Chapter 53: Riley

I follow Sofia as she steps into the little shop she spotted, a small store nestled between two larger boutiques. The sign above reads “Stationery Haven,” with the warm glow of lights spilling out from the windows. My heart's still thumping from the argument earlier, and I can't shake the irritation bubbling beneath my skin, even though things have settled down.

The argument. Damn, that was stupid. As Sofia walks ahead, my mind replays everything, how I had gotten so pissed at Danny for running off with her to the bookstore. How ridiculous it was that we all got caught up in trying to figure out who she liked more. As if it mattered. I know we all want her, and we’re trying to make this work, but if we keep letting jealousy get the best of us, we’ll lose her. Worse, we’ll lose each other. And that’s not something I want.

I glance at Danny, walking just a few steps behind her, and I let out a quiet sigh. Yeah, it pissed me off earlier, but we’re a team. We’ve always been. I have to let that go.

Sofia’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts as she motions for us to follow her further into the shop. I notice she’s smiling, her eyes lighting up as she moves deeper into the rows of beautiful papers, pens, and journals.

"This is where you wanted to go?" I ask, still trying to catch up with her sudden burst of enthusiasm.

She nods, and I can’t help but grin at the sight of her excitement. "Yeah! I had an idea, and I’ve been dying to try it out."

At the back of the store, there’s a small station with tables, where customers can try out the different papers and pens. Sofia beelines to the station, grabbing a few pieces of paper and pens with different colors.

I step up next to her, feeling Nate and Leo join us. I can still feel the remnants of tension hanging between us from earlier, but the sight of Sofia, lost in her own world of creativity, helps ease some of it.

"What are you drawing?" I ask as she bends over the table, her hand moving fluidly across the paper.

She bites her lower lip in concentration, not answering right away. Her strokes are slow and deliberate, and soon, the shape starts to form. A butterfly.

Minutes pass, and we all watch her as she finishes. When she finally pulls back and places the pen down, she takes a deep breath, like she’s putting something of herself into the drawing. I lean over, admiring the intricate details in the butterfly’s wings.

“That’s beautiful,” Danny says quietly, his voice soft.

“Why a butterfly?” Nate asks, his voice curious but gentle.

Sofia glances up at us, her cheeks tinged with a bit of pink. “It represents strength and freedom to me. Butterflies go through so much change, and even though they seem delicate, they’re resilient. They’re free once they’ve gone through their transformation.”

She pauses, then adds, “And... I’ve always loved looking at them. The way they just fly up and down.”

I nod slowly, understanding her sentiment. The butterfly, with its delicate beauty, now seemed to hold even more weight as a symbol of Sofia’s journey.

“If I ever got a small tattoo,” she says with a soft smile, “this would be it.”

We all stare at the drawing for a moment longer, admiration clear in our faces. It’s so simple, yet elegant. Strong, yet delicate. Just like her.

But then something catches my eye. I squint, leaning closer to the drawing. “Wait a second…” I take the paper from her hand, carefully examining the intricate designs within the butterfly’s wings. And there it is. Something small, something hidden.

I glance back at her with wide eyes. “Is that what I think it is?”

Sofia’s lips curl into a small, almost mischievous smile as she nods.

I hold up the drawing, and the others lean in. There, hidden in the wings of the butterfly, are four tiny letters: D, R, L, and N. One letter for each of us, carefully woven into the delicate designs of the wings.

“Damn,” Danny mutters, his eyes softening and his smile spreading. “Baby... that’s something.”

Leo shakes his head, his grin spreading wider. “I can’t believe you did that.”

I look down at her, feeling a rush of warmth spread through my chest. This girl, man. She’s something else. Without thinking, I scoop her up and spin her around, laughing as I do. “I love it, Sof! You’re amazing.”

She squeals in surprise as I twirl her in the air, and I can hear the others laughing, their earlier frustrations completely gone. When I set her down, she’s breathless, her cheeks flushed, but there’s that spark of happiness in her eyes that I can’t get enough of.

“It’s perfect,” I say, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head. “Just like you.”

She blushes, biting her lip again as she looks at the drawing one more time. “I just wanted something that represents all of you. I... I couldn’t leave you out.”

Leo reaches over, tracing the delicate lines with his finger. “If you get this tattoo, you’ll be carrying us with you forever.”

Sofia nods, her expression growing more serious. “That’s kind of the point, isn’t it?”

After the stationery shop, we stop by a little toy store that Sofia spots. It’s quaint, filled with handmade wooden toys and stuffed animals, the kind of place that feels old-fashioned in the best way possible. Sofia picks up a tiny plush reindeer, its nose bright red, and jokes about how it reminds her of Nate.

“Maybe I’ll get it for you,” she teases him with a grin.

“Very funny,” Nate mutters, but there’s a smile on his face.

We keep moving, stopping at a small market selling spiced cider and roasted chestnuts. Sofia tries both, her nose scrunching up when she takes a sip of the cider. “Too spicy,” she says, sticking out her tongue playfully.

Leo laughs and takes the cup from her, “I’ll take it, I like spicy.”

As we walk through the snowy paths, the sun begins its slow descent, casting long shadows over the village. The warmth from the earlier afternoon has started to fade, and I can feel the cold creeping back in.

Nate is the one who finally brings up the fact that it’s getting late. He looks up at the darkening sky, brows furrowed. “We should head back before it gets too dark,” he says, glancing around at the snow-covered paths. “Navigating the woods on snowmobiles will be a pain if it’s pitch black.”

I nod, agreeing with him. The last thing we need is to get lost in the middle of nowhere with Sofia.

Danny pulls out his phone, checking the time. “Yeah, it’s already late afternoon. We’ll barely make it before it gets dark if we leave now.”

Sofia looks a little disappointed at the idea of heading back, but she doesn’t complain. “Okay,” she says, smiling softly, “Let’s go.”

We make our way back to where we parked the snowmobiles. The village still glows behind us, but the thought of getting back to the cabin feels like the right move. Besides, I can already see that the storm from earlier has left some heavy snow on the ground.

I help Sofia into her helmet, securing the straps under her chin, and I catch her glancing at me through the visor. There’s a quiet moment, and I grin, leaning in a little closer. “Hold on tight, alright?”

She nods, her cheeks already turning pink from the cold—or maybe something else. I’m not sure, but I like that look on her.