LONDON'S RECKLESS FAULT

chapter 1

Chapter 1

I stared at the cardboard box on my bed and wondered if throwing it out the window would somehow stop tomorrow from happening.

I still couldn’t believe I was leaving for London. Why did Mom have to get married again? I wondered how Mom had managed to ruin everything for me in less than six months. Maybe because it meant something. Something was ending, and this time it was my entire life.

I never wanted to leave Manchester. My life belonged here, and moving to London to start another life? No, impossible. A place where I don’t belong, a place I’m sure they won’t accept me. Why would she make a decision for me? Why did she turn my life upside down all over again?

Suddenly, I heard a knock on my bedroom door, but I intentionally didn’t answer because I knew it was my mom, trying to convince me to leave Manchester behind and move with her to London. And I had a choice: I would decline immediately.

But the door opened anyway. Just as I expected, Mom was carrying two cups of hot chocolate. Like old times, she gently placed one cup on my desk and turned to me, smiling. I instantly turned my face toward the window of my room. Then she moved closer and gently said, “Packing already?”

I didn’t answer her. I focused my attention on the glass window. She moved closer, but this time I could feel her next to me. “Sophia, trust me, you will love it there,” she said.

I finally turned to her, my face filled with rage. “No, Mom, I won’t. You just completely ruined my life by getting married to a man called Richard, a person I barely know.”

“Language, Sophia,” Mom said.

I nodded out of disbelief and disappointment. She just ruined my life, and now she’s teaching me how to speak? She continued, “You know how much I love Richard. He’s the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time. He’s a good man. Trust me on this, Sophia.” She held her hands together.

I finally snapped. “Mom, Dad left only three months ago, and you didn’t even give me time to recover from all that had happened. You still went ahead and got married. Oh, hold on, I see what’s happening here. You got married to him out of greed because he is the richest man in England.”

“Sophia, you’re getting it wrong. I know a lot happened so fast, and you didn’t want to come to the wedding, and I didn’t want to force you,” she said.

I laughed bitterly. “But you’re forcing me to leave Manchester, Mom. Do you know how hard this is for me?”

“Oh, come on, Sophia.”

“No, it’s enough, Mom. I’m scared, Mom. I don’t want to leave. Why can’t you understand?”

“I understand, Sophia,” she said gently.

“No, you don’t, Mom. I’ll be leaving my friends, my boyfriend, my life, my memories, everything behind. I don’t think I will be treated well or accepted in London.” The last smile on Mom’s face vanished. Guilt filled her face. I didn’t want to hurt her, but at least she deserved to feel guilty.

Deep down, I knew she felt bad for making me leave Manchester, but she already had her love life planned. An uncomfortable silence settled between us. She had nothing to say anymore, and I was already thinking she had changed her mind.

“Pack up, Sophia. We’re leaving for London first thing tomorrow morning.”

That statement made my blood boil. She didn’t even consider what I had just said. At that moment, I wished I could just bury myself underground.

Then, without saying anything, she left.

I bent down and picked up the box under my bed. I gently opened it. The picture of Mom and me from back then was still in that box. I looked at every photograph, one after another, missing the life I was about to leave behind.

I picked up my camera from my desk and looked through all the pictures of me, Ava, and Jake. Seeing them made me smile again.

I gently walked toward my window, trying to open it, but before I could, my phone suddenly buzzed. I slowly turned toward my phone on my bed, walked over to it, and picked it up. The moment I opened it, I saw a message from Ava, my best friend.

I stared at it as if replying would somehow break our friendship. I imagined leaving them forever. Who would my life be without Ava? She was there for me after Dad left, and now I would be leaving her behind. Then another message popped up.

I hesitated for a second before replying.

Ava: Still packing, huh? ☺️

Me: Ava, I don’t want to leave. I’m not sure I’ll be treated well in London.

Ava: Sophia... chill, okay? You know you have to go. Maybe not for you, but for your mom. You know how crazy she is in love with Richard.

I laughed softly.

Me: I know, but what about you and Jake? I’ll miss you both. I wish I could take you with me. I can’t stay a day without you both, and you know that.

Ava: That reminds me, have you spoken to Jake?

Me: No, not yet.

Ava: Well, you have to, you know. And don’t worry, I’ll keep in touch no matter what.

That message alone made me feel safe, and all because of my mom, I would be leaving my best friend and my boyfriend just to move to London. I moved to my window and opened it. I stared at the bright lights of Manchester, knowing I would be leaving this place for good.

And the worst part was that I had a stepbrother I barely knew, the spoiled golden boy I’d heard so much about. That made me realize that tomorrow I would meet the Blackwoods. Tomorrow, I would start a new life I never asked for.

And somewhere in London, a boy named Alexander Blackwood had no idea I was about to turn his world upside down.

Neither did I.