Chapter 1
David hated Sophia for no apparent reason. He hadn’t given her any reason to love him either. But she loved him deeply, and he felt the same about hating her. Sometimes, hatred is born out of no particular reason and love even more so!
It was a hot day, with sun proudly sitting where it usually sits. The sky looked empty without the white clouds floating around. Just a very ordinary day that was very soon going to be one of the most unforgettable days of Sophia’s childhood. She just happened to walk past David’s home when she saw him and Julie climbing the medium sized oak tree in his lawn. She didn’t just happen to be walking pass his house; she had been watching them climb the damn tree for over an hour, and when she couldn’t resist any longer, she just pretended to be walking past them.
″Dave, can I come up there?″ her eyes were sad as if she already knew the answer.
″There isn’t enough place here.″
″I will manage,″ she said smiling.
″You can come up Sophie,″ Julie held David’s hand.
Sophia interlocked her hands between the trunk, getting a tight grip, and moved upwards, grabbed a sturdy branch with her tiny fingers, took a slide and reached near them in no time. David was right. There really wasn’t any place in the branch for her. But Sophia didn’t mind squeezing between them. Before, she was even properly seated; she was pushed down and landed right on her feet, getting cuts below her palm and above her wrist, and also got few scratches on both her legs. But she didn’t cry. She stared at David and screamed. ″It didn’t hurt me. It didn’t hurt me. You are a monster! You are a monster!″ She stampeded toward her home. No one still knows whether Sophia was saying the truth or was lying that day.
″Can I sit behind your bicycle?″ Sophia requested in her soft voice to her monster as she awkwardly stood in front of him.
″In your dreams, Miss Pinky!″ he said riding away.
Steven offered his sister to hop on his bicycle, a consolation prize when she clearly deserved the gold. But she had no choice. David noticed that Sophia was constantly staring at him as they rode in the park. He asked her if something was wrong. She shook her head as a no, and blushed diverting his attention from the road. David crashed his bicycle on a tree that stood right in front of him, getting minor bruises. The siblings immediately got off their bike to rescue the little man lying next to the tree. Of the guy, David was a close friend. Of the girl, he was the soul mate, lover, darling, sweetheart, potential boyfriend and potential husband. The guy was a total VIP!
″Are you alright?″ Sophia said crying as she touched his bruised leg.
But David didn’t even bother looking at her. She hadn’t hoped for an answer either.
″Tell your sissy not to come and play with us. She is so annoying. I hate her!″
The three magical words every girl craves to hear from the man she loves! He told her all the three words, but they hardly possessed any magical qualities. But they were strong enough to make the poor little girl cry. David got up and rode away. It was difficult to tell whether they only met so that she could cry, or that he made her cry every time they met! Steven consoled his little sister who seemed to have a tear storage tank that could sink the entire town if leaked at once.
″Don’t cry, sissy. He’s just mad at you. He doesn’t really hate you,″ Steven sat on his bicycle.
Sophia wiped her tears and sat behind her brother. ″Hurry up, otherwise we won’t catch him.″ She wasn’t the giving up type. The chase and catch game had officially begun!
