Page 80 of Always Yours

“P-prez?” she says, her tone taking on a wary note.

I nod my head to Torch who opens the bathroom door, and everyone turns to look in that direction.

Nick steps into the room. There are a couple gasps from people since he looks just like Bear.

“Who is that?” a couple women ask.

I don’t take my eyes off Sophie. Her lip trembles and tears fall down her face. “No, you’re not real. You died!” she cries out. She is shaking her head.

Nick drops to his knees in front of her and takes her face in his hands.

“It’s really me, Soph,” he rasps.

“You died. YOU DIED!” she cries, still shaking her head and squeezing her eyes shut.

“I almost died, but I was taken, fixed up, and held this whole time. If I could have gotten back to you, I would have. I tried,” he rasps lowly.

“M-mom said she killed you,” she cries out. “We had a funeral for you.”

“She tried. This scar is where she shot me. That’s why I sound like this now. The Romanos took me. They thought they could use me to get to Lily, but even when their doctor got me speaking again, I refused to talk,” he says.

There are sniffles around the room. I wouldn’t doubt that everyone is fighting back tears right now.

Sophie lifts her hand to the scar on his throat, and her lips tremble.

“But you died,” she whispers brokenly.

“I’m sorry,” he says with a crack in his voice.

Sophie wraps her arms around him and squeezes him tightly.

They both let their tears fall as we give them a moment.

“I hope you gutted him like a fish for taking my best friend’s father from her!” Ella shouts in rage.

Everyone is silent. Nick and Sophie pause and turn to look at Ella. She has her fist in the air, and a determined but angry look on her face.

“I thought I was your best friend,” Olivia says with a fake, hurt look on her face.

“She told me I was her best friend,” Camilla says, and places her hands on her hips before narrowing her eyes at Ella.

“Well, she didn’t even offer that to me. I’m feeling ripped off,” Demi says with a frown.

“Apparently I’m just chopped liver,” Krista says with a dramatic sigh.

“Well, all of you lose because I got my best friend sash yesterday,” Annalise says, sounding smug.

“You did not! There is no such thing!” Ella says looking at Annalise with narrowed eyes.

“She gave me a best friend tiara,” Katy says, stepping up.

“Wow… not cool El,” Olivia says, shaking her head in fake disappointment.

“I’ve never even heard of a best friend sash or tiara,” Ella says, throwing her hands up in the air.

“Well, now I want one. We should all get ones that say ‘Snack’s bitches’,” Krista says.

The men look at the Old Ladies in horror. “Oh, or ‘Snakey’s Women’,” Annalise says, getting excited.

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