Road to Nowhere

Chapter 4

Sophie's POV

Hey" I smile slightly as I approach him.

There is silence.

"Oh I brought your school bag"he says handing me my bag. Damn I must of left it in the principles office!

"Thanks" I say taking it. I've been thanking Tom all day. He must think I'm so strange, I know I do.

"So um how did you get my house number?", I ask.

"Well I could of searched your name up in the phone book, but my dad obviously has access to the school records and he gave me your address " he replied.

"Usually he isn't allowed to give that information to just anyone, but I was doing an errand by bringing you your bag so he gave your address to me' he explains.

Ah so he wasn't a creepy stalker. He just happened to be doing a favor for his dad. There is more silence.

"So how are you holding up?" he asks.

My face must look dumbfounded right now as I stand there, shocked I was being asked such a question. It wasn't a usually a question anyone asked me. And I was so surprised he kept being kind to me. Most people just fake it. You know to find out and know your true emotions so they can use the emotions to manipulate and hurt you.

"I'm ok" I say, not wanting to reveal my true feelings in case he laughs at me. People usually do.

"You probably think its weird a complete stranger asked you that. In fact it is weird but I know what it's like to be bullied" he says showing understanding.

"Most people don't understand" I say.

"That is very true, even though a lot of people go through bullying it's not something people like to acknowledge or accept. The bullies parents just want to go around believing their kid wouldn't do such things to others and sometimes the victims parents think their kid is just making up stories to get attention" he agrees.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" He asks.

"Yeah let's" I smile and start walking.

"So you said you were bullied?" I ask him.

"Yeah I was when I started high school. They called me names and bashed me, you know the usual" he replies.

"I had no friends, no one wanted to hang out with the nerd" he says.

I laugh.

"What?" he chuckles.

"I can't imagine you as a nerd" I reply.

He laughs with me.

"Considering the person I am now I can understand why you say that, that's why people find it hard to understand bullying. They look at you and go no they wouldn't get bullied they are too nice or pretty and they move on thinking you don't need support. Not even considering the situation. But victims can be anyone, even that person that you would think would be very happy with their perfect life" he points out.

"So what about you?"he asks referring to the bullying.

"It started just over a year ago. It was just a normal day then I found out my two best friends weren't talking all because one of them, Clara, had said some things behind my back" I start.

"So when Clara admitted to it I ended the friendship. Ever since the bullying has gotten worse"I say.

"You shouldn't have to put up with a friend like that or the bullying" he agrees.

"I didn't give her a second chance though. what kind of a best friend does that?" I ask.

"For what she did to you she doesn't really deserve a second chance"he says as we come to a park.

"Hey want to go on the swing?" he asks mischievously.

"Lets!" I say running to the swing.

"Last one there is a rotten egg" he says as he runs beside me.

"That is so immature!", I say in a silly voice.

I run faster and beat him to the swing by a few steps. He accidentally runs into the back of me with so much force we topple on the ground. he lands on top of me.

"Eww get off me" I joke in a retarded voice.

"Oh toughen up princess!" He chuckles.

He gets up and holds out his hand. I take hold and he pulls me up. I smile at him. He smiles back, his dimples are showing and his smile is warm. It's not only the first genuine smile I've seen in a while but when he smiles I get a sense that everything's going to be alright. That his sticking around for a while. His in it for the long run and isn't going anywhere. This was the start of a great friendship.

- - - - - -

I decided to stay home from school the next day as my head was still a bit sore and I had bruises by now. I was not a pretty sight. Once I would've of embraced a bruise or too. But I lost all my confidence when I got bullied. Bullying does that to you, it changes you. A simple hair out of place makes you feel like your hair is to messy so you don't want to go out. In my case a few bruises makes me feel ugly so I don't want to go out. Once I would've gone to school but these days I was more self conscious and anxious. If I felt the tiniest bit ugly, which I did most days, I didn't want to go to school. Sometimes I had to but today I didn't. You probably wonder how an unsure, anxious girl like me stood up to Clara yesterday. But I've just had enough and people like my mum and Tom supporting me make it easy to stand up to the bullies. It's weird I hadn't known him long and already he was my strength. I still find it very strange. Actually yesterday was very strange with all events that took place. 

I'm disturbed from my thoughts by a text coming through on my phone from an unknown number. Fear filled me when I read the text! Today was going to be another rough day! I suddenly wanted to go back to bed. I couldn't believe what was happening!