Fallin' For You

SIXTEEN

The whole amphitheater was filled with whispers about the Vackers and Sophie kind of understood what they were probably feeling—since pretty much the same thing had happened to her on the first day of school.

"Come on Fitz," Biana said with an eye roll, grabbing her brothers hand. "Let's see what's up,"

Sophie watched them walk away before she made her way to the freshman atrium. Before she went to her locker Sophie grabbed the paper she'd wrote on this morning out of her pocket and then stuck it through the small grate in Dex's locker.

It had two words on it: Forgive me?

Sophie didn't expect him to talk to her after that, but it was worth a shot. Maybe if he could forgive her, she could forgive him.

Sophie got her stuff out of her locker before she walked to her Algebra class. She didn't pay attention to the notes they were taking. Her thoughts were more occupied by...stuff. She didn't know what she was thinking about, she just knew that it was something she shouldn't be thinking about, because before she knew it class was over and it was time to go to art.

In art, Sophie didn't do any better at paying attention. They were painting sculptures they'd made last week, and Sophie had accidentally colored the Swan black instead of the classic white color. It was kind of depressing. But, Mrs. O said she thought it was beautifully original and that Sophie shouldn't change it.

Now she was on her way to lunch—where Fitz and Biana still weren't back yet—and she didn't pay attention to Keefe and Maruca's conversation about Disney Land vs. Disney World.

After lunch she was walking into Theater class, and the only thing she payed attention to was when the intercom beeped on and Dame Alina's voice echoed through the room. "Mr. Kenric—can you please send Tam and Linh Song to my office?"

"Yes ma'am," Mr. K called back before nodding to the twins.

After that, Sophie started to not pay attention again.

Her next class was Gym and once again, the intercom came on and called Maruca, Wylie, and Keefe to Dame Alina's office. So now Sophie was alone.

Physics class was just same-old boring, and when it was over Sophie was relieved. That class dragged on forever.

During Study Hall, Sophie saw Marella, Jensi and Dex sitting at a table across the room. Sophie had finally made up her mind to go ask for their forgiveness in person, but before she could the intercom beeped on once again.

"Hello Mrs. Clarette," Dame Alina's voice said. "Do you mind sending Dex Dizznee, Jensi Babbalos and Marella Redek to my office?"

"Of course," Mrs. Clarette handed them a hall pass before the three of them walked out of the class room.

So now Sophie was officially alone.

Dex didn't get on the bus that afternoon, and she didn't see Keefe in his room that afternoon either. She was starting to get worried.

What could've happened to them?

"Sophie, are you alright?"

Sophie turned around and saw Edaline standing behind her. "Yeah—why do you ask?"

Edaline shrugged. "You're just staring out of your window blankly—and you look a little worried."

"I'm fine," Sophie said through a sigh. "I'm just tired—today was a little weird."

Edaline nodded. "Are you hungry? I could bring up some dinner if you don't feel like leaving your room."

Sophie shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I think I'm just going to take a shower and then go to bed."

"Alright," Edaline said, walking closer to Sophie. "Just promise me that if you ever need help you'll tell me,"

Sophie nodded. "I promise."

Edaline smiled before kissing Sophie on the head and leaving the room, shutting the door behind her.

Sophie sighed again before making her way to her bathroom. She took a thirty minute shower before changing into a pair of fluffy pajama's and inching her way into bed.

Before she went to bed, however, she grabbed her phone from her bedside table and went to the gallery. She looked through all of the pictures—smiling at every one.

The first few were just some family one's, but then they changed to selfies with Dex and Marella—plus pictures with her Drama friends. Everything looked so cheerful and happy; Sophie longed when her life could be like that again.

After the last Theater picture, there was a selfie of her and Fitz when they went to that candy store. The next few were of her, Keefe, Biana, and Maruca.

And that's when Sophie realized something.

She flipped back to the pictures of her old friends, and then back to her current one's, and then to her family pictures.

Sophie looked different in all of them. Sure she looked happy in the pictures with her friends, but she looked full-on cheerful with her family pictures.

Sophie remembered Edaline telling her a long time ago that true friends were like family. If family looked cheerful, shouldn't friends look that way too?