The One That Didn't Get Away

Fourth

Liam

Sophie is already sitting down on my porch by the time I get there. She looks winded, and her hair is messy. I look down at her and she looks up, grinning.

Sophie takes out her water bottle. I think she's going to drink some, until I notice it's coffee. And that it's on my head.

She giggles and I open the door, sighing. "I now wish I had not invited you," I look at her as she closes the water bottle and sets down her bookbag. "But I still did, so yay for me and you."

"Aren't your parents home?" She asks, frowning her eyebrows.

"They're out of town. We have the house to ourselves." She wiggles her eyebrows pervedetly and smiles.

I look at her and restrain a laugh. "So what do you want to do?" She asks, taking off her black converse. I see that she's wearing crocodile socks, and I widen my smile.

"We can go play basketball outside for a bit," she looks at me and grins. Putting her shoes back on, she runs to fetch a basketball. Not only when I am outside do I hear what she's saying.

"Loser gets to pay dinner and treats!" She squeals. I sigh, because I know she's going to make me pay, even if she loses.

We play for a while, and surprisingly, Sophie is winning by a fair amount of points, even if I am a good half foot taller. Suppose it's my fault if I fall in love with a sporty beauty.

I hear the neighbor's car roll in, and I nudge her. "Guess who lives next to me," I whisper. She shrugs and I keep going. "Dylan."

She looks at me in fear, and she becomes as still as a mouse. I can hear her think, thoughts running through her mind. Does she like Dylan? Is that why she looks like that? I look at Dylan's car, feeling jealousy.

"C-can we go inside, please?" I hear her mumble. I look back at her and see that she's about to cry. I nod.

We go back inside right as Dylan exits his car. She looks at me, her eyes full of something I can't reckognize, and points to the restroom. I nod again.

I wait for a few minutes, then I hear a sob. Then another, until all I hear are sobs. I feel desolate, and I go knock on the door.

"Sophie? Sophie, answer, come on. Sophie, Sophie?" I try the door. It's unlocked.

She's sitting on the floor. Her head is almost resting on her knees, but she's supporting it with her hands. Her eyes are blood shot when she looks up, and her body shakes with another sob.

"Sophie, what happened?" I ask quietly. She shakes her head.

A few minutes pass. She calms down, but seems to be thinking. Her phone buzzes, and she looks down.

"That was you," I murmur quietly. I slowly and carefully put my arm around her, and let her lean on my chest. I'm afraid she's going to break, so I hold her carefully.

She opens her phone, looking at the conversation. "I'm going to have to stay here overnight," she whispers, quietly and carefully. "My parents have an overnight meeting they forgot to tell me about." She sounds annoyed.

"That's fine," I look at her. Thinking, I continue. "What if we watched that movie we were talking about?"

Her eyes brighten, and she smiles and nods. "Chinese takeout!" She squeals, holding my hand as she runs. She lets go when we get to the living room.

"You choose," she looks at me and points her finger expectantly. "You know I don't want any sappy shit."

I salute like she was my general, and she grabs the phone to order the food.

I don't feel like breaking it to her that Dylan is coming over later tonight.