Welcome Home Mate

ROXIE

I must have been sitting in my room for over two hours before someone knocked on my door.

I placed the diary I was reading back into the box and shouted, "Come in."

The door opens, and I look up to see Sofia walking in.

I smiled at her.

"Hey," she says, "How are you doing?"

I sighed; I watched her walk in and close the door behind her.

"I'm okay, just trying to process everything they told me," I said.

I move the box closer to me and tap the bed for her to sit.

Sofia moves and sits on the bed. She pulls her legs up onto the bed and crosses them over.

"I bet it was a lot to take in," she said.

I looked at her, "When did you find out?" I asked her. I did not doubt that Jason had told her.

Sofia looks at me and smiles. "I only found out a few months ago when Jason told me that you were coming back. I was a little like you, but also, I could understand where Lex was coming from."

I nodded.

"I know where Alexander was coming from, but I had to live without my father and brother for six years," I said. "I know I was meant to come back earlier, but I was still getting over what Alexander said to me. It was hard, and healing from the words took a long time. But I started to plan for my future and even got to travel for a year."

"That sounds amazing. Where did you go?" Sofia asked.

I couldn't help but smile. I loved talking about the places I went to. "I went to France, Italy, Spain, and even Cuba," I said.

Sofia's eyebrows shot up, "You went to loads of exotic places, how?" she asked.

I smirked, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," I said to her.

I know I have proof of everything, but it is all back in my uncle's pack.

Sofia looked at me, "I would believe you Rox. I have heard so much about you from Jason that I think I could be part of the family," she says.

I leaned forward and grabbed hold of her hand, "Sofia, you are family," I said to her and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

Sofia smiled, "Thanks, I was worried you wouldn't like me," she said.

I moved back and frowned, "why would you think that?" I asked.

"Well, I have no friends here as everyone knows everyone, they have their own clicks, and it is hard to make friends with people who like to judge someone on their past," she says with a sigh.

Oh, don't I know what these arseholes are like in this pack?

I looked at her, "Oh, I know what people are like here in the pack," I said. "No one knows that more than me."

I glanced at Sofia. "And as for me liking you or not," I said to her. "I do; I think you are cool, and we are friends and family."

Sofia smiles and gently squeezes my hand. "Thank you, that means so much."

I nodded and smiled at her.

Sofia glanced around the room, but her eyes landed on the box next to me.

"What's in there?" she asks.

I glanced at the box and frowned. "These are my old diaries from when I was in school; I read some of them. I was trying to figure out when everything changed."

Sofia nodded, "Did you find what you were looking for?"

I can honestly say I didn't know if I did.

"Well, most of these were when things were rough for me in school," I said to her.

"I never talk about it as no one knows, especially my dad, Jason, and Alexander," I said to her. "But I was wondering; maybe you would like to read them. I don't trust many people, and I don't have any girlfriends."

"Hey," says Bex in my head.

"Besides Bex, my wolf," I said.

"Better now," I said to her.

Bex nods. She looked through my eyes and was reading the diaries with me. She kept growling and remembering everything that was done to me.

Sofia looks at me, "I take it your wolf is the only one that you get to talk to about what happened," she says with a sad smile.

I nodded, "Bex is the best, and she has been there for me since I was ten," I said.

Sofia's eyes went wide, "Ten, you shifted early," she said.

I nodded.

"Yeah, I witnessed my mother's death at the hands of rogues," I said to her. I looked at the diary that was in my hand.

"Bex shifted and guarded my mother's body till my father turned up," I said, not looking at her. "Jason doesn't know though; he was with Alexander at the time."

I looked up at her, "I won't tell him," she said. "You can tell that story when you're ready."

I gave her a small smile, "Thanks," I said.

I glance down at the diary in my hand, but Sofia speaks. "I have to ask, why do you call Lex by his full name?" she asks.

I looked up at her and smirked, "I know it pisses him off, and I never called him anything else," I said to her.

Sofia smirks, "I bet it pisses him off when you call him that," she says.

I nod.

Sofia smiles, but she glances at the diary in my hand. "What is that about?" she asks as she nods her head toward the diary.

I look down at it.

"This one is the only one I took with me when I went to my Uncle's pack," I said. I could feel tears prick in the back of my eyes. "My mum was the one who thought I should write everything down, from my day to how I was feeling."

I look at her, and Sofia looks at me with a sense of sadness on her face. "This one is the only diary that gives me hope and happy times as it was all about the last year my mother was with us."

Sofia nodded, "I bet there are a lot of memories in that one," she said.

I nod.

"There are a few cracking stories about Jason and my father. But my mother's words and her memories of the day were something I always put in my diary," I said to her.

I handed the diary to her, "Would you like to read it?" I asked her.

She looks at the diary and then back to me, "I would be honored to," she says as she takes the diary.

I smile.

Sofia places the book in her lap and looks at me, "I think we will have to go down as soon as the boys are ordering pizza, and your uncle Keith will be here soon," she says.

I nod.

"Sofia," I said, "Can you not mention the diaries to anyone?" I asked her.

She looks at me, "I won't," she says, "They are yours to share, nothing to do with me but Rox; I will read them when you are ready to let me."

I looked at her, "I would love that," I said.

Sofia and I changed the subject from Alexander and my diaries to learn more about each other.

I have to admit, I love her already and even think she would make the best sister in the world.

"I agree too," says Bex.

Bex never likes many people, but she has taken to Sofia really well and even came forward to introduce herself to her.

After an hour, there was a knock at the door, and it opened to my brother Jason.

"I guess girlie chat can wait," he says as he looks at me, then at Sofia.

"Uncle Keith is here, and so is the pizza," he says.

Sofia nods and smiles at him. "Yeah sure, we will be down shortly," she says to him.

Jason nods but glances at me. "We okay, mini," he asks.

I nod.

"Yeah, we are, but I would be better if you stopped calling me that," I said to him.

Jason grins. "Well, after the punch you gave Lex, I will consider it," he says.

I smirk.

Jason leaves.

Both Sofia and I get off the bed, but Sofia turns around and smiles at me. "I know we're friends and even family, but Rox, I want you to know I have your back," she says. "Us girls have to stick together."

I smile.

"Thanks, that means a lot," I said.

Sofia turns and heads out of the door. I glanced around and noticed the diary I gave Sofia was on the bed.

I finally have a girl I can class as a friend and family.

I leave my bedroom door and close it behind me.

I had best get this over with. I wonder what Uncle Keith's version of this is.