Chapter 5: A Step Closer
The next morning, the house was quiet. Nathaniel had already been awake for hours, as usual. The air was still, the soft hum of the house's heating system the only sound accompanying his morning routine.
He was preparing a quick breakfast when Sophia finally made her appearance, looking as though she had just rolled out of bed. Her hair was tousled, and she wore one of those oversized hoodies that seemed to swallow her frame.
"Morning," Nathaniel greeted her casually, glancing over his shoulder.
Sophia mumbled something incoherent in response as she walked to the coffee machine. It had become her ritual by now—stumbling downstairs for coffee, though her tone was far less demanding than it had been in the beginning.
Nathaniel didn't comment on it, letting her find her way. After a few minutes, she had managed to make a cup of coffee without too much difficulty, though it was still a little off.
"Still not perfect," Nathaniel teased lightly, though his tone was gentle.
Sophia stuck her tongue out at him, though there was a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Shut up. I'm getting there."
Nathaniel chuckled under his breath. "Better get a move on; we've got a busy day ahead."
Sophia shot him a look of mild suspicion. "What now? More chores?"
He nodded. "We're tackling the bathrooms today. It's not as glamorous as cooking, but it's still important."
Her face fell. "Ugh, seriously? You're turning me into some kind of housekeeper."
"It's a life skill," Nathaniel countered, shrugging. "You'll be grateful later when you can keep your own space clean."
Sophia rolled her eyes, though there was no real bite in the motion anymore. "Fine, whatever. But I'm not doing it alone. I'm not cleaning any toilets by myself."
Nathaniel couldn't help but laugh. "You're not alone. I'll be right beside you."
Sophia sighed dramatically but nodded. "Great. Another adventure with Mr. Taskmaster."
The pair of them walked toward the upstairs bathroom, each with their own set of cleaning supplies. Nathaniel had already organized the tasks in his mind: sweeping, scrubbing, and organizing the counters. Sophia, for all her complaints, seemed to take the process in stride.
She grumbled under her breath as she started on the counter, and Nathaniel set about cleaning the shower.
"This is ridiculous," she muttered. "I can't believe I'm doing this."
"Get used to it," Nathaniel replied, his voice calm. "Everyone has to clean at some point."
They worked in silence for a while, the sound of scrubbing and wiping filling the air. There was something oddly peaceful about it—maybe it was the simplicity of the task, or maybe it was the subtle shift in their relationship.
Nathaniel glanced over at Sophia after a while. She was working much more efficiently than when they first started. Her movements were steadier now, and there was a noticeable lack of frustration in her demeanor.
"You're getting better at this," Nathaniel remarked.
Sophia gave a half-smile without looking up. "Well, I'm not completely useless, I guess."
The words felt different now—more accepting than resentful. Nathaniel knew that this wasn't a drastic change, but it was a step in the right direction.
---
The afternoon passed with more mundane tasks—laundry, folding clothes, making sure everything was organized. After a few hours, they both found themselves sitting on the couch in the living room, exhausted from the day's work.
Nathaniel stretched, feeling the familiar pull of tired muscles. "I'm impressed. You didn't completely freak out about the bathrooms."
Sophia laughed lightly, the sound a little warmer than usual. "Well, it wasn't the worst thing I've ever done. I thought you were going to make me scrub the floors next or something."
"That's tomorrow," Nathaniel teased with a wink.
Sophia narrowed her eyes at him, but the playful smile on her face couldn't be hidden. "You're evil."
Nathaniel laughed. "If I weren't, you'd never learn."
For a long moment, they both simply sat there in silence, the quiet comfortable. There was no animosity, no tension—just a quiet understanding. It wasn't exactly a friendship yet, but it was close.
"What are you going to do when you leave here?" Sophia asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
Nathaniel turned toward her, surprised by the question. "I'm not sure yet. I'm kind of just... figuring things out."
She raised an eyebrow, clearly curious. "What does that mean? You're not just going to be some... housekeeper, are you?"
Nathaniel chuckled at the idea. "No, I'm not planning to stick around doing chores forever. I've got plans of my own. But right now, this is what I'm doing. Helping you out, teaching you how to manage things."
Sophia's gaze softened. She seemed to be processing the information, her expression thoughtful. "It's weird. I never really thought about why you'd do this. You don't have to be here, you know. You could be doing anything."
Nathaniel paused, not sure how to explain his motivation. "It's complicated. I like teaching. And... I made a promise to your mom. That's all."
Sophia nodded slowly, though she still seemed somewhat lost in thought. "You're not exactly what I expected, you know. I thought you'd be... more uptight. Like, super serious all the time."
Nathaniel smiled at her observation. "I've got a lot more sides to me than you think."
She looked over at him, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "Like what?"
"Like this," Nathaniel said, gesturing around the room. "I can be serious when I need to be, but I'm also patient, even when it's hard. I know how to relax and have fun."
Sophia tilted her head slightly. "Relax? You? I don't see it."
"I can relax," Nathaniel insisted, laughing. "But I'm not going to do it while there's work to be done."
Sophia was quiet for a moment before she spoke again. "I'm... sorry. I guess I've been a brat."
The apology caught Nathaniel off guard. He'd expected her to resist, to dig in her heels. Instead, she was showing a moment of vulnerability.
"I don't think you're a brat," he said slowly. "You've just been... out of touch with real life. It's not your fault. You've never had to do any of this before."
Sophia shifted uncomfortably, but the slight redness in her cheeks betrayed her. "Yeah, well... it's kind of embarrassing."
Nathaniel shook his head. "Don't be embarrassed. Everyone starts somewhere."
For the first time in days, the two of them simply sat together in a comfortable silence, both quietly contemplating their strange relationship. Nathaniel wasn't sure what the future held, but he could see things were changing.
Sophia wasn't the spoiled, bratty girl she had been when he first arrived. And while there was still a long way to go, he knew that by the end of these three weeks, something would have shifted—not just for her, but for him too.
---
The rest of the day passed quietly. Nathaniel couldn't help but feel a small sense of accomplishment. They had come a long way from their first, awkward encounters. Sure, Sophia still had her moments of frustration, but there was something undeniably different about her now. And for Nathaniel, that made all the difference.