"So why don't you ever talk about him?"
"Talk about who sweetheart?"
"My father."
Her mother dropped her fork, a spaghetti noodle dangling from its end. She was speechless. The topic was only ever brought up once. When Sophia was 11, and her best friend Maddie invited her over to her dad's new house. "Well, I don't think there is much to say peach."
"There is plenty to say, I'm sure," she pressed.
"Honestly Sophia, I don't even know why you brought this up," she sighed, clearing the table of half eaten plates of spaghetti.
"Why don't you ever want to talk about him? I always have to talk about things I don't wanna talk about."
"What is with this sudden change of attitude?"
Sophia just shrugged.
"Sweetie," her mother cooed, taking a seat next to her, "he's not a good person. And I'd much rather focus on good, rather than evil."
"You never did tell me why he's so evil."
"We talked about this before honey."
"No, we didn't. The only time I ever asked about him, you told me he left for work and that you were okay with him leaving it to be just us two. So I know that's obviously not the truth. I want to know. Who is my father?"
Her mother let out a heavy sigh. Rubbing her temples, she closed her eyes and opened them several seconds later. "Alright Sophia, alright. Your father, he is a very powerful man. He runs with some very shady men in New York."
"What's his name?"
At this, her mother froze. Several minutes passed before she spoke a word. "Damian. His name is Damian."
"And his last name?"
She sighed. "Carlisle. Your fathers name is Damian Carlisle."
"As in-"
"Yes, Sophia. As in the Damian Carlisle. Ring leader of Carlisle Cartel. So now, let's drop this father talk and figure out what we will do this weekend, shall we?"
✦ ✦ ✦
"Hey," he breathed, leaning against the locker. "Seems you got it figured out now huh?"
She glanced behind her open locker at his sweet little half smile. She simply shrugged in response.
"How was your weekend?"
Again, she glanced around the locker. "Good."
"You're not much of a talker, are you?"
Silence.
"Well, lucky for you, I happen to be a great talker. And an even greater listener."
"What do you want?" she asked, closing the locker.
"I want to talk to you Sophia. I want to get to know you. Is that such a bad thing?"
"I'm not a charity case, nor am I the kind of girl you usually talk to," she spit back.
The look of shock did not go unnoticed. He probably never has anyone turn him down; turn down the opportunity to talk to the Zane Hartley. She knew his type. There's one at every school. Her previous school it was Kyle Banks.
"Wow," was all he could muster up. She watched as his feet shuffled on the blue tiled floor, how his hand ever so lightly nipped at the base of his neck, how he unknowingly and nervously licked his lips.
"Now please, just leave me alone," she stated, walking away, leaving him to deal with the surprise of someone not actually wanting his attention.
"For some reason, Sophia, I just can't leave you alone." His breath washing over the side of her face as he spoke sent her into shock. She stopped mid-step, mouth slightly agape. "For some reason, I want to get to know you. I want to find out why you push me away the way you do. I want to know why you can barely ever look me in the eye. I want to just know you. Is that such a bad thing, Sophia Layne?"
She froze like a deer in headlights. Not since before the incident had anyone even attempted to talk to her, to befriend her. This was not normal. This was not right.
"Like I said, I'm not a charity case. In just a few months, we'll all be out of here and no one will remember, or even care to remember, who's who at Presley Prep. So there is no need to 'get to know me' just so you can forget it all in a few months."
"But that's where you're wrong. I want to get to know you. I don't want to forget you in a few months. Why is this so hard for you to believe?"
"Because you're just like Kyle Banks."
"Kyle Banks? Who is Kyle Banks?"
"He's the you at my old school."
"He's the me? What do you mean?"
"Oh you know, cool, popular, the guy every guy wants to be and every girl wants to be with."
He simply laughed. "Oh Sophia, you've got this all wrong." He just continued to laugh. Sophia, completely unamused, began walking away. "Wait! Sophia, just wait a moment," he called, grabbing gently onto her arm, forcing her to stop. "Please, just let me walk you to class."
"Fine," she muttered. "Just to class."