Insomnia Story

Sophia's POV:

I couldn't believe she was making me go to her wedding! My mother was getting married. How many kids could say they were invited to their own parent's wedding? Well, apparently I could.

The name was Sophia. I was sixteen, and it felt like my life had just ended. My mother, who had been a single mother her whole life, had now decided that she'd had enough with the single life and wanted to get married. Yay for her.

I was not against her having a life or getting laid. God knew she needed it. I was objecting to her dragging me halfway across the country.

I was a city girl, born and raised in LA. I didn't do country. The forest didn't appeal me. I didn't even like the snow. Okay, I'd never seen it before, but that didn't mean I was missing much.

Today was the cursed day: her wedding. I hardly knew her new husband. It had apparently been love at first sight. She told me it was meant to be. She told me all the time not to rush into a relationship, yet she was marrying someone she had just met.

And that wasn't even the worst part. He has five kids—five sons, to be exact. I was used to having my own bathroom and not sharing. How was I supposed to live with five stepbrothers?

Not one, not two, but five! The youngest was fourteen, meaning they were all teenagers. God, why was life so cruel to my poor soul?

Mom didn't wanna wear a big white dress, just a simple sundress. She had some light makeup on, and she looked beautiful.

She had long jet-black hair, brown eyes, and a heart-shaped face. I, on the other hand, got my looks from my dad, her high school sweetheart. My hair was practically white. No, I was not into the silver trend. That was just how I was born. My eyes were hazel, and I was pale compared to her olive skin, which always looked tanned and healthy.

Thankfully, Mom never hated me for looking like him. She never called me a mistake or a regret. She loved me. I was Mommy's little girl—or at least, I used to be. As I grew older, more and more people thought we were friends, not mother and daughter, which was okay with me.

My mom was my only friend. She was my secret keeper, even for the embarrassing ones. When I got too scared or stressed, I mentally became a Little to help me. My Little age was about three, maybe four. I never regressed too much, and Mom never hated me for it. She took care of me—even Little me.

Now that we were moving—did I mention we were moving? Well, let me say it again: we were FUCKING MOVING—across the country. I didn't think I'd be able to be Little me again.

The new town we were heading to wasn't LA. Everyone knew each other there. The school was simple, just two buildings, and everyone had been together since kindergarten.

And here I came, the new girl. I hated being new. I might not look it, but I was really shy, especially around new people and new faces.

"Sophia, it's time to go," my mom yelled from downstairs. I could hear how happy she was.

I was only doing this for her. Once I hit eighteen, I was moving back to LA, to my life.

I did a last check of the room before I left. Everything had been packed away in boxes and loaded into the van—everything except for my personal items: my iPad, phone, charger, earphones, and of course, my teddy bear. He'd be too scared if he had to sit alone in the van the whole way there.

I put him in my backpack and left the room, saying goodbye to my old and only bedroom.

I went downstairs and got in the car with Fred, my new stepfather. It was just him, Mom, and me. We had an appointment at the church so they could be married. Then, we were off on the road to our new home.

I was dressed for the occasion in a baby blue sundress and some flats. I couldn't walk in heels to save my life. Even Fredric was dressed in jeans and a button-up shirt, his tattoos showing all over his hands and neck.

Who knew my mom would go for the tattooed, bad-looking guy? But I'd give it to her—even for a guy in his forties, he was in very good shape with strong muscles.

He was also twice my height. Mom was taller than me by a few inches, but I hardly reached his chest. I still had two years to gain some height, or so my doctor said.

The ceremony was fast and straight to the point—just, "I announce you husband and wife." They didn't even get to the you-may-kiss-the-bride part. We just left.

I got in the back of the SUV and put my earphones in. Music on, world off.

I must've dosed off for a bit since I was shaken awake by my mother. Had we made it already?

We were at a restaurant for an early dinner since we'd be driving through the night. I didn't appreciate my nap being cut short, so I was grumpy in the restaurant.

Nothing looked appealing to me, so I just shrugged and let my new "dad" choose for me.

I nibbled a bit at my food and drank my Pepsi until they were finally done and we could leave.

"You hardly ate anything, Soph," Fredric commented.

"Not hungry," I just mumbled.

"It's a long way home," he warned me, and I just shrugged.

We got back in the car, and I fell asleep again with my earphones in.

I was actually comfortable in the silent car, and I had nice dreams until I felt us stop.

There was the sound of a car door opening and closing and then some murmuring.

Finally, I was picked up out of the car by a pair of strong hands, probably Fred's. For some reason, he sniffed me and growled. I must be dreaming, right?

Sophia's POV:

I woke up in a strange bed. Looking around, I didn't recognize my surroundings. Where was I?

I wasn't in my sundress, either. I had on an oversized T-shirt. It wasn't even mine. In my hand was my pink teddy, Mr. Sparkle.

I jumped out of bed and looked around. Someone had tucked me in bed and even given me my teddy bear.

Please, God, tell me it was Mom who did all this. On further inspection, I found most of my boxes from home inside the room. So this must be my new room.

It was a giant room compared to the one back at home. It even had an en suite bathroom! I didn't have to share. I washed my face and teeth and did my business, then searched between the boxes for my clothes, I couldn't find any shirt, so I just added some yoga pants underneath the shirt. It was large enough to be a dress on me.

I left the room and saw several doors were closed. Most of them had some decorations on them. I went downstairs, hoping to find my mother. She was a Coffey, so I was hoping to find her in the kitchen, making her coffee.

After a few wrong turns here and there, I found the kitchen. It was also one hell of a kitchen, the size of our old apartment. We were living in a mansion now, I guess.

Mom was there, as expected. I ran and gave her a hug. Waking up in a new place was scary, and I was trying my best not to go to my Little space.

"Good morning, princess," Mom said in her forever-happy voice.

"Morning, Mommy," I replied in a whisper.

"Someone isn't feeling very big today?" she asked, and I nodded, still hiding in her arms. "It's okay, baby. I know you're scared, but it's okay," she said while petting my hair.

I heard a throat being cleared and turned around to see Fredric.

"Good morning, Soph," he said with a smile.

"Morning," I replied in hardly a mumble.

He eyef my shirt choice and smiled before turning to make a cup of coffee of his own.

"You ready to meet your new brothers?" he asked me again, and I shrugged. I was hoping not to see them, but I guess it was a must.

Mom took a seat at the breakfast bar with Fredric next to her. I guess I should get used to sharing her.

I sat down too, and Fred offered me a cup of orange juice. The first boy to come in the kitchen looked young—younger than me, even. He was dressed in a T-shirt and boxers only.

"Sam," his father scolded once he saw the attire.

"Morning to you too, Father," Sam replied in a voice filled with sarcasm.

"Get dressed. We have girls living with us now."

"Well, she's my new mom, and she's got you," he said, pointing at Mom and shrugging while he went to pour a glass of juice for himself.

"Sophia, this is Samuel. He's your new younger brother," Fred introduced us.

"Welcome to the family, sis," Sam replied, cheering me with his orange juice before he left the kitchen, hopefully to get dressed.

Next to come in were two guys. One really looked like Fred with brown hair and brown eyes while the other had green eyes. They were as tall as Fred and even had some tattoos like him.

"These guys are Alvin and Adam. Alvin is twenty while Adam is seventeen," Fred introduced them.

They both eyed my shirt with a smirk and then shared a look like they were having a private conversation between them, and finally, they broke into a laugh.

They didn't know me yet and were already laughing at me. I felt tears gather in my eyes. I just wanted to leave already. I looked for a way to escape the kitchen unnoticed.

Another guy walked into the kitchen. This one looked like Adam with the same green eyes and tattoos. He saw my teary face, and I looked away, hiding all evidence. He slapped both of the laughing hyenas on the head and pointed toward me.

They stopped laughing instantly. The new guy turned back to me and offered me a big, warm smile.

"I'm Victor. That idiot is my twin," he said, confirming my suspicion about how similar they looked. "We're so happy to have you in the family. What's your name, baby girl?" he asked in a smooth voice that was filled with dominance.

"Sophia," I whispered, but still, he heard it.

"Sophia," he said again, except it sounded like he was tasting the word, not simply saying it.

"Always wanted a sis. Welcome to the family," Adam said, giving me a hug. I heard a low growl before he let me go, but I guess I was imagining it.

"Welcome to the family," Alvin said, keeping his distance.

"Where's Kyle?" Fred asked his sons.

"Still asleep, probably," Alvin replied.

"Kyle is the same age as you, Soph. He'll be with you tomorrow in school, as will the twins and Sammy," Fred told me.

Wow. I'd have four of my brothers with me in school. Well, at least I wouldn't be alone for the first day.

"Now, who wants breakfast?" Fred asked, taking me out of my thoughts.

We all shouted, me included. There were even two muffled shouts from upstairs.

I ended up sitting next to Sammy and Victor for breakfast. Everyone kept eyeing me like they knew something and I didn't. Weird…