It's Saturday, and Sophia still hasn't replied to my Instagram message. I'm worried something might be wrong with her. The guy may have come back and hurt her.Exchanging numbers before I left her house yesterday, I called her. The phone kept ringing and went straight to voice messaging.Thinking she may be busy with some Saturday chores, I decided not to call her again. After all, I was going to pick her up at her house this evening. She was supposed to show me around town since I'm new here.Hours have passed, and it's almost time for me to pick her up, and she still hasn't returned my missed call. The worries grow."Where are you going?" As I'm coming down the stairs, Mom asks."I'm going out.""With whom, a girl or a boy?" She studies my outfit. A blue long-sleeve shirt, black pants, and a grey and white Jordan.Playfully, she sniffed my Calvin Klein cologne, and I laughed.Her face then turns serious as she finds out for herself that it's a girl."You know I don't like cheating m
"Jaylee, it's time for us to leave," I hear mom call downstairs.I remained to sit on the bed, not wanting to go."Jaylee, I said I'm ready!"With an ache in my heart, I get up, stamping my feet angrily, and leave the room.Mom looks at the top of the stare, and she's furious.I stop."Can't I go to the school at Dad?" I say."Jaylee, I don't have time for your childish behavior anymore. I'm late for work, and we need to leave now," she says, walking to the front door to open it.I sigh and start running down the stairs.On the road, all I can think about is not seeing Nate at school.When I arrive, I look around for his car. Thankfully, there was no sight of his car. Which means he wasn't here yet. I remove my seatbelt and dash from the car."Goodbye," I heard my mom say as I did."Yeah," I say.After confessing my feelings for Nate, I plan to hide him whenever I see him. I am still humiliated after he turned me down.The first session of school is going great until the second class.
It's Tuesday, and I'm at swimming practice. Brimworth, the coach, approaches me as I get out of the pool."Nate, your phone has been ringing like crazy for about an hour. Go and see who it is. It must be something very important for someone to be calling like that," he says, walking off.I was worried something might have gone wrong with Mom like Dad finding out where we lived. I ran to the locker room and burst open my locker with the wildest thought that Dad had her lying on the floor, choking her.There's a possibility it can happen. I left her at home, not feeling too well, and she probably heard him at the door, though it was me.Fishing my phone from my backpack, the worries fade away when I see it was Sophia calling thirty times, and no missed call from mom, which means she's okay.I return Sophia's call. After the incident with the sex buyer, I haven't heard from her, nor has she been at school. It's good to hear from her now."Hey Nate, I'm sorry I haven't answered any of you
For an hour, I had Sophia in my arms; she'd fallen asleep.My phone vibrates. I retrieved it from my pocket.Training late, Mom texted.No, I'm with a friend; I'll be there soon. I texted back.Okay, come home soon.I put my phone down and watched Sophia sleep. She's beautiful when she sleeps, and I find myself developing feelings for her.I wish I could let her sleep more in my arms, but I must go."Sophia." I gently touch her shoulder."Hmm," she moans, her eyes open."I'm sorry, but my mom needs me," I say."It's okay," she says, sitting up and rubs her eyes."Should I take you home or leave you at the gas station?" I ask.I'd hate to cause any more trouble for her and her mother."At the gas station," she says.I nod.As we arrive at her stop, she says, "Thank you, Nate, for being here for me.""My pleasure, and feel free to call me whenever you need someone to talk to again," I say with a smile.She's about to open the car door to leave."When are you coming back to school?" I as
It's Saturday, and I'm outside mowing the lawn when Mom pops up with a cup of water.Stopping, I turn to her and take it, quenching my thirst."Thanks," I say, handing her back the cup.She takes it and starts to play with the end of her hair, twisting it around a finger, and her eyes, as dark as mine, scrutinize the areas I'd mowed.She does this when she's nervous, and I find out she wasn't just there to give me a cup of water; there was more to it."Mom, is there something you want to tell me?" interestedly, I ask.Quickly, her eyes jump to me, and worries mixed with fear take over.Finding out what she wanted to say, I angrily resumed mowing, refusing to hear anything.She runs in front of the lawn mower. I stop, almost running her over."I could have hurt you," I growl."We have to talk about this, Nate," she says, standing firmly before me."I don't want to hear anything you have to say about that man!" I'm walking away."Nate," she chases me down."How long have you been talkin
I rise from the bed as the alarm clock goes off, stopping it."It is time." I stretch with an excited smile.I shove the blanket aside and get out of bed.Today is a big day for me. I'll officially be known as a member of the Hot Shot cheerleading team. I've been drafting for it to happen since I started Effney High. However, a few setbacks extended it to five years.Yeah, I wanted to join the team the first year I started, but dolefully, I began to wear glasses. The squad would never accept a four-eye to cheer with them.After pleading desperately with my mom to let me wear eye contact in the eighth grade, she finally decided to let me. I was overjoyed for a short period until I discovered from an appointment with my dentist that I would wear braces for two years. The news hit me like a bolt of lightning. I would never have a chance with the Hot Shot cheerleading squad. Eye contact could hide glasses. What could hide braces? Nothing.I was happy; two years had passed, and my teeth we
As I'm about to put on my glasses, the reflection of my mom, a petite woman with shoulder-length hazel hair, appears in the mirror.She leans onto the open door, and her eyes, which are as dark as mine, gleam with sadness."I'm sorry my life has affected you," her hands fold, and her head drops."Mom, it didn't." Immediately, I go to her.Her head rises. Tears saturate her eyes."You should be at your former school, carrying the title of captain of the swim team, and with your girlfriend and your friends."Tears flow from her eyes. She hastily wipes it away before it can reach her cheeks.I take her hand and look deeply into her eyes to avoid her black eye and the bruise on her right cheek. That is almost healed."I'm right where I belong, here with you." I say.She smiles right before hugging me; my arms envelop her."I don't want to be the reason why you're late." She pulls away."Do you have all the documents?" she asks."Yes."Her hand extends to my glass to remove it, and I hold
I never expected to be accepted as one of the Hot Shot members when I applied for senior year. I had the physical ability and the appearance to join, but not the height. I'm 5 feet 2 inches, and I fear it would have hindered me since I wasn't as tall as the members. I'm glad my height didn't ruin my dream.I and seven other girls stand gleefully in the school's gymnasium. Amber, a blonde with blue eyes, sits before us. At each side of the desk stands the co-captain, Sookie, a short-haired blonde, and Katniss, a dark-haired member, holding the uniform.I'm eager to wear my uniform for the first time, but I'm confused why there is only one when there are eight of us. I ignored the thought and tuned into Amber speaking to us."You've all done an amazing job; that's why you're here," Amber says.My face hurts from smiling excessively."I love your outfit," Amber halts to compliment me."Thank you," I giggle.At Effney High, it is a great honor to receive a compliment from Amber or any of