Tracking down Sophia 2

Kamsi stood at the doorstep, her heart drumming in anticipation. She adjusted her scarf nervously while Alexander knocked on the door, his knuckles rapping firmly against the wood. A moment later, it creaked open, revealing a teenage girl with curly hair and warm eyes. Her smile faded into polite confusion as she regarded them.

"Hi, we're looking for Sophia Eaton," Kamsi said, her voice tinged with hope.

The girl's brows furrowed. "There's no Sophia Eaton here. This is the Wilmers residence—I live here with my parents."

Kamsi blinked, caught off guard. "But…"

Before she could finish, a middle-aged woman appeared, her sharp features and stern gaze contrasting with the girl's welcoming demeanor.

"Honey, who's at the door?" the woman asked curtly.

"They're asking for the previous tenants," the girl replied, glancing back at her mother.

The woman's face tightened as she stepped forward. "Wrong house," she said flatly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Kamsi opened her mouth to protest. "Do you perhaps know—"

The door slammed shut with a resounding thud.

Kamsi flinched, her shoulders slumping in defeat. She turned to Alexander, her eyes clouded with frustration. "What now? This was our only lead."

Alexander's hand rested lightly on her shoulder, grounding her. "We'll find her," he said, his voice steady and calm. His touch was reassuring, but it only made her feel the weight of the moment more acutely.

Just as they began retreating to the car, a loud voice called out, "Y'all lookin' for Sophia?"

Both of them turned to see a robust Black American woman standing on her porch, arms crossed and a curious glint in her eyes. She waddled toward them, her slippers slapping against the pavement.

"Yes!" Kamsi exclaimed, hope rekindling in her chest. "Do you know her?"

The woman nodded, her expression turning somber. "Course I do. Used to babysit that girl when she was just a lil' thing. Her folks lived right next door." She jabbed a thumb toward the house. "But they up and left a few months back. Didn't even say goodbye. Can you believe that? After all the time I spent watchin' that child? Humph."

"Left?" Alexander asked, his brows knitting together. "Do you know where they went?"

The woman rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Ain't sure exactly, but I remember hearin' somethin' 'bout Middleburg, Virginia. They always talked 'bout wantin' a fresh start in the countryside."

Kamsi felt her stomach sink. "Middleburg? That's so far…"

The woman's eyes narrowed slightly, suspicion creeping into her tone. "Why y'all lookin' for them anyhow?"

"Uh…" Kamsi stammered, suddenly tongue-tied under the weight of the woman's probing stare.

"We're friends from school," Alexander interjected smoothly, his calm voice cutting through the tension. "We just wanted to check in on her."

The woman seemed to consider this, her gaze lingering on them for a moment longer before she nodded. "Well, if that's the case, y'all came too late. But I hope y'all find her."

"Thank you," Alexander said, offering a polite smile.

"Yeah, thank you, ma'am," Kamsi added with a slight bow of her head.

As they turned to head back to the car, the woman called out again, her voice carrying a teasing lilt. "Y'all young an' in love, huh? Don't forget to enjoy it while it lasts!"

Kamsi's cheeks flushed instantly, and she quickened her pace toward the car. Alexander chuckled softly, opening the passenger door for her before sliding into the driver's seat.

"Virginia?!" Kamsi exclaimed, her voice cracking with frustration as she sank into her seat. "How are we supposed to get there? This is impossible."

Alexander tapped the steering wheel thoughtfully, his eyes fixed on the horizon. Then, a slow, confident smirk spread across his face. "How about a trip to Virginia?"

Kamsi gaped at him. "Are you serious? Do you even know how far that is?"

His calm gaze met hers, unwavering. "We'll figure it out."

"For what? Another dead end?" she snapped, her voice trembling with emotion.

Alexander leaned back, his expression softening just slightly. "For the chance it's not. For Sophia. For Xavier."

The conviction in his voice silenced her, the weight of his words settling over her like a heavy blanket. She sighed, her frustration giving way to reluctant determination. "Fine," she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

As the car pulled away from the curb, Kamsi glanced back at the woman still watching them from her porch, a wistful smile on her face. For a brief moment, Kamsi allowed herself to hope. Maybe, just maybe, they were one step closer.

Kamsi sat in the passenger seat of Alexander's car, her knees bouncing anxiously as they idled in front of a convenience store. The soft hum of the engine did little to soothe her frayed nerves. She held her phone in one hand, the other nervously twisting the hem of her shirt.

"This is crazy," she muttered under her breath, glancing at Alexander, who leaned casually against the car, his phone in hand.

Alexander had earlier assured her they could spend the night at his family's rest house in Virginia, but the real problem was explaining her absence to her mom. The thought made her stomach churn. Her mom wasn't the type to let things slide without a good explanation.

"You'll be fine," Alexander said, his calm tone breaking her spiral of thoughts. He glanced at her from where he stood, his gray eyes steady and confident. "Just tell her it's a school trip. Simple."

"Simple?" Kamsi shot back, her voice tight with panic. "You don't know my mom. She's going to ask a million questions."

"You're overthinking it." Alexander smirked, sliding his phone into his pocket. "Just stick to the plan. You've got this."

Kamsi exhaled sharply, gripping the phone tighter. With trembling fingers, she scrolled to her mom's contact and hit the call button.

The dial tone rang in her ear, each buzz louder than the last. Her pulse quickened, her free hand fiddling with the seatbelt across her chest.

"Hello?" her mom answered, her voice brisk but warm.

Kamsi straightened, trying to steady her voice. "Hi, Mom!"

"Kamsi? Why are you calling so late? Shouldn't you be home by now?"

Her heart sank. This was it. She had to lie, and she had to make it convincing. "Oh, um… that's actually why I'm calling," she began, her voice a little too chipper. "So, uh… there's this last-minute school trip that just came up."

"A school trip? At this hour?" Suspicion crept into her mom's tone. "Why am I only hearing about this now?"

Kamsi bit her lip, her fingers fidgeting with her phone case. "I think they sent the notice out earlier, but I only just found it in my bag. It's a weekend trip, for extra credit. We're heading to Virginia to visit some historical landmarks."

"Virginia?" her mom repeated sharply. "And you expect me to just agree to this?"

"Mom, it's for school," Kamsi insisted, her voice wavering slightly. "The teachers are all going, and it's completely organized. They even booked accommodations."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. Kamsi glanced at Alexander, who gave her a thumbs-up, mouthing ,keep going.

"And how much is this going to cost?" her mom finally asked, her tone still skeptical.

"Nothing!" Kamsi rushed to say. "It's fully covered by the school. I just need your permission to go."

Her mom sighed heavily. "I don't like how last-minute this is, Kamsi. Who's supervising this trip?"

Kamsi froze for a moment. "Um… Miss Carter," she blurted, naming her class advisor.

"I want her number and the itinerary sent to me tonight," her mom said firmly. "If I don't get those, you're not going anywhere."

Kamsi felt her heart drop. "Of course, Mom," she replied quickly, forcing cheerfulness into her voice. "I'll send it over once we're on the bus."

"Fine," her mom said, but her tone was still laced with doubt. "But you'd better behave yourself, young lady."

"Absolutely, Mom. Thanks so much!" Kamsi ended the call before her nerves betrayed her further.

Letting out a shaky breath, she leaned back in the seat and stared at the roof of the car. Her heart thudded against her ribcage.

"Well?" Alexander asked, sliding back into the driver's seat.

"She bought it," Kamsi mumbled, though her stomach churned with guilt. "For now, at least."

Alexander chuckled, starting the car. "See? Told you it'd be fine. Now, let's hit the road."

As the car pulled onto the highway, Kamsi tried to focus on the task ahead. They had to find Sophia. But the knot in her stomach reminded her of the lie she'd just told, a lie she'd have to make good on later.