Chapter 6 Hard

"What? You must be crazy, Sophia! You can't fall in love with someone so ordinary! James looks like your average gas station attendant. He simply does not deserve your amazing looks at all." A beautiful girl scoffed, her voice laced with disbelief. 

She was, of course, one of Sophia's closest friends, always quick to share her opinions.

"But he's rich," countered another friend, trying to bring some balance to the conversation.

"Sophia's rich too," the first girl shot back. "Her perfect match should be a tall, handsome man—a filthy rich young master, not some ordinary guy who just happened to hit the lottery."

"First of all," the second friend retorted, "it's Sophia's parents who are rich, not her. And besides, Sophia already had her tall, handsome first crush, first love, and first boyfriend all wrapped up in one man. And we all know how that turned out."

There was a brief pause as the memory of Sophia's disastrous relationship with Richard hung in the air, a reminder of how even the most seemingly perfect men could be deeply flawed.

"I'm okay with James too," chimed in a third friend, her tone more lighthearted. "And let's not forget—he smells amazing. If I didn't have a boyfriend right now, I'd definitely go for James myself. I can only imagine how nice it would be to be wrapped in his arms. No less than heaven, I'd bet."

Sophia couldn't help but smile at her friend's dreamy tone, but she knew she had to make her feelings clear. "I appreciate your opinions, girls, but I've made up my mind. I like him. I really really like him," she said firmly. 

Her three close friends were the first to hear her decision. She and James had been seeing each other for six months already, and she was ready to take their relationship to the next level.

"But he's younger than you," one of the girls pointed out, concern in her voice. "Isn't that going to be a problem? Young boys can be so immature, you know." They were all senior students in college, while James was still a freshman.

"A mere 3 years is nothing," Sophia replied with a confident smile. She had considered all these factors before, and none of them outweighed her feelings for James. "Besides, he's more mature than most guys our age."

"This is it, then. Wish me luck, girls," Sophia said, exhaling deeply as her nerves began to surface. She didn't want to mess this up. 

As she walked away from her friends, there was a noticeable spring in her step—a mixture of excitement and anticipation. She was finally ready to make things official with James, to tell him just how much he meant to her.

They had been going on dates almost daily, and each time, Sophia found herself falling for him a little more. He wasn't just kind and funny; he was also someone who made her feel safe, cherished, and understood—feelings she hadn't experienced in a long time.

As she walked toward their meeting spot, her heart raced with both nerves and excitement. She spotted James waiting for her, his usual easygoing smile on his face as he caught sight of her. 

Everything about this moment felt right, and she knew she had made the right choice.

When they finally met halfway, it felt as if the world had fallen away, leaving just the two of them standing there. 

Sophia looked up into his eyes, her own filled with determination and hope. She knew this was the beginning of something special—something real.

Taking a deep breath, she reached out and took his hand. "James," she began, her voice steady despite the fluttering in her chest, "I have something important to tell you."

He looked at her, his smile softening as he squeezed her hand gently. "I'm listening."

Sophia smiled back, her heart swelling with affection. This was it. This was the moment she would let him know that she wanted to be with him, not just as a friend but as something much more. 

And whatever happened next, she was ready to face it head-on, with James by her side.

"James… I know that we've been friends—really good friends, actually—but lately, I've been thinking a lot about us. You and me." Sophia paused, her heart pounding as she took a deep breath. "I… I want you to be my boyfriend."

Sophia blushed as the words left her lips. It felt like she was experiencing first love all over again. 

This time, however, she was determined not to let fear or uncertainty hold her back. Life offered no guarantees, but she was willing to take the risk.

James's smile widened, his eyes sparkling with amusement and affection. "About time," he teased, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a warm embrace. "I was starting to think my innate charm didn't work on a beautiful girl like you, Sophia."

She giggled softly as he pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, the warmth of his touch spreading through her. 

The connection between them felt electric, charged with possibilities. It was as if all the doubts and hesitations she had were melting away in the comfort of his arms.

What Sophia didn't know was that James had been waiting for this moment, confident that his powers—gained just a few months ago—had played a part in this newfound closeness. 

Without them, he would have felt dwarfed by Sophia's beauty and poise. But now, he had the means to stand by her side, not just as an ordinary guy, but as someone who could truly match her.

He had subtly altered reality, making small but significant changes to himself. For instance, he'd adjusted his height to a respectable 5 foot 11 inches—not too tall, but enough to complement Sophia's elegance. 

More than that, he'd also made some… long big hard enhancements in other areas, confident that when the time came, Sophia would be more than pleasantly surprised.

But all of that was secondary. What mattered most to James was that Sophia had chosen him, that she saw something in him worth taking a chance on. 

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, he felt like the luckiest guy in the world. This was just the beginning, and he was ready to show Sophia just how extraordinary their love could be.

Sophia looked up at James, her blush deepening as she met his gaze. "I'm glad you didn't give up on me," she whispered, leaning into him. "Because I think this is the start of something really special."

James tightened his hold on her, his heart swelling with pride and excitement. "It is, Sophia," he murmured, kissing the top of her head. "And I promise, I'll make you happy every single day."

As they walked away together, hand in hand, there was an unspoken understanding between them—one that hinted at the thrilling and extraordinary journey ahead. Whatever challenges might come their way, they were ready to face them, together.