Sofia's Curse

The Soldier's Game

Victoria's eyes shoot to Christopher. What's going on?

He keeps his eyes locked onto Vanessa. He's brooding on what to do. He knows they can't tell them the truth. But they also can't pretend Victoria is Sophie. Wade knows Victoria. And Vanessa knows Sophia. There is no way out.

He turns to his sister and gives her a nod. She instantly knows what he means.

"It's not Sophie," she says.

Vanessa's blond eyebrows furrow with amusement, "What are you talking about, Soph?"

Victoria shakes her head. "I told you I'm not Sophie."

Vanessa scans Victoria from head to toes and suddenly exchanges amusement for confusion, looking at Jake for clarity. "What's going on, babe?"

Jake shrugs casually, "What's your name?" he asks Victoria.

"I'm Victoria," she holds out her hand.

"Jake," he shakes her hand, then looks at Vanessa. "What's wrong? Did you confuse her for somebody else?"

Vanessa keeps her eyes locked on Victoria. "More than confused. Are you messing with me, Sophie? Is it April's fools today?"

Jake frowns and looks at his brother, embarrassed, "It's winter, baby. December," he whispers.

She ignores Wade's astonished stare and glances at Christopher. "I know you, don't I?"

Jake laughs. "Excuse my girl, here. She thinks she knows everyone," he grabs her shoulders and stands behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Of course," Vanessa shakes her head, "You're that guy Ian beat up the other day, aren't you?"

Christopher twists his lips in annoyance. "Ian with a lot of help from his buddies," he retorts.

Vanessa shakes her head. "Maaan, has anybody ever told you how much you two look alike?"

Wade chuckles. "They're twins, Vanessa. So...I'm sure they've heard that one a lot."

Vanessa's forehead creases. "You know them?"

Wade raises his eyebrows, and shrugs. "Of course I know them. Do you think I let anybody inside the house?"

Vanessa ignores his sarcasm. "How do you know them?"

"They're in my class."

Vanessa's lips part. "So, you're really not Sophie?" She is amazed.

Victoria shakes her head, nervously biting on her lip.

"Sophie...as in your best friend, Sophie?" Jake asks, confused.

"You don't get it," Vanessa says annoyed, her eyes never leaving Victoria. "She's a spitted image of her." She walks towards her and slowly reaches her hand out, touching her, as if checking Victoria isn't a ghost. "Wow!" she exclaims. "This is unreal!"

Victoria steps back to avoid her touch and glances at Chris, silently begging for help.

He comes near her and puts a protective arm around her neck. "Stop before you make Jake, here, jealous," he says jokingly.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Vanessa is startled and looks away. "I just..." she locks her eyes onto Victoria again. "How's this possible?"

"Show me her photo please," Wade says reassuringly, uncertain of their resemblance. "I'll be the judge of their similarity," he winks at Victoria.

Vanessa is annoyed. She rolls her eyes. "You think you're so smart, don't you?" She goes for her phone and swiftly scans the photo album on it.

"You'll have to excuse her," Jake whispers. "It's been a long night..."

Chris chuckles. "Don't worry."

"There!" Sophia poignantly parades with her iPhone in front of their faces. "Who's laughing now?"

Wade frowns and grabs the phone from her, zoom-ing the picture in.

"Well?" Jake approaches him, impatient.

"You be the judge," Wade replies and stares at Victoria. "Do you lead a double life?" he jokes.

Victoria forces a laugh. "I...I have to be honest with you," she mutters. "I know who that girl is."

Vanessa puts her hands on her hips. "I knew it! You stole her identity, haven't you?"

Victoria frowns, brooding on her suggestion. Is Sophia an identity thief? She definitely possesses some crafts in the field of magic. Would it be that hard for her to steal her looks? Is that what she's done? That would explain a lot. But why her of all people?

"I...No, um... I don't know how we look that much alike. I'm shocked as well," she finally says.

Vanessa doesn't seem reassured. "You don't know how? But you have met her?"

Victoria nods.

"Oh my God!" Vanessa exclaims, having remembered something, "That's why you kept on dragging Sophie away from us that day! You thought she was your sister!"

Chris nods and she laughs. "Wow! See?" she asks Wade looming, "It's not only me who's confused!"

Wade shakes his head. "Are you related?" he asks.

Victoria shakes her head in negation, but rests with the thought. Are we? Could we be?

"You must be," Jake says.

"Don't be ridiculous," Vanessa rolls her eyes, "Sophie's from Colombia. She has no relatives here apart from her dad... She said it a million times."

"So what if she's from Colombia? These guys lived in London, and now they're all here! People move," Wade retorts.

Suddenly, Victoria and Chris feel as if they were on a trial. They exchange nervous looks, and Chris knows what Victoria is thinking. Is it possible that they are really related?

"Leeroy, Sophie's dad," she adds, "has no relatives. Sophie told me that once. And her mom died when she was twelve. It's when they moved to the U.S. And they didn't leave anyone behind."

"Maybe there was someone, like a far relative, or something. Somehow these two have got to be related."

"Maybe they're just look alikes!"

"No," he rejects the idea determinedly, "They're too much alike."

"Okay, then they're look-the-sames," she rolls her eyes.

"You really have to work on your humor."

"You really have to work on how to unbutton a girl's b*a in less than ten minutes!"

Jake rolls his eyes. "Okay, they're look-the-sames, Vanessa. As you wish."

Wade's eyes are narrowed. "What if she's the third twin?"

Everyone look at him in shock.

"What if you're actually triplets?" he asks.

Christopher and Victoria eye each other. That question has been in their minds since the first time they saw her. The connection among them is definitely there. No one can deny it. The fact she protected them, even though she wasn't supposed to. The fact she knew who they were. But...there's something more to it. Why would her father want to kill them? Is he really her father? Or is she his hostage?

There are too many unanswered questions, and he can't make clear judgments with the little facts he's got. He will have to find out more. And with her best friend here, what are the odds he will once have a better opportunity?

"Vanessa," Chris says, "Could you ask Sophia to come here?"

Victoria almost chokes on her saliva. "Now?" she squeaks.

Chris lifts a shoulder, "Why not?"

She swallows hard. Why not? Because she might want to kill them. Because her father, Leeroy, might come along. And because then she will know the place of their shelter. That's why. "I don't know," she says, "You're right. Do it." But regardless of all the reasons against her coming here, she cannot wait to see her again. She has so many questions.

#

"Jake's place?" Sophie furrows her eyebrows. She has never even met Jake. Something is weird. "What's this really about?" she asks lazily checking her black nail polish.

Even though Vanessa swore she wouldn't tell her about Victoria and Chris over the phone, she can't resist giving a hint. "I can't tell you exactly, but someone special is waiting for you here," she winks at Victoria, giggling.

Victoria tries hard not to roll her eyes, and simply gazes at her brother, saying a million words without opening her mouth. Chris chuckles and looks away. Vanessa really is silly.

Sophia's attention suddenly belongs to Vanessa. "A person?" she asks playfully.

"Uh-huh," Vanessa giggles, "two."

Her lips curl. "You don't say..."

Vanessa grins, "So, you coming?"

Sophie poignantly blows over her nails to dry the polish. "I'm sending you a surprise, too," she says, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "But, remember...don't tell, Vanessa!" she lifts her index finger as if her friend could see her.

"Okay, deal. See you!" she exclaims excitedly and hangs up. Then she looks at the twins. "She's coming," she announces.

#

Victoria flinches at the door bell. She's been on high alert for half an hour now. Even though she has just moved in, she jumps up and goes to open the door, as if it was her house. She can't wait any longer. Finally, she will talk to her. She will get all the answers. She takes a deep breath and grabs the knob.

"Ian?" She frowns having opened the door.

What kind of game is Sophia playing?