Dear Diary

Chapter 71

"Oh, you two know each other?" Susan asked surprised.

Sophia didn't respond as she squared her shoulders, her eyes locked solely on Rachel. She looked different this evening, wearing a grey sweater, dark jeans and black flat knee-length boots. Basically it was the most conservative Sophia had ever seen her dress. She didn't even know she owned such clothes.

"From school," Rachel responded to her mother with a nervous smile. 

Sophia watched her clutch onto the glass dish she held in her hands. She was nervous of her. 

Good.

Isn't it typical how, of all the millions of women there are in the world, her dad just had to start dating the mother of her worst enemy, the one who was responsible for one of her closest friend's pain? Even now Mindy was still not completely better. And that was something she could never forgive Rachel for.

"Dinner is almost ready if you wish to go to the kitchen," Sophia's dad broke the tense silence and Susan nodded eagerly.

"Yes, I think that's a good idea," she said and quickly moved towards the kitchen. 

Rachel glanced at Sophia a second, but instantly looked away when she was met with a glare and quickly followed after her mother.

Sophia let out a long, slow breath. She had a feeling this would be a long night.

-

Dinner had gone by painfully slow for Sophia as she leaned back in her chair, twirling her spoon between her fingers as she regarded the girl in front of her with cold eyes. Rachel had been equally quiet as Sophia, and constantly kept her gaze locked on her plate.

"So, Rachel, what do you like to do in your spare time?"

Sophia paused her fingers mid-twirl as she glanced at her father. 

Rachel straightened and looked up at him with a polite smile. "I like to help out by the orphanage and knit them blankets."

Sophia let out a quiet scoff, but loud enough for Rachel to hear. She saw her swallow and look down at her plate.

Sophia's dad nodded his head. "That's very commendable of you."

Sophia's jaw almost dropped. He could not seriously be fooled by that lie, could he? Since when does a girl who wears perfect make-up ever go to an orphanage of their own free will?

"Thank you," Rachel smiled.

Sophia rolled her eyes at the way Rachel almost seemed to bask in her father's praise.

"Oh, yes!" Susan exclaimed as she climbed to her feet. "Rachel baked pumpkin-pie for dessert."

"You didn't have to do that," Sophia's father said.

"It was no trouble, really. I love to bake," Rachel said with a shy smile. 

Sophia's grip on her spoon tightened knuckle-white when she saw a look of fondness enter her father's eyes. She suddenly stood, unable to be in either of their presence any longer, and her chair screeched as she did.

Everyone turned to look at her and her father raised a brow. She gave a half-smile. "I'm sorry but I'm suddenly not feeling well," she said. 

It wasn't a lie, she literally felt sick watching Rachel win over her father.

Susan's eyes filled with concern. "Oh dear, what's wrong?"

Sophia bit her cheek to try and conceal the irritation from coming to her face. She gave a tight smile. "I think I've just eaten too much and need to lie down. So, if you'll excuse me ..." 

Sophia didn't wait for a response as she turned and left the kitchen. She plopped down on one of the couches, grabbed the remote and put on a cartoon channel. She didn't sit there for long though before she heard the small footsteps of Ashley come next to her.

Ashley crouched down so that her face was near Sophia's. "Watcha watchin'?" she asked in a sing-song voice.

"What does it look like?" Sophia responded grumpily.

"Aren't you too old to be watching cartoons?" Ashley asked.

"Aren't you too young to still be up this late?" Sophia countered.

"No! I'm ten," Ashley argued and held up her ten chubby fingers.

Sophia sighed. She really didn't feel like this. "Why don't you go back to your mom?"

"Why?"

"Just because."

"Why?"

Sophia groaned. What was with this kid? Mary and Olivia were fine (okay they were two years older) but they were never so irritating. Instead of responding, Sophia turned onto her side so that her back was facing the young girl. She took a deep breath to try and relax, but her eyes snapped open when she felt something poke her arm.

"Are you sleeping?"

Sophia ignored her, but bit her tongue when she felt more incessant pokes on her arm. 

"Why are you sleeping?" Ashley asked in her whiny voice.

Gritting her teeth, Sophia tried to ignore her, but when she saw her finger come to poke her cheek, the little tolerance she had snapped. With lightning speed, Sophia slapped her hand away and turned to glare at her. 

"Get away from me," she growled.

Ashley stared at her shocked for a moment before her blue eyes started to well with tears. Sophia groaned as the little girl sprinted out the living-room crying loudly, and a minute later heard the loud footsteps of her father.

"Sophia, what is the meaning of this?' he asked and Sophia stood to face him.

"She wouldn't leave me alone," she defended and her father's eyes narrowed.

"So you slapped her?"

"No, I slapped her hand away from my face because she kept poking me."

"Is that so?"

Sophia's eyes widened as she looked at her father's hard expression. He didn't believe her. He believed a little brat he just met over his own daughter.

She gritted her teeth and she clenched her hands as she turned to see Susan holding a crying Ashley in her arms and Rachel looking at her curiously.

"Go to your room."

"What?" Sophia asked as she looked back at her father in disbelief.

"You heard me," he said as his eyes grew hard. "I'll deal with you in the morning."

Sophia began to protest, but a glare kept her silent. She huffed and turned to give Rachel the most vicious glare she could.

Why was it her of all people to see her and her father fight? Rachel glanced down at her boots as Sophia marched past her, blood boiling, and to her room. She slammed the door shut behind her.

She stood with her back leaning against the cold wood of the door for a moment as she felt angry tears reach her eyes as her frustration grew. Out of all people why her? Sophia suddenly felt like breaking something but, knowing that she'll get into more trouble for that, instead fell down on her bed and grabbed a pillow, shoving it on her face before letting out the loudest scream she could.