Broken Heart/Broken Mind

-Chapter Nine-

Fifth grade:

Sophie walked onto the playground halfway through recess.

When she walked up to her friends, Biana ran over and jumped on Dex's back, "Where were you yesterday?"

Dex buckled under her weight. His knees wobbled. "For the last time, Biana, quit jumping on me!"

She got off, "You're no fun."

Sophie laughed. "I was at the neurologist. Had to do some brain scans and get my medicine adjusted." She turned to Keefe, "Did you not tell them?"

Keefe furrowed his brows. "I thought I did."

"Well, apparently not," Tam said.

Keefe rolled his eyes. "Oh, wow, sorry that not all of us can be as perfect as you."

Tam narrowed his eyes.

So why weren't you out here earlier?" Linh asked.

Sophie was in the middle of climbing the rock wall as she answered, "Had to make up my work. I'm all caught up now, though."

"Well, good!" Biana exclaimed. "Now we can play. I vote for tag, and Dex is it!"

She nearly shoved him when she tagged him. She raced off to the other side of the playground. Sophie and the rest of her friends scattered.

Dex stood there like a wide-eyed deer. "No fair, I wasn't ready!" he shouted. He raced off to go tag one of his friends.

When they were done, they sat sweaty under the awning. Sophie wiped the sweat. From her face. Keefe was leaned against the brick wall, still attempting to catch his breath. Biana took her hair out of the pony tail and shook her head to let it free.

"You guys excited for middle school next year?" Tam said.

"Yes!" Dex exclaimed. "They have a robotics club. I'm so excited to be able to sign up. What about you guys. Wanna do any clubs or sports?"

"I'll probably do the animal shelter volunteering," Linh said.

"That sounds fun," Biana told her. "I want to try and do tennis."

"I can completely see you doing that!" She turned to Tam. "What do you wanna do?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. I don't know if I want to join anything. If I do, probably cooking."

They all turned to Sophie and Keefe. Dex said, "What about you two?"

"I kind of want to try to give swimming a shot," Sophie said. "I asked my doctor yesterday if I could, and he said I should as long as my medicine works. I'll just have to be careful. But I'm good at telling when one's about to happen, so it should be fine." She asked Keefe, "Are you going to try to do anything?"

"Umm... I haven't really thought about it." He ran a hand through his hair. "I'd like do to sports, but I'm not able."

Sophie eyed him. "Since when? You're just not allowed to do contact sports. There's still plenty you can do."

"Yeah," Biana agreed. "There's basketball, tennis, baseball, soccer. Although I wouldn't do soccer if I were you," she advised. "Fitz did it this year. He's gotten trampled. Five times. Although he is enjoying baseball right now."

"Actually," Keefe pondered, "Baseball doesn't  sound half bad."

"See," Sophie said. "You can do that!"

Linh gasped. "You guys will be in our classes next year, won't you?"

Sophie's face lit up. "You're right!"

Keefe smirked, "You guys are going to regret that excitement. Sophie's not going to be the only one I can prank anymore."

"Thank God," she muttered under her breath.

"Oh, don't worry, sweet little Sophie Foster," he rested his chin on her shoulder. His grin was wicked. "I still have PLENTY saved up for you."

Tam snorted. "I feel bad for you, Sophie."

"Me too," she grumbled. "Me too, Tam."

The whistle was blown to head inside. Sophie and Keefe said goodbye to their friends and went their separate ways. Sophie waited as Keefe gulped down half an ocean from the water fountain, and rushed to catch up with their classmates inside the classroom.