174

Sophia’s POV

Sitting on the couch in our apartment, I could feel the tension coming off Jenny in waves. She hadn’t said much since she got here, which was unlike her. Usually, she’d be all chatter and jokes, filling the space with her energy. But tonight was different. I watched her for a few moments, wondering how long she’d sit there staring at the floor before she’d finally open up.

“Okay,” I said, breaking the silence. “What’s going on? You’ve been weird since you walked in.”

Jenny looked up at me, her eyes dark with something I couldn’t quite place. Fear? Uncertainty? She sighed, leaning back into the cushions and crossing her arms over her chest.

“I don’t know where to start,” she mumbled.

“Try the beginning,” I suggested, giving her a small smile. “It usually helps.”

She let out a small laugh, but it was humorless. “The beginning? God, Sophia, I don’t even know what the beginning is anymore.”

I frowned, shifting closer to her on the couch. “Jenny, seriously. Talk to me. Whatever’s bothering you, we’ll figure it out. Together.”

She was quiet for a few more moments, staring down at her hands like she was trying to gather her thoughts. Finally, she spoke, her voice low and hesitant.

“It’s Jacob.”

The second she said his name, I knew this was serious. Jenny was crazy about Jacob—like, head-over-heels in love. Hearing his name in that tone of voice… it worried me.

“What about Jacob?” I asked gently, trying not to let my concern show too much.

She bit her lip, clearly struggling to get the words out. “I just… I don’t know if this is going to work. Any of it. Him, me… this life.”

Her words hung in the air between us. I felt my chest tighten, not knowing exactly what to say. I hadn’t seen this coming—not from Jenny, not about Jacob.

“What do you mean?” I asked softly.

She sighed again, her shoulders slumping as if the weight of everything was crushing her. “I mean, look at us, Sophia. Look at what our lives have become. We’re surrounded by danger all the time. I can’t even remember the last time Jacob and I went out without something crazy happening. There’s always some new threat, some new attack… I’m constantly on edge, wondering when the next shoe is going to drop.”

I nodded, understanding her completely. My own life had turned upside down the moment I got involved with Ian and everything that came with him. It wasn’t easy, and I knew Jenny had been feeling the pressure too, especially after the attacks on us recently.

“I get it,” I said. “It’s not normal. Nothing about this life is.”

Jenny gave me a sad smile. “Exactly. It’s not normal. And I don’t know if I can do it forever. I don’t know if I can live like this, always looking over my shoulder, always wondering if we’re going to make it through the day. I love Jacob, but… is love enough?”

Her voice broke on the last sentence, and my heart ached for her. I knew how much she loved him. But I also knew how much fear and uncertainty could eat away at you, making you question everything you thought you knew.

“Have you talked to him about this?” I asked, my voice gentle.

She shook her head. “No. And I don’t know if I can. Jacob’s so… confident. He always believes we’ll be okay, that we can handle anything. He’s not scared like I am. Or if he is, he hides it really well.”

I reached out and took her hand, squeezing it gently. “Jenny, he loves you. If you’re feeling this way, you need to tell him. He deserves to know how you’re feeling. You deserve to be heard.”

She looked at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she shook her head. “But what if he doesn’t get it? What if he just brushes it off like I’m overreacting? I don’t want to lose him, Sophia. But I don’t know how to keep living like this either.”

I squeezed her hand tighter, my heart breaking for her. “You won’t lose him, Jenny. Jacob loves you more than anything. But you’re right—this life isn’t easy. It’s not normal. And maybe we’ll never have a normal life, not like we used to think about it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a life with him. It just means it’ll look different.”

She wiped at her eyes, sniffling a little. “Different how?”

I thought about that for a moment. “Well… it might mean learning to find peace in the chaos. Knowing that danger will always be there, but choosing to live and love despite it. I know it sounds crazy, but maybe that’s the best we can do—find our own version of normal in the midst of all this craziness.”

Jenny stared at me for a long time, her expression unreadable. Then, finally, she let out a soft laugh. “You sound like you’ve got it all figured out.”

I smiled. “Hardly. I’m winging it, just like you. But I do know one thing—if you love Jacob, and if he loves you, then that’s something worth fighting for. Even if it’s not perfect.”

She nodded, though her face was still troubled. “I just… I wanted a life with him, you know? A real life. I wanted to think about things like… like getting married, maybe having kids someday. But now? I don’t even know if that’s possible.”

Her voice cracked, and I could see the pain she was trying to hold back. I knew how much she wanted those things—she’d always dreamed about her future, about having a family. And now, with everything that had happened, it was like those dreams were slipping away from her. And it was all because we got involved in the vampire realm.

“I think it’s still possible,” I said softly. “It just might not happen the way you imagined it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have it. You and Jacob can still have a future together. It might not be what you thought it would be, but it could still be amazing.”

Jenny sniffled, giving me a watery smile. “You really think so?”

I nodded. “I do. But you have to talk to him, Jenny. You can’t carry this by yourself. Jacob loves you, and he needs to know how you’re feeling. You two can figure this out together.”

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I know you’re right. I just… I don’t want him to think I’m weak or that I don’t believe in us.”

“You’re not weak,” I said firmly. “You’re human,” I added and winced. “Okay, not human. But you once was…and I guess you always will be. And it’s okay to be scared. It’s okay to have doubts. But the only way you’re going to get through this is if you face it together.”

Jenny was quiet for a while, processing everything I’d said. Then she nodded slowly. “Okay. I’ll talk to him. I don’t know when or how, but I’ll do it.”

I smiled, relief washing over me. “Good. And remember, I’m here for you, no matter what. You’re not alone in this.”

She leaned over and hugged me tightly, and I could feel the tension in her body start to ease, even if just a little. “Thanks, Sophia. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

I hugged her back just as tightly. “You’d be fine. But I’m glad you don’t have to find out.”

And I had no doubt that she and Jacob would find a way through this, just like Ian and I were trying to do.

Eventually, Jenny pulled back, wiping at her eyes again. “Okay, enough of the heavy stuff. Can we just, like, binge-watch something stupid and pretend we don’t have a million problems for a while?”

I laughed, grateful for the change in mood. “Yes, please. I think we both need a break.”

And so, for the next few hours, we pretended to be okay, burying ourselves with shows and laughter, pushing the worries aside for just a little while. But even as we laughed, I couldn’t help but think about everything she said about the future—for me, for Ian, for Jenny and Jacob. We were all trying to hold on to the lives we wanted, even as everything around us kept shifting. And I knew it wouldn’t be easy.

But maybe, just maybe, it would be worth it.