Kiera's P.O.V:

I decided to spend some time with Sofia at home. I just felt that she wasn't ready to go back to school and maybe needed a break. Plus, I had never taken vacations during my working term so I was sure I could be granted a few days leave.

"Hello, this is Dubois speaking," Mr.Dubois picked up on the first ring.

"Hi, I'm Kiera," I said. I was feeling nervous about asking. God, I should have just called the manager or someone.

"I know," he said. Wait how did he know? Did he have my number saved?

"Umm, I was wondering if I could be granted leave for a few days? I have never taken a vacation during my two years of work here and so I was..," he didn't let me finish.

"Ms.Coburn you don't need to say that. I'll grant you leave nonetheless. You deserve it. You are the only employee to not take a break and the only one who actually works that hard so of course your leave can be granted," he said slowly.

"Okay, thank you," I said hoping to end the conversation.

"My pleasure," he said.

"So what do you need this leave for? I hope I'm not coming out as a nosey person but the reason of leave is a part of an application," he said. That's true.

"I'm just gonna spend some time with Stella," I said. I didn't tell him too much but not too little either.

"Okay," he said," Enjoy your vacation. You can take off as much time as you need," he told me and I felt really grateful.

"Thank you, Mr.Dubois. Goodbye," I told him hoping to end the conversation finally.

"Bye, Ms.Coburn," he said and ended the call. Sofia was sitting infront of me the whole time. She was having frosted flakes.

"Why do you look so flustered, Kiera?" she asked me, making me blush.

"I don't," I told her but I could feel my cheeks getting warm.

"Yes, you do," she said and started laughing. I couldn't help but laugh with her.

"Do you like your boss?" she asked me. I turned to look at her with wide eyes.

"Sofia!!" I couldn't help it and laughed again.

"Yes, Kiera?" she replied and raised her eyebrows. Then she winked at me. I launched myself at her and started tickling her.

"Hey- ahaha stop stop noooo..," she screamed and laughed. She was so damn ticklish it was fun tickling her. Just like Stefan. Stefan... I missed him. I missed the way he used to look at me. The way he understood me. The way he handled everything. He always knew what was right. Here I was, raising his sister. I remembered the incident at school again and cringed. If Stefan was here that would have never happened.

"Kiera...," Sofia called me, breaking my train of thought.

"Yes honey?" I responded. She came and hugged me. I hugged her back.

"Please don't be upset. Sometimes you don't even notice that you're crying. I miss him too. I know I remind you of him sometimes. But please don't cry," she said. She was so young but so mature it made me even more upset that life had turned out like this for her. No parents no family. She had me only.

"Kiera, are you free today?" she suddenly asked me bringing me back to the present again.

"Yes baby. Why?" I asked.

"Why don't we go out?" she asked with puppy eyes. Oh Stefan...

"Sure sweetheart. Where would you like to go?" I asked giving her a kiss on her forehead.

"Umm there was supposed to be this carnival somewhere around. I heard some kids say they're gonna go," she said looking away.

"Some kids?" I repeated. That meant kids from school. What if they bullied her again when I took her there? I was gonna give it more thought but she gave me the puppy eyes again. Damn those puppy eyes...

"Okay, baby. We can go," I told her and she started jumping up and down. I made her finish her frosted flakes and got her dressed. Then I went to get dressed. I came out of my room when I heard Sofia talking on the phone.

"....no, we won't be at home we're going to a carnival. Do you wanna talk to her? No? Okay. Bye," she ended the call.

"Who was that, Honey?" I asked her.

"I don't know. It was some guy. He asked whether we were gonna be at home. Hey maybe it was somebody from your office," she said with a distant look in her eyes. Then she looked at me and smirked.

"Hey why are you giving me that look?" I asked her laughing.

" Uhmm uhmm.. Maybe that was Mr.Dubois," she responded.

"Sofia!!! C'mon," I said and started laughing when she wiggled her eyebrows.

"Kiera and Mr.Dubois sitting under a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!!" she started singing in a high pitch.

"Wait wait I remember somebody being ticklish," I said and started advancing on her. She laughed and jumped down from the sofa. And them she started running. I chased her and after a whole thirty minutes we both were tired and sat down again.

"C'mon let's go now," she said. I nodded my head in agreement and got up. I googled the carnival to know the location. It was in walking distance. It was held every year for celebrating fall.

We started walking. Sofia walked holding my hand and I couldn't help but feel the emptiness. If Stefan were here he would be holding Sofia's other hand. He would be making us laugh. I missed him.

"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?" Sofia asked as she wiped away my tears. I gave her a weak smile.

We both were busy thinking about him to notice anything around us. I felt like I was being watched but I dismissed the thought because who would be watching us? Nobody here knew our past. Nobody could ever know, could they?