Summary: Alex finally found peace at school but it seems like Sophia doesn’t have so much luck? What does Sophia hides and why did she never say anything?
The next day is the birthday of Sophia, who sits together with her best friends Rose Drammir, Chris Beaumont and Alex Rhys on their meeting place on the tree.
Catherine made a cake yesterday for Sophia who saw the cake this morning. And Sophia immediately thought about her friends and took some slices with her.
Now they sit on the tree and eat the cake.
“Your Mum is an incredible baker!“ Alex smiles and eats the cake. “This is delicious.”
Sophia blushes slightly and smiles. “I tell her.”
Alex smiles at her and then continues eating.
Rose looks at her and makes a knowing look. Sophia shakes her head and looks down to her cake, but then she drops the spoon.
Alex catches the spoon. “Careful.”
He looks at her, but narrows his eyes as he sees the scared expression on Sophia’s face. He follows her eyes and finds a small girl group.
“Who are they?” Alex addresses Sophia, looking back at her.
Sophia looks down and takes the spoon and puts her cake back into her lunch box and into her bag.
“Sophia?“ Alex lays his hand carefully on her arm.
She shakes her head and leaves the tree. Alex puts his cake into his lunch box, the same do Rose and Chris. They follow Sophia who got approached by this girl group.
“Hey!” One of the girls shout. “I talk to you, Sophia.“ She throws something glitchy at Sophia who shrugs together. Then they take her bag and open it to put out all the books she has in there.
Alex runs over and grabs Sophia gently. “What do you want from her?”
“Oh, Alex.. defending this.. dirt?” Sophia looks down, not facing anyone.
Alex stands in front of her and that girl group. “How did you call her?”
“Dirt. I mean everyone here knows she is not noble. She is a stupid commoner.”
The girls laugh and tries to throw something again, but this time Alex takes the throw. The girls looks shocked up at him.
“Don’t dare to apologise to me, because you hit me now. If I ever see you close to Sophia ever again, I am going to make sure it is the last day of school for you.” Alex shouts through gritted teeth.
He turns around to Sophia who tries to pick up all the folders and books. Alex, Rose and Chris knee down and help her to pick up everything. They put it inside of the bag.
“For how long do you get this hate, Sophia?” Sophia isn’t saying anything. She just takes her bag and walks away.
Alex looks at Rose. “Since Middle School started. They found out they aren’t noble as us. That her parents aren’t owning any duchy.” Rose tells him.
“She is scared to tell her father. She doesn’t want to face him alone.”
“Tell her, I go with her to her father.” Rose nods and follows Sophia.
Alex watches after him and Chris looks at Alex.
“Sophia doesn’t deserve that.” Alex whispers.
“That’s true. But I am glad you will talk to Uncle Drake.“ Chris responds.
Together they walk into class.
After the school Alex runs after Sophia who walked ahead.
“Hey, didn’t Rose tell you I help you with your father?” Sophia stops and makes Alex almost running into her.
“Who cares about me, Alex. I am just a commoner. Everyone here is worth something. Duchess, Duke or Prince. While I am nothing.“ Sophia looks up to Alex with a sad expression.
“You aren’t nothing, Sophia. Even though you aren’t a noble, but that makes you unique. You don’t care about the title we have. You treat us like we are like you, while everyone already treats us, like we will rule this country. Well I will one day, but that is not the point. You don’t have to be like them, Sophia.” Alex looks down to her who looks back at him.
“I just don’t feel like I belong here. I should probably change the school.” Sophia looks down and breaks the eye contact they both had.
“But I’d miss you.“ Alex whispers which makes Sophia look up again.
“What?”
“I said I would miss you.” Sophia smiles lightly and looks down.
“Let’s go to my father?“ Sophia asks.
Alex puts a arm around her and smiles. “Sure!”
Sophia puts the arm away from her. “Stop that Alex.”
She laughs and Alex joins her.
Sophia and Alex enters the small cabin close to the palace and put their bags on a chair in the dining room.
“Daddy! Are you home?” Sophia shouts.
She hears footsteps and her father enters the room. “Yes, I am. Oh hey Alex.«”
“Hey, Drake”
“Daddy, can I talk to you?”
Drake looks confused but nods. “Sure, always!”
He sits down and so does Sophia. Alex sits down next to her and takes her hand.
Sophia tries not to blush. “Since I started to be at middle school there.. there is a small girl group who..”
Drake leans forward and tries to look into the eyes of his daughter.
“Who..?”
Sophia closes her eyes because she feels the tears close to her. Alex squeezes her hands. Sophia sobs.
Drake stands up and walks to the other side of his daughter. “Sweety, what is wrong?” He strokes the hair of his daughter. Sophia shakes her head and looks up to Alex.
“Shall I tell him?“ Sophia nods and cuddles on the shoulder of Drake who looks confused at Alex.
“This girl group bullies her since the start of middle school. I never saw it before but today.” Alex looks over to Sophia. “She never told anyone except Rose. I am sorry, if I would have known earlier I would have protected her.” Alex explains.
“First, it isn’t your fault you haven’t noticed anything, I haven’t too, I guess that is typical for men that we don’t notice anything.” Drake and Alex chuckles.
Drake strokes little reassuring circles on her back. “Why do they bully her?”
Alex looks down. “Because she is a commoner, and not a duchess or princess.”
Drake looks shocked. “What?”
“They tell her she is dirt and make her feel she isn’t worth it, but she is.”
Drake smiles despite his anger. “Thank you, Alex.”
Alex nods. “I pick Sophia up tomorrow morning, okay?” Alex suggests and Drake nods.
“See you tomorrow Alex. Oh and tell your father I call him later. And Alex change your shirt, man what is that?“
Alex looks down. “I have no idea what this girls wanted to throw at Sophia. One thing they threw at her but missed her. And this.” He holds his shirt. “I took, instead of her.”
Drake eyes widen. “You took a load of.. whatever that is.. for my daughter?”
Alex nods proudly. “Yes, and I would do it again.” Alex smiles. “Goodbye, see you tomorrow, Sophia.“ Alex says but Sophia walks over to him and hugs him.
“Now you have it on your dress.” Alex chuckles which makes Sophia laugh.
“Thank you Alex.”
Alex nods. “Always.” He smiles at her and leaves then.
“Dad! I am back home!” Alex shouts.
Liam looks into a hall. “How was school.. and what is that on your shirt?” Liam grabs the shirt and looks on it.
“I don’t know what this is Dad. Some girl group threw it at me, okay no they threw it at Sophia, but I took that load of.. whatever.”
Liam narrows his eyes. “Sophia?”
Alex nods. “They say she is dirt, but Drake calls you later. Probably wants to talk about it.”
Liam nods.
“I take a shower now. Oh and I have to leave earlier for school now, I pick Sophia up every morning.”
Liam smirks. “Could it be, Sophia is the one why you asked me how you know how to love?”
Alex eyes widen and his face turns red like tomato. “Dad!” Alex hides his face behind his hands.
Liam laughs. “What? I just ask? But judging by your face, I am right.” Liam chuckles.
Alex turns away from his father. “Dad! You are unbelievable!”
Alex walks away and shakes his head. Liam follows him. “What I just want to know with who my son is in love with.” »
“Yes, Dad.. It is Sophia, but if you say anything, I will be angry my whole life!“
Liam holds up his hands. “I don’t say anything.”
Liam grins and Alex sees it. “STOP!” He laughs and runs up to his room.
Liam laughs too and goes back to his study.
Not long after he entered the study his phone rings. “Hey Drake, I heard about Sophia, what is wrong?”
“She gets bullied because she is a commoner. She gets called dirty by a girl group.”
“Do you have any last names or names in general?”
“Maybe talking to her parents will change something.” Liam suggests.
“Wait, I ask her.“ He can hear Drake asking Sophia. “Okay, she just know the name of, let’s call her the leader and the best friend of that leader.”
“Okay, tell me I have pencil in my hand.”
“Their names are Anne Tartassis and Phoenix Thorn.”
“Okay I got them, I contact their parents because I found out they do that to students. I am not using names.” Liam explains.
“Thank you, Liam.“
“No problem. And -” In that moment Alex walks in. “don’t worry, my son will take good care of Sophia.” Alex throws a pillow at his father who start laughing.
“What was that sound?”
“A pillow.” Liam explains, laughing.
“UGH I should have never told you Dad!“ Alex screams and walks back to his room.
“Told you what?”
“Nothing, Drake. I take care of it, see you later.” He ends the call before Drake could ask more questions.
The next morning Alex wakes up some minutes earlier, just like he said.
“Good morning, Dad.“
“Good morning, my son.” He holds the lunch box to him.
“Pancakes for you and your friends.
Alex starts to grin. “You made pancakes?”
“Yes I can do that now.” Liam chuckles and ruffles through the hair of Alex.
Alex chuckles. “Okay, Dad, but there is also a pancake for..“
“Sophia, yes.” Alex blushes again. “I should have made it into a heart shape.”
“Daaaaad!”
Liam laughs. “Okay I stop joking now. Have fun at school.” He holds the bag to him and Alex takes it.
“See you later Dad.” Alex shakes his head and takes his bicycle and drives over to the Walker where Sophia waits outside together with her father.
“Good morning, Drake.“
“Morning, Alex.” Sophia takes her bicycle and waves to her father.
Alex and Sophia drives together to school. “Thank you Alex.“
“For what?”
“Picking me up every morning, now.”
“They used to do that on your school way too right?” Sophia is quiet for a while and Alex looks over to her.
He shakes him out of the staring and looks back to the street.
“They did. That’s why I had those holes in my clothes or the wounds on my arm.”
Alex shakes his head. “They are rude. I hate nobles.”
“Chris is a noble too, Alex. And you are royal.” Alex sighs.
“I know, but I hate rude nobles.“
“I know.. but we can’t change them.”
Alex sighs again. “I wish I could.”
Suddenly Alex sees Sophia slows down, he follows and he looks up to see the girl group.
“Don’t worry Sophia, I am here with you. I won’t leave you.” Alex reassures her and Sophia calms down a little bit.
And to their wonder, the moment the girl group sees them they speed up and leave.
“Guess my speech last time was enough to hold them back.“
“Or Daddy and your Dad, did something.”
“Probably, but let’s think it was my speech.” Alex jokes and Sophia laughs.
“Sure, Alex.” Together they enter the school and leave for their classes.
Even inside of their classroom the girls group leaves Sophia alone and she can go through middle school without any big problems. And with Alex, Chris and Rose as best friends, she can survive everything.
