Important! Must have read previous chapter: Finding Understanding for this chapter to make a lick of sense. Also that means more Sophia and Zander! Woohoo!

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Korean lyrics backed by emotion and a heavy beat filled Sophia's ears as she worked. The music blocked the world outside of the dissembled computer before her. Curled up on her chair, she found peace and order as she carefully placed each piece.

In the corner of her eye, a small slip of paper slid across her desk with a single message: I'm here.

Sophia nodded, acknowledging that she'd seen and read the message. She continued to work until the song playing ended. The gap helped her break from her concentration. Removing her headphones, she laid them beside her work and spun around.

Her father sat in her armchair, watching her. He smiled at her. Something about her father's smile always felt like a gift to Sophia and one she wanted to give in return to him.

She had discovered this wasn't always the case with other people. For some reason, their smiles didn't affect her the same way. Something about their smiles felt out of place to Sophia, as if they conveyed a message that she couldn't translate. But for the people in her small circle, she did enjoy their smiles.

Strangely enough, when Zander had smiled at her she'd wanted to smile back.

Maybe it had to do with knowing more about a person that someone felt comfortable sharing the familiarity of a smile with.

"Do you smile at everyone?" Sophia asked.

Though Sophia fully understood this question would be said with no context, her father didn't act surprised, merely laced his fingers together and placed them on the back of his head. His thinking posture as Sophia called it.

"No," he said. "Growing up I had to smile a lot for people but it was a smile that I had practiced and wasn't real. When I no longer had to wear that practiced smile I found I would only smile when I felt like it."

"That makes sense why you don't smile often for other people. Though I have noted that you smile the most with Mama and Aunt Carter."

"And you."

Sophia smiled, amazed at how simple words could make the inside of her chest feel warm.

"And me," she said. "I smiled at someone new today."

"Oh." Mason raised his eyebrows and though her father didn't say it outright, she knew he wanted to know the whole story. Sometimes because she knew him so well that the small gestures they exchanged felt like a secret language.

Other people might make the same gestures but Sophia could never be sure they could be translated in the same way. Too many times she'd misinterpreted a gesture someone made she remained quiet more than speaking so she didn't offend anyone.

"Yes, I was able to comfort someone. And I hadn't thought I would be able to since I had no idea what the issue was."

"But you managed it. I'm proud of you."

"At first I thought simply letting Zander hold my hand would be all the comfort he needed since that's what he asked from me but-"

Sophia stopped talking, watching how her father turned from relaxed to still. Though nothing in his posture changed, she knew the shift. It was a change from listening to paying close attention.

"You let Zander hold your hand?" Mason asked.

"Yes. He asked first and since he did I gave him permission because I didn't know how else to help him."

Her father nodded but this time Sophia couldn't read whether that nod meant he approved of her taking into consideration the fact that Zander had been respectful when asking for comfort or something else passed through his mind that he agreed with himself on. In this instance, since Sophia couldn't deduce which option it was, she knew that remaining silent was the correct action to take.

"You are not allowed to date until after high school," Mason said.

Sophia said nothing right away since this was not a connection she could make.

"Can I ask for the logic behind this decision?" she asked.

"You know how people will do things or say things that you find confusing? Or how there are situations that happen that you struggle to understand what's going on until later?"

"Yes, but I feel like I am learning."

Mason leaned forward, resting his clasped hands on his knees. "You are. But can you see how adding the complexities of a strong emotion like love would make simple situations more confusing?"

Sophia took this in and puzzled out what he meant. Normal life at times offered challenges that didn't have anything more difficult to understand than basic interactions. She'd seen how Harrison and Kennedy loved each other but hadn't admitted it until Kennedy got kidnapped. Now they were together and they were the same but different. A difference she didn't know how to define.

Yes, her father's decision to require she wait until after high school to date made sense. By that time she'd have efficient enough experience to handle more complex relationships.

"Okay," she said. "I understand. Can I still have a boy as a friend?"

"Yes, but no more letting him hold your hand."

"Even if he respectfully asks to do so?"

"Even then."

"May I ask why?"

"When it comes to physical touch it can be very different for a young boy than it can be for a girl. Especially at his age."

"I don't see how but I will trust you have a better understanding of the subject than I do since you are a boy and you have Mama to understand how a girl might feel."

Mason let out a breath and rested back in his chair.

"Thank you."

"What are we discussing in here?" Yvette said, striding into the room.

Instantly, Mason lifted one arm. After kissing Sophia on the head, Yvette sank into the small space beside him, her legs draping over his. Though Sophia never acknowledged this thought, she knew she wanted what her parents had.

It was less expressive than what she saw Harrison and Kennedy had, more affectionate than what she saw of Carter and Donovan's interactions, and less gushy than what Uncle Link and Aunt Maddy had. It was comfortable. It was like their family, loving but not abrasive in affection.

"There is no discussion. Father made a decision to not allow me to date until after high school," Sophia said.

"Oh," Yvette said. "How did this come about?"

"I let Zander hold my hand because he asked and needed comforting."

Her parents shared a look and Sophia understood that her mother approved of her father's decision.

"I'm glad you were able to comfort him, but I agree with your father," Yvette said.

"I do too. His logic made sense."

Yvette laid her head on Mason's shoulder. "Your father is wise like that. How was the rest of your day?"

Sophia mulled over the question, revisiting the day's events. Besides Zander, there seemed to be nothing over value.

"Nothing worth sharing. You can tell me about your day," she said.

As her mother talked, Sophia noticed her father lock his fingers with his wife. It was a small action but somehow meant a lot though Sophia couldn't fully define why.

But she wanted that. And if waiting made that more feasible then she would wait.

*****

"I'm just saying if I'm your girlfriend now," Kennedy said, leaning against the locker right next to Sophia's. "Then you shouldn't look at other girls."

"You want me to walk around with a blindfold on?" Harrison asked.

Sophia wouldn't say it out loud, since she often times found what Kennedy said to be nonsensical but this particular declaration really felt implausible.

"You're mad because I talked with Jemma," Harrison said.

"No," Kennedy said. "Okay, maybe a little."

"She's literally my lab partner."

Sophia tried to tune out the pointless conversation since she knew at some point Kennedy would see how ridiculous her statement had been and they would come to a conclusion. Sophia didn't fully understand why Kennedy would make outrageous statements to then argue them for a while to only rescind her comment.

At one point, Sophia had asked Carter why Kennedy did this. Carter's response had been that arguing was Kennedy's love language. This answer still made no sense to Sophia. Arguing meant verbally opposing someone. Why would arguing with someone you like be an act of love?

Again, she saw the logic of her father's decision since she didn't understand Kennedy's motives for arguing. Maybe someone she got into a relationship with would feel like arguing bred affection. Which Sophia did not agree with.

"Hey, Soph."

Zander appeared on her other side and Sophia pushed her locker door out of the way to be able to speak to him without a barrier.

"I understand you feel comfortable enough with me to want to give me a nickname," she said. "But could you please find a different one? I don't like Soph since it reminds me of a sofa and I don't care to be thought of as a piece of furniture."

"That makes sense."

Zander smiled and Sophia looked at it, wondering why when he smiled she did feel like she could smile back without forcing it. Maybe because it held his personality in it. Though it was a strange thought, it made sense to Sophia. When he smiled he was the same as the person she talked to.

"I'll think of something different," Zander said. "Do you like coffee?"

"No."

"What about a latte."

"That is still coffee."

"Okay. What about tea?"

"Only when it's cinnamon spice."

"Got it. How about hot chocolate?"

"Yes, but I don't care for whipped cream on it."

"Okay!" Zander turned away from her to his Secret Service agent. Who Sophia saw held two trays of Starbucks coffee cups in it. After leaning in to read the labels, Zander selected one and held it out to her.

"Hot chocolate with no whipped cream. I'll have the one with whipped cream."

"What will you do with the rest of the drinks?"

"Give them to other people."

Sophia looked from the six other coffee cups to Zander.

"Did you buy a range of drinks in hopes that there would be one I liked?" Sophia asked.

"Yup!"

"Why?"

"Because you helped me yesterday and I'm grateful."

"Okay."

Sophia sipped her drink while Zander handed off the black coffee to Kennedy, the latte to Harrison, and the other drinks to a few passing students.

"I feel the need to tell you something," Sophia said, once Zander's distribution was over.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Last night, my father decided that I'm not allowed to date until after high school," Sophia said.

Zander blinked at her. "Oh. Okay."

Beside them, Harrison and Kennedy stopped their arguing.

"Should we leave?" Harrison asked.

"I don't see why," Sophia said. "This information isn't private."

Harrison and Kennedy exchanged a look and glanced at Zander.

"We're going to head out," Harrison said.

"Thanks for the drinks," Kennedy said.

Sophia didn't see their need to leave but brushed it aside, focusing on Zander. She could see how her statement might be confusing since she'd given no lead up therefore she should explain.

"I felt I should tell you," she said. "Because after I told my father how I let you hold my hand he made the decision. This makes me think there is a correlation between his decision and you holding my hand. He might have believed something about your intentions. I don't know what your intentions would be beyond comfort but felt if you had any I should let you know right away. But he said I could still be friends with a boy."

"You can?"

"Yes."

"Then that's okay. It means I can walk you to your class."

"Okay."

As they set off, Sophia sipped her hot chocolate, warmed by something deeper than just the heat of the drink.

"So," Zander said. "After high school, you can date."

"Correct."

"So I'll set a date for graduation night."

"With me?"

"Yes."

"But that would require you to wait three years for the event. Wouldn't it be more logical to date other people in that time?"

"Not to me. It means I have three years to make sure when I ask you on that date that you say yes without having to weigh and measure."

Sophia smiled at him. That answer made sense.

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Hey my little gummy gumdrop!

(It's okay to be a gum someone dropped because I picked you up! Does that sound weird? Question have I ever said anything that didn't sound weird? Chew on that)

Sophia and Zander! We need a nickname for her! Also a couple name! Suggest away! ♥️💬🗯💭

I have to ask, what did you think of Mason's reaction? It wasn't one that any predicted and so I'm curious if you're for it or against it. 🤔

🙄 I can't with Mason.

Sure do I like that he's a kind, understanding, logical, protective father?

I mean yeah but no dating for the entirety of high school?!

No teenage drama over who kissed who? Who held hands with whom? Whom likes who? What does that look mean? What did she say? What did he mean when he said that?...

🤔 You know what, I'm starting to understand Mason's logic. And considering Sophia still needs to work on social skills this is probably for the best.

But! They will still be friends... 😏 So what will the other students make of it?

Oh the drama that is yet to come.

With that excitement/menacing:/enticing note - vote, comment, follow!

Comments from The Profile

😂 love this!

They meaning my characters

😂❤️ THIS!

Made my day!

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