"Jace is the worst person to shop for!" Amyra whines as we walkthrough, Versace.

"I know, he's so picky!" I agree with her.

We've been at the mall for about two hours in hopes of finding a birthday present for Jace. But Jace is too picky and has everything!

"We should get him a stripper," Myra says and I remember his last birthday, we got him at least eighteen strippers, all dressed as nurses because he's a doctor, get it? I laugh remembering the look on his face.

"As much as I'd like to see his jaw drop again, Kiara might not approve of it." I chuckle.

"He really has changed huh?"

"He has. I'm glad he's happy and settled on one girl." I smile at Amyra and she smirks.

"You mean, you're happy he's not taking after Axton?" she laughs.

"Yeah, that." I laugh as we walk out Versace.

"Wanna get coffee?" I ask her and she nods as her phone rings.

"Go ahead, take it, I'll order for us," I tell her, walking into the coffee shop.

"Hi, can I have a-" Screams echo through the small, shop, sending panic through my veins.

"Sophia!"

"Can we have a picture?"

"Sophia, please sign my forehead!" huh?

"Sophia!" The group of teenage girls scream my name.

"Hi! Okay, I'll take pictures and sign, stuff." I look at the girl who yelled 'sign my forehead.'

"But, you guys have to clear the way for customers." I tell them and the small, but powerful group clears the way. I turn to the barista to aploagize.

"I'm so sorry." I tell her and she laughs.

"Are you kidding? I'm a huge fan!" She laughs.

After taking pictures and signing, a lot of stuff, I walk out the coffee shop, mind you, without coffee.

"Where's the coffee?" Amyra asks and I smile sheepishly.

"Seriously? Again?" Yeah, this wasn't the first time.

"I'm sorry."

"Are you?"

"Nope." I chuckle.

"I have to go home, my mom's family is visiting, so better go get snake traps." I burst out laughing. Amyra hates her mom's family. Mainly because they hate her and how she chose to follow law instead of medicine.

"Goodluck Myra, you got this!" I hug her and she nods.

"Thank you Soph." She hugs me a little longer, then walks away.

I have nothing to do.

I have nothing to do?

Oh my God, I have nothing to do.

I excitedly call Marty, ready to get home and lay on my couch.

My phone starts ringing and I see mom's name flash across the screen.

"Hi mom."

"Hey honey, can you-" she giggles and I slow down my pace, confused, she giggled ?

"Honey can you come home? W have some guests." No, I rather lay on my couch, eating oreos, watching Clueless or reading!

"Do I really need to?" I ask, praying that she says no. I see Marty pull up and I begin my walk to the car.

"Yes honey! See you." she hangs up and I hear her giggle, again.

Yes, I'm aware that my mom can giggle, but she never does. So it's got me thinking.

"Hi Marty, My parents-m-my mom's house." I stutter, I still say parent's house. Silly me.

I stare out the window, not up for this trip home. I feel like locking myself up in my apartment, I don't feel like meeting 'guests' whoever they are. I look at the sky, dark with grey clouds, preparing for down pour onto New York's busy streets.

---

"Sophia!" My mother rushes up to me, hugging me. She seems happier than normal. I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just, confused?

"Hi mom." I mumble, did I mention I don't want to be here?

"Soph!" I hear my uncle's voice. Martin Rivera. Business man, best cook in the family. Mom doesn't need to know that.

"Uncle Martin!" he pulls me into a side hug.

"Congrats on the new line," That's the first time he's ever said that to me.

"Thanks?" it comes out as a question. Won't you be confused if the family that never supported you, suddenly starts supporting you?

"Where's aunt Vanessa?" I ask, in search of the sweet lady that taught me kindness goes a long way.

"She- she isn't here." Huh?

"Oh."

"Soph! I need to speak to you, right now." Shyla pulls me away from everyone, dragging me into her room.

"Sophia!" I see Alex, my cousin, Martin's daughter. She's always so bubbly, but today she looked down.

"Hey Alex, you okay?" I ask her and she simply nods. But my attention is pulled to Shyla.

"Why did you drag me up the stairs? and where's that bad boy?" I ask, referring to Sebastian.

"I don't know, probably in his office." she shrugs, walking into her bathroom. Technically sprinting but okay.

"Alex, what's wrong?" I sit on Shyla's bed, next to her.

"Promise you won't tell anyone?" she asks me.

"I promise." She sighs,

"I think my dad is cheating on my mom." she says.

What is going on with these Rivera men?

"What?" I ask and she shakes her head, conforming that I didn't imagine her saying that.

"No," I shake my head in disbelief.

"Uncle Martin wouldn't do that, not to Aunt Vanessa,"

"I'm sure Soph!" tears run down her cheeks and I immediately pull her into a hug, remembering how it felt when my dad cheated on my mom.

"Soph.." Shyla walks out the bathroom, with her hands behind her back, Alex quickly wipes her tears away and we shift out attention to Shyla.

She throws something onto the bed.

My eyes follow a pregnancy test.

A positive pregnancy test.

Why didn't I stay home?

"Shyla," I start, but couldn't find words.

The door bursts open and I see mom, I quickly drop the test under the blanket.

"Girls, Martin made soup, come down, now!" she says, walking out.

"Coming mom." I tell her as if my heart wasn't going a hundred miles per second.

"We'll talk about this after lunch." I tell them, pushing them out the room.

As I close the door and stand in the hall, I look down to the floor below us and I see Uncle Martin whisper something to mom and she, giggles.

No. This can't be happening.

I walk down the stairs, taking a seat in front of mom. She smiles looking at me and I just look at her.

Everyone tries to make conversation with me but I just shrug them off. Sometimes you really don't have energy.

"It makes stakeholders have more interest." I hear Axton's voice. I look up, meeting his eyes. His blue-green eyes, staring into me.

"Alright, thanks man." Sebastian tells Axton but his attention is set on me. I send him a small smile.

"Shyla, you're not eating honey." Mom points out and Shyla breaks down, getting up from the table.

"What's her problem?" mom asks me and I seriously almost throw the soup on her.

"I don't know mom." I sigh, I really had no energy.

"Soph, we should really get going." Axton says and I look at him confused.

"Remember, we have to look at those flowers for the uh, wedding." Please, you wouldn't care if there were flowers or thorns.

"Uh, right." I get up.

"Nice seeing you Uncle Martin, Alex lunch tomorrow?" She nods and I smile.

"Later sis." Sebastian tells me and I literally pull him into a hug.

"Keep an eye on Shyla." I whisper, he looks confused but I know he'll figure it out.

"Bye." I mumble, walking out with Axton.

We step into the gloomy air.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asks and I shake my head.

"Alright." he opens the door and I get in, but he waits for me to settle in my seat, then straps the seatbelt over me.

"I could have done it, you know." I mumble.

"I know." he says, starting the car.

The entire ride was silent, all I could think about was mom and Uncle Martin, there was no way.

"Soph." I turn to see Axton standing out the car, holding the door open.

"Sorry." I mumble as I step out.

We walk to the elevator, and when we reach my door, I expect him to leave. But he walks in.

"You're staying?" I ask him.

"I'm not leaving you alone Soph," he says, walking over to my book shelf.

"Get comfy, we're going to read." he says and I smile.