, and he had to leave. Of course, he called Kylie because he was afraid to leave me alone after the little car incident.

"Okay… Sam is gone. Your plan worked. What next?" I asked, and both of them shared quick eye contact.

It was very odd to see my sister bonding with the woman who crashed into me. But that was Kylie. She's forgiving.

"We will take you to Allegra," both of them said in unison, at the same time the door closed with a thud.