Shadows In Durango

Chapter 93

*****Sofia's POV*****

I lay on top of the bed beside Emma, us both staring up at the ceiling in a comforting silence. I had now calmed down from my earlier panic, but I still felt incredibly anxious and unsettled.

"My father could be on his way here for me right now for all I know..." I push the words out, as Emma cranks her head around to look at me.

"Don't think like that, we wouldn't let him take you!" Emma states firmly, her voice filled with conviction. "Vincent and Daryl certainly wouldn't either, you're in the best place!" she adds, trying to reassure me, though her words only make the knot in my stomach tighten.

I give her a small nod, appreciating her support, but deep down, the fear still lingers... My mind keeps drifting back to the moment that I saw him - Ashton - standing in the storage room at school.

His presence in town was like a shadow over everything, bringing with it memories that I thought I had buried long ago. But I couldn't tell Vincent, not yet. I didn't even know how he would react, and right now, I couldn't handle making things worse for anyone when he clearly already had a lot on his plate...

A soft knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts, and both Emma and I push ourselves to sit up, glancing towards it before the handle dips and the door opens.

"Sofia, can I speak to you alone for a minute?" Vincent's voice is firm but gentle as it enters the room with him, causing me to gulp.

How on earth will I be able to talk with him without telling him all about what happened to me today? But I knew it was selfish to pile this drama on...

Emma shoots me a knowing look, offering me a small smile before standing up. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need me," she says quietly, giving my hand a squeeze before slipping out of the room, leaving me alone with Vincent.

He steps inside, closing the door behind him as his eyes meet mine. There's a tension in the air between us, unspoken but thick, and I can already sense that he knows something is off.

"You alright?" he asks, his gaze softening as he moves closer to the bed. "Daryl and Reid told me you were upset earlier in the car but wouldn't tell them why?" He pushes, getting straight to the point as I feel my muscles tense under his scrutinising gaze.

I swallow hard, trying to keep my face neutral as I nod. "Yeah, I'm fine now. Just... a tough day in school, that's all." I state, hinting to him that I didn't want to discuss it much further.

He raises an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Sofia, you don't have to lie to me. If something happened at school, you can tell me. Was it something someone said or did? Or was it because I sent you that text?" He tests, as my eyes widen at the last part.

"W-What no?! I know you have a lot going on..." I trail off, as he sighs at my words and looks away.

the words on the tip of my tongue, the urge to confess everything to just tell him all about Ashton and the dread that came with seeing him again. But then I remember the way Vincent's temper flares when he

to him at this point, especially after what we

and add... "It's nothing, really. Just some

slightly as if he's debating whether to push the issue further or not. But after some time, he all but huffs and rubs a hand over his face, clearly deciding to let it go for now. "Alright," he says, though I can tell he's not satisfied with my answer. "But if it's something serious that I need to know, you'll tell me, right?" He looks me

nod quickly, hoping that he won't dig any deeper. "Of course." I lie, knowing

it. "Anyway, that's not the only reason I came up here. I need to talk to you about something important." He shifts slightly so that his body is turned more towards me as I perk

sudden seriousness in his tone. "Ok... well what is

before speaking, his eyes locking onto mine. "My parents are coming to

suddenly pounding in

Meeting his parents?

same parents he had told me about

didn't have many

family yet, let alone so

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was technically their home that I had been living

aside earlier comes rushing back

unable to hide my nerves. "I didn't know they were coming, will they be ok with me living here?!"

leave? It was their property after all... and I was

last minute, but I only just found out myself. My father's coming... and my mom, too and I just wanted to give you

to meet me? But

blink, trying to process what he's telling me. Meeting his parents would be a big deal under any circumstances, but now? With everything that's been

was so stressed, finding out that his

what to say," I murmur, my mind racing with a thousand

I have around, Sofia. They aren't even here most of the time anyhow. My father knows that I like you though, so he probably thinks we

unsure of how

before our trip I had

deep down Daryl wasn't shaping himself to be the right fit for my life, at least not as a

having now felt like I lead him on, I knew that I favoured