Madelaina :
Though they walk in at about the same time, they aren't together.
Althea turns this way and continues walking until she is seated next to me.
Well, not next to me exactly but the next seat over. Making herself comfortable and rummaging through her bag.
I turn my gaze onto Sofia, who I find is already looking at me.
She smiles and waves and in return I give a small smile of my own.
She looks at the area around me but frowns when it is seen that there are no empty spaces.
She purses her lips before zoning in on a big cushion in the middle of the floor and rushes for it.
"Hey!" She chirps. I'll admit, a little over enthusiastically but maybe that's just her.
"Hello." I reply. Moderately less loudly but equally as kind. I hope.
"I can't believe we're in the same class."
Not sure how to reply, I just give another small smile.
"In all honesty I don't really like English all that much. And this class is more history than English anyway. Kinda boring, right?"
"I actually really love it. Especially the more historical aspect."
"Oh. Well. I mean, you're right. Some parts are interesting, I guess."
"I'm sure you feel that way, Sofia." Comes a sarcastic voice, that I'm sure if spoken less hardly, would be soft and sweet.
Turning to my right, I see Althea looking down at Sofia.
"What?"
"I see you're up to your tricks again?"
She visibly gulps and her next words come out a little shaky.
"What do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean." She gives her a pointed look.
"I don't know what you're t-"
"Leave the poor girl alone, Sofia. It won't end well for you."
What is going on?
Althea clearly doesn't like Sofia but their conversation isn't really giving a lot of context.
Sofia takes a quick glance in my direction before turning back to Althea.
"Look. Whatever you're thinking, it's not-"
"Oh, I think it is exactly what I'm thinking. And I for one, don't want to watch someone else being messed with or being taken advantage of. I don't think you understand what could happen to you with this particular case but I think we can both agree that it won't be pretty. Now go."
Althea's golden brown eyes are narrowed and Sofia looks as if she's about to either burst into flames or cry.
Althea is the one doing most of the speaking but from what she's saying, it seems like Sofia is the bad one.
This is way too much to deal with on the first day of school.
Sofia quickly gathers her belongings and moves to a different seat. One on the other side of the room.
Finding my voice somehow, I ask, "What was that all about? Sofia was kind to me?"
She turns to me and her gaze becomes less lethal.
"Sorry. It's a long story. Bottom line is, Sofia's known to be kind of...."
"Kind of what?"
"Fake."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, she plays this game all the time. Or at least, when the opportunity arises. Whenever there's a rumour of someone who is related or close with someone popular, she befriends them in order to get close to said popular person. She's done it a lot. But when the ball drops that it was just a rumour. Or something like it. She immediately leaves them."
"Really?" That's awful.
Wait. I'm talking to one of the most popular girls in school. Who's also friends with Celina.
"Mhm. And despite being infamous she still treats everyone who isn't popular like dirt under her mediocre shoe."
"How do I know you're telling the truth?" I ask, tentatively.
"I guess you can't. But I am telling the truth. I would know. She did it to me."
"She did?"
"Yes. Our first year. Everyone here has been together since kindergarten but I moved here in freshman year. There was a rumour that I was cousins with this guy on the football team. A little wrong if you ask me since it was only because we were both Filipino. Anyway, we weren't related but Sofia tried to do that whole fake friend thing with me because she liked him. And then when she found out the truth she stopped talking to me and made up a rumour that the reason she no longer hung out with me was because I was a slut. Also not true but..."
"Wow."
"Mhm."
"Well. Thank you for warning me." I look over at Sofia to see her glaring daggers in our direction. Only to hurriedly turn away once she catches me watching.
"You're welcome."
"I though you would be more...."
"Rude and Bitchy?" She finishes for me with a knowing smile.
I sheepishly nod. Feeling bad for judging her when I hadn't even known her. Not that I do now.
"Don't worry about it. It's what most people think. I guess it's what I get for hanging around with Celina and Lilliane."
"Why- if you don't mind me asking- do you hang out with her? You seem very...different."
She shrugs and another small smile creeps onto her kind features.
"I don't know really. I was still very new when i started to hang out with them. They weren't always as bad as they are now. But the reason why I've stayed and haven't left yet probably has something to do with my crippling fear of being alone. Even though I have no idea what I would do when they graduate and I'm still here." She admits with a weak laugh.
I offer a smile. "I get it."
"Yeah?"
"Mhm."
"Well," she starts and reaches for her bag to pull out a book. One that I am very familiar with.
"Oh, hey, I love that book!"
"You read?" She asks. Her small smile widening.
"Only every day."
"Me too."
"What's your favourite book?" I ask. Getting excited. I've never had a friend who reads before.
Or a friend.
Let's just hope she's not one of those readers though.
"Um. I'm not sure. Have you heard of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue."
Embarrassingly, my mouth falls open and a laugh escapes her.
"That book. Is a masterpiece."
"Right!"
"It made me feel so many things."
"So many things. I didn't know I would cry every time I saw my cat after that."
"Oh, you have a cat?"
"Mhm. She's a little black tabby called Baghra."
"I have a black tabby too- Wait. Baghra as in...Shadow-"
"Shadow and Bone!"
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
"Oh my god!"
"Wait, what's yours' called?"
"Salem."
"Oh, that's so cute."
"She's still pretty much a baby. I got her a few months ago."
"Oh my gosh. They should so play together."
"They should."
"Okay. So, what's your favourite book."
"Oh, I love the Kingdom of The Wicked series."
"That's on my tbr. It looks so good!"
"It's amazing. And the sequel? Even better."
"I'm reading that next."
"Please do. Wait, is this a new read or a reread?" I ask, pointing to her copy of The Cruel Prince.
"A reread." She smiles.
"Cardan and Jude?"
"Cardan and Jude!"
"I love them!"
"Oh my god. The things I would do for them."
We both laugh. And there is no strain behind it. Just pure relaxed happiness.
And in that moment, I realise that I'm stalking to a stranger. Someone who I've only just properly met. And I'm not nervous. I don't want to hide in a bathroom or dig my nails so far into the palms of my hands that they bleed.
Is this what it's like? To make a friend?
Is this even what that is?
Am I just reading into it?
Will we never speak again after this?
Just as the doubt begins to creep in, our teacher uses that moment to enter the classroom.
She has dark skin and even darker hair, that is braided at the back. Her eyes are chocolate brown and her smile is kind.
"Good afternoon everyone. I am Miss Bennet. But you can call me Brianna."
Bennet, huh?
"Today's lesson, we will spend it by simply getting to know each other."
There is a communal round of relieved sighs and yeses.
"Don't get too excited." She puts down her bag and comes to stand on the front side of her desk. "There's a lot of stuff to get through ahead of us. But in the meantime. I am going to be pointing to each of you and you are going to tell me your name, your age, your favourite book and a random fact about yourself."
Oh no.
Oh no, no no no no no.
I was not expecting this.
I can't be put on the spot.
I'm going to freeze.
"Hey, are you okay?"
I turn as Althea's hand lands on my forearm.
I'm unable to answer.
"You don't do well with this sort of thing?" She asks. But it's not a question.
All I can do is shake my head.
"It's okay. Just breathe. It's nothing to worry about."
"Tell that to my brain."
"If you insist." She then begins to take my head in her hands and speaks directly to my head. "It's nothing to worry about. Just pretend that you're talking to me. You don't even have to look her in the eye. Just four short sentences and then it's done."
Taking a big breath, I relax a little.
I'm not sure why. But that actually kind of helped. In a strange and slightly creepy but also kind of endearing way.
"Okay?" She asks.
"Okay."
Although it helped, it doesn't stop me from pressing on my nails or bouncing my knee until I hear my name.
"And you?" Miss Bennet's voice overpowers my layering thoughts.
"I'm Sofia Garcia. I'm seventeen years old. My favourite book is um...Jane Eyre. And a random fact about me is that I hate carrots."
I think I am the only one that noticed her eyeing Jane Eyre on the windowsill before it was her turn. But then I turn to Althea and we share a look that tells me we both caught it.
She makes lying look very easy.
But by the twinkle in Miss Bennet's eyes, I believe she saw it too.
She then turns to Althea.
"How about you?"
"My name is Althea Reyes. I am sixteen years old. My favourite book is The Invisible LiFe Of Addie Larue. And a random fact about me is that I am an only child."
Her voice is calm and confident. Never faltering.
Why can't I be like that?
"What about you?"
She smiles at me and Althea gives me a reassuring nod.
I swallow before beginning to speak.
"My name is Madelaina Ferrara. I am sixteen years old. My favourite book is Kingdom of the Cursed. And....a random fact about me is that I have a pet kitten."
My words were slow and slightly unsure but I only paused once and it was for less than four seconds.
The teacher moves along and Althea moves closer to me, squeezing my hand.
"See? You did it."
"I did. Thank you."
"Well, I am pretty inspiring."
We share another grin and turn to the next person.
As I turn, I catch Sofia looking in our direction once again. Brows furrowed and calculating eyes. Then she turns away.
I'm glad Althea warned me about her.
I don't think I could handle being hurt again in that way.
When the lesson is over, I decide to wait until everyone has left before I get up.
The boys were smart with making that decision.
"Why are we waiting?"
Swivelling my head around, I see that Althea is still in her seat beside me.
"Oh. Um I do it with the boys. That way when we leave it's less crowded."
"Hm. That's a good idea. But won't it make you late?"
"Sometimes. But you can't get in trouble when you're with them."
"Mhm. And 'them' are Lucas and Giovanni?"
"And Angel."
"Right, yeah, him too."
Her dismissal of him is curious. Given that he doesn't seem to like her either.
"Did you two....."
"What? No!"
I believe the part about nothing happening between them.
But not about the part about her not wanting to.
That, I think they are both very much in denial of.
We start to walk out once the noise in the hallway has quieted.
"Are you sure?"
"Trust me. I'd rather cut out my own tongue than let his anywhere near me."
"If you say so."
"I do say so. Which way are you?" She asks when we reach a section in the halls that splits.
"Oh uh..... oh. I have no idea. I haven't been to my locker yet and Angel has my information."
"Why?"
"I don't know, actually."
"Okay, well I'm this way." She points to the area of lockers that is closest in distance to the school entrance.
"I'm probably going that way to go out anyway."
"Okay then."
We walk over to her locker and as she opens it I feel extremely self conscious if I should've taken that moment to leave. But to my relief, she starts taking to me again.
"So. How do you like it here so far?"
"The town or the school?"
"Both?"
"Uh, well. The town is pretty. It has some beautiful places and I like how it rains here. The school is....."
"A lot?"
"A lot."
"Yeah."
As we share another laugh, I start to think about the negatives again.
Are we friends?
Does she really like me?
Is she just tolerating me right now?
Am I-
The screen of a new iPhone lands in front of me and she gestures for me to take it.
"Put your number in there."
"You want my number?"
"Of course I do. How could I not? Have you met you?"
I release a noise that is half sigh and half laugh and add my number.
"Thank you. There. Now we can talk about books and other random things when we're not in English class."
"Okay. Well I think my driver's waiting so I better go."
"Oh, okay. Well I have to go and grab something from the office so I'll see you tomorrow."
"Okay. It was great meeting you."
"You too."
The next thing I know, she wraps me up in a hug.
I am so caught off guard that I don't have time to return it because she lets go and waves goodbye as she walks back to the office.
Shaking it off, I exit the school and continue walking to the gates. But when I get there, Fredrico isn't.
Just as I get out my phone to call him, a car horn to my right blares twice.
It's Angel's car.
He moves his head out of the window and gives me a wide grin.
"Hey, Princess!"
I head over to his window and immediately take a step back.
"You smell like sweat."
"Nuh uh, Princess. That's the sweet smell of hard fucking work."
"You had gym with Lucas?"
"Yup."
"Where is he?"
"He's coming. He wanted to get something from his locker."
"Do you live near us?"
"Just a few miles away. My house is just a mansion. Not an estate like yours and Lucas's."
"Oh?"
"Mhm. Instead of all that extra land, mommy and daddy dearest have homes set up for us in different countries."
"Like where?"
"Uh, Paris, Dubai, London, one in Italy and a penthouse in New York."
"What part of Italy?"
"Florence. Lucas's parents grew up there and have one too."
"Oh. My parents grew up there as well."
"Did they? Looks like you've both got a lot in common." He says with a smirk that speaks volumes.
No.
We are not going down that dark path of a conversation.
No way in hell.
"Do you usually drive separately?"
He snickers before answering, knowing I clearly want to change the subject.
"No. We normally ride together. One of us drives for the day. But today I woke up late and he didn't want to wait. Kind of rude if you ask me. I mean, what kind of monster leaves their best friend to drive themselves to school in the morning?"
"Me."
We both turn at the sound of Lucas's voice.
"You took your time." Angel quips.
Lucas simply opens his back door while giving him the finger.
He tosses in his bag and then rounds his car before opening.......the passenger door.
He looks to me.
"Get in."
"What?"
"You're coming with me."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Thoughts?
What do you think of Sofia now?
What do you think of Althea now?
Let me know <3