Sophia, Marisa Redhead16 [phonics reader txt] 📗

few weeks. I tried to believe her, but didn't. We hugged but didn't kiss after school.Tony teased me. "Stop it," I told. "Come on, Toby. I was just playing."

To our surprise, Mom was on the phone with Dad. "He wants to take you boys out to dinner. He's going to tell you something we think you should know," she said. Tony groaned. "Come on Tony. He just wants to talk." Mom said. "Well, I don't." "It's just for an hour at the most. I'm thinking about giving him a second chance anyway." Tony went upstairs, mad. He didn't come down until the doorbell rang. I answered it. My father stood there. He hugged me tightly. "I miss you, son." "I miss you too Daddy." Dad tried to hug Tony, but Tony didn't hug back and got a creeped out look on his face. Dad looked hurt, but tried not show it. "I love you both." he said.

He drove us to the new McDonald's on twenty third street. It's really cool, softer booths, one TV per booth, you get waited on, and lower prices. And FOUR drive-throughs. We chose a booth, ordered what we wanted, and relaxed. Dad looked nervous, he was biting his lip and twirling his fingers. I noticed his hair looked blonder than usual. He also had more hair in front. He didn't look forty-five years old, either. He looked thirty-five.The waiter came back with our food. "Here you are, sir." he said. gently putting down Dad's salad. He gave us our food. He had a fake smile on. I guessed he was being extra nice because we actually looked like we were well off. Which we are, but we never dress that way. Dad and Tony both wore tight flannel shirts tucked in their jeans. My red shirt looked new, because Mom became addicted to Tide.

My father seemed to relax a little. "I've known your mother since she was in high school." I stared at him. "Since SHE was in high school?" Dad nodded. "I was already graduated. I was a teacher and was ten years older than her. She was a senior when l finally confessed my feelings for her." I felt my eyes go wide. "You're fifty years old?" I said. He nodded. "Please don't tell anybody. I love you both and your mother so much. I can't live without her, and l can't imagine losing my sons." Tony stared at his Big Mac. I nibbled on my chicken strip.

I didn't want to believe it. But I had to. What choice did I have? "You could have told the truth from the start." Tony said, getting up. Dad asked for a box for the rest of our food. I went to the car, leaving my father with the food and payment. He came out five minutes later, holding the box in one hand, and letting the keys dangle in the other. No one spoke to him. He tried to explain things and calm us down. "I was drunk the day she found out. We had sex and married. I didn't have a choice after that. I quit my job and worked as a broker. I knew my teaching license would be provoked if my boss found out. I worked as a broker for years before I got drunk and helped my client steal money. That's why I got fired. I'm lucky I didn't go to prison. I'm really trying to find another job, boys. I don't think I'll get one soon because of my age. I've screwed up hundreds of times. Tony, son, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you. Sorry I made you break up with the girl that started your...um....thing. I really did like her. But I felt that she was too pushy. Sorry I didn't listen." "Whatever. She hates me anyway." Tony growled. Dad looked hurt.

Dad took a nap when we got home. Tony went into his room and I sat on the couch. "Tobias?" Mom said. "I don't want to talk. I'll probably blow up." I told her. She went upstairs and talked to Tony. I felt like crying. I just wanted my old father back. I wanted everything to be like it was when I was five. Perfect. I was skinny then and could care less about Sophia. I felt like crap. My song for Sophia played on my phone. Weezer's 'Memories'. I picked it up. "Hey babe." I said. "Hey. So did Nina tell you yet?" I felt a cold spot in my gut. "Tell me what?" "That Logan and Lindsay have been really hitting it off. People are saying that she wants him just because he's...he doesn't have many friends, let's say that....they're also saying he wants her because she's popular and theatrical...anyways she's thinking about breaking up with him and he's thinking about breaking up with her." I fell silent. "Tobias? Hon?" "Thinking, sweet." I felt confused. "How have they been hitting it off if they're going to break up?" "Lindsay told me that she truly loved Logan and thought he loved her." "He falls in love too easily." "So do you," she reminded me. "Yeah, sorry about that, baby." I wanted to kiss her suddenly. The doorbell rang. "I've got to go, babe. I'll call later, I promise." "Okay. Bye." "Bye. And Sophia?" "Hmm?" "I love you." "I love you, too."

I opened the door. A tall blond woman wearing red lipstick and a navy blue business suit with camera men were there. I recognized her as Sheila Montgomery, a popular anchorwoman. "Are you Mr. Tobias Grass?" she asked, smiling. Of course she knew who I was. "Yes..." "Can we interview you? You'll be on the news tonight." I looked at my mother. She mouthed 'Your choice.' I looked back at Sheila. "Yes." I said. "Now?" she asked. "Anytime time you want, Mrs. Montgomery." "Call me Sheila." "Okay, Sheila."

Mom offered cookies and crab cakes. The news people refused. Mom sat down and I straightened my shirt. "Five, four, three, two, one." "Hi and welcome to 7o'clock news tonight. I'm Sheila Montgomery here with Mr. Tobias Grass, the almost victim of the near stabbing experience. Tell me Tobias, how old are you?" "I'm fifteen." "Where do you go to school?" "Burkhard Middle School." "Why the middle school?" "Because there's too many people at the high school." "That must be...interesting." I chuckled. "Defintiely interesting." "Tell me, what made you react to Tom's attempted stabbing?" "Tom? Oh...Billy. Blond moment. I really don't know, just natural gut instinct. People don't expect a guy my size to be flexible like that." "Where did you learn such a move?" "My mother enrolled me in self defense classes when I was nine." "What did your girlfriend think?" "Sophia Martinez? She's not my girlfriend, she's my best friend's fraternal twin sister. And she was proud of me." "What about your friend? What did he think?" "She was also proud." "Who is your friend?" "Nina Martinez." "Who was taping?" I rolled my eyes. "A girl who likes to get people in trouble and cause drama. I forget her name." Total lie.

They finally left. I was exhausted and hungry. Mom grabbed some meals from Wendy's. Tony and I hadn't eaten much. She asked me if I wanted the truck toy. "No thank you!" I told her. "It would make a nice present for Mark," she said. Mark is my three year old cousin.

The next day, my entire family was furious. Sheila made it look like Sophia WAS MY GIRLFRIEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My phone rang. Sophia. "Hey what's up babe?" "Don't call me that. I'm not your girlfriend, and never will be!" " "Wait Sophia...." She hung up. I quickly called Nina. "Okay, I know you. You would never claim somebody was your girlfriend if she wasn't. What happened?" she asked. I explained everything. What I said, and how I perceived it. "Oh. Okay. Love you, bye." "Love you too. Bye." Sophia called and texted me several times. I ignored it. We didn't talk at all.

At school, I heard crying. Something pushed me to find out what it was. Guess who? Sophia. "Now I'll NEVER date him ever!!! I wish I'd listened to Tobias. I'm a horrible person." "You're not horrible." When she saw me, she got up and tried to leave. I grabbed her arm. "Sophia, wait." "Just go!!!" I ignored her for the rest of the week. She called and texted, but I still ignored her. Nina called me Saturday.

"She loves you so much, Tobias." "So?" She sighed. Go onto YouTube, and type in 'Tobias Grass' Real Interview'. I did. I watched it. "So?" "Sophia saw that and felt terrible. She also knows you'd never do anything like that. She was stressed because of Billy." "So?" I still wasn't convinced. "SO Google 'Tom /Billy Paers' and look at his profiles plus his law papers." I did. I was shocked by what I saw. Next time Sophia called me, I'd answer. Nina hung up on me. I called Sophia. "Hello?" "It's me, baby. I saw his profiles. All of them. Sweetheart, I"m so sorry." Silence. I was afraid I'd lost her. "I am too." she finally said. "Don't be. I know why. Sophia, I love you...so much. I can't live without you." "Tobias, after what happened between us, we shouldn't get together. I'm going to break up with Billy and stay single for a while. Sorry." "Sophia....I...." She hung up.

I knew what I had to do. I walked to her house. When she answered the door, I was shocked. She had zero makeup on and had freckles on her nose. She was still pretty, though. "I didn't know you had freckles." I said. "They're ugly, aren't they?" she said. "Ye...." Yes, I started to agree before I caught myself. I honestly thought she was cute, I just wasn't thinking clearly. She shut the door on me. "Babe...wait....I'm sorry..." Nina opened the door. "We promised we wouldn't let anything like this get in the way of our friendship." she said. She hugged me.

I stayed home the next day again. My father picked up my homework. My fifty six year old father. "Son, are you okay?" "I don't know." I sniffed. My throat was sore, my nose was red, and my eyes were watering. Dad felt my forehead. He got me juice and a few movies. I did homework, watched a movie, and fell asleep. My cell phone rang while I was asleep. I woke up to Nina's voice. "Tobias, are you okay? Love ya, bye." I felt like crying. I grabbed the knife, and prepared to do it. I held the knife close to my throat. I slit both my wrists, smeared blood all over, and uncovered myself. I wanted to stab myself in the gut. "TOBIAS!!!!!!!!!!" My father ran up to me, grabbed the knife out of my hand, cutting himself in the process, and hugged me. He searched for more knives, and took away anything I could use as a weapon.

Dad called Daniel, then Mom. "Anne, he tried to kill himself. Tobias. He was getting ready to stab himself in the stomach. I called Daniel. Yes, I called her. She and Sophia will stop by when he's feeling better. I called the school. Honey, we have to put him on a suicide watch. Wait.....what...no.....Tony wouldn't do that! I know, baby, I know, it was a simple matter of student and professor falling in love. Honey, I got you pregnant with Tony, then we married when he was born...I know you know that...Anne...honey...baby...babe...calm down, sweet. Calm down. I'll watch him. I promise."

Dad cleaned me up with a wet rag. "Dad, was I an accident?" I asked him. He paused. "You both were, honey. Son,