Mistake Not (1) ✓

36. Dubious

She slowly lifted her head and my eyes zeroed in on the bags under her eyes. The forced smile she makes causes me to feel bad for her. I didn't know what she was going through but I knew she was struggling to hold herself together.

"Hey, Gen." Her voice was low and subtly cracky. "How are you?"

"I'm good." I answer sitting next to her on the small bench. "Are you okay?" I asked, allowing the concern in my voice to be known.

I may not have known much about Sophia but I was concerned for her.

She sighs, looking down at her fingers. "I'm alright. Just exhausted and ready to go home."

I stared at her closet, noticing her trying to keep up the facade and often twirling a silver ring around her pointer finger. Something very small was engraved on top of it. It was foreign and I couldn't decipher the language.

"What does that say?" I motioned to her ring and she tenses beside me. Seeing it must have been very touchy, I went to take back my question when she answered me.

"Soy amado." She whispers. "I am loved."

The sadness in her voice is unmistakable and it affects me. I watched her quietly as she lifted her finger and placed a kiss on the ring.

"Mi padre...my father gave me this ring." Her eyes closed tightly as a pained look crossed her face.

"I'm sorry."

She smiles kindly. "He's not dead if that's what you're thinking."

"Oh," I gasped, shaking my head quickly. "I-I didn't mean to-"

"It's no worry." She sighs softly. "He's just..not around at the moment."

I nodded my head, understanding, and decided to keep the questions I wanted to ask locked away. "Well, if you ever need to talk, and you don't have to at all but I am around."

She smiles sadly. "I'm starting to see what everyone is talking about."

A curious brow arches. "What do you mean?"

"You're always so nice, Gen. A kind soul you are."

Really? That's what people say about me?

"Alright, ladies. Let's go!" Another coach shouts, grabbing everyone's attention.

I pushed my hair up in a quick half-updo and stood along with Sophia and walked out together with the rest of the girls in their teams.

⋄ ✵ ⋄

They announced the teams in order, one by one and it was going smoothly. The students cheered after each leader or person from each team gave a quick speech. After our team was finished, we went up to the balcony and stood against the bars, watching the rest of the team below get called.

"Gen." The familiar sound of Carson's voice meets my ears and the moment I turn around he snaps a picture of me with the camera he had in his hand.

"Carson." I shift on my feet, uncomfortable with what he just did.

"What?" He smiles a toothy smile. "I couldn't help it. You're so beautiful."

A few of the girls on my team awed and it only made me more uncomfortable.

"Sweet Gen is getting the attention she deserves." A girl gushes.

I shook my head immediately. "It's not like tha-"

"So, Gen," Carson interrupts me, squeezing between Sophia and I. "I was wondering if you were doing anything after the pep."

"I am," I had to figure out what I was going to write for my college paper. I still hadn't come up with anything which was sucky for me. I never had writer's block on any of my papers.