Finally Free

11

S O P H I A | the morning after

I wake up and feel like shit. My head hurts and my body is sore. When I try to sit up my neck gives way and I instantly fall back down on the couch. I lift my head up and I see Claire and Paige at the table both looking at me. They both laugh. 

"Oh look who's up." Paige sings. She hands me a cup of coffee. "Where's Maddie?" I sip my coffee.

"Maddie is with Chase, he picked her up an hour ago." She says as I stand up and walk into the kitchen, I grab an apple and sit at the table with Claire, who for some reason looks better than me even though she was blackout drunk last night.

Her short black hair is pulled back into a high ponytail and her makeup is perfectly done. "Hey Soph, do you want to do some Saturday shopping if you're up to it?" Claire asks.

"Sure, why not." I shrug and she claps her hands excitedly

After we finish eating we go into my room to change. "I need a shower, be right back." I tell Claire when we get upstairs. I turn on the water and let it heat up for a few seconds. I cringe when I look in the mirror. There's mascara under my eyes. My foundation is streaky from crying, and my hair is knotted. 

I turn on my phone to wait for the water to get warm.

Steam fills the bathroom and fogs up the mirror before I realize that I've been mindlessly flipping through Instagram for 10 minutes. When I step in and the heat hits me instantly. It takes a minute to get used to but then the feeling is welcomed. I'm leaning against the shower wall replaying last night. More specifically the words Carter said to me. 

She actually thought I cared. 

He was mocking me. His dark laughter echoes in my brain. I bit back tears, not wanting to waste them on him. 

"Sophia, did you die?" I hear her laugh through the door. "Coming." I go into my room and Claire is sitting on my bed still in her pajamas. I go into the closet,

"So what are we gonna do today?" I ask. "We can go to the mall, get lunch, do a ton of shopping." Claire says.

I toss her a purple tank top and blue baggy jeans.

"Didn't think you'd want to wear the alcohol infected clothes." I joke.
"Thanks love." 

I pick out a navy blue crew neck sweatshirt and a white pleated skirt. I style my hair in a high ponytail and I add white sneakers to complete the look.

"Paige can you tell Liam that Claire and I left to go shopping." I see her thumb stick up from behind her laptop, letting me know yes. 

We head outside into the sunny weather and get into Claire's car. She turns on the radio and after 5 minutes she says, "So do you want to talk about last night?" I plop my head against the seat. I knew it would come up eventually.

"Ugh no, I just want to forget it all." I pick at my nails. 

"Ugh he was just so rude and then had the audacity to show up and basically say I'm his property." I scoff. Claire gives me a sympathetic look.

When we arrive at the mall, I really need to focus on something else. "Do they have a salon? I really need to get my nails done." I look at my nails. "Oh yes girl." Claire says as we walk into the giant mall. We head into Urban Outfitters and immediately start rummaging through clothes.

The first thing I pick out is a lavender floral slip dress, a white tank top that ties in the front, some white carpenter jeans, a flowy pink skirt, and some high waisted black shorts.