“Hi,” he said awkwardly, his eyes never leaving Michelle.
“Hi, Simon.” Michelle sported a goofy grin, the sunlight reflecting off her braces.
“Oh … kay,” Sophie said, suppressing a chuckle. “Now that we're all here, shall we get started?”
I climbed onto the third tier of the bleachers, and my eyes locked with Marissa's again. I averted my gaze, but I noticed, not unhappily, that she did the same thing. I sat down a few feet away from her, keeping my eyes focused on the script in my lap. Simon, of course, took a seat right next to Michelle.
Sophie, who was in the middle of the group, turned to Marissa. “So, Riss, since you're the only one of us who's actually done this before, do you have any suggestions?”
Clearing her throat, she nodded, addressing the group. “The drama teacher, Mr. Danbury, is going to be judging auditions again. He's pretty strict, but he doesn't go all psycho if you mess up at first. The best way to impress him is to know the lines, know the character you're playing, and be confident.”
“Um …” I said, raising my hand. “I'm just wondering … what parts are we all playing?” Everyone turned to face me, including Marissa, and I felt my heart start to race. “I mean, obviously, the best roles are Peter and Wendy –”
“And Captain Hook,” interrupted Michelle, “but Siobhan told us that's who she wants to play, and she usually gets what she wants.”
I laughed. “An Irish girl playing Captain Hook? That's gotta be a first in Peter Pan history.”
“It'll be fun,” Sophie said. “But for now, we'll just assign roles as we go. Everyone cool with that?”
We all nodded.
So the five of us started reading from the script. The first few lines, I could barely get out of my mouth without croaking like a frog, but I discovered the more I concentrated on the lines and less on Marissa, the better I did. Everybody made a few flubs, and we all laughed in response.
Forty-five minutes later, though, I felt so much more at ease than when we started. There was just something about Sophie and her friends that made them different from all the other girls in our class. Everyone thought of them as losers, but what set them apart was that they didn't give a damn what others thought. They weren't judgmental, and they took their friendships seriously. They were good people. And if that makes them weird, well … I guess I am too.
The fifth-period bell rang, and, instinctively, all five of us stood up. We all hopped off the bleachers, stuffing our scripts into our backpacks. With a few hasty nods at each other, we began the trek back toward the school buildings … that is, until Marissa spoke up. “Ayden?” she softly asked.
Her eyebrows were furrowed, and it was obvious something important was on her mind. “Yes?”
“Can I ask you something?”
I turned toward the others, who were still walking back to the buildings. Sophie turned around briefly, but Marissa gave her a “go on without me” wave, and Sophie just nodded and continued walking. Simon and Michelle hadn't even looked back.
Looking into Marissa's face, I found myself once again captivated by her eyes. They were quite large for such a small, round face, very expressive, and for the briefest of moments, I zoned out completely.
Oh my God. This is it. The moment I've been dreaming of since sixth grade. What is she going to ask me?
Our eyes locked onto each other, and my insides melted. Inexplicably, I felt a wave of warmth coming from that smile, and my frantic brain responded by giving me control of my vocal cords again. “Of course,” I said. I saw her dark skin flush, and I could tell she was as nervous as me, which, oddly, made me feel better.
“In the cafeteria, Sophie told us that what she found out about Drew came from a 'reliable source' … that was you, wasn't it?”
I nodded.
She exhaled. “What's the deal between you and Sophie? I know you know each other, but … why would you do that for her?”
I averted my gaze for a moment, gathering my thoughts. “'Cause she's nice. She's a good person. I didn't want to see her get hurt.”
She smiled, and I matched it with one of my own. “That's really cool, Ayden. That you'd do that for her. It's more than most people would do.”
“Thanks,” I said, shuffling my feet.
“Sophie also told me … you decided to join the play … because of me.”
I gulped. Thanks a lot, Sophie. “She did?”
“Is it … true?”
I paused for a few seconds, trying to decide on a reply. Say something, Ayden! Finally, I stammered, “Ahh … well …kinda, yeah.”
“Why?”
“I …” I'm gonna have a heart attack. Right now. “I … don't know …”
She took a step toward me, eclipsing the short distance between us, stopping only two feet away. I could practically feel her breath on my face. “Was it … because of the valentine?”
“No … I just …” I spluttered. I tried not to look at her face, but there was no avoiding it. We locked eyes again, and my heart sank. There was no way I could lie to her. “Yes.” I sighed heavily. “Pretty silly, huh?”
“No, I think it's sweet.”
“Really?” I was shocked. And just like that, I understood. She may be a girl, but inside, she's just like me. She's shy, just like me. She only wants to make friends and find her place in this world, just like me.
She nodded. “I still have the one you gave me, you know.”
“Yeah, Sophie told me.” I felt the smile return to my face. “I still have yours, too. I keep it in my desk drawer. I look at it sometimes.”
She shuffled her feet in slight embarrassment. “That's … awesome,” she said, almost in a whisper.
“I've always wanted to ask you … I mean, I know Mrs. Higgins told us we had to give our valentine to someone, but you … I mean, you know …” And there went my voice again.
“Why you?” she asked, filling in the blank.
I nodded. “You could've given it to anyone. I've never understood why you picked me.”
“I'd … heard what happened to your dad, and =”
“Oh,” I interrupted. “You felt sorry for me.”
“No!” she exclaimed. “I mean, yes, I did feel sorry for you, but that's not the only reason.” Suddenly, she reached forward, taking my hand in hers. Her hand was warm, and the sensation was amazing. Oh my God, we're holding hands!
I was at a loss now. I had no idea what to think. Finally, I whispered, “Why, then?”
“Because … I like you.”
My stomach suddenly felt like a vicious civil war had broken out inside of it, churning and violent. “You do?”
She nodded. “I mean, I don't know you that well, but … you always seemed like a nice guy. The kind of guy who … um … I could get to know. I mean, if he was interested. It made me so happy when I got your valentine. But you never talked to me again after that.”
“I know, and I'm sorry. My dad left, and then my sister left too. Things got really bad, and …” I closed my eyes, lowering my head.
“It's okay, Ayden.” She turned my hand over in hers and lightly rubbed the top of it with her other hand. “I'm so sorry you had to go through all that. Life sucks sometimes, doesn't it?”
I could only nod in reply.
“But that's why you need friends. So you don't have to go through stuff like that alone. I … I can't even remember a time when Sophie and I weren't friends. She's always been there for me, no matter what. I'm sorry you didn't have someone like that back then, but … we're here for you now.”
Did she really just say that?
Marissa dropped my hand and wrapped her arms around me, placing her head on my shoulder. “I'm here for you.” I could feel her, pressed tightly against me, and for a moment it felt like her body heat would set me on fire.
Okay, THIS is the greatest moment of my life. So far.
She broke the hug and grabbed both my hands again. Her hands were so soft, and I didn't want to let them go.
I could have stood there with her forever.
“I thought Sophie was the hugger in your group,” I joked.
“Yeah, well, being best friends with her for eight years has kind of rubbed off on me,” she said with a wink.
I looked at the playground, which was now completely devoid of students. “Um … I think we're going to be late for class.”
“Oh, well. I'm not gonna lose sleep over it.”
I smiled. “Thanks, Marissa.”
“My friends call me 'Riss',” she said, returning my smile.
“So … does that mean I can call you 'Riss'?”
She winked again. “I think you just did.”
We're friends. It's official. Marissa Ramos and I are friends.
“Uh … Ayden?” she asked, interrupting my whirling thoughts.
“Yeah?”
“Time to run.”
I nodded, and we both broke into a sprint, heading toward our next class.
Chapter 14
~ Day 29 (Mon.) ~
SOPHIE
Marissa was all smiles at the lunch-table today. Her relationship with Ayden had gotten off to a good start after they'd spent the last two years awkwardly avoiding each other. This made me so happy, seeing two people I cared about finally letting their true feelings out. Unfortunately, we wouldn't be meeting to practice on the bleachers today, as it was pouring rain outside. But even the thunder rolling across the slate-gray sky didn't dampen our mood.
The Coven hadn't made any more moves or threats against me since Alexis and Rhianna were called into the principal's office and given a stern warning. I felt safe that this had bought me at least a few weeks of amnesty, but having to withstand their glares didn't make me feel any safer. Drew, of course, went right back to ignoring me, which also suited me just fine.
Today, however, my mind was on something else, and Marissa had noticed my change of mood. “What's wrong, Soph?”
I closed my eyes, remembering an unpleasant event from last night. “It's my sister, Kirsten. I'm worried about her.”
“Really? What's wrong?” Marissa asked, her eyes widening.
I looked at my friends' faces, wondering if I should confide in them. This was potentially a big deal, and I didn't want to get myself, or my sister, in trouble. But I needed advice, and there were no two people outside my family that I trusted more. “She's struggling. She's always been, like, the smartest person I've ever known, but high school Trig is really giving her problems. And on top of that, she's acting … well, weird.”
Marissa looked shocked, then sad. “What do you mean, 'weird'?”
I thought back to dinner last night. Kirsten had looked paler than normal, as if she hadn't been getting enough sleep. She also hadn't eaten much since I overheard her conversation with Duncan – although it didn't prove anything, it looked like she'd lost some weight since the school year started. Mom asked her if she was okay, and my sister simply stated that she wasn't feeling well and spent the rest of the night in her room.
“She won't even tell me what's wrong,” I confessed after I relayed all this information to them. “This whole thing's really scaring me.”
“More than Alexis and Rhianna?” Michelle asked.
I scoffed. “I'm not scared of them. Not anymore.”
“Well, you should be,” said a voice behind me.
I turned to see a familiar face staring down at us. I mean, the face was familiar, even though I was seeing it without makeup for the first time – but just about everything else was completely different. The old Kayla, who for the last year-plus had worn nothing but hip, trendy clothes, was now wearing just an old Katy Perry T-shirt and a pair of faded jeans. Her pixie-cut was still there, but the blue highlights were conspicuously gone.
Michelle and Marissa glanced up at her, and then back at me. I told both of them what Kayla did for me, and they were more than impressed when I'd told them about “the slap.”
I saw the lunch-tray Kayla was holding in her hands. She was clearly looking for a place to eat her lunch in peace. “May I sit down?”
“Please.” I motioned to the spot next to me. She set her tray down and slid in next to me.
We all sat in awkward silence for a few moments. Finally, Michelle's face erupted into a goofy grin. “That's so awesome, what you did to Alexis.”
“Thanks,” Kayla said, the tension in her shoulders melting away when she saw our smiles. “It was pretty cool. But Jeez, Michelle, what you did to Zach? That probably set a school record for awesomeness.”
“How'd you hear about that?” Michelle asked. “We didn't tell anyone.”
“Simple,” Kayla replied. “Zach told Drew, Drew told Lacey, Lacey told Hayley, Hayley dumped Zach, Zach got all pissed off at Lacey and then =”
“Lacey told everybody,” Marissa interrupted. No surprise there. Lacey Rathman had yet to come across a piece of gossip that she could possibly keep to herself. If gossip was an Olympic sport, she'd be a gold medalist for sure. I'd probably feel sorry for Zach if he wasn't such an ass-hat.
I cleared my throat, causing Kayla to glance my way. “What did you mean, I should be afraid of Alexis and Rhianna?”
“I spent nine torturous months sitting next to them, remember?” she retorted. “I know them. I know how their minds work. True, Alexis couldn't find her way from the beach to the ocean without Google Maps, but Rhianna? She's much smarter than you might think. And boy, does she hate you, Sophie.”
“But why?” I asked, a note of frustration tinging my voice. “What did I ever do to her?”
“You mean, besides give her a soda facial? I don't know,” Kayla said, tearing a hunk from her bread roll and placing it in her mouth. “But whatever her reason, you can believe that she's not going to let it go. If I were you, I'd grow eyes in the back of my head.”
“Jeez, Kayla!” Michelle said. “She's a thirteen-year-old girl, she's not the Mafia!”
“Well, the good news is, you've got a secret weapon,” Kayla replied, grinning triumphantly.
“Which is?” Michelle asked.
“Me.”
Marissa made a sour face. “Look, I know you think you're some big New York City badass, but …”
“I'm from Wisconsin.”
The look on Marissa's face was almost comical. “Oh,” she said softly, at a loss for words.
“I think you'd better explain,” I said.
“Explain what?” asked Michelle.
“I'm from Menomonie, Wisconsin,” Kayla confessed. “I just told everyone I was from New York so everyone would think I was cool. Believe me, nothing cool comes out of Menomonie. Like, ever.”
Michelle smiled. “I beg to differ.”
Kayla's brow furrowed, and then she broke out into a wide smile. “You know what? You guys are all right.”
“Thanks,” I said. Returning the smile, I performed the introductions. “Kayla, Shell and Riss. Shell and Riss, Kayla, our new recruit.”
“Nice to, uh, finally meet you,” Marissa said.
“You too,” Kayla said. “Wow, you are really into polka dots, aren't you?” She gestured at Marissa's peach-colored camisole, which was covered in white spots.
“Yeah, I know, you probably think they're uncool,” she replied dismissively.
“Not true,” Kayla said, smiling. “I think people just say they're uncool because they don't know how to make them work. But you, Marissa … you rock the polka dots.”
Marissa smiled gleefully. “Thanks.”
Michelle also smiled. “All right, we'll keep her.” We all laughed.
“I wish I'd joined this group from the start,” Kayla admitted.
“Why?” Michelle asked.
“The conversation, for one thing. This one we're having now is already better than any of the ones I had at that table.” She jabbed her fork in the Coven's direction.
“Well, in a perfect world, we'd be the most popular girls in school,” I said.
“True,” Michelle said, beaming. “But we s
till haven't found an Einstein-Rosen bridge to that world yet.”
Without even batting an eye, Kayla responded, “I seriously doubt you'd want to. Every theory surrounding wormholes suggests the gravitational forces would be enough to rip apart every molecule in your body. I don't think you'd risk that just to be popular.”
All three of us just stared at Kayla, our jaws hanging open.
Kayla returned our stares, blinking rapidly. “What?” she asked, like what she'd just said was perfectly normal for an eighth-grade girl.
“Oh my God, Shell, I think we just found your long-lost twin sister,” Marissa said, laughing.
“Hey now, super-smart is supposed to be my thing.” She tried to look threatening, failed, and then she started laughing as well. “Are you, like, an uber-genius or something?”
“No, I just read a lot,” Kayla said. “And I remember everything I read.”
I was amazed. I don't think I'd ever met anyone so full of surprises as Kayla in my life. “You have a photographic memory?”
“Uh huh. Well, to be precise, it's called an eidetic memory. My aptitude test scores are off the charts. I aced every test I ever took.”
The rest of us continued to stare.
“Don't get me wrong, it's awesome bringing great report cards home, but how many friends do you think I had growing up?”
“So that's why you … changed yourself?” I asked.
She nodded. “Just once, I wanted to be the cool girl, who hung out with the rest of the cool girls, and not the brainiac everyone hated because I was smarter than they were.” She sniffed, shaking her head. “I guess even smart girls can be dumb as dirt sometimes.”
I glanced at Riss and Shell, who were now looking at Kayla in a brand new light. I reached over and put a hand on Kayla's shoulder. “Welcome to the misfits' table, Miss Fanning.”
“Yeah, welcome,” said Riss. Michelle just nodded.
“Thanks, you guys,” Kayla said, relief spreading across her face.
An idea suddenly burst through my brain. “Just one more question …”
“What is it?”
My grin was huge. “You ever do any acting?”
Chapter 15
Sophie's Different (James Madison Series Book 3) Page 11