The Loser Squad | ✔️

Chapter 8 (Wow! You are still here! You need a reward for your patience!)

Mike's POV

I never liked family dinners. Especially when my aunt came over. Not that I had a problem with her, she was one of the sweetest and most caring women of all times, which leaves her daughter's behavior inexplicable. The girl thinks that she is the center of the universe and is one of the most popular girls in her  school. That's right, I am lucky enough to not be going to the same school as her, but she still comes for dinner with her parents every Saturday. I don't know why but she seems irritated by my presence, as if one of her schoolmates saw her around me it would ruin her reputation.

Reputation is important, I know that. It has nothing to do with fame and popularity like many people believe. It is more like rumors about you. It is what people think you are, a mask that you wear whether you like it or not. The others force you to. You can't take the mask off, but you can change it, though it's hard, it needs work.

My cousin, Anita, believes that reputation is fame. That girl's social life consists of facebook, instagram and parties. And dont get me started on her grades. It is horrifying. Anita has it worse than Liz (no offence, Thorn).

I tried my best to ignore her, but I guess she wasn't used to it. It only caused her to annoy me more.

"So what's the deal with you? You haven't said anything to me since I got here!" She complained.

"Anything." I replied. I knew I could do better than that, but what's the reason of being sassy to someone if they are too stupid to get it?

"How smart... Do you tell such clever things to your online competition too?" She replied.

"Anita, that's enough." Her mom cuts in.

"No, mom! I hate  being ignored and that's exactly what he is doing to me." She argues.

"Maybe I have a reason!" I argue back and go to my room. I should have locked the door, because five minutes later she stormed inside furiously and everything stopped. I should really  try to control this thing.

She froze with her hair flying around her face and her look was full of hate. What the hell did I ever do to this girl? I turned her around as she was frozen and took her to the living room. I went at my room, locked the door , blinked hard, so I started hearing my family talking in the other room and picked up the phone to call Liz.

She didn't say much, only that she couldn't come because she was at Sophie's, so I suggested they both came and explained the reason. They both knew about Anita, and Liz said some colorful words about her (on which I left no comment because they were true) and they said they were coming. After hanging up, I called Jake and then Charlie, and even though it wasn't a meeting day, they came. Jake said he would bring the suits too.

Truth is, I didn't think Anita would do anything if people she didn't know were around, so problem solved, right? Wrong.

Liz's house was the closest to mine, but Charlie was the first to come. Probably because she was at Sophie's.

Liz, Sophie and Jake arrived around ten minutes after Charlie. Liz looked like she used to (most of the time, at least), Jake was alright, though kinda red from carrying the suits (I mean, it was five outfits with wigs and masks and he carried it all the way from his house, which is like ten blocks away!). Sophie though... That was another story. Her eyes were red and her cheeks her flushed and a little stained. Liz must have tried a lot to cover up the mess, which explains the fact that it took them long, but she still looked awful.

"What happened to you?" I ask her.

"I told you we should put some more make up on that face of yours!" Liz snapped at her, but immediately realized her mistake and hugged Sophie. I saw that I wasn't getting anywhere with them, so I turned to Jake.

"What happened to her?"

"Her dad died." He said glumly.

"What?! When?" Charlie joins in the conversation.

"Last night. They called her from rehab in the morning." Jake continues. It was hard to listen to him, because Sophie was sobbing hard at my bed with Liz comforting her.

And as if things weren't bad enough, Anita barged into the room, still confused from what happened to her before. Seeing my friends inside she froze again, but didn't lose confidence.

"Well, well, if it isn't my loser cousin and his loser friends." she says. That's when she saw Sophie crying and looked like she regretted it for a brief second. Just for a brief second, though.

"Anita, how can I say it politely? Shut the hell up and get the hell out of here!" I reply. She stares at me wide-eyed for a second, and left quickly slamming the door. I don't know what got into her. I guess nobody has ever dared talking to her like this.

After that we all started comforting Sophia, who was constantly pushing us away.

"I don't need your attention! I didn't even want to come here in the first place! Liz made me come!" she burst out a while after. That's when Jake snapped.

"We know you aren't doing this for attention, Sophie, but we care about you! Don't think for one second that we are doing this out of pity! I have been there, okay? And I was younger than you are!" and then Sophia had enough.

"At least you had a family that went through the same pain you did! My mom doesn't give a damn about me, or my dead father!" she shouted and left, but not before turning to Liz first.

"Liz, are you coming now or will you come later?" she said trying to keep calm when talking to someone other than Jake.

"Coming. I'll meet you downstairs." Liz replied and Sophie stormed out of the room.

"Jake, you are a huge idiot. Goodnight." Liz finished and left to catch up with her best friend.