Sofia wondered what was going on with her father. He was ag straely, cheg ers and windows at any ce. His lips pursed, and his brow furrowed in a way Sofia had never seen before.

  “Padre, what is the meaning of this?” Sofia demanded, her arms crossed.

  Her father froze for a moment, his gaze still fixed on the window. “I know what you’re thinking, Sofia. I’m just trying to protect you.”

  “From what?” Sofia pressed, stepping closer. “What’s out there that I don’t know?”

  “Mija, just listen to me,” said Noelia sternly. “I’m doing this for your own good.”

  “To be ho… I don’t even think that this is acceptable. Maybe you went too far,” said Sofia while crossing her arms.

  She went upstairs aered her room. Sofia sat at her bed thinking about what her mother would do to stop her father. She was then called by her grandmother, her friends were downstairs waiting for her. She remembered having a group assig with them. Sofia grabbed her stuff a downstairs.

  “Sorry, I fot about it,” Sofia apologized.

  Noelia stopped her and asked, “Where are you going?”

  “To do my assig with my friends?” she replied.

  He seemed to be hesitant oing his daughter go outside, fearing that something would happen to her. Sofia told her father that the pce wasn’t far from the bakery. However, she personally asked him to not follow her, Sofia reassured her that she got her friends.

  Noelia relutly agreed but gave her a dition. She wouldn’t be allowed to e back without a panion beside her. Sofia agreed and headed out with her friends.

  “Sofia, is your dad really that protective?” Joan asked.

  “He’s been like that after entering a certain ‘Individual’. I’m not actually quite sure myself,” Sofia replied.

  “Maybe he’s onto something!” said Liam in a low voice.

  “Cut that out, Liam,” Joan scoffed.

  Sofia’s heart jolted when someone suddenly whispered; “So, you’re his flesh and blood too.”. Those words sent chills onto her spine. She quickly looked behind and saw no one, only a street and the light from the sun.

  “Hey guys, did you hear that?” Sofia asked her friends.

  Her friend, Liam looked at her with a raised eyebrow and said, “Hear what?”

  “That voice… I think someone said something,” Sofia replied while looking around.

  “What voice?” Joan asked fusedly. “I don’t seem to hear anything.”

  “Maybe it’s just your head, rex a little,” said Liam.

  “That was strange…” she thought. It was a low and gravelly grim voice too, she scoffed it off and proceeded to walk with her friends.

  Even at the cafe, Sofia still felt someone was watg her. She couldn’t focus on her group assig. Her faced around all the time. Minutes went by and Sofia started to feel uneasy.

  “Sofia!” Joan called. “Earth to Sofia?”

  Sofia snapped aurned back to reality. Notig her friends’ fused look on her

  “You’re ag weird, you look like some insecure person,” Joan ented.

  “Yeah as if someone was stalking you,” Liam added.

  “Me?! Paranoid?” Sofia replied with an anxious smile. “That’s crazy…! Ha…ha…”

  “I didn’t say paranoid…” said Joan.

  Sofia simply gave her an awkward smile, Joan seemed to be weirded out. So, she called it a day thinking that Sofia might need rest. She remembered Sofia’s father tellio apany. The friends walked home together with Sofia.

  The walk home was gloomingly quiet, the streets were empty. It was quite odd for Sofia as it never happened before during dusk. Although being apanied by friends, she still felt uneasy.

  “Guys…” Sofia called. “It sounds childish but we please hold hands?”

  “Sure thing?” they replied.

  Sofia’s hands started to tighten, her breathing was beginning to get untrolble. “Sofia, you’re hurting my hand,” said Liam.

  “Oh sorry! Sorry!” Sofia apologized, letting go of her hand.

  “Do you still want to hold hands?” Joan asked

  Sofia shook her head and said, “No need.”

  They finally arrived back at the bakery after some walking, Sofia thahem aered inside.

  “I think it’s the assighat is driving her crazy,” said Liam.

  “What do you expect from Mr Heavers’ assigs?” Joan replied, sarcastically.

  Noelia saw his daughter enter and he immediately rushed to che her. Making sure that she wasn’t hurt. Noelia let out a sigh of relief that Sofia was unharmed. She was then told to get herself ready to sleep. While in her bedroom, Sofia couldn’t shake the eerie feeling of being stalked. Perhaps this might be what caused her father’s cautious behavior.