I Wanted to Believe

six ;

Jack was gone when Sophia finally woke up. She hadn't been expecting his body to be laying next to hers though. The past few years had turned Sophia into a realist. She preferred not to live in a land of fantasy anymore and she wasn't about to get her hopes up. Sophia knew the real world wasn't like the storybooks she read during her seemingly perfect childhood.

She couldn't help but to remember the previous night. She could still feel Jack's hot touch on her skin; his calloused hands traveling down her hips leaving a trail of goosebumps behind. The memory of the magician's charming smirk burnt holes into her brain. It was stronger than any drug Sophia had ever taken. It almost reminded her of happier times.

Sophia wasn't always a lost cause. Her life wasn't always so rough. She once belonged to a loving family. But those days were long gone. They walked out the door along with her father.

Her mother remarried not too long after that. She needed someone to support her family. The bills had to be paid somehow. Sophia and her younger brother naturally didn't get along with their new father figure. That man wasn't her family. And as Sophia saw it, neither was her own mother. Jack had been her family, and now Evette was.

Sophia didn't blame her father for walking out. Her mother wasn't the kind of woman you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. She was unstable and often showed psychotic tendencies. Since she refused to seek help or treatment, things only got worse after her husband left.

Sophia sighed to herself, her quiet apartment mocking her. She felt as alone as she ever did but she was too proud to admit it. Her fingers traced the indent of Jack's body on her sheets next to her and her eyes slowly fluttered closed again as she breathed in his lingering scent.

"Happy birthday, baby girl," a woman with dirty blonde hair slurred as she shook Sophia. Groaning, the girl struggled to rolled over on her too small bed. She stretched her aching legs out. They had been curled up all night so they wouldn't hang off of the bed. It'd been years since Sophia actually fit.

It was only noon and her mother was already drunk. It wasn't very surprising. She was a broken woman. Her dignity had been long flushed down the toilet along with the vomit from her daily binges.

"Thanks mom," she mumbled as her feet touched the cold floor. Immediately she left her room in search for her brother. He was only fourteen and he had already been through so many hardships.

Though both Sophia and her mother were crushed by her father leaving, no one was hit as hard as Matthew was. He began to act out in school which soon led to him getting into trouble with the law. Sophia knew she needed to help him. With her mother turning into a full fledged alcoholic, Sophia knew she was the only hope for her brother.

"Happy birthday, Soph," Matthew smiled at her as she entered the kitchen. She returned his smile before kissing his forehead. He pushed her away playfully.

"Thanks, Matty." She poured herself a bowl of cereal. It was stale, but Sophia shoveled it into her mouth hungrily anyway. She wasn't in any position to be picky.

Before their father left, the siblings had never gotten along too well. They were polar opposites. Matthew was the athletic, outgoing one while Sophia was the shy bookworm. As they watched their mother fall apart, they grew closer. The two realized the other was all they had left. The mother they once knew was gone.

Sophia's stepdad entered the kitchen through the back door of their home. It was a nice home in a decent neighborhood. From what she knew, her mother's new husband made good money. But not a cent of it was ever spent on Sophia. He glared at the newest additions to his family as he opened the fridge.

"Aren't you going to wish Sophie a happy birthday?" Their mother leaned against the door frame. Sophia's eyes dropped to her breakfast immediately. She tried her best to avoid her step father all together. He was a demeaning man who sometimes stared at her in the wrong ways.

The man with graying hair scoffed as he cracked open a can of beer. This caused Sophia to raise her eyes to meet his. She cowered slightly at his annoyed expression.

"Eighteen huh?" He grunted before taking a long chug from the silver and blue can. Sophia nodded shortly, avoiding his gaze. "Great, get your shit and get the fuck out of my house."

Sophia's jaw dropped. She half expected him to say he was just kidding, but part of her knew he was serious. In her time knowing him, she never heard him make a joke. Her eyes met her mother as the new adult begged for help silently.

"Come on, John," her mother pleaded, following him into the living room. Sophia bit her lip and avoided her brother's stare. "Let her stay. She doesn't have anywhere to go."

But he didn't show any mercy. Within two hours, Sophia had packed her bags and was pushed out the front door. That was the last time she saw any of her family.


;;;

Jack's eyes were glazed over as he stared out the window, not focused on anything in particular. It was a beautiful day. The sun was casting it's warm rays down into the earth. But there was white clouds just over the horizon. They were approaching quickly with every intention to ruin everyone's perfect day.

He was supposed to be working, but Jack's mind was elsewhere. He needed to see her. Jack longed to feel her fingers rake through his thick locks again.

"You okay, man?" Daniel asked as he flicked a card into the open air. Jack's attention was pulled from the oak tree outside to the fellow magician across the table. Jack simply nodded, but didn't speak his reply. Daniel shrugged, dropping the conversation.

Jack couldn't rid Sophia from his mind. Not that this was anything new, but he seemed to be struggling today especially. The bruise on his neck was finally beginning to fade. That saddened him though; it was a reminder of the last time he had seen his love. It had been almost a week since their rendezvous. The magicians hadn't had a moment to themselves. Jack was craving Sophia more than ever.

Jack let a long sigh escape his lips, tapping his fingers on the table impatiently. He contemplated simply leaving. But Jack knew the consequences. They wouldn't be happy with him. There was work to be done. There was final touches that needed to be completed. Jack didn't care anymore though. He was promised a life with Sophia. They said he could make it work. That's just what he planned to do.

Jack stood from his chair, earning a questioning look from Merritt. "I gotta go," he mumbled, shoving his hands in his pocket.

"Jack!" Henley called after him. But the youngest magician didn't pay her any attention and continued on out the door.

He made his way through the New York City streets, somehow going unnoticed. He walked with his face down and his mind in the clouds.

For a slight moment, Jack wondered what would happen if someone did recognize his face from national television. Though his death was old news by this point, he was sure someone in this city could make the connection. He was curious of how The Eye would cover it up. He wondered what his punishment would be. Would they throw him out of the organization? Maybe that would be better for him. He would be able to spend his days with Sophia.

Jack remembered every time he did Sophia wrong. It pained him to recall the women he had slept with behind her back. He had lied to her too many times to count and that haunted him. He ached to make things right. Jack knew she deserved better.

His feet carried him to the store he knew she worked at. The Eye did excellent work on tracking Sophia, just as Jack had expected. He wondered if they had kept tabs on her even before he had asked them to. Perhaps they would use her as collateral if need be.

Sophia wasn't behind the register as Jack rounded the corner. Instead she stood near the door, speaking to a tall man. Jack felt the blood boil under his skin. Sophia's smile illuminated the room as she looked at the unknown man from under her mascara coated eye lashes.

She felt his eyes on her. But as she looked up, Jack was gone, leaving her to believe his presence was just her imagination playing taunting tricks on her once again.
♠ ♠ ♠
I'm sorry for the wait on this one. I've been busy recently and haven't had time to sit down and finish the chapter. I'd love some feedback on this if anyone is still reading. Thanks guys!