Sophia, Marisa Redhead16 [phonics reader txt] 📗

his ex. "So Tobias..." I felt soft fingers with talon-like nails scraping the back of my neck. "Tell me why you kissed her when you were meant to kiss me." I turned around and faced Chloe. I decided to be honest and direct. "Chloe, I'm not interested in you. I'm not ready for a relationship, and I wasn't ready when I kissed Sophia. Or Nina." I was being taped and watched, but I pretended not to care.

"Did you give me this?" I asked, even though it was a stupid question. Chloe has nice handwriting, and this was definitely a guy's handwriting. "Hell no." she said as she walked away. I wrote down who it could be. It wasn't Nina or Sophia. It would be Ruth, Maureen, or a secret admirer. I wrote down who all it could be.

Who It Could Be
Ruth
Maureen
Mr. Reed? (History)
Mia Flinder (Shy Girl Who Giggles Around Boys)
Bella Flinder (Mia's Sister Who Copies Her)

I knew it could be anyone else. I went to my first class. Mr. Kurl was surprised to see me. "School hasn't even begun yet, Tobias." "I don't have anywhere else to go." "I understand." he said. As he wrote the assignment on the board, I opened up my planner. I'd missed enough school that I couldn't afford to miss another day or assignment. I figured I might as well get caught up. I wrote the number down. "How'd you get that number?" Mr. Kurl asked, leaning over my desk. "I found it in my locker," I told him truthfully. He blinked and sucked in his stomach for a second. "That's a teacher's number." he said. I looked up at him. "That's...awkward." I said.

"You being fat or in the hospital?" Billy sneered. Mr. Kurl shot him a look. "I'll talk to him. Don't call him." "Okay." My stomach got a cramp. I'd eaten so much junk lately, my stomach couldn't handle it. I listened to Mr. Kurl's lecture carefully. "What does it usually mean when somebody has jet-black eyes like an alien?" "They have no soul." somebody said. "That's right, they have no soul, they don't care. This guy's spent so much time alone hunting animals, he turned to murder."

We continued to read the story, and Mr.Kurl passed out a worksheet about the story. My stomach lurched. He'd given hard questions. On top of it, he wouldn't let us use the story. "What is this, a memory test?" someone mumbled. Mr. Kurl grinned. "Somewhat. I want to see how much you remember from reading short stories." "We've all read Clifford The Big Red Dog," someone else muttered. "How much do you remember?" Mr. Kurl said. "That's what I thought."

I turned mine in. "Tobias, wait." "Is there a problem?" "Yes. Did you copy off someone?" I blinked. "No. Why would I copy off someone?" "Yours looks exactly like Billy's." "Well, maybe we got the same answers." "I don't believe you. Go to the office." I grabbed my stuff and left. I figured maybe he was having a bad morning. As I passed Nina's locker, I heard my name being called.

"Tobias, wait. I remembered how untruthful Billy is and how often you've lied. And I caught Billy copying someone else. I apologize. I went over your work and gave you an A+. Not because I feel bad, well, partially, but mainly because you deserve it. The other person got a B and Billy got an F. Come on." Mr. Kurl escorted me back to the classroom. Mr. Kurl tried to open the door, but it was locked. "Tom, this isn't funny." He knocked on the door. "Whatever, losers!" said a familiar voice.


"What is going on?" the principal, Mr. Vere, said. He's black and looks a lot like Michael Jordan. Mr. Kurl told him what happened. Mr. Vere pounded on the door. "Tom, if you open this door now, it won't go on your record." I saw his fingers crossed behind his back. Mr. Vere was used to seeing Billy, and just about had enough of him. The resource officer, Officer Veronica Johnson, was walking down the other hallway. "What's going on?" she asked. "Tom won't let us in." Mr. Vere said. Officer Johnson called the janitor. He tried, but even he couldn't open the door. Other teachers and secretaries came over. The cops were called.

"Tom, if you open this door right now, we won't have any problems." a hot cop said. Billy peeked through. "You're hot but you're a cop!" he sang. Everyone inside the room giggled. "Tobias?" a cop said. "Yes?" I looked at him. Then I realized what he wanted. "Oh, lord." I cussed. I kicked the door and it fell off it's hinges. The cops arrested Billy. Billy looked at me with hatred. I walked into the room. Everybody looked impressed.


I got to go to my other class early. I stopped Michael when he came out of his class. He tried to ignore me. "All right, I'll tell you anyway. I honestly thought Sophia wouldn't find out. I used to like Nina, and she likes me. Neither one of us thought you would figure it out." "I'm not stupid." he muttered as he got his science book out. "I know. You're a pretty smart guy. Look, neither one of us meant to hurt you." "Nina asked me out yesterday. She wanted to get back together. I told her to shut up, called her ugly, and said 'I hope I never see your fat ass ever again.' I regret it now. I think I know what happened. It was meant to be a quick kiss. I felt so bad for cheating on Nina, especially since we were friends. Then you kissed her and she and Sophia found out you liked both of them. They got upset. Nina even erased your number. Sophia did, too." My heart fell into a million pieces when he said this.

"Nina said 'Michael, do you want to get back together? Britney Spears is in town this week with Enimem.' I said what I said. Tobias, I'd be with her now if I'd been thinking. I would have called you, but you know how jealous I get. I erased her number right there, and she ran off crying. Sophia called me two-faced, heartless, bastard, idiot, controlling, jealous, and totally uncool. In that order. I had had a great thing with Nina. I screwed up, and she forgave me. I screwed up again, now she's erased my number and not talking or texting me. She tried to explain things. I wouldn't listen." "Why are you listening now?" He grinned. "Because you're persistent and hard to ignore. Are we bros again?" "Yeah." We did the guy hug/handshake. "Question: Can you help me with Nina?" he asked. "I wish I could. She's not talking to me, either. I made Sophia cry." "What did you do?" "I'll explain later."

I heard a loud slam. "The cops let Billy go." Michael muttered. My stomach felt queasy. "You will always be mine!" he shouted in her face. She was crying. I felt jealousy and courage working it's way into my heart. I walked over there. Michael followed me. "Get off of her! You just want somebody to love you because you're so insecure." He glared at me. "Oh, I'm the insecure one? Look in the mirror, Pudgy!" Some people laughed. Michael glared at them. David approached Billy. "You know what, Thomas? The only one who's showing real courage is Tobias! He's gone through so much, I'd be dead by now, but he's still alive. That means he's strong. He's much stronger than you've ever been!" Billy punched David in the gut so hard, he sent him across the room. I felt one going for my gut. I ducked. Billy punched a locker instead. When he went for me again, I grabbed his arm and held him in a half nelson until Officer Johnson arrived.

I looked around the room.Most people were looking at me. Most had surprise and/or gratitude on their faces. Sophia fell. I grabbed her. She was out cold. I gave her a kiss on the lips. Nothing. The nurse and Mr.Kurl carried her to the nurse's room. My already broken heart broke a little more. Nina sent me a text. 'Thx 4 saving my sis' 'Will you forgive me? I'm sorry. I'm so sry. I truly am.' No text back.

When I walked into science later that day, Mr. Reed bent over my desk. "I'm proud of you. You showed courage and finally stood up to him, and saved somebody else." "But I still don't have my best friend or a girlfriend." "They'll forgive you in time. Let them cool off, then explain what happened. Nobody really knows or can explain in better detail than you can. You are the only one who can explain everything." He ruffled my hair.

I sat down on the benches after school again. Sophia sat opposite of me. She had a black eye. We ignored each other. Well, she did. "Sophia, I'm sorry." When I tried to explain what had happened between us, she put in her iPod. Tony pulled up. "Good bye." I said. Deep inside, I knew it would be the last thing I ever said to her. I felt like crying. Not in front of my brother. "Tobias, I said I'm sorry. You said you were sorry, and I forgave you. My girlfriend at the time won't speak to me anymore, but I found out she had two boyfriends at the time. Tobias?" I wiped a tear away. Tony didn't say anything else.

I laid in bed and cried. I missed Sophia and Nina so much. I would keep their numbers forever, but I would never speak to them again. I eventually fell asleep, and woke up to fresh bacon frying. I realized I'd overslept a little bit. I saw a note from Dad. 'Hey son. School is canceled because of yesterday. I'm proud of you. They even showed it on the news, and your mother asked for a copy. Bacon and pancakes downstairs, blueberry and chocolate chip. Out of all the people I know, you deserve it the most. I went to a job interview. I'll be back at ten or later. Love you.'

I borrowed Tony's robe, and went downstairs. I nibbled on a chocolate chip pancake. It reminded me of Nina's lip gloss when we had kissed. After breakfast, I turned on my bath. I laid in the hot bubbles. My cell phone vibrated. 'You should have stayed dead. You died legally for four seconds. Go ahead, kill urself again.'

I sent it to Dad, and said 'This got sent to me.' He didn't respond. He got back at ten, like he promised. "Tobias, let me see the text." I gave him my phone. "I used to be a teacher at your school." he mumbled, staring at my phone. "Bullying wasn't nearly as bad as this. Personally, I think your bully's parents don't care. Or act like he's perfect. I've dealt with both types of parents. The first is the hardest to get through. I'll call your principal and file a complaint." He saved the text.

He popped in a movie. The third Harry Potter. "It's all my fault." I muttered. "No, it's not." my father kissed my head. "Don't ever think that you are to blame for this. It's really partially my fault. Your mother and I have known about this ever since the first push. I really wish we would have done something, then it wouldn't have gotten so out of control." "Dad, how old are you?" He looked at me.

"I'm fifty six years old, son."