Sophia's POV

I walked into the room and was overwhelmed by the amount of love and support given to me. Pleading me to stay and stay in this group according to the leader of the group I have come so far...I have came out of shell every meeting I say a little more about myself and what bothers me.

If you haven't noticed yet...I am a runner I take off when things get rough, I quit if I feel I am not good enough to be on a team and bring people down. I am what you would call a people pleaser I would rather please other people than myself.

So as I sit here and listen to the biggest strengths and weaknesses, and try to avoid Nick's gaze from the corner of the room, I sit next to Mary Beth and pretend like I don't notice the blonde that made me feel alive. He made me feel like a person again. I was kind of numb to it all and he made it painfully real that my husband was gone and never coming back, he also made my heart hurt again I have been so numb; zombie like even. He made me feel like living again, I smiled more that night than I have in the last three months. I also punched my punching bag harder these past weeks than I have in a long time.

So as Bryant the leader of the group the 'real psychiatrist' moves the group along and it is my turn to talk. I wonder to myself if anyone really wants to know what I have to say.

"Sophia, so what do you believe to be your biggest faults and follow that up by your strengths."

Bryant smiled and encouraged me to stand up and go to the podium. I look at A.J and his eyes are softening they always soften my mood, they are hypnotizing and calming.

I glance over at Nick, I don't know why but the slight nod of his head silently encouraging me. I felt stronger. Stronger than I have in awhile. I move my lips and before I know it sentences are spitting out and strength I had no idea was inside of me.

"Hi my name is Sophia and I really appreciate hearing all of your stories and it’s nice to know, I am not the only messed up person in the world." I don't exactly know why but the room broke into laughter. I wasn't joking I was being completely serious.

I was never a very good public speaker the bright lights shown down on me and I could feel the sweat beading on my forehead and the back of my neck, as I spoke into the 60’s looking microphone you could here the backfeed echoing…I felt my throat getting really dry I needed water.

I swallowed back the fear and looked at the supporting eyes in the audience and knew this is what I had to do to move on…baby steps.

"So you want to know my two biggest weaknesses, I feel I have more weaknesses than strengths. But the biggest weakness I have is I am to trustworthy it has always gotten me into trouble...especially in love. I find I ware my heart on my sleeve and fall much to quickly.”

I couldn’t help but look in Nick’s direction “Because of this I feel I am more closed off, because I fall easy so I break easy. So once I trust you, I trust you. Once you do something that loses that trust…its gone and it is hard to get back. Also, I am a runner I run when things get hard and I avoid confrontation at all costs. It is like a defence mechanism for me…That’s all.

“Thank you Sophia.” Bryant starts clapping his hands as does the rest of the room.

 “Everyone we really made some progress tonight…I will see you all next week. Sophia, I wish you the best of all life has to offer and know you are always welcome here.”

He leaves the room like a professor leaving his students, it kind of felt like I was graduating. I almost feel like I should whip out a year book and get all my friends to sign it. I try to sneak out of the room and here a familiar voice.

“Not running away are we” A.J walks over and offers me a hug “You did good tonight, Kid.”

“Thank you AJ It means a lot…”

“So, you know Sophia Nick didn’t come here to just support me you know.” AJ winks at me and walks off to grab some refreshments. I look over in the corner and see Nick leaning against the wall.

“I was about to walk away…I didn’t want this to be one of those moments I always wonder what if. I am still really not sure If I have a reason to be as angry as I am at him or not. Maybe I am just angry in general.

I feel like my feet are made of stone and I feel like I am dragging boulders across the floor I tap Nick on the Shoulder and he turns around I take a deep breath "A penny for your thoughts?"