Archive of Our Own

The first time Dani shows up, it’s not like in movies.

No slow motion. No dramatic lighting. No warning bell in Sophia’s head like oh yeah, this is gonna change everything.

It’s just Tuesday.

Hot. Sticky. One of those East Coast summers where the air feels like it’s sitting on your chest and refusing to move.

Sophia’s leaned up against the side of a corner store that doesn’t even pretend to be clean anymore. Neon sign flickering like it’s tired of existing. She’s half-listening to whatever music is leaking out of her earbuds, half-watching the street like it owes her money.

She looks like she belongs there. Which is funny, because she belongs nowhere.

Black hoodie despite the heat. Gold chain tucked under it. Hair in a messy bun that looks accidental but definitely isn’t. Expression: permanently unimpressed.

People don’t really bother her. Not out loud, anyway.

She notices Dani before Dani notices her.

That’s the thing about people like Dani. They don’t move like they’re sneaking into places they don’t belong. They move like they own the sidewalk already.

Dani comes down the block like she’s in a music video she didn’t audition for.

Clean sneakers. Tennis skirt. White tank. Hair done like somebody cared enough to spend time on it but not enough to make it obvious. Phone in hand, face lit up from it like she’s texting someone important.

Popular girl energy. The kind that makes people look twice even when they don’t want to.

Sophia already knows the type. She’s seen them before. They don’t usually come this far down the street unless they’re lost, dared, or stupid.

Dani stops right in front of her.

Like, directly in front.

Sophia raises an eyebrow slowly, like she’s not impressed but also mildly entertained.

Dani looks up.

And smiles.

That’s the first weird thing.

Because people don’t usually smile at Sophia like that. Not here. Not like she’s a person and not a warning label.

“Hey,” Dani says.

Voice is soft. Too soft for where she is.

Sophia tilts her head slightly. “You lost, kid?”

Dani blinks at the nickname but doesn’t react badly. Just laughs a little like it’s cute.

“No, I’m good.”

“Uh-huh.”

Awkward pause.

The street keeps moving around them. Cars passing. Somebody yelling down the block. A dog barking like it’s got personal issues.

Dani shifts her weight.

“So,” she says, like she’s been practicing this. “You got like…a blunt?”

Silence.

Not the normal kind. The kind that stretches.

Sophia stares at her.

Just…stares.

Dani’s still smiling but it starts to wobble at the edges.

“Excuse me?” Sophia says finally.

“A blunt,” Dani repeats, a little less confident now. “Like, weed.”

Sophia slowly takes one earbud out.

“Yeah,” she says flatly. “I know what it is.”

Dani nods fast. “Cool, cool.”

Another pause.

Sophia scans her face now. Really looks.

Fresh manicure. No smell of smoke. No red eyes. No nervous scanning of surroundings. No signs of somebody who actually does this.

Just a girl standing way too close to a life she clearly doesn’t live.

“You don’t smoke,” Sophia says.

Dani shrugs. “I could.”

That earns a short exhale from Sophia. Almost a laugh, but not quite.

“You could,” Sophia repeats. “Sure.”

Dani shifts again. “So do you have any or not?”

Sophia tilts her head, studying her like she’s trying to solve a math problem that keeps changing numbers.

“What’s your name?” she asks instead.

Dani hesitates, like she didn’t expect that.

“Dani.”

“Dani,” Sophia repeats. Like she’s tasting it. “Where you from, Dani?”

“Up the hill,” Dani says vaguely.

That doesn’t narrow anything down.

Sophia nods once. “Uh-huh.”

Dani’s confidence is starting to crack around the edges now. She looks at Sophia like she’s trying to figure out if she’s doing this right.

“I just need one,” she says. “Like, I got cash.”

She even reaches into her little crossbody bag like she’s about to prove it.

Sophia holds up a hand.

“No,” she says.

Dani freezes.

“No?” she repeats.

“Yeah,” Sophia says. “No.”

The word hangs there.

Dani’s face shifts. Not fully upset yet, but confused. Like she’s used to things bending a little when she asks.

“I don’t get it,” Dani says.

Sophia slides her earbuds fully out now. Pockets them.

“You don’t smoke,” she says again, slower this time, like Dani might be slow.

Dani crosses her arms. Defensive now. “You don’t know that.”

“I do,” Sophia says. “I’ve been alive long enough to know that.”

That makes Dani pause.

Sophia continues, voice still calm, still flat.

“You come down here asking random people for stuff you don’t even know how to use, that’s not cute. That’s how people get messed up.”

Dani bristles. “I’m not a kid.”

Sophia looks at her for a beat.

Then, very quietly: “Yeah, you are.”

That lands.

Dani’s jaw tightens.

“I just wanted to try it,” she says, softer now. Less confident. More honest than she probably meant to be.

Sophia exhales through her nose.

“Try what?” she asks.

Dani gestures vaguely like she can’t explain it without sounding stupid. “I don’t know. Just…something different.”

Sophia shakes her head a little.

“You don’t come down here for different,” she says. “You go to a rooftop. Or a party. Or you text somebody your age and make bad decisions in a group chat like normal people.”

Dani huffs. “You’re weird.”

“Yeah,” Sophia agrees immediately. “And you’re still standing here.”

That shuts Dani up again.

A beat.

Sophia studies her one more time. The way she’s standing. The way she keeps looking past Sophia like she’s trying to see something behind her instead of in front of her.

And something in Sophia shifts, just slightly.

Not soft. Not warm.

Just aware.

“You should go back up the hill,” Sophia says.

Dani frowns. “Why?”

“Because you don’t belong down here,” Sophia says simply.

Dani goes quiet.

That should’ve ended it.

It doesn’t.

Instead Dani looks like she’s thinking hard. Too hard for a Tuesday sidewalk conversation.

Then she says, “What’s your name?”

Sophia pauses.

People usually don’t ask her that part twice.

“Why?” she asks.

Dani shrugs, but it’s different now. Less playful. More real.

“I just wanna know.”

Sophia hesitates.

Then: “Sophia.”

Dani repeats it like she’s filing it somewhere important. “Sophia.”

“Yeah.”

Another beat.

Then Dani smiles again.

But this time it’s smaller.

Less performance.

“Okay,” Dani says. “Cool.”

And then she just stands there.

Not leaving.

Sophia watches her for a second, then sighs.

“You’re still here,” she says.

Dani nods. “Yeah.”

“…Why?”

Dani looks at her like the answer is obvious and she just doesn’t know how to say it without sounding insane.

“I just…wanted to talk to you,” she says finally.

Sophia stares.

“You came all the way down here,” she says slowly, “to talk to me.”

Dani nods again.

Sophia looks around like the street might explain this.

Nobody does.

“You’re serious,” Sophia says.

“Yeah,” Dani says.

Sophia lets out a quiet breath.

Then she leans back against the wall again, arms folding.

“Kid,” she says, tired now, “you picked a real interesting way to do that.”

Dani laughs a little.

“Yeah,” she admits. “I know.”

Silence again.

But it’s different now.

Less sharp.

More…paused.

Sophia glances at her.

“You should go,” she says again, but softer this time.

Dani doesn’t move.

“I don’t want to,” she says.

That’s the first time she sounds like she actually means something.

Sophia doesn’t respond right away.

Instead she looks at Dani like she’s trying to decide what kind of problem she is.

Then she says, “You don’t know me.”

Dani shrugs. “I can.”

That should’ve been the end of it.

But it isn’t.

Because Dani keeps coming back.

---

The second time, she doesn’t ask for anything.

She just shows up like it’s normal.

Like Sophia is part of her route now.

Sophia notices her before Dani even gets close.

Same street. Same corner store. Same neon flicker.

Different day.

Dani walks up slower this time. Less confident, but still there.

She stops a few feet away instead of directly in front.

Progress, Sophia thinks. Not that it matters.

“Hey,” Dani says.

Sophia doesn’t even turn fully. “No.”

Dani blinks. “I didn’t even say anything.”

“You were about to,” Sophia says.

Dani smiles despite herself. “I was just gonna say hi.”

Sophia glances at her.

“Hi,” she says flatly.

Dani laughs.

It’s small. Real.

Not the curated version she probably uses everywhere else.

“I can sit?” Dani asks, nodding toward the step beside her.

Sophia looks at the step.

Then at Dani.

Then back at the step.

“You’re serious,” she says.

Dani nods.

Sophia shrugs. “It’s a free country, kid.”

Dani sits.

There’s a beat of silence where neither of them knows what the rules are.

Sophia goes back to leaning, watching the street again.

Dani watches her instead.

“You always stand like that?” Dani asks.

“Like what?”

“Like you’re waiting for something.”

Sophia smirks slightly. “Yeah. I am.”

Dani nods like that makes sense. Even though it doesn’t.

“Waiting for what?” she asks.

Sophia looks at her.

Long pause.

“Money,” she says.

Dani hums. Like that’s a normal answer.

Then, quieter: “Do you ever get bored?”

Sophia snorts. “What is this, therapy?”

Dani shrugs. “Just asking.”

Sophia watches a car pass.

“Yeah,” she says. “Sometimes.”

Dani nods slowly.

“I get bored too,” she says.

Sophia glances at her.

“You look busy,” she says.

Dani laughs. “That’s the point.”

Sophia hums.

“Point of what?” she asks.

Dani hesitates again.

Then: “Being liked.”

That one lands differently.

Sophia doesn’t respond immediately.

Instead she studies Dani again.

Like she’s realizing something she didn’t ask for.

“You don’t need me for that,” Sophia says finally.

Dani shakes her head. “No, I know.”

A pause.

Then Dani adds, softer: “I just wanted to see you again.”

Sophia exhales.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” she says.

Dani tilts her head. “Why do you keep saying that?”

“Because it’s true,” Sophia says.

Dani leans back on her hands.

“Or maybe I just don’t care,” she says.

Sophia looks at her sharply.

“That’s stupid,” she says.

Dani smiles faintly. “Yeah. Probably.”

Silence again.

But it’s different now.

Because now it’s shared.

Not just empty.

---

It keeps going like that.

Dani shows up.

Sometimes talking. Sometimes just sitting.

Sometimes asking questions that make Sophia look at her like she’s insane.

“What do you do when you’re not here?”

“Sleep,” Sophia says once.

Dani laughs. “That’s it?”

“Pretty much.”

“You don’t have hobbies?”

Sophia stares at her.

“Kid,” she says, “my hobby is surviving the day.”

Dani doesn’t laugh at that one.

Just nods slowly.

Like she gets it more than she should.

---

Sophia doesn’t tell her to stop coming.

Not directly.

But she tries.

In small ways.

Short answers. Minimal eye contact. Walking away mid-conversation.

Nothing works.

Dani just adapts.

Waits.

Shows up again anyway.

Like she’s got nowhere else to be.

Which is the part Sophia doesn’t like thinking about.

Because Dani definitely has somewhere else to be.

---

One night, it rains.

Hard.

The kind of rain that turns sidewalks into rivers and makes everyone look like they’re running from something even if they’re not.

Sophia’s under the awning of the corner store, hood up, hands in pockets.

Dani shows up soaked.

No umbrella.

No sense.

Hair sticking to her face, sneakers already ruined.

Sophia actually laughs when she sees her.

“What are you doing?” she calls out over the rain.

Dani wipes water from her face. “Walking.”

“In this?” Sophia says.

Dani shrugs like it’s obvious.

“Didn’t wanna miss today.”

Sophia shakes her head.

“You’re insane, kid.”

Dani steps under the awning finally.

Close enough that Sophia can see water dripping off her lashes.

“You were gonna leave early?” Dani asks.

Sophia pauses.

“…Maybe.”

Dani nods like that matters.

“Don’t,” she says simply.

Sophia studies her.

Rain hammers the street behind them.

“You’re soaked,” Sophia says instead.

Dani looks down at herself. “Yeah.”

“You’re gonna get sick.”

Dani shrugs. “Worth it.”

Sophia stares at her.

“You don’t even know what you’re doing here,” she says.

Dani looks up at her.

“I know I’m here,” she says.

That shuts Sophia up for a second.

She looks away.

Rain noise fills the gap.

Then Sophia sighs.

“Go home,” she says again, but it doesn’t have teeth anymore.

Dani shakes her head.

“No.”

Sophia turns back to her.

“Why are you like this?” she asks.

Dani smiles faintly.

“I don’t know,” she says. “You’re kind of…interesting.”

Sophia snorts.

“Interesting,” she repeats.

Dani nods.

“You don’t try to impress people,” she says. “You just…are.”

Sophia raises an eyebrow.

“That’s not a compliment,” she says.

Dani shrugs. “Maybe it is.”

Silence again.

Rain louder.

Dani shifts closer under the awning, arms wrapped around herself.

Sophia notices.

Without thinking, she moves slightly so Dani is more covered.

Small adjustment.

Dani notices anyway.

Looks at her.

“Thanks,” she says.

Sophia grunts. “Don’t mention it.”

A beat.

Then Dani says, “Do you ever wish you could just leave?”

Sophia doesn’t answer immediately.

Then: “Every day.”

Dani nods slowly.

“Where would you go?” she asks.

Sophia smirks faintly.

“Somewhere nobody knows my name,” she says.

Dani looks at her.

“I know your name,” she says.

Sophia glances at her.

“Yeah,” she says. “Unfortunately.”

Dani laughs softly.

But then it fades.

“You don’t want me here,” she says.

It’s not a question.

Sophia doesn’t answer right away.

Because the honest answer is complicated.

Finally she says, “It’s not about wanting.”

Dani looks confused.

Sophia exhales.

“It’s about what happens if you stay too long,” she says.

Dani is quiet.

Sophia continues, voice lower now.

“You don’t want to mix with this, kid. Trust me.”

Dani’s eyes flicker.

“You’re not ‘this,’” she says quietly.

Sophia laughs once, humorless.

“Yeah,” she says. “I am.”

Dani shakes her head.

“No,” she says again, firmer. “You’re Sophia.”

That makes Sophia pause.

Something shifts in her expression. Almost unnoticeable.

Almost.

Then she looks away.

“Go home,” she repeats.

But softer.

Dani doesn’t argue this time.

Just stands there a moment longer.

Then nods.

“Okay,” she says.

She hesitates.

Then adds, “I’ll come back.”

Sophia closes her eyes briefly.

“Yeah,” she mutters. “I figured.”

---

It gets worse after that.

Not in a dramatic way.

In a quiet way.

Because Dani starts showing up not just when she’s bored, but when she’s thinking too much.

When she’s off.

When something in her perfect little world feels misaligned.

Sophia starts noticing the patterns.

Bad day at school. Dani shows up.

Fight with friends. Dani shows up.

Nothing happening at all. Dani shows up anyway.

It becomes routine.

Dangerous in a way Sophia can’t quite explain.

Because routines mean attachment.

And attachment means problems.

---

One day Dani doesn’t show.

Sophia tells herself she doesn’t care.

Still leans against the wall.

Still watches the street.

Still acts normal.

But every time someone walks up the block, her eyes flick automatically.

Not her.

Not her.

Not her.

Hours pass.

No Dani.

Sophia tells herself again.

Doesn’t care.

Doesn’t matter.

Except it does, apparently, because she doesn’t leave early.

Which she said she might.

But doesn’t.

---

The next day, Dani shows up again.

But she’s not smiling.

That’s the first thing Sophia notices.

She stops a few feet away like she’s unsure of the rules now.

Sophia straightens slightly.

“What happened?” she asks immediately.

Dani hesitates.

Then shrugs.

“Nothing.”

Sophia narrows her eyes.

“That’s a lie,” she says.

Dani looks down.

“I just…had a rough day.”

Sophia studies her.

Long pause.

Then she says, “Come here.”

Dani looks up.

“What?”

“Come here,” Sophia repeats.

Dani slowly walks closer.

Sophia steps off the wall slightly, adjusting her stance so they’re not just talking across distance.

“You good?” Sophia asks.

Dani shrugs again.

But it’s weaker this time.

“Yeah,” she says.

Sophia doesn’t believe her.

But she doesn’t push.

Instead she says, “You didn’t come yesterday.”

Dani nods.

“I know.”

Silence.

Then Dani says it.

“I think I messed something up.”

Sophia tilts her head slightly.

“With what?” she asks.

Dani hesitates.

Then: “Everything.”

That’s not helpful.

Sophia exhales.

“Kid,” she says gently now, “you’re being dramatic.”

Dani laughs once, but it breaks halfway.

“I am dramatic,” she says. “That’s kind of my thing apparently.”

Sophia watches her carefully.

Then she says, “Talk.”

Dani looks up.

“…What?”

“Talk,” Sophia repeats. “You keep coming here. So talk.”

Dani hesitates.

Then her voice cracks just slightly.

“I don’t know how.”

That’s when it hits differently.

Sophia looks away briefly.

Then back.

“Try,” she says.

Dani swallows.

Then it comes out in pieces.

Not everything.

Not neatly.

Just enough.

About pressure. About expectations. About being “the girl who has it together.” About how everyone assumes she’s fine all the time.

About how she feels like she’s acting in a role she didn’t choose.

Sophia listens.

Doesn’t interrupt.

Doesn’t fix it.

Just listens.

When Dani finishes, there’s a long silence.

Sophia looks at her.

“You done?” she asks.

Dani nods slowly.

Sophia exhales.

“Yeah,” she says. “That sucks.”

Dani lets out a shaky laugh. “That’s your advice?”

“I’m not your guidance counselor,” Sophia says.

Dani looks at her.

But she’s calmer now.

Less alone, somehow.

Sophia scratches the back of her neck.

Then, quieter: “You don’t need to be perfect, kid.”

Dani blinks.

“That’s easy for you to say,” she mutters.

Sophia smirks.

“You think I’m perfect?”

Dani doesn’t answer.

Because obviously not.

Sophia leans back again.

“Look,” she says. “You got your world. I got mine. They don’t really mix.”

Dani nods slowly.

“I know,” she says.

A pause.

Then she adds, softer: “But I like when they do.”

Sophia looks at her.

Long.

Then she sighs.

“Yeah,” she says. “That’s the problem.”

Dani frowns.

“What?”

Sophia shakes her head.

“Nothing,” she says. “Forget it.”

Dani doesn’t look convinced.

But she doesn’t push.

Instead she just stands there.

And for once, she doesn’t look like she’s trying to be anywhere else.

---

Later that week, Dani shows up again.

Smiling again.

Like she reset.

Like she always does.

Sophia notices immediately.

“You’re back to normal,” she says.

Dani grins. “Define normal.”

Sophia rolls her eyes.

“You know what I mean.”

Dani steps closer.

“So,” she says. “What are you doing after this?”

Sophia snorts.

“Working,” she says.

Dani nods.

Then, casually: “Can I come?”

Sophia stares at her.

“You’re addicted to bad ideas,” she says.

Dani laughs. “Maybe.”

Sophia shakes her head.

“No,” she says firmly.

Dani nods like she expected that.

But she doesn’t leave right away.

Instead she just looks at her.

And softly says, “I like you, Sophia.”

That stops everything.

Not in a cinematic way.

In a real way.

Like the air just pauses for a second.

Sophia doesn’t respond immediately.

Then she exhales.

“Don’t,” she says.

Dani tilts her head.

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t do that,” Sophia says. “Don’t make this into something it’s not.”

Dani’s smile fades slightly.

“It already is something,” she says quietly.

Sophia looks away.

“No,” she says. “It’s not.”

Dani goes quiet.

Then her voice cracks just a little.

“Then why do you keep talking to me?”

That question lands harder than it should.

Sophia doesn’t answer right away.

Because she doesn’t have a clean answer.

She could say a lot of things.

None of them simple.

Instead she says, “Kid…”

Dani flinches slightly at that.

Sophia notices.

Stops.

Sighs.

“I shouldn’t be around you like this,” she says more carefully.

Dani’s eyes shine a little now.

“Oh,” she says softly. “So that’s it?”

Sophia shakes her head.

“It’s not that simple.”

But Dani is already stepping back.

“I just wanted to talk to you,” she says again, voice breaking now. “That’s it.”

Sophia’s expression stays steady.

But something in her chest shifts.

Dani wipes at her face quickly like she’s mad at herself for it.

“I didn’t mean to be annoying,” she says.

Sophia’s jaw tightens slightly.

“You’re not annoying,” she says.

Dani looks up.

Confused.

“Then what am I?”

Sophia hesitates.

That’s the worst part.

Because the honest answer isn’t something she can say out loud.

Dani’s breathing gets uneven now.

“I thought…” she starts, then stops.

Shakes her head.

“Nevermind.”

She turns like she’s about to leave.

And that’s when Sophia finally moves.

Just a step forward.

Not grabbing her. Not stopping her.

Just enough.

“Kid,” she says.

Dani pauses.

Still facing away.

Sophia exhales.

“I don’t want you getting mixed up in my life,” she says.

Dani’s shoulders shake slightly.

“That’s already happened,” she says quietly.

Sophia doesn’t respond.

Dani turns back around.

Eyes wet now.

Not dramatic.

Just real.

“I didn’t ask for anything,” she says. “I just wanted to talk to you.”

Silence.

Sophia’s face stays unreadable.

But her voice softens slightly.

“I know,” she says.

Dani swallows.

“So what now?”

Sophia looks at her for a long moment.

Then, quietly:

“Now you stop coming down here.”

That hits.

Dani blinks.

Like she didn’t expect it to still hurt this much.

“Oh,” she says again.

Small.

Broken.

Then she nods.

“Okay,” she says.

But she doesn’t move right away.

Neither does Sophia.

Rainless day. Still air. Too quiet.

Dani wipes her face again.

“I guess I’ll see you,” she starts.

Then stops.

Because there’s no ending that feels right.

Sophia looks at her.

Something shifts again.

Small.

Barely there.

Then she says, softer than before:

“Take care of yourself, kid.”

Dani lets out a shaky laugh.

“Yeah,” she says. “Sure.”

Then she turns.

And walks away.

---

Sophia stays on that corner longer than she should.

Just watching the space Dani used to occupy.

Street keeps moving.

Life keeps moving.

But something feels slightly out of place.

Not dramatic.

Just different.

She adjusts her hoodie.

Shoves her hands in her pockets.

Leans back against the wall again.

Stares ahead.

Like always.

But for the first time in a while…

she notices the quiet.

---

Days pass.

Then a week.

Then two.

And it’s weird how absence isn’t loud. It doesn’t crash in. It just…settles.

Sophia still stands in the same spot. Same corner store. Same flickering neon that looks like it’s one bad day away from giving up completely.

Same routine.

But something’s off.

Not obvious. Not enough for anyone else to clock it.

Just small things.

Like how her eyes still flick up the block sometimes without her meaning to.

Like how she notices girls in tennis skirts now. Or white tanks. Or clean sneakers.

None of them are Dani.

And she tells herself it’s fine.

Better, actually.

Safer.

She said what she said for a reason.

Dani listened.

Good.

That’s how it’s supposed to go.

People leave. Things go back to normal.

Except…normal feels quieter now.

And Sophia hates that she notices.

---

By week three, she stops looking up the block as much.

Not because she doesn’t want to.

Because she trained herself not to.

You don’t wait for people. That’s rule one.

Waiting gets you stuck.

---

It’s late when it happens.

Not super late. Just that in-between time where the sky’s dim and the streetlights are starting to buzz on, one by one.

The air’s cooler. Finally.

Sophia’s half-leaning, half-sitting on the edge of the store’s step, scrolling through nothing on her phone.

She hears it before she sees anything.

At first, it doesn’t register.

Just noise.

Somebody crying, probably. Happens all the time in the city. People breaking down in public like the sidewalk is the only place they’re allowed to fall apart.

She doesn’t look up.

Not immediately.

Then it gets louder.

Not just crying.

Like…gasping.

Sharp. Uneven. The kind that doesn’t come from being a little sad.

The kind that comes from something snapping.

Sophia’s thumb pauses mid-scroll.

She frowns slightly.

Still doesn’t look up.

Then she hears a voice.

Not words.

Just…broken sound.

And something in her chest tightens in a way she doesn’t like.

Slowly, she lifts her head.

And there—

Halfway down the block.

Dani.

---

It doesn’t even look like her at first.

Same clothes type. Same silhouette.

But everything else is wrong.

She’s walking uneven. Not like she’s drunk. Like her legs forgot how to cooperate.

Her hands are shaking. One of them pressed awkwardly to her face.

And she’s crying.

Not quiet tears.

Not the kind you hide behind sunglasses or a turned head.

Loud.

Messy.

Like she forgot how to stop.

Sophia straightens immediately.

Phone gone. Whatever she was doing—irrelevant.

For a second, she just watches.

Frozen.

Because this doesn’t fit.

Dani doesn’t show up like this.

Dani shows up smiling. Reset. Controlled.

Not…this.

Dani gets closer.

And that’s when Sophia sees it.

The mark.

Faint at first under the streetlight.

Then clearer.

Red, blooming across the side of her face.

Not subtle.

Not something you can explain away as clumsy.

Sophia’s jaw tightens.

Hard.

Dani doesn’t even notice her at first.

She’s too busy trying to breathe.

Trying to exist through whatever’s hitting her all at once.

Sophia pushes off the wall.

Steps forward.

“Dani.”

Her voice is low. Sharp enough to cut through the noise.

Dani freezes.

Looks up.

And the second she sees Sophia—

It’s like whatever thin thread she was holding onto just snaps completely.

Her face crumples.

Not dramatic.

Not pretty.

Just real.

“Sophia—”

Her voice breaks so hard it barely sounds like a word.

And then she’s crying even worse.

Sophia feels something twist in her chest. Fast. Uncomfortable.

She doesn’t move closer right away.

Because she doesn’t know what the move is here.

She’s not built for this.

Not the crying. Not the emotions spilling out like this.

“Hey,” she says instead, a little rougher than she means to. “Hey—what happened?”

Dani shakes her head, but it’s useless. She can’t even form a sentence.

“I—I—” she tries, but it dissolves into another broken sound.

Sophia exhales sharply.

Steps closer now.

“Kid,” she says, more controlled. “Breathe.”

Dani tries.

Fails.

Her hands are shaking worse now.

Sophia glances at the mark again.

Her stomach drops slightly.

“Who did that?” she asks.

Dani doesn’t answer.

Doesn’t even seem to process the question.

She just keeps crying.

And it’s loud.

Too loud.

People are starting to glance over.

Sophia notices immediately.

Her posture shifts.

Protective, without thinking.

She steps in closer, angling slightly so Dani’s not fully visible from the street.

“Hey,” she says again, lower now. “Look at me.”

Dani tries.

Her eyes are red, unfocused, tears still spilling.

Sophia hates this.

Not the crying.

The fact that she doesn’t know what to do with it.

She’s not a hugger.

Doesn’t do comfort like that.

Doesn’t do soft.

But Dani—

Dani is falling apart right in front of her.

And it’s not stopping.

“Okay,” Sophia mutters under her breath, more to herself than Dani.

She hesitates.

One second too long.

Then, awkwardly—

She reaches out.

Not a full hug.

Not even close.

Just…hands.

One on Dani’s shoulder.

The other hovering for a second before settling lightly on her arm.

Stiff.

Unpracticed.

But there.

“Hey,” she says again. “You’re okay. Just—breathe, yeah?”

Dani leans into her.

Not dramatically.

Just…enough.

And that alone almost short-circuits Sophia’s brain.

Because now this is happening.

Now she’s responsible.

Now she can’t step back.

Dani’s crying doesn’t stop.

If anything, it gets worse now that she’s not holding it in alone.

Her forehead presses briefly against Sophia’s shoulder.

And Sophia freezes for half a second.

Then exhales.

And doesn’t move away.

“Alright,” she murmurs, voice lower now. “Alright… I got you. Just chill. You’re good.”

The words feel weird coming out of her mouth.

But Dani clings to them anyway.

To her.

Sophia glances around again.

Too many eyes.

Too public.

She doesn’t like it.

“C’mon,” she says quietly. “Not out here.”

Dani doesn’t respond.

Sophia tightens her grip slightly.

“Dani,” she says firmer. “We’re moving, yeah?”

A small nod.

Barely there.

Good enough.

Sophia guides her toward the side alley next to the store.

Not sketchy. Just quieter. Out of direct view.

They step into it.

The noise of the street dulls just enough.

Dani’s still crying.

Still shaking.

Sophia leans back against the wall, pulling Dani with her so she doesn’t just collapse.

“Breathe,” she repeats. “In. Out. You’re good.”

Dani tries again.

It’s messy.

Uneven.

But it’s something.

Sophia keeps her hands where they are.

Awkward.

Unnatural.

But steady.

Her eyes flick back to the mark.

Anger sparks this time.

Low. Controlled. Dangerous.

“Who did that?” she asks again, quieter.

Dani shakes her head harder this time.

“I—I can’t—” she chokes out.

Sophia clenches her jaw.

“Yeah you can,” she says. “Talk to me.”

Dani’s fingers clutch at the front of Sophia’s hoodie slightly.

“I didn’t mean to make him mad,” she blurts.

That lands.

Heavy.

Sophia goes still.

“…Him?” she repeats.

Dani’s breathing stutters again.

“I just—he was already—he was yelling and I said something and then—”

She cuts herself off.

Doesn’t need to finish.

The mark says enough.

Sophia’s stomach drops.

Cold.

“Your dad?” she asks, voice tight.

Dani doesn’t answer directly.

But the silence is loud enough.

Sophia looks away for a second.

Runs a hand down her face.

Composes herself.

Because she can’t lose it.

Not right now.

Not when Dani’s barely holding together.

“Okay,” she says finally. “Okay.”

Dani shakes her head again.

“I didn’t know where to go,” she says, voice small now. “I just…ended up here.”

That hits harder than anything else.

Sophia looks at her.

Really looks.

Mascara smudged. Hair a mess. That perfect image completely shattered.

And she still came here.

To her.

Sophia exhales slowly.

“You should’ve gone to a friend,” she says.

Dani laughs weakly.

“Yeah,” she says. “Probably.”

But she didn’t.

She came here.

Sophia presses her lips together.

Then, quieter:

“You safe going back?”

Dani stiffens slightly.

That’s answer enough.

Sophia nods once.

“Yeah,” she mutters. “Thought so.”

Silence.

Dani’s crying finally starts to slow.

Not stopping.

Just…less explosive.

More quiet now.

Shaky breaths.

Sophia adjusts slightly, still holding her in that half-awkward, half-protective way.

“You’re staying with me for a bit,” she says.

Not a question.

Dani nods weakly.

“Okay.”

Another pause.

Then, softer:

“You’re not gonna make me leave?”

Sophia looks at her.

Something in her expression shifts.

Just a little.

“No,” she says.

And she means it.

Dani’s shoulders drop slightly.

Relief.

Small, but real.

She leans her head back against the wall, still close.

Still within reach.

Sophia doesn’t move away.

Doesn’t pull her closer either.

Just…stays.

Present.

Grounded.

Something she’s not used to being for anyone.

Minutes pass.

No rush.

No pressure.

Just breathing.

Eventually, Dani whispers, “I’m sorry.”

Sophia frowns.

“For what?”

“For showing up like this,” Dani says. “For…everything.”

Sophia shakes her head immediately.

“Don’t,” she says. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Dani looks at her.

Like she’s not used to hearing that.

Sophia holds her gaze.

“You hear me?” she says.

Dani nods slowly.

“Yeah.”

Silence again.

But it’s different now.

Not empty.

Not awkward.

Just…held.

Sophia leans back against the wall.

Still watching her.

Still thinking.

Because this—

This is exactly what she was trying to avoid.

And somehow—

It still happened anyway.

---

Sophia doesn’t say it right away.

She thinks it first.

It just…shows up in her head, uninvited.

You can’t send her back there.

And once it’s there, it doesn’t leave.

Dani’s breathing has evened out a little, but her hands are still shaking. Her face is still turned slightly away, like she doesn’t want Sophia looking too hard at the mark.

Sophia notices anyway.

Of course she does.

She notices everything.

She leans her head back against the wall, eyes flicking up toward the dim strip of sky between buildings.

Thinking.

Fast.

Practical.

Because that’s how she survives things.

“What time is it?” she asks suddenly.

Dani blinks, a little disoriented by the shift.

“Um…” she fumbles for her phone, hands still unsteady. “Like…7:40.”

Sophia nods once.

“Your mom home?” she asks.

Dani stiffens slightly.

“…No.”

That tracks.

Sophia exhales through her nose.

“And he is,” she says.

Not a question.

Dani’s silence answers again.

Sophia’s jaw tightens.

She looks back at Dani.

Really looks this time.

Sixteen.

Still a kid, no matter how much she tries to act older.

And she showed up here instead of anywhere else.

That part sits heavy.

Sophia shifts her weight.

“You got somewhere else you can go?” she asks.

Dani hesitates.

Then shakes her head.

“Not really.”

Sophia raises an eyebrow.

“What about your friends? Miss popular, perfect life?”

There’s no bite in it this time.

Just…checking.

Dani lets out a weak, humorless laugh.

“They’re not really…that kind of friends.”

Sophia nods slowly.

Yeah.

She figured.

Silence again.

Then Dani says, quieter:

“I don’t wanna go back tonight.”

That lands exactly how it sounds.

Not dramatic.

Not exaggerated.

Just real.

Sophia presses her lips together.

Runs a hand over her face again.

Thinking.

Because this is where things get complicated.

This is where lines get crossed.

This is where decisions stick.

She glances down at Dani again.

At the way she’s still curled in on herself slightly. The way her eyes keep darting like she’s bracing for something that isn’t even here.

And Sophia already knows what she’s gonna do.

She just doesn’t say it yet.

Because once she says it, it’s real.

“You got a bag or something?” she asks instead.

Dani frowns slightly.

“…No?”

“Clothes? Stuff?”

Dani shakes her head.

“I didn’t grab anything. I just left.”

Sophia nods.

Figures.

Another pause.

Then she sighs.

Low. Resigned.

“Alright,” she mutters.

Dani looks up at her.

“What?”

Sophia pushes off the wall.

“C’mon,” she says.

Dani blinks.

“…Where?”

Sophia hesitates for half a second.

Then:

“You’re not staying there tonight.”

It’s not dramatic.

Not soft.

Just…final.

Dani freezes.

Like she didn’t expect that answer.

“…What?”

Sophia shrugs like it’s obvious.

“You heard me.”

Dani’s eyes widen slightly.

“With you?” she asks, almost like she doesn’t believe it.

Sophia exhales.

“Don’t make it weird, kid,” she says. “You need somewhere to crash. I got a couch.”

Dani stares at her.

Processing.

“Wait—you have a place?” she says.

Sophia raises an eyebrow.

“What, you thought I lived behind the store?”

Dani lets out a small, shaky laugh.

“I don’t know,” she admits.

Sophia shakes her head.

“I got an apartment,” she says. “It’s not fancy, but it’s not your house either.”

That last part lands.

Dani goes quiet again.

Looking at her like she’s trying to understand why.

“Why are you doing this?” she asks softly.

Sophia pauses.

Looks at her.

There’s a lot of answers she could give.

None of them feel right out loud.

So she shrugs.

“Because you showed up crying on my block,” she says. “What, you thought I was gonna just…tell you to walk it off?”

Dani doesn’t answer.

Her eyes are a little glassy again, but not like before.

Different.

Softer.

Sophia looks away.

“Don’t get used to it,” she adds quickly.

Dani nods immediately.

“Okay.”

Too fast.

Like she doesn’t wanna risk losing the offer.

Sophia notices.

Of course she does.

But she doesn’t say anything.

Instead she jerks her head toward the street.

“Let’s go.”

---

The walk to Sophia’s place isn’t long.

Fifteen minutes, maybe.

But it feels longer.

Not because of distance.

Because Dani stays close.

Like…really close.

Not touching.

Just within reach.

Like she’s making sure Sophia doesn’t disappear.

Sophia notices that too.

Doesn’t comment.

Just keeps walking.

Hands in her hoodie pockets.

Eyes scanning like always.

Protective without making it obvious.

They don’t talk much.

Dani’s still quiet.

Drained.

Every now and then, Sophia glances at her.

Checking.

Making sure she’s still there.

Still okay.

Still upright.

By the time they reach the building, Dani looks exhausted.

Not sleepy.

Just…done.

Sophia pulls out her keys.

“It’s up two flights,” she says. “No elevator.”

Dani nods.

“Okay.”

They go up.

The stairwell smells like old paint and something vaguely burnt.

Normal.

Sophia unlocks the door.

Pushes it open.

“Welcome to luxury living,” she mutters.

---

The apartment is small.

Like…really small.

Studio.

Couch against one wall. Bed against the other. Tiny kitchen that barely qualifies as one.

But it’s clean.

Organized.

Minimal.

Everything has a place.

Because Sophia needs it that way.

Dani steps inside slowly.

Looking around like she’s not sure what she expected.

“It’s nice,” she says.

Sophia snorts.

“It’s a box.”

“It’s your box,” Dani says.

Sophia pauses for half a second.

Then shrugs.

“Yeah.”

She closes the door behind them.

Locks it automatically.

Dani notices that.

Something in her shoulders relaxes slightly.

Sophia kicks off her shoes.

“You can sit,” she says, nodding toward the couch.

Dani does.

Carefully.

Like she doesn’t wanna mess anything up.

Sophia disappears into the tiny bathroom for a second.

Comes back with a damp cloth.

Holds it out.

“Here.”

Dani blinks.

“…What’s this?”

“For your face,” Sophia says. “It’s gonna swell if you don’t ice it or something.”

Dani hesitates.

Then takes it.

“Thanks.”

She presses it gently against the red mark.

Winces slightly.

Sophia watches her.

Jaw tight again.

But she doesn’t say anything.

Instead she moves to the kitchen area.

Grabs a bottle of water.

Tosses it lightly onto the couch next to Dani.

“Drink,” she says.

Dani nods.

“Okay.”

She opens it, takes a small sip.

Everything is quiet.

Calmer now.

But still fragile.

Sophia leans against the counter.

Watching.

Not hovering.

Just…there.

Dani glances up at her after a minute.

“You don’t have to stand like you’re guarding me,” she says softly.

Sophia raises an eyebrow.

“I’m not.”

Dani gives her a look.

Sophia exhales.

“Alright, maybe a little.”

Dani smiles faintly.

It’s small.

But it’s back.

And for some reason, that makes something in Sophia’s chest loosen just a bit.

“You can stay here tonight,” Sophia says after a moment.

Dani nods.

“Okay.”

“And we’ll figure the rest out later.”

Another nod.

“Okay.”

Sophia watches her for a second.

Then pushes off the counter.

Grabs a blanket from the back of a chair.

Tosses it to her.

“Couch is yours.”

Dani catches it.

“…Where are you sleeping?”

Sophia jerks her head toward the bed.

“I’m not giving you that too. Relax.”

Dani huffs a small laugh.

“Fair.”

Another pause.

Then Dani looks down at the blanket in her hands.

Her fingers tighten around it slightly.

“…Sophia?”

“Yeah?”

Dani hesitates.

Then, quiet:

“Thank you.”

Sophia stills for a second.

Then shrugs it off like it’s nothing.

“Don’t mention it,” she says.

But her voice is softer than before.

Dani nods.

Settles into the couch.

Pulls the blanket around herself.

Still holding the cloth to her face.

Sophia dims the light.

Not all the way.

Just enough.

Then she sits on the edge of her bed.

Not lying down yet.

Just…watching.

Making sure Dani’s breathing stays steady.

Making sure she doesn’t break again.

After a while, Dani’s eyes start to close.

Exhaustion finally catching up.

But right before she fully drifts—

“Hey, Sophia?” she murmurs.

Sophia looks over.

“Yeah, kid?”

Dani’s voice is barely there now.

“…Can I stay a little longer than just tonight?”

That question hangs in the air.

Heavy.

Complicated.

Real.

Sophia exhales slowly.

Runs a hand through her hair.

Then looks at Dani.

At the way she’s curled up on that couch.

Trying to feel safe.

And for the first time in a long time—

Sophia doesn’t overthink it.

“Yeah,” she says.

Simple.

Firm.

“You can stay.”

Dani nods slightly.

Like that was all she needed.

Then her eyes close fully.

And she finally sleeps.

---

Sophia doesn’t sleep right away.

She leans back on her hands.

Stares at the ceiling.

Thinking.

Because she knows what this is.

Knows what it means.

Knows it’s not simple anymore.

Not just a girl on a corner.

Not just random conversations.

This is real now.

Responsibility.

Risk.

Attachment.

All the things she avoids.

She glances over at Dani again.

Still asleep.

Still here.

And Sophia exhales quietly.

“…Damn, kid,” she mutters under her breath.

But there’s no annoyance in it.

Just something softer.

Something she’s not used to naming.

And she stays awake a little longer.

Just in case.

--

The first morning is weird.

Not bad.

Just…different.

Sophia wakes up earlier than she needs to.

That part isn’t new—she’s used to light sleep, used to being up before the world decides what it’s doing.

But this time, the first thing she does isn’t check her phone or the window.

It’s the couch.

Dani’s still there.

Curled up under the blanket like she shrank overnight. One hand tucked under her cheek, the other still loosely holding the edge of the fabric like she didn’t fully trust it would stay.

Sophia watches her for a second.

Just checking.

Breathing steady.

Face calmer.

The mark still there, faint in the early light, but not as angry-looking as last night.

Good.

Sophia exhales quietly and gets up.

Moves around softer than usual without really thinking about it. Grabs a hoodie, pulls it on, runs a hand through her hair.

She’s halfway to the kitchen when—

“...Sophia?”

Her name comes out rough.

Sleepy.

A little panicked.

Sophia turns immediately.

“I’m here,” she says.

Dani pushes herself up too fast, blinking hard like she’s trying to figure out where she is.

Then she sees her.

And her shoulders drop.

“Oh.”

Sophia leans against the counter.

“You thought I dipped?” she says.

Dani rubs her eyes.

“…I didn’t know,” she admits.

Sophia nods once.

“Yeah. I get that.”

Silence for a second.

Then Dani swings her legs off the couch, blanket still wrapped around her like armor.

“Sorry,” she says. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Stop apologizing,” Sophia cuts in.

Dani pauses.

Then nods.

“Okay.”

It’s quiet again.

But not awkward.

Just…morning quiet.

Sophia grabs a bottle of water and slides it across the counter toward her.

“Drink,” she says.

Dani walks over, still wrapped up, and takes it.

“Thanks.”

She takes a sip.

Then glances around the apartment again, slower this time.

Taking it in.

“You really live here by yourself?” she asks.

“Yeah.”

Dani looks at her.

“How old are you?”

Sophia raises an eyebrow.

“You just now asking that?”

Dani shrugs. “Timing.”

Sophia huffs.

“Eighteen.”

Dani blinks.

“…That’s it?”

Sophia smirks slightly. “You thought I was thirty?”

“No,” Dani says quickly. “Just—older.”

Sophia leans back against the counter.

“Two years,” she says. “Relax.”

Dani nods slowly.

“Still feels like more.”

Sophia doesn’t respond to that.

Because yeah.

It kinda does.

---

It settles into something after that.

Not instantly.

Not perfectly.

But it builds.

Dani doesn’t go back home.

Not that week.

Not the next.

At first it’s just “a few days.”

Then it’s “until things cool down.”

Then it stops being discussed like a temporary thing at all.

Sophia doesn’t ask too many questions.

Dani doesn’t offer too many answers.

They both just…adjust.

---

Sophia starts driving her to school.

The first time, Dani looks at her like she’s kidding.

“You don’t have to do that,” she says, standing awkwardly by the door with her backpack.

Sophia grabs her keys.

“I’m up anyway,” she says.

“That doesn’t mean—”

“Kid,” Sophia cuts in, already heading for the door. “You walking all the way back up there is not happening. Let’s go.”

Dani hesitates.

Then follows.

Of course she does.

---

The car isn’t fancy.

Old.

A little loud.

But it runs.

And it’s hers.

Dani sits in the passenger seat, looking around like it’s more impressive than it actually is.

“You have a car,” she says, like she’s still processing it.

Sophia starts the engine.

“Yeah.”

“That’s crazy.”

Sophia glances at her.

“It’s really not.”

Dani smiles faintly.

“It is to me.”

Sophia shakes her head.

But there’s a tiny hint of something there.

Pride, maybe.

She pulls out onto the street.

Dani buckles in, then glances over.

“You’re gonna pick me up too?”

Sophia snorts.

“Don’t push it.”

Dani laughs.

But later that day—

Sophia’s there.

Parked across the street.

Waiting.

She doesn’t say anything about it.

Dani doesn’t either.

But the smile she gives when she gets in the car?

Yeah.

Sophia notices.

---

Afternoons become routine.

Dani gets back.

Drops her bag by the door like she lives there.

Which…she kinda does now.

Sophia’s usually already there or comes in not long after.

They don’t do anything big.

No outings.

No dramatic plans.

Just…exist.

TV on in the background.

Some random show neither of them fully pays attention to.

Takeout containers spread across the coffee table.

Dani talking about her day in pieces.

Sophia listening, sometimes responding, sometimes just nodding.

It’s quiet.

But not empty.

It’s…easy.

---

Dani is touchy.

That becomes obvious fast.

At first, Sophia hates it.

Not in a mean way.

Just…she’s not used to it.

At all.

The first time Dani hugs her, it’s random.

Like—completely random.

They’re standing in the kitchen.

Sophia just handed her food.

And Dani just—

Steps forward.

Wraps her arms around her.

Quick.

Natural.

Like it’s the most normal thing in the world.

Sophia freezes.

Actually freezes.

Doesn’t hug back.

Doesn’t move.

Just stands there like her brain short-circuited.

Dani pulls back a second later.

Doesn’t even notice.

“Thanks,” she says casually, grabbing her food.

Sophia just stares at her.

“…What was that?”

Dani blinks.

“What?”

“You just—hugged me.”

Dani tilts her head.

“…Yeah?”

Like that explains everything.

Sophia shakes her head.

“Don’t do that.”

Dani pauses.

Then nods.

“Okay.”

And she means it.

For like…a day.

---

Because Dani forgets.

Or maybe she doesn’t forget.

Maybe it’s just how she is.

She leans.

Sits close.

Lets her knee bump into Sophia’s when they’re on the couch.

Reaches for her hand absentmindedly when she’s talking.

Half the time, she doesn’t even realize she’s doing it.

The first few times, Sophia pulls away.

Subtle.

Not rude.

Just…space.

Dani notices eventually.

“Sorry,” she says once, shifting back.

Sophia shrugs.

“It’s whatever.”

But it’s not whatever.

Not at first.

---

Then something changes.

Slow.

Quiet.

Like everything else.

One night, Dani falls asleep mid-movie.

Head tipped sideways.

And then—

Without asking—

She shifts.

And her head ends up in Sophia’s lap.

Sophia looks down.

Freezes again.

Because this is…a lot.

Dani doesn’t wake up.

Doesn’t move.

Just breathes, soft and steady, like she trusts the space she’s in.

Sophia sits there.

Staring at her.

For a long time.

She could move.

Wake her up.

Tell her to fix it.

Create distance.

Instead—

She doesn’t.

She adjusts slightly.

Just enough so Dani’s more comfortable.

And that’s it.

---

After that, it’s different.

Sophia stops pulling away as much.

Not completely.

But less.

Dani leans against her on the couch?

She lets her.

Dani grabs her hand while talking about something dumb at school?

She doesn’t immediately move it.

Dani hugs her again one day—

Sophia stiffens.

But this time?

She doesn’t stop it.

Doesn’t return it either.

But she lets it happen.

And Dani smiles like that’s enough.

---

Sophia gets protective.

Not loud about it.

Not obvious.

But it’s there.

In the way she watches people when they’re out.

In the way she parks closer to entrances.

In the way she checks Dani’s face without asking, like she’s making sure there’s no new marks.

In the way her tone shifts when Dani talks about going back home.

“Not yet,” Sophia says once.

Firm.

Dani nods.

“Okay.”

No argument.

Because she trusts her.

And that part—

That part hits harder than Sophia expected.

---

It gets…comfortable.

That’s the weirdest part.

Because Sophia doesn’t do comfortable.

Doesn’t do routine like this.

Doesn’t do…domestic.

But now—

Dani’s stuff is in her apartment.

Not a lot.

Just enough.

A hoodie draped over the chair.

Shoes by the door.

A toothbrush next to Sophia’s.

Little things.

But they add up.

And somehow—

It doesn’t feel wrong.

---

One night, they’re sitting on the couch.

Takeout boxes everywhere.

Some dumb reality show playing.

Dani’s half-curled into Sophia’s side, scrolling on her phone.

Sophia’s arm is resting behind her on the couch.

Not around her.

But close enough that it could be.

Dani looks up suddenly.

“You like this?” she asks.

Sophia glances at her.

“Like what?”

“This,” Dani says, gesturing vaguely. “Us just…doing nothing.”

Sophia snorts.

“Yeah,” she says. “It’s low effort.”

Dani smiles.

“That’s not what I meant.”

Sophia looks at her.

Dani’s expression softens slightly.

“Like…this feels nice,” she says.

Sophia pauses.

Because yeah.

It does.

And she hates how easily that answer comes.

“…Yeah,” she says finally.

Dani’s smile widens just a little.

She shifts closer.

Head resting lightly against Sophia’s shoulder.

Sophia doesn’t move.

Doesn’t pull away.

Just stays there.

And after a second—

Her hand lifts.

Hesitates.

Then rests lightly against Dani’s arm.

Not gripping.

Not pulling.

Just…there.

Dani notices.

Of course she does.

But she doesn’t say anything.

Just relaxes into it.

And for once—

Sophia lets herself not think about what it means.

Lets herself not overanalyze the lines.

Lets herself just exist in it.

Because for the first time in a long time—

Things feel…steady.

And she doesn’t want to ruin that.

---

It’s a random Tuesday afternoon when it happens.

Nothing special.

Same routine.

Sophia gets back first, drops her keys in the little dish by the door, hoodie half-off already as she moves toward the kitchen.

Dani’s not back yet.

Which is normal.

Sophia grabs a bottle of water, leans against the counter, scrolling through her phone for a second.

Then she notices it.

A textbook.

Just…sitting there.

Right in the middle of the counter like it owns the place.

Sophia squints at it.

Walks over.

Picks it up.

“AP Government,” she mutters under her breath. “Yeah, that tracks.”

She flips it open lazily.

Pages full of notes. Highlighting. Sticky tabs.

Of course.

Of course Dani is like this.

Sophia smirks slightly.

Then her eyes catch something on the inside cover.

Neatly written.

Full name.

She pauses.

Reads it again.

Then again, slower.

A grin starts to form.

“Oh,” she says quietly. “Oh, that’s crazy.”

The door opens behind her.

Dani walks in, already talking.

“Okay, so you’re not gonna believe what—”

She stops mid-sentence.

Because Sophia’s standing there.

Holding the textbook.

Looking way too entertained.

“…What?” Dani says cautiously.

Sophia closes the book slowly.

Turns around.

Leans back against the counter like she just found something illegal.

“What’s up, Daniela?” she says casually.

Silence.

Dani freezes.

Actually freezes.

“…Don’t,” she says immediately.

Sophia’s grin widens.

“Daniela Avanzini,” she repeats, dragging it out just enough to be annoying.

Dani drops her bag.

“Stop,” she says, already walking toward her.

Sophia holds the book up out of reach.

“Oh nah,” she says. “This is crazy. You’ve been walking around acting like your name isn’t Daniela.”

“It’s Dani,” she insists.

“It’s Daniela,” Sophia corrects.

Dani tries to grab the book.

Sophia just lifts it higher.

Too easy.

“Give it back,” Dani says, trying not to smile.

Sophia tilts her head.

“Make me, kid.”

Dani narrows her eyes.

“You’re so annoying.”

“And you’ve got a government textbook like it’s your personality,” Sophia shoots back.

Dani lunges again.

Sophia steps back, laughing now.

“Daniela—”

“I swear to God, stop saying it like that!”

Sophia grins.

“Like what? It’s your name.”

Dani finally grabs the edge of the book, trying to pull it back.

Sophia doesn’t let go.

Now they’re both holding it.

Close.

Too close.

There’s a second where neither of them moves.

Then Dani huffs out a laugh.

“You’re the worst.”

Sophia shrugs.

“You love it.”

Dani rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling.

Which means Sophia wins.

Obviously.

Sophia lets go of the book.

Dani clutches it to her chest like it was life or death.

“You’re never calling me that again,” she says.

Sophia raises an eyebrow.

“Daniela?”

Dani groans.

“Oh my God.”

Sophia just smirks and walks past her.

“Relax, kid. It’s kinda cute.”

Dani stands there for a second, processing that.

Then—

“…You’re so weird,” she mutters.

But she’s still smiling.

---

Later, they’re on the couch.

Same as always.

Takeout boxes scattered.

TV playing something neither of them really cares about.

Dani’s sitting close.

Closer than usual.

One leg tucked under her, angled toward Sophia.

Sophia’s leaning back, arm stretched along the back of the couch.

It’s normal now.

This space.

This closeness.

Not awkward anymore.

Just…them.

Dani’s talking about something.

School drama. Some teacher being annoying. Someone said something to someone.

Sophia’s half-listening, nodding occasionally.

Then Dani stops mid-sentence.

Sophia glances at her.

“What?”

Dani doesn’t answer.

Just looks at her for a second.

Like she’s thinking something through.

Then—

Without warning—

She shifts.

And climbs right into Sophia’s lap.

Like it’s nothing.

Like it’s obvious.

Sophia freezes.

“Yo—what are you doing?” she says immediately.

Dani shrugs, settling in like she belongs there.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?” Sophia repeats. “You just—sat on me.”

Dani adjusts slightly, getting comfortable.

“Yeah.”

Sophia stares at her.

Processing.

Because this is new.

This is different.

“Dani,” she says, a little more serious now.

Dani looks at her.

“What?”

“You can’t just do that.”

Dani tilts her head.

“Why not?”

Sophia opens her mouth.

Closes it.

Because the answer isn’t as simple as it should be.

Dani watches her.

Then smiles a little.

“You don’t mind,” she says.

It’s not a question.

Sophia exhales.

“You’re pushing it.”

Dani shrugs.

But she doesn’t move.

Doesn’t get off.

Just stays there.

Close.

Really close.

Sophia can feel the warmth of her. The weight of her. The way she fits a little too easily.

And yeah—

She could move her.

Should, probably.

But she doesn’t.

Dani shifts slightly again, turning just enough so she’s facing her more.

Knees on either side.

Hands resting lightly on Sophia’s shoulders now.

Sophia’s breath catches—just barely.

“What are you doing?” she asks again, quieter this time.

Dani’s expression softens.

“I don’t know,” she says honestly.

That makes it worse.

Or better.

Hard to tell.

Sophia’s hands hover awkwardly for a second.

Not touching her.

Not pushing her away.

Just…there.

Dani looks at her face.

Really looks.

Like she’s trying to read something.

Sophia holds her gaze.

Doesn’t look away.

Can’t, for some reason.

The room feels quieter.

TV still playing, but distant now.

Irrelevant.

Dani’s fingers shift slightly against her shoulders.

Light.

Careful.

Not grabbing.

Just…there.

“You still gonna call me Daniela?” she asks softly.

Sophia lets out a quiet breath.

“Only when you’re being annoying.”

Dani smiles.

Small.

Real.

“I’m always annoying.”

“Yeah,” Sophia says. “I know.”

Silence again.

But not empty.

Something else.

Something heavier.

Dani’s eyes flick down for a second.

Then back up.

Sophia notices.

Of course she does.

Her jaw tightens slightly.

Not in a bad way.

Just…aware.

“Dani,” she says quietly.

But there’s no follow-up.

Because she doesn’t know what she’s about to say.

Dani doesn’t move.

Doesn’t pull away.

If anything, she leans in just slightly.

Not enough to cross a line.

But close enough to feel like one.

Sophia’s hands finally settle.

Lightly.

On Dani’s waist.

Testing.

Careful.

Like she’s giving herself an out.

Dani exhales softly at that.

And that—

That changes the air completely.

Sophia notices immediately.

Her grip tightens just a fraction.

Not pulling.

Just…holding.

“Kid,” she mutters under her breath.

But it doesn’t sound like a warning this time.

Dani’s forehead almost brushes hers.

Almost.

“Say my name right,” she whispers.

Sophia huffs a quiet laugh.

“Dani.”

Dani shakes her head slightly.

“No.”

Sophia raises an eyebrow.

“…Daniela?”

Dani smiles.

“There you go.”

Sophia exhales.

Shakes her head a little.

“You’re a problem.”

Dani leans in just a little closer.

“Yeah,” she says softly. “But you like me.”

Sophia doesn’t answer that.

Doesn’t need to.

Because the way her hands are still resting on Dani—

The way she hasn’t moved her—

The way she’s still right there—

Yeah.

That’s answer enough.

And neither of them moves away.

Not yet.

---

For a second, nothing moves.

It’s just them.

Close enough that Sophia can feel Dani’s breath, warm and uneven, brushing against her lips.

Close enough that it would take almost nothing.

Sophia’s hands are still at her waist. Not pulling her in, not pushing her away.

Just…holding.

Like she’s stuck between decisions.

“Dani,” she says again, quieter this time.

But it doesn’t come out like a warning.

More like a question she doesn’t know how to finish.

Dani doesn’t answer.

She just looks at her.

Really looks at her.

Like she’s been building up to this moment without realizing it.

And then—

She closes the distance.

It’s soft.

Careful.

Not rushed, not messy.

Just…there.

A kiss that feels like it’s testing something fragile.

Sophia goes still for half a second.

Brain catching up.

Processing.

This is happening.

This is actually happening.

Then—

She kisses back.

Not hesitant.

Just…controlled.

Like everything else about her.

Her hand shifts slightly at Dani’s waist, fingers pressing just a little more firmly, grounding herself in it.

Dani exhales against her, and that small sound sends something sharp and unfamiliar through Sophia’s chest.

It’s not intense.

Not overwhelming.

Just…real.

Too real.

They pull back just slightly.

Still close.

Foreheads almost touching again.

And that’s when it hits Sophia all at once.

Everything.

The age.

The situation.

How this started.

Where Dani came from.

Where she’s staying.

The fact that she’s sitting in her lap like she belongs there.

Sophia exhales sharply.

Pulls back just enough to get space.

“This is weird,” she mutters.

Dani blinks, confused.

“What?”

Sophia runs a hand through her hair, shaking her head slightly like she’s trying to reset.

“You’re like—” she starts, then stops.

Dani’s eyes narrow.

“Like what?”

Sophia sighs.

“You’re like a baby,” she says.

The second it leaves her mouth—

Smack.

Dani hits her arm.

Not hard.

But enough.

“Are you serious?” Dani snaps.

Sophia huffs out a short laugh, rubbing her arm.

“I’m just saying—”

“You just kissed me,” Dani cuts in.

“Yeah, I know,” Sophia says.

“And then you call me a baby?”

Sophia shrugs, but there’s a slight edge to it.

“You’re sixteen, kid.”

Dani rolls her eyes hard.

“Oh my God, don’t start that now.”

“I’m not starting anything,” Sophia says. “I’m just—acknowledging reality.”

Dani shakes her head, annoyed.

“You’re so annoying.”

“And you’re sitting in my lap,” Sophia shoots back.

Dani pauses for half a second.

Then—

Without warning—

She leans in again.

And kisses her.

This time, it’s not hesitant.

Not testing.

It’s deliberate.

Like she’s proving a point.

Sophia lets out a quiet breath against her lips, caught off guard for a split second—

Then she’s kissing her back again.

And yeah—

There’s no pretending now.

No confusion about what this is.

Sophia’s hand tightens at her waist again, pulling her just slightly closer without thinking.

Dani shifts with it easily, like she’s been waiting for that.

Her hand slides up to the back of Sophia’s neck, fingers threading lightly into her hair.

And that—

That makes Sophia inhale sharply.

Because that’s new.

That’s different.

The kiss deepens just slightly.

Still not messy.

Still controlled.

But not soft in the same way anymore.

There’s intention now.

Dani pulls back just enough to breathe, her forehead resting lightly against Sophia’s again.

“You still think I’m a baby?” she murmurs.

Sophia exhales slowly.

Her hands are still on her.

Still holding her there.

“No,” she says quietly.

Dani smiles.

Small.

Satisfied.

“Good.”

Sophia shakes her head slightly, a faint smirk tugging at her mouth despite herself.

“You’re trouble,” she says.

Dani leans in just enough that their noses brush.

“Yeah,” she says softly. “I know.”

And this time—

When they kiss again—

Sophia doesn’t pull away.

---

The next morning feels…normal.

Which is the weirdest part.

Sophia wakes up, same as always—early, quiet, brain already moving before she even opens her eyes.

But now there’s something different sitting in her chest.

Not heavy.

Not bad.

Just…there.

She rubs a hand over her face, sits up, glances toward the couch—

Empty.

For half a second, her stomach drops.

Then she hears movement.

Kitchen.

Cabinet opening. Closing.

Sophia exhales, standing up and pulling on a hoodie.

She walks out and finds Dani standing there, hair a little messy, wearing one of Sophia’s hoodies that’s definitely too big for her.

She’s making toast.

Like she lives there.

Which—

Yeah.

She kinda does.

Dani glances up.

“Morning.”

Sophia leans against the doorway.

“Morning.”

There’s a pause.

A weird one.

Not bad.

Just…aware.

Because now there’s that.

The kiss.

The shift.

Dani looks at her for a second longer than usual.

Then smiles, like she’s deciding not to make it awkward.

“You want some?” she asks, holding up the toast.

Sophia shakes her head.

“I’m good.”

Dani nods.

“Cool.”

Another pause.

Then Sophia pushes off the wall.

“C’mon,” she says. “You’re gonna be late.”

Dani rolls her eyes lightly.

“You sound like a parent.”

Sophia snorts.

“Relax.”

But there’s no bite in it.

---

The car ride is quieter than usual.

Not uncomfortable.

Just…different.

Dani keeps glancing at her.

Sophia notices every time.

Doesn’t say anything.

Just drives.

Hands steady on the wheel.

Jaw set like she’s pretending nothing changed.

Dani finally breaks.

“So…are we just not gonna talk about it?” she asks.

Sophia keeps her eyes on the road.

“Talk about what?”

Dani gives her a look.

“You know what.”

Sophia exhales slowly.

“Kid—”

“Don’t call me that right now,” Dani cuts in immediately.

Sophia glances at her briefly.

Raises an eyebrow.

“…Alright.”

Small victory.

Dani folds her arms slightly.

“Well?”

Sophia thinks for a second.

Then shrugs.

“It happened,” she says simply.

Dani blinks.

“That’s it?”

“What do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know,” Dani says. “Something?”

Sophia huffs a quiet laugh.

“You liked it?” she offers, deadpan.

Dani’s face flushes instantly.

“Oh my God.”

Sophia smirks slightly.

“You asked.”

Dani shakes her head, trying not to smile.

“You’re impossible.”

“Yeah,” Sophia says. “You already knew that.”

Dani looks out the window for a second.

Then, quieter:

“…I did like it.”

Sophia’s grip on the wheel tightens just slightly.

Barely noticeable.

“…Yeah,” she says.

That’s all.

But it’s enough.

---

When they pull up to the school, it’s the usual chaos.

Students everywhere. Cars double-parked. People yelling across the parking lot like it’s a social event instead of a drop-off.

Sophia leans back in her seat slightly, one arm resting on the steering wheel.

Dani unbuckles slowly.

Doesn’t move right away.

“Are you picking me up?” she asks.

Sophia glances at her.

“You already know the answer.”

Dani smiles a little.

“Yeah.”

She reaches for the door—

Then pauses.

Looks back at Sophia.

For a second, it feels like she’s gonna say something.

Or do something.

But instead, she just smiles again.

“Bye,” she says.

“Later,” Sophia replies.

Dani gets out.

And immediately—

Everything changes.

Because the second her feet hit the pavement—

Two girls practically materialize out of nowhere.

“OH MY GOD.”

Sophia blinks.

“…What the hell?”

Dani barely gets the door closed before they’re on her.

One of them grabs her arm.

The other is already looking at the car.

At Sophia.

Wide-eyed.

“Is that her?” the first one whispers loudly.

Dani groans.

“Guys—”

“Oh my God, it is her,” the second one says, fully staring now.

Sophia leans back slightly in her seat, eyebrow raising.

“…What’s going on?”

Dani turns back toward the car, already looking embarrassed.

“Give me a second,” she calls.

Sophia nods once, amused now.

“Oh, I got time.”

Dani turns back to her friends.

“Relax,” she says under her breath.

“We are relaxed,” one of them says immediately, not relaxed at all.

“Dani,” the other one grabs her shoulders, “you did not tell us she looked like that.”

Sophia can hear them.

Of course she can.

Her smirk grows.

Dani drags a hand down her face.

“I literally did.”

“No, you didn’t,” the first one says. “You said she was ‘cool.’ You didn’t say she was like—”

She gestures wildly toward the car.

“—that.”

Dani sighs.

“They’re being dramatic,” she mutters, glancing back at Sophia apologetically.

Sophia just leans her head against her hand, watching like it’s entertainment.

“Bring her over here,” the second girl says.

“No,” Dani says immediately.

“Yes,” the first one insists.

“No,” Dani repeats.

“Dani,” the second one says, lowering her voice but still intense, “you’ve been talking about her like she’s a celebrity for two weeks. We’re meeting her.”

Sophia’s eyebrows go up slightly at that.

Oh?

Dani flushes.

“I did not—”

“You literally did,” both of them say at the same time.

Sophia huffs a quiet laugh to herself.

This is insane.

Dani groans.

“Fine,” she mutters. “But act normal.”

“Define normal,” one of them says.

“Not whatever this is,” Dani shoots back.

Then she turns and walks back toward the car.

Her friends trailing behind her like they’ve been summoned.

Sophia rolls the window down slightly as they approach.

Dani leans down.

“…I’m sorry in advance,” she says.

Sophia smirks.

“I’m already entertained.”

Dani shakes her head.

“Okay, so—this is Lara and Megan.”

The two girls immediately light up.

“Hi,” one of them—Lara, probably—says, way too excited.

“Hi,” Megan echoes, staring like she’s trying to memorize Sophia’s face.

Sophia nods once.

“What’s up.”

They both just…look at her.

Like she’s something to study.

Dani crosses her arms.

“Stop staring.”

“We’re not staring,” Megan says.

“You are literally staring,” Dani says.

Lara leans in slightly.

“You’re Sophia, right?”

Sophia tilts her head.

“Last time I checked.”

Lara looks at Megan like that confirmed something.

“Oh my God,” she whispers.

Megan nods.

“I get it now.”

Sophia raises an eyebrow.

“Get what?”

Dani groans.

“Nothing. They’re being annoying.”

“No, like—I get it,” Megan says quickly. “Why you—like—talk about her so much.”

Dani’s face goes red.

“I don’t talk about her that much.”

“You literally do,” Lara says.

Sophia’s smirk deepens.

“Damn,” she says, glancing at Dani. “You got a fan club talking about me?”

Dani looks like she wants to disappear.

“Please stop.”

Lara steps a little closer to the car.

“You’re like…exactly how she described,” she says.

Sophia leans back slightly.

“Oh yeah? And what’s that?”

Dani immediately cuts in.

“Nothing. She said nothing.”

Megan ignores her.

“She said you were like—quiet, but not in a weird way. Just like…cool. And intimidating, but also nice sometimes. And that you always wear hoodies and—”

“Okay,” Dani says loudly, cutting her off. “That’s enough.”

Sophia laughs under her breath.

“Intimidating, huh?”

Dani refuses to look at her.

“Can you not.”

Lara grins.

“She also said you don’t like people.”

Sophia shrugs.

“Still don’t.”

Megan leans in slightly.

“But you like her.”

That one lands.

Dani goes very still.

Sophia’s expression shifts just slightly.

Then she smirks again.

“Yeah,” she says. “She’s alright.”

Dani finally looks at her.

And yeah—

That small answer?

It hits.

Lara and Megan both look like they just witnessed something important.

“Oh my God,” Lara whispers.

Megan grabs her arm.

“Did you hear that?”

“I heard that,” Lara says.

Dani groans again.

“I hate both of you.”

Sophia chuckles.

Then glances at Dani.

“You gonna be late, Daniela.”

Dani’s head snaps toward her.

“Don’t call me that in front of them.”

Dani covers her face.

“I’m actually never speaking again.”

Sophia grins.

“Alright, go to class, kid.”

Dani glares at her.

But there’s no real heat in it.

“Bye,” she mutters.

“Later,” Sophia says.

Dani turns and walks off—

Her friends immediately swarming her again, whispering loudly, glancing back at the car every two seconds.

Sophia watches them go.

Shakes her head slightly.

Still smirking.

“…Celebrity, huh,” she mutters to herself.

And yeah—

She’s not mad about it.

---

The day drags.

Sophia doesn’t like that she notices.

Usually, time just moves. One thing into the next. No attachment to hours, no checking clocks.

But today?

She checks the time more than once.

More than she wants to admit.

By the time she pulls up outside the school, it’s the same chaos as always—kids everywhere, loud, messy, too many cars doing too many dumb things at once.

Sophia parks across the street like usual.

Engine still running.

One arm draped over the wheel.

Eyes scanning.

Automatically.

She spots Dani before Dani spots her.

But something’s off.

Dani isn’t walking toward the car.

She’s standing near the curb.

And she’s not alone.

There’s a man in front of her.

Older.

Too close.

Posture stiff. Aggressive.

Even from across the street, Sophia can see it.

The tension.

Dani’s body language—shoulders tight, arms crossed like she’s trying to hold herself together.

Sophia’s grip on the steering wheel tightens.

She leans forward slightly.

Watching.

The man says something—sharp, fast.

Dani shakes her head.

Says something back.

It’s not loud enough to hear, but the energy is clear.

Argument.

Sophia’s jaw sets.

She already knows.

Doesn’t need confirmation.

That’s him.

Dani’s dad.

The same one.

The same reason Dani showed up at her corner crying.

Sophia exhales slowly through her nose.

Trying to stay still.

Trying to not jump to conclusions too fast.

Then—

He reaches out.

Grabs Dani’s arm.

Hard.

Not a light touch.

Not a “come here” gesture.

A grip.

Pulling her closer.

Dani flinches.

And that’s it.

Sophia’s out of the car before she even fully processes it.

Door slams.

She crosses the street fast.

Not running.

But close.

People notice.

Of course they do.

But Sophia doesn’t care.

Her focus is locked.

Straight ahead.

By the time she gets there, Dani’s trying to pull her arm back.

“Let go,” she says, voice tight.

The man doesn’t.

Instead, he tightens his grip slightly.

Says something low, sharp.

Sophia steps in.

“Hey.”

Her voice cuts through clean.

The man turns.

Looks her up and down.

Annoyed.

“Who the hell are you?” he snaps.

Sophia doesn’t answer that.

Her eyes go straight to Dani.

Quick check.

Are you okay?

Dani’s breathing is uneven.

Eyes flick to Sophia.

There’s relief there.

Immediate.

And something else.

Something like fear.

Sophia clocks all of it in a second.

Then her gaze shifts back to him.

“Let her go,” she says.

Flat.

No raised voice.

No dramatics.

Just…final.

He scoffs.

“Mind your business.”

Sophia tilts her head slightly.

Still calm.

Still unreadable.

“You’re grabbing her like that in public,” she says. “It is my business.”

That sets him off.

He steps closer.

Still holding Dani’s arm.

Getting right up in Sophia’s space.

“You got a problem?” he says.

Sophia doesn’t move.

Doesn’t step back.

Doesn’t react the way he wants.

She just looks at him.

Then—

Briefly—

She glances at Dani again.

And the look on her face?

It says everything without a word.

This is who raised you?

Not judgment.

Not exactly.

More like…realization.

Dani sees it.

Looks away.

Embarrassed. Hurt. Both.

The man notices the glance.

Takes it the wrong way immediately.

“Oh, I see what this is,” he says, voice turning ugly. “You one of her little friends, huh?”

Sophia says nothing.

Just watches him.

That makes him more irritated.

“Running around with girls like you,” he continues, shaking his head. “No wonder she’s acting like this.”

Dani tenses.

“Stop,” she says quietly.

He ignores her.

Of course he does.

Eyes locked on Sophia now.

Looking for a reaction.

“You think you’re tough?” he says. “Standing here like you got something to prove?”

Sophia’s expression doesn’t change.

Not even a little.

But something in her posture shifts.

Subtle.

Grounded.

Dangerous.

“I don’t have anything to prove,” she says.

That calm?

It makes him angrier.

“Yeah?” he says, stepping even closer. “You look like trouble. I know your type.”

Sophia exhales slowly.

Still nothing.

He smirks, like he’s getting somewhere.

“Probably dragging her into whatever mess you’re in,” he says. “Drugs, right? That’s what you do?”

Dani shakes her head.

“That’s not—”

“Stay out of it,” he snaps at her.

Sophia’s jaw tightens slightly.

Still holding it together.

Barely.

He keeps going.

“Girls like you always think you’re something,” he says, voice louder now. “Walking around like you own the place. But I know exactly what you are.”

There it is.

The line.

Sophia tilts her head slightly.

“Yeah?” she says quietly. “What am I?”

He leans in.

Too close.

Breath sharp.

“Nothing,” he says. “Just another bad influence my daughter doesn’t need.”

Silence.

For half a second.

Sophia looks at him.

Really looks.

Then—

Her hand moves.

Fast.

Clean.

She punches him.

Straight across the face.

No hesitation.

No warning.

The crack of it cuts through everything.

He stumbles back immediately, grip on Dani’s arm breaking.

Hand flying to his face in shock.

“What the—”

“Go,” Sophia says instantly, not even looking at him.

Her eyes are on Dani.

Sharp.

Focused.

“Go to the car.”

Dani doesn’t hesitate.

She moves.

Fast.

Crossing the street like she’s been waiting for permission.

The man recovers just enough to lunge forward again.

“You think you can just—”

Sophia steps between him and the direction Dani went.

Blocking.

“Don’t,” she says.

And this time—

There’s something in her voice.

Something that makes him pause.

Just for a second.

Enough.

Enough for Dani to reach the car.

Sophia backs up slowly.

Never turning her back on him.

Eyes locked.

Daring him to try something.

He doesn’t.

Not fully.

Just stands there, furious, shouting something she doesn’t bother listening to.

Sophia turns.

Walks fast.

Gets to the car.

Slides into the driver’s seat.

Locks the doors immediately.

Dani’s already inside, breathing hard.

“Go,” she says.

Sophia doesn’t need to be told twice.

The car pulls out fast.

Not reckless.

But quick.

Merging into traffic.

Leaving him behind.

Neither of them speaks for a second.

Just the sound of the engine.

Their breathing.

The city moving around them like nothing just happened.

Sophia keeps her eyes on the road.

Hands tight on the wheel.

Jaw set.

Dani stares straight ahead.

Still shaking.

“…Sophia,” she says finally, voice small.

Sophia glances at her briefly.

“You good?”

Dani nods.

Then shakes her head.

“I don’t know.”

Sophia exhales.

“Yeah,” she says quietly. “That makes sense.”

Silence again.

But not empty.

Heavy.

Full.

Dani looks down at her arm.

Where he grabbed her.

Sophia notices.

Her grip tightens again.

But she doesn’t say anything.

Doesn’t push.

Just drives.

Gets them away.

And for the first time since she saw him—

She lets herself breathe.

----

The drive back is quiet.

Not tense exactly.

Just…heavy.

Sophia keeps both hands on the wheel, eyes locked forward, jaw tight like she’s still halfway in that moment.

Dani sits curled slightly into herself in the passenger seat.

Quieter than usual.

Way quieter.

She’s not talking about school.

Not rambling.

Not even fidgeting much.

Just…there.

And Sophia doesn’t push it.

Doesn’t ask a million questions.

She already knows enough.

---

When they get back to the apartment, Dani goes straight inside without saying anything.

Drops her bag by the door.

Walks to the couch.

Sits.

Stares at nothing.

Sophia closes the door behind them.

Locks it.

Stands there for a second, watching her.

Trying to figure out the right move.

She’s not good at this part.

Never has been.

But she steps forward anyway.

Slow.

Careful.

“You okay?” she asks.

Dani nods.

Too fast.

“I’m fine.”

Sophia tilts her head slightly.

“You don’t look fine.”

Dani shrugs.

Still not looking at her.

“I’m fine,” she repeats.

Sophia exhales through her nose.

Walks over.

Sits on the edge of the couch, leaving space between them.

Not crowding her.

Not hovering.

Just…close enough.

Silence sits there for a minute.

Then Sophia says it.

Quiet.

“I’m sorry.”

Dani blinks.

Looks at her.

“For what?”

Sophia leans forward slightly, forearms resting on her knees.

“For hitting him like that,” she says. “In front of you.”

Dani’s expression shifts.

Confused, almost.

“You’re apologizing for that?” she asks.

Sophia shrugs a little.

“I don’t know. It was your dad.”

Dani lets out a small, humorless laugh.

“Yeah,” she says. “Exactly.”

Sophia glances at her.

Dani’s eyes drop to her hands.

“I’m not mad,” she says quietly.

Sophia studies her.

“Yeah?”

Dani nods.

Then, softer:

“I’m just…tired.”

That lands.

Sophia leans back slightly.

“Yeah,” she says. “That makes sense.”

A pause.

Then Dani shifts.

Just a little.

Closer.

Not fully leaning on her yet.

Just…closing the gap.

Sophia notices.

Of course she does.

But she doesn’t move away.

After a second, Dani leans her head lightly against Sophia’s shoulder.

Careful.

Like she’s checking if it’s still okay.

Sophia’s body tenses for half a second—

Then relaxes.

Her arm lifts slightly.

Hesitates.

Then settles around Dani’s shoulders.

Loose.

Not tight.

But there.

Dani exhales softly.

And just like that—

Something in the room calms down.

---

Time passes.

Slow.

Quiet.

The TV turns on at some point.

Neither of them remembers who did it.

Some random show plays in the background.

Neither of them is really watching.

Takeout gets ordered.

Again.

Because that’s what they do.

Because it’s easy.

Because it works.

Dani slowly comes back to herself.

Bit by bit.

Her posture loosens.

Her voice comes back.

Small comments at first.

Then actual conversation.

Nothing about earlier.

Just…normal things.

Safe things.

Sophia lets her.

Doesn’t bring it back up.

Doesn’t push.

Just stays there.

---

At some point, Sophia gets up.

Walks to the kitchen.

Comes back a minute later.

Dani doesn’t think anything of it at first.

Until—

She notices what’s in Sophia’s hand.

A blunt.

Already lit.

Sophia drops back onto the couch like it’s just another part of the routine.

Which—

It is.

She takes a slow drag.

Exhales.

Leans back.

Dani watches her for a second.

Quiet.

Thinking.

Then—

“Can I try?”

Sophia freezes.

Mid-motion.

Turns her head slowly.

“…What?”

Dani shrugs.

“Can I try?”

Sophia lets out a short laugh.

“No.”

Immediate.

Flat.

Dani blinks.

“Oh.”

Sophia shakes her head.

“Absolutely not.”

Dani frowns slightly.

“Why?”

Sophia gives her a look.

“Are you serious?”

Dani shrugs again.

“I just wanna see.”

“No,” Sophia repeats.

Dani watches her take another drag.

Eyes following the motion.

“…Please?”

Sophia exhales.

“No.”

Dani leans a little closer.

“Just once.”

“No.”

“I won’t like it anyway.”

“Exactly.”

Dani huffs.

“You’re being dramatic.”

Sophia raises an eyebrow.

“You’re sixteen.”

“There you go again,” Dani mutters.

Sophia ignores that.

“No,” she says again.

Dani doesn’t drop it.

Of course she doesn’t.

“Come on.”

“No.”

“Please.”

“No.”

“Sophia.”

“No.”

“Sophia.”

“No.”

“Sophia.”

Sophia finally looks at her fully.

“…What?”

Dani gives her that look.

The one that’s way too persistent for her own good.

“Just one time.”

Sophia stares at her.

Long.

Weighing it.

Thinking.

Knowing she’s gonna regret this.

“Kid—”

“Not right now,” Dani cuts in.

Sophia exhales sharply.

“You’re annoying.”

“I know.”

Silence.

Sophia looks at the blunt.

Then at Dani.

Then back.

“…One,” she says finally. “And if you start dying, that’s on you.”

Dani’s face lights up immediately.

“I won’t die.”

Sophia hands it to her.

Reluctantly.

“Don’t prove me wrong.”

---

Dani takes it.

Holds it awkwardly at first.

Like she’s not entirely sure what she’s doing.

Sophia watches her closely.

Ready to intervene.

“Okay,” Dani says. “So I just—”

“Inhale,” Sophia says.

Dani nods.

“Right.”

She brings it up.

Takes a drag—

And immediately—

Coughs.

Hard.

Like, violently.

Sophia snorts.

“I told you.”

Dani coughs again, waving her hand like that’s gonna help.

“Oh my God—”

“Yeah,” Sophia says. “That’s what happens.”

Dani finally catches her breath.

Glares at her.

“That was not fair.”

Sophia laughs.

“You asked for it.”

Dani looks at the blunt again.

Suspicious.

Then determined.

“Okay, wait.”

Sophia raises an eyebrow.

“You’re going again?”

Dani nods.

“Yeah.”

Sophia shakes her head.

“This is a bad idea.”

Dani ignores her.

Tries again.

Slower this time.

More careful.

Inhales—

Less coughing.

Still a little.

But not as bad.

Sophia watches.

“…You’re figuring it out,” she mutters.

Dani grins slightly.

“I told you.”

She takes another small hit.

Then another.

And another.

Sophia’s eyes narrow.

“Alright, relax.”

Dani laughs.

“I’m fine.”

Sophia reaches over.

Takes it from her.

“That’s enough.”

Dani pouts.

“I was just getting it.”

“Yeah, that’s the problem,” Sophia says.

She sets it aside.

Dani leans back into the couch.

For a second, everything seems normal.

Then—

“…Oh.”

Sophia glances at her.

“What?”

Dani blinks slowly.

“…Oh.”

Sophia immediately knows.

“Yeah,” she says. “There it is.”

Dani starts laughing.

Out of nowhere.

Like something just hit her all at once.

“Oh my God,” she says. “Wait—”

Sophia watches her.

Already regretting everything.

“You’re high,” she says.

Dani turns to her.

Eyes a little unfocused.

Huge grin on her face.

“I think I am.”

Sophia sighs.

“Yeah. I know.”

Dani leans closer.

Way closer than usual.

Like—no concept of personal space anymore.

“Sophia,” she says, way too excited.

“What?”

“You’re like…really pretty.”

Sophia blinks.

“…Okay.”

“No, like—really pretty,” Dani insists, grabbing her arm.

“You already said that.”

“I don’t think I said it enough,” Dani says seriously.

Sophia tries not to laugh.

Fails a little.

“You’re a mess,” she says.

Dani nods enthusiastically.

“I know.”

Then she just—

leans into her.

Fully this time.

Half climbing into her space.

Arms wrapping around her like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Sophia stiffens slightly.

“Dani—”

“I like you,” Dani says, cutting her off.

Sophia exhales.

“Yeah, I got that.”

“No, like—I really like you,” Dani continues.

“No filter,” Sophia mutters.

“Zero,” Dani agrees.

She shifts again.

Now basically in her lap again.

Like earlier.

But worse.

Because now she has no restraint.

Sophia puts a hand on her waist automatically.

“Okay,” she says. “You need to chill.”

“I am chill,” Dani insists.

She is not chill.

At all.

She’s talking more.

Moving more.

Smiling constantly.

Touching Sophia every five seconds.

“You smell good,” Dani says suddenly.

Sophia freezes.

“…What?”

“You do,” Dani repeats. “Like—good.”

Sophia shakes her head.

“This was a mistake.”

Dani laughs.

“No it wasn’t.”

She leans in again.

Close.

Too close.

“Say my name again,” she murmurs.

Sophia huffs.

“You’re not getting Daniela out of me right now.”

Dani pouts.

“Rude.”

Sophia rolls her eyes.

But she’s smiling.

Just a little.

Even though she knows—

Yeah.

High Dani?

Is definitely a problem.

And she’s gonna have to deal with it.

---

High Dani is a problem.

Not like…dangerous.

Just—

A lot.

Sophia figures that out within five minutes.

Maybe less.

Because Dani does not stop talking.

At all.

“Sophia,” she says, like it’s the most important thing in the world.

“What?” Sophia replies, already tired.

“You’re actually so pretty,” Dani repeats.

“You said that.”

“I know but like—” Dani leans closer again, eyes wide like she just discovered something groundbreaking, “—you’re really pretty.”

Sophia presses her lips together, trying not to laugh.

“You’re fried,” she says.

Dani nods immediately.

“Yeah.”

Then—

She tries to kiss her.

Again.

Sophia leans back just in time.

“Alright,” she says, putting a hand on Dani’s shoulder. “Relax.”

Dani frowns.

“Why do you keep dodging me?”

“Because you’re high,” Sophia says.

“So?” Dani counters.

“So you’re not thinking straight.”

“I am thinking,” Dani insists. “I’m thinking you’re pretty.”

Sophia snorts.

“Yeah, clearly.”

Dani leans in again.

Sophia catches her this time—hand coming up to gently but firmly stop her by the shoulder.

“No.”

Dani blinks.

“Why?”

Sophia gives her a look.

“Because I said no.”

Dani pouts.

Actually pouts.

“You kissed me yesterday.”

Sophia exhales.

“Yeah. Yesterday. When you weren’t like this.”

Dani tilts her head.

“I’m still me.”

Sophia pauses.

Because…yeah.

Technically.

But also—

“No,” she says. “You’re you times ten and it’s too much.”

Dani laughs.

“I like being times ten.”

“I don’t,” Sophia mutters.

Dani leans into her again anyway, arms wrapping around her like she has no concept of boundaries anymore.

Sophia lets out a breath through her nose.

“You’re clingy,” she says.

Dani nods into her shoulder.

“Mhm.”

“At least you’re self-aware.”

“I like you,” Dani says again, like she forgot she already said it.

“I know,” Sophia replies.

Dani pulls back just enough to look at her.

Eyes soft. A little unfocused.

Then—

She tries to kiss her again.

Sophia actually has to turn her head this time.

“Alright,” she says, firmer now. “That’s enough.”

Dani groans.

“You’re no fun.”

“I’m responsible,” Sophia corrects.

“Same thing.”

“Not even close.”

Dani huffs, then immediately clings to her again like she didn’t just complain.

Sophia stares at the ceiling for a second.

Reconsidering every life choice that led here.

“Okay,” she mutters. “We’re done.”

Dani looks up.

“Done with what?”

“This,” Sophia says, gesturing vaguely at all of her. “You’re going to bed.”

Dani frowns.

“I’m not tired.”

“You’re going to bed anyway.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No,” Dani repeats, shaking her head, even though she’s still half draped over her.

Sophia raises an eyebrow.

“Don’t start.”

“I’m not tired,” Dani insists again.

“You’re high.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m tired.”

“It means you’re not making decisions anymore,” Sophia says.

Dani squints at her.

“I make great decisions.”

Sophia just stares at her.

Dani pauses.

“…Okay, maybe not right now.”

“Exactly.”

Sophia shifts, trying to untangle herself from Dani.

Not easy.

Because Dani immediately tightens her grip.

“Where are you going?” Dani asks.

“To put you to bed.”

“I don’t wanna go to bed.”

“Too bad.”

Dani shakes her head, holding onto her.

“No.”

Sophia exhales.

“Dani.”

“No.”

“Dani.”

“No.”

Sophia pauses.

Then—

She just moves.

Hands firm on Dani’s arms, gently but decisively pulling her up off of her lap.

Dani lets out a dramatic gasp.

“Betrayal.”

“Stand up,” Sophia says.

Dani wobbles slightly when she does.

“Whoa.”

“Yeah,” Sophia mutters. “Exactly my point.”

Dani leans into her again immediately.

Full body.

Like she forgot how to stand on her own.

Sophia catches her automatically.

“Okay,” she says. “We’re definitely going to bed.”

Dani laughs softly.

“You keep saying that.”

“And I mean it.”

Sophia wraps an arm around her, guiding her toward the bed.

Dani goes with it, but not without commentary.

“You’re strong,” she says.

“Thank you,” Sophia replies dryly.

“And pretty.”

“Still noted.”

“And mean.”

“Also noted.”

They reach the bed.

Sophia tries to get her to sit.

Dani just kinda…flops.

Half on the mattress, half not.

Sophia grabs her shoulders, adjusts her.

“Stay,” she says.

Dani salutes.

“Okay.”

She immediately tries to sit back up.

Sophia pushes her gently back down.

“No.”

Dani giggles.

“You’re bossy.”

“You need it right now.”

Dani settles for about two seconds.

Then reaches for her again.

“Sophia—”

Sophia catches her wrist mid-air.

“Nope.”

Dani pouts again.

“You’re so strict.”

“I’m keeping you from doing something you’ll regret,” Sophia says.

“I won’t regret it.”

“You will tomorrow,” Sophia says.

Dani considers that.

“…Maybe.”

“Exactly.”

Sophia pulls the blanket over her.

Not bothering with anything else.

She’s not changing her clothes.

Not dealing with that.

Absolutely not.

“You’re staying like that,” she mutters.

Dani doesn’t care.

She’s already sinking into the mattress.

“But come here,” Dani says, reaching for her again.

Sophia steps back.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because you need to sleep.”

Dani frowns.

“But I like you.”

Sophia softens just slightly.

“I know,” she says. “You can like me tomorrow too.”

Dani blinks slowly.

Processing.

“…Okay.”

That was easier than expected.

She curls slightly into the blanket.

Still looking at Sophia.

“Stay,” she mumbles.

Sophia hesitates.

Then sighs.

Moves to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Five minutes,” she says.

Dani smiles.

Satisfied.

Her hand finds Sophia’s wrist.

Holds onto it loosely.

Like she doesn’t wanna lose track of her.

Sophia lets her.

For now.

Dani’s eyes start to close.

Slow.

Heavy.

Her grip loosens.

Breathing evens out.

And finally—

She’s asleep.

Sophia sits there for a second longer.

Looking down at her.

Shakes her head slightly.

“…You’re a handful,” she mutters.

But there’s no real frustration in it.

Just…something softer.

Then she carefully slips her wrist free.

Stands up.

Pulls the blanket up a little better.

And steps away.

Finally getting a second to breathe again.

Because yeah—

Taking care of Dani?

Is definitely not easy.

But somehow—

She’s still here.