chapter 1 : "Homecoming in the Dark"

Sofia groggily made her way through the dark room, carefully avoiding any obstacles as she tiptoed towards the window. With a small sigh of relief, she managed to hoist herself up and through the opening, landing with a soft thud on the carpeted floor. As she straightened up, the lights suddenly flickered on, and she was met with the stern gaze of her father, Mr. William.

"Hi, dad," she said nervously, hoping to avoid any punishment for her late-night escapade.

"Have you seen the time? Is this the time to come home?" Mr. William questioned, his voice heavy with annoyance. "And why didn't you use the front gate? Why did you climb through the window?"

"I told you I was going to my friend's birthday party. It can get that late, and I didn't use the front gate because I didn't want to disturb you," Sofia replied, trying to reason with her father.

Mr. William's face turned red with anger, and Sofia could see the volcano-like eruption brewing within him. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself before saying, "You are grounded for a week," and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Sofia lay on her bed as if nothing had happened and quickly fell asleep, exhausted from the night's events.

The next morning, her alarm rang shrilly, jolting her awake. She groaned and rubbed her eyes, realizing that it was already 7:30. "Oh no," she muttered, "I'm going to be late for school."

She jumped out of bed and rushed to get ready, grabbing an apple and running down the stairs. Her father tried to stop her, insisting that she should have a proper breakfast, but Sofia refused, saying that she would eat in the school cafeteria.

She hopped into the car and instructed the driver to hurry, knowing that she was cutting it close. She arrived at school with just a minute to spare, accidentally bumping into one of her teachers as she rushed to her classroom.

"Sorry, sorry," Sofia apologized, as she scurried off to her class, only to find her teacher already there. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart, and took her seat, grateful to have made it on time.

As she settled into her chair, she couldn't help but wonder what other adventures the day would bring.