Y/N's POV:
The next day rolls around, and I do my best to hold up my end of the deal and approach Sophia without holding any remaining grudges toward her. After all, this time I really do want to go through with the deal. Unlike last time.
It's quite ironic to think about how Sophia's conditions in the deal did a full 180.
"How was your weekend?", Sophia asks in a light, noncommittal tone. It's Tuesday already but I guess that doesn't really matter.
I shrug, even though I'm not sure she can see it while focusing on the road. "It was fine. I didn't do much."
"So ... you didn't see anyone or ...?", Sophia investigates carefully.
"Oh, if you mean Laura, no I didn't see her because she was busy, but we talk." That was what she wanted to know, I guess. "Are you two still not talking?", I ask a question of my own. We've quickly ventured into sensitive territory, but honestly, I prefer that to pointless small talk.
"No, we've talked it out. I've apologized to her as well. But she wasn't so quick to forgive. And I get that; she's been my friend for much longer. And she's seen me do a lot of awful things. So if she wants to wait and see whether I'm really going to change, that's okay." Sophia says it in such a simple tone that I almost don't realize the gravity of her words. What they really mean.
"I think you did change. A lot", I admit.
"How so?"
"You're just so mature about this. I don't know if I could be so calm if I were you. You just went and admitted your mistakes and really owned up to them. And you really want to change."
Sophia nods slowly. It takes her a while to find the right words. "I guess it was just the right thing to do. And it's not like I was the one to admit everything in the first place. I don't know how things would've been if Laura hadn't had the guts to confess everything to you."
"I still think that it would've been easy for you to fall back into old patterns and just bully the both of us - Laura and me, I mean - instead of committing to change."
Now there's some desperation in Sophia's voice. "I never wanted to be a bad person. It's just ... People would never listen to me when I was younger. I was soft-spoken and shy, but then I became more confident over the years. And I made friends that looked up to me. It was just so easy to make them do what I wanted. I guess I liked being listened to and being in charge too much .... When I think about it now, most of these people aren't even what I'd call close friends."
I can tell that she's got herself worked up about it. The pleasant, lighthearted atmosphere Sophia has tried to create is completely gone now. But I don't mind. For some reason, hearing about her motives and experiences further gives me closure. It's not an excuse for what she did but I like knowing that Sophia isn't just a sadistic human being who enjoys tormenting others just for the heck of it.
"It's only fair that everything backfired I guess", Sophia adds after a bit of silence. "I almost lost my best friend and I completely screwed up things with you just when I was beginning to realize that maybe I really liked you."
I face Sophia with wide eyes, just in time to catch her moment of realization.
"Liked talking to you, I mean", she corrects herself. I only nod and leave it be.
"Maybe this is just what you needed. You didn't lose either of us, plus, you got a chance to maybe stop everything you've been doing and make more real friends", I suggest.
Sophia shrugs. "I'm not sure. I guess my reputation at school can't be fixed so easily."
"I haven't met many people who really seemed to hate you. I think most people have a neutral opinion. Laura told me that you didn't bully without a reason."
"But I still did, didn't I?"
"I wouldn't think too much about it. You'll find out either way if it ruined your chances of making more friends. But I don't think it did. It's pretty obvious that you want to be a better person and people will notice too."
Sophia glances at me and offers me a warm smile. "I really hope you're right, Y/N."
~
Just like before, everything falls into place so easily, so effortlessly, so naturally. The conversations in Sophia's car flow easily, though we never talk about her and our mutual past again. But we still have plenty to talk about; with Sophia, it's so easy to find new topics and keep the conversation going. And eventually, I find myself being really glad that I gave her another chance.
YOU ARE READING
New Girl
FanfictionY/N is forced to move by their parents. With them now living alone with no friends and being bullied by their classmates, Y/N's life has taken a turn for the worse. But what will happen when Y/N realizes the school's most popular girl Sophia, who ju...