Sophia, Marisa Redhead16 [phonics reader txt] 📗

wife now and don't plan for the future so soon. You are still young. You are still learning..." Then He disappeared.

I went down to Earth. Everyone in school saw what was happening, because it was live. Those that didn't texted and called friends. Even the TV in New York. I glanced up. I realized I was in a hospital. Doctors, nurses, Mom, Dad, Daniel, and my teachers. Tony was right beside me. "Why did you do that? I was in a peaceful place. I was in Heaven. I even saw Michael Jackson and Jesus, and I think my Guardian Angel." I said. Everyone looked at each other. "Jesus said 'Enjoy your future wife, it's not your time, don't plan for the future too soon, you are still young.'" "He died." somebody said. They healed my chest. Literally took half a second. Then I woke up.


Yeah, I woke up. I'd been sleeping. Mom was putting medicine on my nightstand table. "Morning, sunshine," she said. She kissed me. "I had a dream that I was dead for a couple minutes. The song "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" was playing. I really was in Heaven." "Huh." That was all she said. Huh. "Daniel would like to apologize to you, Tobias. He's just stressed because his fiancee cheated on him. He caught her in bed with his best friend. She had used him to get to him." "So Daniel really was mad at me for no reason at all?" "Toby, he's not mad at you at all. If you want, he said he'll direct you to another therapist. She's a good friend of his. She's helped all kinds of adolescents dealing with love, suicide, and divorce. Even pregnancy. She specializes in people your age, son." "I'll think about it." "Okay."

I was back at school soon. Everybody called me clever and smart. Girls kept smiling at me. I asked Nina about it. She grinned. "I'm going to girl prison for telling you this, but girls like romantic, smart, friendly guys. Guys like you. That's why Sophia likes you so much. You're the opposite of you-know-who." I felt confident. I'd lost a couple pounds, too. My grades improved. My jeans felt looser. I'd lost a bunch of gut. My heart still pined for Sophia. I missed her so much.

I was hanging out in Nina's room. She was putting makeup on. Bras and magazines were thrown everywhere. "Hey, do you have the third season of The Office?" she asked. "Yeah." "Can I borrow it?" "Maybe." "Okay, Toby, I have good and bad news. What do you want to hear first?" If heard the bad news first, I'd take the good news better. I told Nina this. "Bad news: Michael and I aren't dating anymore." I looked at her. "I'm so sorry. What happened?" "I couldn't let his cheating go. It's hard for me to forgive a guy who upset me. It's also hard for me to let him go." I stood up and hugged her from behind. Her nails dug into my skin. We carefully let each other go and gazed into each other's eyes. In her eyes, I saw fear, depression, and love. I wondered what she saw in mine. "I can't hold it in anymore." she said. "Tobias, I know it can never happen now, and I hope you forget that I said this. I love you. Like, love love. You."

I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to lead her on, but I didn't want her to feel worse either. She was going through enough stress. Her relationship between her sister and I confused her and probably made her feel guilty, and she'd been cheated on by Michael, who'd been a good friend to her. Her eyes wavered. "There's a rumor going around that Maureen really likes you." she said. I opened my mouth a little. "Tell me what's happening in this love mess. I need to know." I told her.

"Sophia likes you but doesn't want a relationship because of me. You are still in love with her. I love you too. Michael loves me but he cheated on me and I can't let that go. Logan and Lindsay like each other. Lindsay is totally popular, but not many people like Logan. He's a really annoying jerk sometimes, but I don't think he knows it. Billy loves Sophia and would throw a party if you got killed or anything." she bit her bottom lip. "Tobias, honey, please don't make me cry over this. Sophia broke up with Billy yesterday. She says she's happier." I felt my knees buckle. Nina caught me. She set me on her bed and pulled my shirt down. Tears began to well up in her eyes. "Please don't cry." I told her, sitting up. "Nina...I'm so sorry...don't cry..." "I should have told you earlier!" she cried. She buried her head in her pillow.

"Look, I'm sorry. I'll figure out some way..." I started. She ignored me. I realized how pretty I thought she was. I pulled her close and kissed her hair. She settled down and took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry, Nina. If I'd known.." "No, don't. I should have told you earlier. Can we just forget I ever said that?" I thought for a moment. "I don't know, Nina, honestly, I used to have a huge crush on you. I should never have started something with Sophia. I'm really sorry." She laid her head on my chest.

"This is all my fault, Nina. I'm sorry. I'm really so very sorry. I wish I could change things. I'll do something. I'll go on to Espin or something. Yes, I think I could forget ever loving you. Sophia too. But the fact that I loved you both...I know it's awkward and painful. Look, if you want to talk to Tony, that's fine with me." I felt so guilty. Nina shook her head. "No, that'll make things worse. Look, we're both stressed. Should we tell Sophia?" I shook my head. "No, that'll just upset her. I'm glad she broke up with Billy, everyone is, but she doesn't need more stress. If I give you a first and final kiss, can you forgive me?" I asked her. She looked at me."I was thinking the same thing." she closed her door so Sophia wouldn't see, and she leaned forward. I wrapped my hands around her waist, felt her smoooth,soft skin beneath my hands. She was wearing a tube top. I wondered where she was going and what she was doing in that.

I felt her lips brush mine. I pulled her closer. "You're a pretty sexy guy, Tobias Shane Grass, " she whispered. I felt her tongue caress my lips. I caressed hers with my tongue. I grabbed a handful of fresh tresses. I'd wanted to do this for years. Literally. And it wasn't Sophia, it was her sister, my best friend, Nina Laura Martinez. I'd loved her since preschool. Of all the people I had to fall for after her, it was her sister. I realized I could have stopped. I could have done something. I smelled her fresh lotion and perfume. Victoria's Secret Pink. I didn't want to stop. My mind cleared and I felt light and happy. My beautiful best friend could have become my girlfriend if one of us had only said something. Nina told me this after our kiss.

Her kiss was amazing. She wanted me, and I wanted her more. We both knew this. We finished our kiss. I missed her lips already. She applied lipstick and wiped some lipstick off of me. Her hands wrapped around my belly. We gazed into each other's eyes. I felt safe and comfortable. I wanted to protect her. Her vanity shone bright, highlighting her face. I thought about what I was doing with Nina. Suddenly, I heard a distressed squeal. I looked up. Sophia had pryed open Nina's door with a toothpick, and had seen us kissing.

Nina quickly got up. "Sophia!..." Sophia ran to her room and locked the door. "Sophia!" I cried. "Sophia, baby, please listen to me! I'm sorry!" "I was right about you! Go away, you flipping pimp!" That stung. "Sophia, please..." "It's better to leave her alone. I'll try to talk to her later. If you want, you can try to call her later. Right now, I've got to meet somebody." "Who?" I asked her. She gave me a sly grin. "You might find out later. Hopefully he'll help her get over Billy." We hugged and said good bye.

I felt like Tony. Who was kissing another girl. "Do you mind?" he snapped when he saw me. I turned to the Asian girl. "Did you know he had sex with twenty girls in one night?" I asked her. "What?" she said. She turned to Tony. "Is this true?" she said. Tony said he couldn't lie, wrapped his arms even tighter around his new "girlfriend", who grabbed her purse and left. "YOU LITTLE TART! DON'T YOU EVER THINK ABOUT ANYBODY BUT YOURSELF!" Tony snapped.

"YOU'RE THE REAL PLAYER HERE! YOU ARE THE MOST SELFISH PERSON I KNOW!" I yelled. "TONY! TOBIAS!" Mom pulled us apart. "You know what, Tobias, what you did today was pretty selfish too!" "Stay out of it! You are not involved in my love life!" I yelled at her. She looked surprised. "Maybe you don't need counseling, and should cut yourself." She said. That did it.

I went to my room, grabbed my pocketknife, called Sophia and told her I loved her and I was sorry, and slit my wrists, legs, chest, back, shoulders, cheeks, nose, eyebrows, midsection, and feet and hands. I laid in bed and let myself bleed. I called everyone I knew and left messages on their machines. I told them what I'd done. I wrote a will. Books go to friends and classmates, clothes go to charity, old toys in storage go to charity, laptop goes Sophia, blankets go to Nina...I heard the door crack and Mom started talking. "Tobias, honey, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean what I said..." she stopped and her mouth hung open when she saw me. "OH MY GOD! TOBIAS SHANE GRASS, WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOURSELF?" Without waiting for an answer, she called paramedics. "Yes, yes...he's covered in blood...I think he cut himself everywhere...yes...he's cut himself before..."


I found myself in an ambulance, Mom sobbing and I was drifting off to sleep. Or worse. Which is exactly what I wanted. I wanted to die. I wanted death.

Bright sunlight poured in. I was on a bed with an IV tube connected to me. The table had gifts and food on it. I opened the first card. Dad. It said "Hey, I just wanted you to know you're the greatest boy on the planet!!!" Below, in his handwriting, it said "Son, I'm so sorry! Your mother and I might get divorced. I used to own stocks in your and Tony's names. I sold them to a broker who sold them to Mom. When you turn 18, you'll own a million bucks! Here's some cash enclosed." An envelope had fallen out. It had two hundred dollars in it. The next one was from Mom. It said "You truly are a fantabulous boy and son! I love you!" Mom wrote "Tobias, I'm really sorry! You were right, I have nothing to do with your love life! Nina called and told me what really happened. Honey, I feel so guilty. I've called the therapist. She'll talk to you when you wake up. I also put some books you've been wanting on the table. I love you more than anything! Love Mom!" I looked at the table. I book I'd been wanting since it came out was on the table.