Sophia, Marisa Redhead16 [phonics reader txt] 📗

I wanted to go after her. I wanted to apologize and kiss and hold her. I turned away from the door. "You're laying on your IV arm," Mitch said. "I know." I said. "Well stop. You're going to make yourself bleed." He said. He turned me over, and squinted at me. "What?" I asked, annoyed. "Oh my god." was all he said.

He came in right after, dragging a beautiful blond doctor with him. "...he's got all the signs of it, his heart rate is fine, he's depressed, he tried to kill himself..." The doctor turned on a flashlight and shined in my eyes. "What's going on?" I asked. "His temperature seems fine, he's a little pale, his lips are dry. He needs chapstick. Right now." she turned to Mitch, who opened a drawer and produced LipSmackers. I shook my head. He smirked. "Son, you need it. Lick your lips." I licked them. They were chapped. "What flavor is it?" "Strawberry."

I smoothed it on my lips and felt the flavor come off. "Tobias?" "Hmm?" "We'll need to run some tests." "Why?" "We think you might have a rare disease. It's psychological, it penetrates your mind. It has to do with unbearable love." My stomach flipped.

They called my mother and father. My father was at Burger King, where he was working until he found a real job. They agreed to fill out some paperwork, but no one would tell me what they thought I had. "No, it'll embarass him." my mother told Mitch. "Will somebody just tell me what I have!" I was becoming desperate.

Mitch finally told me after Mom left the hospital two hours later. "Tobias, we think you have..." he gulped. "...Obsessed Ex Syndrome." I was shocked. "But I never really dated her! How can I have that?" His eyes got big. "Who is she?" I realized I'd said too much. "Sophia Martinez." "The girl who was crying?" "Yes." "Tobias, listen to me carefully. This is a serious condition. It leads to stalking, and sometimes murder. The 'husband kills wife' stories you hear, they are almost always actually divorced or separated. Does your mother know you like this girl?" I gulped. "Mom, Dad, Tony." "I'll be back." He came back in exactly five minutes.

I felt like I had to call Michael. But he'd dated Nina. Would he even like me anymore? Besides Logan, who is a complete jerk and a total idiot who says whatever's on his mind, Michael is my closest guy friend. I know enough about him to know that his father suffers from obesity, and it used to be worse, and his mother bakes spinach brownies, and she was hot in high school, and when Michael's brother broke his leg, he spoke Greek so nobody except his father could understand him.

"You'll need real counseling and other things to get over this girl," Mitch told me. I didn't say anything. He shuffled some papers and organized them on the floor cabinet. "All right, I'll let you go. If you get hungry or want a snack, buzzer me. If I'm not working I'll be there soon." "Uh, Mitch?" "Yes?" "I'm starving right now." It was a white lie, of course. And he knew it. "You're a predictable guy, Tobias. What do you want?" "Something fried or chocolatey." "All right. See ya." "See ya."

He came back with chocolate milk and chicken strips and fries from McDonald's. I nibbled on them. I watched a movie I'd never seen, but it had been advertised. I hated my body. That's all I thought. All I was thinking. Maybe if I got a new body and became a huge deal wrestler, Sophia would want me back.


"That's superficial thinking, Tobias Grass. What women really want is a nice personality. My wife didn't care that I was fat. I'm still fat today, but even more so two years ago. What you need, sir, is some sort of book that tells boys what girls really want." I suddenly remembered the book. "There's one in my room, actually. It's on my desk. It's called What Girls Really Want, A Guys Guide To Girls." He nodded. "I'll talk to your mother. In the meantime, why don't you rest a little bit. You'll need it when you go back to school. Your bully is in bigger trouble than he ever imagined, and he knows it. Your principal and one of your teachers, Mr. Reed, the one in your history class, would like to talk to you about it. See you next time."

By now, it was way past lunch, and I was starving. I buzzed Mitch. He opened the door. "Yes Tobias?" "I would really appreciate if you brought me some food. And can you please close the curtains?" He closed them. "Tobias, I'm well aware that you're hungry. Your hunger may be even greater for love than food soon. You may wish to stay away from your friend and her sister." I felt like he'd shot me in the heart. I quietly nibbled from the chips he'd brought me. I was getting more food and gifts and cards. I secretly felt flattered, but I wanted to get out of the hospital. Mom had made a box for the cards and gifts. She had already made boxes for cards for the family, 'for later memories.' She brought it over.

I wanted to die again. I wanted to grab the nearest knife and get it over with. I fell asleep wishing for either a knife or a time machine. I fell asleep crying. When I woke up, I looked at the clock. I'd slept until ten, and fallen asleep at four. I was depressed and exhausted. I didn't want to admit it, though. I missed Sophia. I missed Nina. I missed everybody. I pressed the buzzer. He didn't come until two hours later. "Sorry, I was helping with an operation on a man who needed liposuction." "I need that, too. Maybe everybody will like me then." "Don't be so negative. Look, I'll bring you food. What do you want?" "Something full of fat and grease. What's the use of trying?" He narrowed his eyebrows.

School wasn't that bad. My teachers either sent me homework or gave me an A. My dreams were plenty vivid. I was either running from Billy or kissing Sophia mostly. I didn't like either of those dreams. Sometimes Maureen would tell me she still loved me and had since preschool. I told her I didn't love her, and she would cry. Her hair become so blonde it blocked out the sun. Sun was always gone. Not the sun sun, a classmate named Sun. He would come back with a broken wrist, arms, legs, neck, etc.

I knew everyone would stare at me when I got back to school. I decided to ignore them. If anyone else bullies me, whatever. I'd been pushed, shoved, kicked, punched, almost stabbed, and totally beaten by the same guy who secretly ate paste mixed with grass in grade school. I realized suddenly just how pathetic he was, and how pathetic I'd been. I'd been afraid of him for two years, and it escalated. First it started with the teasing, 'Look at Mr. Fatty', then went to punching and kicking me, and all I'd done was cry in secret. By now everybody knew he was bullying me. I knew he had to stop. But the only person who could really make him stop, was me. I needed him to stop now. I spent five minutes thinking.

Then Mitch came in. I'd already decided what to say to Billy. He'd heard my voice before, but I'd begged him to stop, not told him! "Please don't hurt me!" "Why do you do this to me?" All his answers were "Because you're a fat nerd!!" and then he'd hit me again. He'd gotten detention so many times, just for beating me up, it was stupid. And I'd missed so much school because of him, it was ridiculous. Then I realized why Mom and Dad let me stay home after a supposed tornado hit. They wanted me to stay away from him. Mitch handed me a cheeseburger. "Are you all right, Tobias?" He felt my forehead. "You've got a fever. I'll bring some juice and ice."

He brought some orange juice and ice. Tell me if you need anything else." he said. He walked out of the room.My mother visited me. I wasn't able to take a shower, but they did leave me a wet washcloth. And Mom had brought me new cologne. I quickly dotted my face, chest, stomach, and arms. I sprayed on cologne. I combed my hair. I looked in the mirror and winced. Had it gotten blonder? I had used some new hair gel Tony had bought for me. I looked at the label. It said 'Warning! May turn brown hair blonde, and blonde hair lighter.'

Mom was not happy. She called Tony after she noticed my new hair color. She took the gel. "It turned his hair lighter, honey. It even says on the label it may turn blonde hair lighter. All right, it's too late now anyway. We can dye his hair..." "No!" She looked at me. "Do you remember the time my hair turned green after I got out of the pool? You insisted I dye it, so you took me to this guy who was flirting with me and wasn't paying attention. He used the wrong dye, and it turned my hair purple! It slowly faded to pink. Dad had to buy a wig. It was so embarassing." I blushed at the memory. People took pictures of my hair. And of me. My hair was longer then, so we cut it anyway. "Do you want to leave it alone?" Mom asked. "Yes. I'll just wash it. No more hair dye." She looked at the gel. "Do you want to toss or save this?" An idea slowly formed in my mind. "I'll save that, actually. Trust me, he'll wish he'd read the label." My mother smiled. "I didn't know you could be so bad. You're a really good kid, Tobias." I blushed.

I wanted to see Sophia. I called her several times. "Wait for her to come to you," Mom said. "Or if she doesn't, you'll have to admit that maybe you weren't supposed to date. If she wants to stay friends, stay friends. If she..." "WILL YOU STOP THAT ALREADY!!" My mother looked shocked. "Tobias...I was just trying to help.." "Well, stop! I already know all this stuff! I don't need a reminder that she might never want to speak to me again!"

Mom didn't give me any more advice after I said that. Mitch pulled the IV out of my arm. it was time for me to leave. I left with a heavy heart, knowing I'd lost Sophia. I went to my room. I cleaned out my backpack. Textbooks, gum wrapper, pencils, pen, glue, scissors, notebooks, folders, binder. I organized it starting with my heavist textbook.

I walked through the halls. Cleaning my backpack was worth it. My back felt much better. I heard whispers and occasional snickering. Like I'd planned, I ignored them. Grandma was right when she said that ignoring the gossipers and bullies is a sign of strength. I opened my locker, and found an envelope. All it said was 'Tobias Grass. If you are not him, give this to him.' I was him. I opened it up. It had a number and it said 'If you ever need something, call me!'. The number was 785-170-4389. I put it in my cell, and put my books away. I'd ruined my reputation in less than a week. Michael wasn't speaking to me. Duh, I'd kissed