Sophia, Marisa Redhead16 [phonics reader txt] 📗

was really crying now. She buried her face in my chest and sobbed. "l'm so sorry. You're actually very beautiful and smart and sweet. I'm not saying that just to be nice l swear." l glanced up. Sophia was rubbing her fraternal twin sister's back. Nina's hair is very black. Sophia's hair is very brown. They both have dark brown eyes.


My hair is very blond. My eyes are chocolate brown. Nina calls it 'a handsome combination and totally hot girlfriend worthy looks'. l looked up again. Logan's hair is very red, but not as red as Rogue's. Jake was looking at me. l noted that he seemed to have lost then gained weight again. His blond-brown hair looked a little greasy and messy. He waved at me then sat down on the other side. "Who was that?" Sophia asked quietly. "He was handsome." "Thank you." Jake said in an annoyed voice. Nina giggled a little. She'd stopped crying while l felt a spark of extreme jealously. "That's Jake. He was my best friend." "Oh so l'm not your friend?" Nina asked. "Relax, l said was. As in 'l knew before l truly knew you'." "That's sweet." Sophia teased. She and Nina giggled. "l feel better already,but l'm not getting up. Tobias, your chest is like a pillow and l can hear your heart beating like crazy." l smirked. Just then Tony pulled up and honked. "l have to go." l said. Without thinking, l bent down and kissed Sophia on the lips. A little of her lipstick wiped off. Tony waggled his eyebrows when l got in. "l saw that. Are you dating?" "No, l just have a humoungous crush on her. l wasn't thinking when l kissed her." l quickly covered my mouth. Tony grinned.

l had a choir performance that evening. l already knew Nina would be there. And so would Ruth and Chloe. Of course Nina, Sophia, Ruth, Chloe, Maureen, and Logan and Lindsay were there. Logan and Lindsay held hands. Mom had a video camera. l did my solo on the first song. The song was called 'Summer Dreams'. My position is first bass. Hafize did her solo, and Micheal did his. We did nine more songs including one by Stevie Nicks. When it was over, Nina cornered me. "Do you like my sister?" "l'm in love with your sister." She sighed and tossed her hair. "Look, it's really romantic that you like her that much. But not only is she dating, she's dating your enemy, and she's your best friend's sister. l would really hate it if you two broke up and our friendship faded." "Relax. We won't break up if your sister likes me back. If we do, l promise l won't be the breaker. l'll be the break-ee." She was satisfied with that and hugged me and left. Nina and Sophia walked away and got into their mother's car.

The next day was the day the bullying cycle started again. Billy dumped my books twice and slammed me against a locker and the hand dryer in the bathroom. Mr. Reed saw me being slammed on a jock's locker, and Mr. Kurl was washing his hands when l was slammed on the hand dryer. Ms. Ridda and Miss Lily were walking by when my books were dumped both times.

l was stressed out when l got home. l did my homework, and tried to forget the fact that my father looked worried when l walked in. He stared until l went upstairs. l stared back. Girlfriend jumped on my chest went l laid on my bed and covered my eyes. l decided to take a nap. l closed the door, took my clothes off, which of course was hard, and shut off the light. Dad was shaking me an hour later. "Son, Tobias, wake up. It's time for dinner. l made chili." l looked at him. "l can't remember the last time you cooked. Where's Mom and Tony?" "Tony's with his girlfriend, and Mom had to leave the state unexpectedly. Just you and me for a while, bud. Rub your eyes and get dressed." l put my clothes back on and went downstairs and looked at myself in the mirror. l looked tired and annoyed, and since the shirt was a little tight and l'd been wearing a jacket all day, l could see my bellybutton and the outline of my gut. l went downstairs. "l think it's about time for a trim, son. Your hair is getting really long." l didn't say anything. "Silence doesn't mean anything. He must still be tired." my father reminded himself. l heard a little fear and a little hurt in his voice.

Tony got home way past his curfew. l mean way WAY past his curfew. As soon as he walked through the door, Dad started yelling."Can't you pay attention to time you worthless piece of slime!" "What did you call me? You think l'm..." "Shut up! l don't want to hear anymore out of you!" "You hate me! You even like Tobias more than me!" "Tony, that's not true!" "Then why don't you ever abuse or yell at him instead?" "Because he's a better kid than you! He's worth more! If l had to choose between you and him, him!" "JOSEPH! TONY!" Mom was home. l heard more yelling. Someone even threw something. Eventually Mom must have called the police, because l heard sirens at our house.

One of our neighbors called the press, who wouldn't leave us alone. Dad was in jail, and Tony was at a hospital. Newspapers kept calling, so Mom wouldn't let me go to school, and bolted the door. l was a little annoyed that she was being overprotective, but l knew she knew this was private and no one had to know. The press got what they could and took pictures of Tony and Dad. It was on TV. The deputy in charge kept most of it private. She was kind of pretty, a little Asian, African American, Native American and Caucasion in her. She kept the deep details private,and told the not-as-violent stuff. As for Tony, he looked terrible. Two black eyes, on leg broken, one arm broken, and fractured ribs. They blurred Dad's face when they found him.

Even more interesting stuff. Dad was having an affair with his ex boss's wife. That's the real reason why he got fired anyway. When l went to sleep, l heard Mom raging. "You LIED to me and ABUSED YOUR OWN SON MENTALLY EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY! I DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'LL DO TO TOBIAS IF ANYTHING EVER HAPPENED TO TONY! YOU HAD NO REASON TO HURT HIM AT ALL!" Dad was crying and desperately trying to apologize. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." Everyone's heart was broken. Everyone, including me, blamed him or herself. Mom blamed herself for not seeing it coming, Tony blamed himself for being the victim and a horrible son and brother, Dad blamed himself for being the cause of it, and l blamed myself for getting caught in the middle. The press loved it. They felt sympathy, just like almost everyone else, but they loved the story. Tony and l stayed out of school for a week.

We went to court with our parents. They were thinking about getting a divorce. The state wouldn't let Dad near us. He couldn't even hug us without people getting suspicious. For now, they were separated. Dad stayed at a hotel. l saw Tony cut himself twice. He caught me the second time. He begged me not to tell Mom. l told her anyway. "Mom." "Son." "Can l talk to you for a second?" "Sure. What's wrong?" "l...l caught Tony cutting himself twice." She sat down and kissed me. "So have you." l stared at her in surprise. "How'd you know?" "Mothers just know, son. Do you want me to enroll you two in therapy?" "If it'll help." She kissed me again and added calling a therapist on her list of things to do.

Everyone tried to stay busy and things improved. Tony went out with his friends more. He rarely saw Spring. l got the feeling things were awkward between them. Mom made his curfew later, because of not only that night, but because his physical and mental health and grades were improving. Tony kept coming home at his old curfew on the dot. Mom was scared. She called a teen expert. The expert said she thought Tony felt it would happen again and that he was scared. He was. He wouldn't say why he kept coming home on the dot. His friends were also nervous. Most of them knew what had happened.

Tony came home depressed one day. l was doing homework, which l had a lot of. "What's wrong?" Mom asked. "Spring broke up with me. She found out what l did to other girls in school. She's not sure if we can get back together or not. She's not sure.......and l love her so much." He sat down on the couch and broke down. Mom hugged and kissed him."She was intelligent, beautiful, and funny. She had beautiful dark hair and eyes. l liked her. Dad liked her. Tobias loved her." She winked at me. l grinned. l got the message."Have you learned your lesson?" she asked. "Yes," Tony said. He was much calmer now.

The next morning, we heard the song 'Accidentally In Love'. Tony cranked it up. "I'll be a little late, l have something l've got to do." Tony said. "Hey fatso! lt's the wimp from l don't know where!" Billy shrieked. Tony started to get out of his car. "Please don't!" l begged. "He deserves it." Tony said. "l know,but he's Sophia's boyfriend!" l said.Tony got back in his car. l walked into school. "Hey wimp! Gained some weight lately?" Billy said. Just ignore him. He's trying to get under your skin. l told myself.

When l saw Ruth,l was surprised. Her hair was clean. No dirt, no grease, no major split ends, it was blonder and prettier than l'd ever seen. Most of her acne was gone, she lost the glasses, and was wearing makeup. She was also hanging out with Chloe. Sophia and l waved at each other. Nina was annoyed at everybody. Logan was lovesick. So was Michael. Michael complained to me about wanting Nina back. l had to go to the South Gym for weights. Nina wore a hot pink shirt, grey shorts, and cool tennis shoes. Her hair was in a ponytail. She was beautiful. As always. When she saw me, she waved.

"She's a tad more superficial than l am." Nina said. We were walking outside around her neighborhood. She was talking about a new girl from New York. "She's nice to me though. She thinks you're cute." l looked at her. "She does?" "Yeah. You truly are, Tobias." "But l'm fat." "Don't be so negative. You're not as chubby as you think, Tobias Shane Grass. You're rich,cute, and have a hot older brother. Even l kind of like Tony. Do you mind if l ask him out?" l looked at the grass. "l suppose not. But remember, he's heartbroken and he's a sophomore." "l'm not gonna ask him out now, l'll wait. Sophia's never met Tony." "That's true." "Realize. Dirty Little Secret. Shorty's Short Shorts. All those have something to do with love. Tobias, we like each other's siblings. l like your brother, you love my sister. Promise we won't let that get in the way of our friendship?" l sighed. "Promise."

Nina sang a song. "Firework" by Katy Perry. "Have ever had second thoughts about getting back with your ex and forgiving them?" she asked. Her question caught me off guard. "Not really." "Okay. I'll call Mike tonight. Her sister was sitting on the porch. She'd curled