Sophia past Part 2

Sophia tied the last bandage with steady hands, but there was a weight in her movements, as if something lingered in her mind.

She sat back slightly, exhaling. "You and Andrew…" She hesitated, then continued, "You both treated me differently from the others."

I raised an eyebrow. "Differently?"

She looked down at her hands, fingers lightly pressing against each other. "The reason I came here… it wasn't just because I wanted to fight. It was because I had nowhere else to go."

Her voice was calm, but there was something behind it; something deeper, something guarded.

"When I first arrived, people looked at me the same way they always have. Not just soldiers, but even the other girls. They whispered about me, everyone avoided me." She let out a small, hollow laugh. "I got used to it."

I stayed silent, letting her speak.

"But you two never did that." Her red eyes flicked up, meeting mine. "You and Andrew… never looked at me like I was strange."

There was a pause before she continued.

"My father never did either. He loved me, no matter what." She took a slow breath, her voice quieter now. "I lost him. And my mother… I lost her too early to even remember her."

For the first time, she looked away, staring at the floor as if she could still see the past there.

"She died because of radiation poisoning. And maybe… maybe that's why I look like this." She lifted a strand of her silver hair, letting it fall between her fingers. "She was already poisoned before I was even born."

"I remember one night," she said quietly. "I asked my father if I looked… unnatural. I told him how the other kids looked at me. How they whispered about my hair, my eyes. How some even laughed."

She paused again.

"He just smiled. Then, he pulled me onto his lap, ran his hand through my hair, and said, 'You are the cutest, most beautiful girl in the world. And you are special, Sophia. Not because of how you look, but because of who you are.'"

A faint, distant smile crossed her lips. "I believed him. For a while."

She exhaled, shaking her head slightly. "No matter how much time passes… I still hear his voice when I think about it."

The room felt smaller somehow, the air heavier.

She let out a soft breath, shaking her head. "But Andrew… he never asked."

I frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

"He never asked why my hair is this color. Why my eyes are red." A small, almost sad smile touched her lips. "Most people do. Some are just curious. Others ask because they want to remind me that I'm different."

She looked at me again. "But he never did. I spent a lot of time with him. He never treated me any differently. Not once." Then she added, "It's different… being around you two," she admitted. "It feels nice. I feel comfortable."

I studied her for a moment. She had always been quiet, composed, hard to read. But now, just for a second, she looked… at peace.

I leaned back slightly, exhaling. "Andrew's like that," I said simply.

Sophia looked at me for a moment before a small smile crossed her lips.

There was something about the way she smiled, soft, almost rare. Like it wasn't something she did often.

I let out a quiet breath and, without really thinking, gave her the smallest of smiles in return. "Me and Andrew… we'll always be here for you."

She blinked, surprised.

I looked away, adjusting the sleeve of my coat. "We're family now."

Sophia lowered her gaze slightly, but the smile remained. "Yeah…" she said softly. "I think so too."

"Wait… You smiled," she said, almost like she was trying to make sure she hadn't imagined it.

I adjusted my sleeve, looking away. "Don't get used to it."

But she just smiled brighter. The room was quiet for a moment, but this time, it wasn't heavy. It was peaceful.