Chapter : 5 Unopened Pasts: part 1 A Chance Encounter

As the days counted down to the eagerly awaited results announcement, Sofia's school decided to celebrate the imminent farewell for the students bidding their last goodbye to their beloved institution. Sofia, one day prior to her farewell party, found herself in her room, contemplating what to wear. In the midst of this decision-making process, a voice from upstairs suddenly interrupted her thoughts. A bit startled, she followed the sound to the source, leading her to the door of the storeroom.

Intrigued and a tad anxious, she opened the door and was met by the complete darkness within. Sofia fumbled for the light switch, cautiously feeling her way along the wall to avoid any accidents. In the process, she inadvertently bumped into an unfamiliar object and tumbled to the floor. She quickly regained her footing and finally located the light switch, illuminating the room.

As Sofia tried to identify the object she had collided with, she discovered a red file. Curiosity piqued, she reached for the file, intending to open it and examine its contents. However, just as she was about to flip it open, she heard that mysterious voice again. Startled, she turned to see a tiny mouse scurrying nearby, and in a typical reaction, she screamed, startled by the unexpected appearance of the little creature.

In her haste to exit the storeroom and escape the mouse, Sofia slammed the door shut behind her and retreated to the safety of her room. The initial feeling of disgust at the sight of the mouse still fresh in her mind, she glanced down at her hand, realizing she still clutched the red file. She contemplated the album, wondering what might be inside.

Just as she was about to explore the album further, the sound of someone approaching her room caught her attention. Not wanting to reveal her discovery, Sofia hastily shoved the album under her bed and pretended to be deep in thought about her wardrobe choices.

Her father, Mr. William, entered the room, concern etched on his face. He inquired if everything was alright, but Sofia, still visibly agitated by the mouse encounter, simply replied that everything was fine. Noticing his daughter's reluctance to meet his eyes, Mr. William looked disappointed and took a seat on her bed, probing gently.

He wondered if Sofia was still holding a grudge against him. He recounted a recent incident where he had scolded her for returning late from a friend's birthday party, grounding her for a week. Following that incident, he had noticed a change in her behavior. He yearned for an opportunity to reconnect with his daughter, to spend quality time together and share a meal. He longed to understand why she had become distant.

Sofia, however, had her own thoughts and frustrations. She pondered if her father had genuinely noticed her at all, questioning why he was concerned now when he had been emotionally absent for so long after her mother's passing. Her inner dialogue raged on, but outwardly, she maintained her silence. She gently removed her father's hand from her head, reclined on her bed, and murmured that she was tired and wanted to sleep.

Her father, wearing a disappointed expression, got up from her bed and left the room. He turned off the light, wished her goodnight, and closed the door behind him. Once alone, Sofia couldn't suppress her emotions any longer. Tears flowed as she wrestled with the pent-up frustrations and disappointments that had accumulated over time, leaving her feeling isolated and unheard.