Musically Problematic

Chapter 3: Work

I look behind me and see that it was my driveway that the car screeched into...dad's home for once. This can't be good, he's never home...

Sophie's POV:

I walk into roll call with my head down not wanting to see Michael, let alone talk to him after what he tried on me yesterday. This is exactly why I isolate myself, guys are perverts...not just some...ALL guys are perverted.

"Hey!" I hear someone say and then I feel an arm on my shoulders. I push the arm away and sit down in 'my' desk at the back of the room. Michael kneels down beside me and leans over my desk. I tense up and move my body away from his.

"Please...don't talk to me."

"I didn't mean to get you fired...I promise."

The teacher walks over to us doing his normal uniform check and sees Michael on the floor beside my desk.

"Michael! Go sit at the front of the room!"

"I'm sorry...please come see me at lunch."

He gets up and follows the teacher to the front.

***

The bell rings to signal the start of lunch, and my freedom from math. I grab my bag and head to the lunch hall.
I feel arms wrap around my shoulders.

"Hey Sophie!"

"I thought I was supposed to find you...what's up with all this physical contact anyway? Would you just stop it...All of it!"

"Sorry. Got to go."

He runs off before I can say anything else, I turn around to see where he goes and see Calum standing by 'their' table with crossed arms. I buy a gravy roll from the tuckshop and go to find a quiet, secluded place to sit.

"Hey Soph! Join us!"

I slowly walk over to Michael and Calum's table. Michael grabs my wrist pulling me onto the chair beside him. He puts his arm around me, my whole body tenses up and I try to push it off without making a big scene in front of Calum. He may not be liked by everyone, but he is on the soccer team so everyone knows and respects him. I'm actually surprised Penny is dating Luke and not Calum...Calum is fit and would be better popularity material in my opinion.

"Am I missing something? When did you two start dating?"

I almost choke on my gravy roll that I'd barely bitten into, I put the roll on the table and run to the bathroom to gather my thought and just get away from them. I can't be around them, he's already tried to rape me...I don't deserve this. I know I'm vulnerable and people can easily take advantage of that like Michael did but he now knows I'm not an idiot and I know how to defend myself. No matter how weak I seem, I can be strong when I want to be, which actually isn't that often.

Michael's POV:

"What the hell man?"

"Sorry?"

"Damn right you better be sorry. I've been trying to get her to open up to someone in this god forsaken school for ages, and now that she was starting to talk to me, you ruin it."

"Sorry...but I'm confused, are you dating?"

"No! We're just friends...well not quite even that...I'm trying to get her, her job back since I was the reason she didn't get it. I was trying to get her fired so my amount of shifts and pay rate doesn't drop...and it will if she gets the job...but that doesn't matter to me anymore. She needs the money as much as anyone else."

"But her parents are rich, she doesn't actually need the money."

"Ever think there might be another reason she wants the money?"

"Like what?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out."

Sophie's POV:

The bell echoes through the bathroom, so I wipe my eyes, I wasn't crying but my eyes were watering, and walk out. I slowly walk towards my geography room, until I remember Calum is in my class. I suddenly feel sick to my stomach, I go to the nurse's office and lay down. I feel my eyes get heavy and my head starts spinning so I ask to go home and sleep.

***

When I get home, luckily my house is empty so I collapse on my bed and practically pass out.

***

I hear a soft knock on my door, "Who is it?"

"Michael..."

"What the hell are you doing in my house! Ouch."

"Calm down, your mother told me to just come up here. I called first. Before you ask how I got your number, Mr. Johnson gave it to me, so I could tell you that you can have your job back."

"You can't come in here!"

"Please let me in, I need to explain something and apologise for-"

"Fine...Come in then. Just be quiet."

The door handles twists and the door creeks open, I see Michael standing in the doorway staring at me. His eyes give off an apologetic aura, not judgemental at all.

"Hey...Soph. Can we forget what I did yesterday and what Cal said earlier? Unless...you want to give him a proper answer or continue yesterday's endeavours without you kicking me in the balls of course..."

"I don't want either of those things. Why are you really here? I know it isn't for my job because Mr. Johnson would have called me not you! How did you actually get my number? Phone book? Yellow pages?"

"Well...maybe that was a lie. But I knew you wouldn't talk to me...I got your number of yellow pages..."

"You don't know anything. I'm talking to you now. If you're trying to get my attention, you've got it, but for all the wrong reasons."

"Yeah. And for that I'm very sorry. I want to make things better between us, I want there to be something between us."

"Anyway! What's the truth? Why are you here?"

"Mr. Johnson hasn't given you your job back yet...but he will. Come with me! I'm going to get you your job back and I won't make you open up to me until and unless you want to."

"Why would I believe a Lier like you?"

He sits down on my bed and brushes hair out of my eyes and then caresses my cheek.

"Michael."

"I'm...I'm sorry!"

He stands up and heads towards the door.

"Meet me at Sanity at 4:30. I'll show you the ropes and get your job back."

He opens the door and shoots me one last glance and a wink. I just nod as the door closes.