Some Love Isn't Forever (Book One of 'The True Reality' Series)

It Gets Worse

The next few weeks passed in a blur.

Edaline said she could stay there for the rest of the month, for a chance to get used to the new home.
As promised, Sophie had called Amy every day, and told her everything was going to be okay. Not that Sophie was even really sure of that herself.

But now her month to settle in was up. And now, well, she had to go back to school and face everyone. She wasn't so sure she could do it.

Walking downstairs with her backpack, she zipped it up quickly to hide Ella inside. She might be in high school, but there was no way she would make it through the day without the elephant.

Grady waited at the door, his face blank and unreadable. "Morning kiddo, you ready for school? You need me to drive you or can you go yourself?" Sophie was tempted to ask him to drive her, but she didn't trust them that much quite yet.

"I can walk, thanks." She muttered, and walked out the door, sprinting down the driveway to the sidewalk before Grady could say anything else.

Of course, her luck didn't exactly get much better by doing that.

"First time I've seen you outside to a while." Someone said behind her, and Sophie stopped, sighing slightly. Looked like she wouldn't be able to walk to school alone.

Keefe walked up to her, for once without his skateboard. "So... I'm assuming you don't want to talk about what happened?" She wasn't sure what he was talking about, the necklace or her parents, so she just ignored the question and started walking again.

To her mild annoyance, he kept pace with her, but had the decency to stay quiet.

About two blocks from the school, Sophie got up the nerve to say something. "I'm sorry."

Keefe raised an eyebrow, confusion spread across his face.

"I've been such a jerk since you got back. I've held a grudge for too long, and lately my choices haven't been so smart. I just thought... that I owed you an apology." It took her a moment to realize that she was crying, but she didn't try to hide it. She never cried at Grady and Edaline's. She didn't want them to see her like that. It felt good to finally get it out.

"Don't worry about it. Go ahead and be a big jerk all you want." Sophie looked up at him, to see his smirk. At first she thought he was mocking her, until it came clear that he was trying to make her feel better. "Go ahead, I won't get mad."

Sophie laughed a little bit, but shook her head. She wasn't going to do that; no matter how tempting it was.

They turned onto the last street before they had to cross to the school.

"So, uh, how have you been doing? With the um..." he trailed off, like he was looking for the right word.

Sophie looked at her hands for a moment, and shrugged. "Not that great. I don't get to talk about it it much, since Amy isn't here."

"What?" That's right. No one else knew.

"Amy got sent to a different home. Oralie didn't do great at explaining it, but yeah.."

They crossed the street, and walked up into the parking lot.

"So how's she handling all of this..." Keefe said, before stopping. Sophie stopped too, and turned.