Odd One Out

Chapter Four

"Exams are next week," Ansley spoke in a cheery mood, "then it's summer!" I laughed at her excitement. "Are you coming to the beach with us?" I ask and she nods.

"Lawrence invited me," she answers and I smile. "Are you two a thing yet?" I ask and she smiles more. "Maybe..." we both start laughing.

Jason walks past, talking to Makayla about guys on his team, but Makayla looks like she isn't listening, until she sees me. "Oh! Sophie! I have something for you," I look at her and furrow my eyebrows.

Makayla walks over to me and tries to hand me an envelope, but I'm hesitant to take it. Makayla sighs and grabs my arm tight, making me immediately wince, "let go!" I yell at Makayla and she drops my arm. "I didn't know you were that weak," she mumbles and starts walking away, but Jason looks at me then my arm. "Sophie," he starts, "what'd you do?"

Ansley looks at me, she knows about the cutting and she knew she wouldn't stop me, so she helped me hide it.

Jason walks closer to me and grabs my arm, ignoring my wincing and yells, and pulls my sleeve up. His eyes widen, seeing the red bandages, "you broke your promise," he says and I shake my head. "No, you broke yours, meaning there was no longer a promise," I correct him and he looks up at me.

I looked to the right, seeing Makayla coming back towards us. "Your girlfriend's coming, have fun, Jason." I say in a serious tone and start to walk away.

But before I get behind the corner, I look back, seeing Jason frozen in place, his eyes showing he's finally realized what he's done.

He broke a promise that had been going on for years and he just noticed when I pointed it out. I shake my head and walk into the bathroom, tightening the bandages with Ansley's help.

"Did you see his face?" Ansley asks as I stare at me in the mirror. "Yeah," I whisper. "I think you broke him," Ansley jokes, but I watch my eyes starting to water from the pain and the realization. "What if I did?" I ask myself and Ansley looks up at me.

"It'd show him that he gave up the truest friend he had," she says and looks at the mirror, noticing my watery eyes.

"I never wanted to hurt him! I was fine with me getting hurt!" I scream, knowing nobody will hear since they're in class.

"Sophie, I'm sure he's fine. Makayla probably already has him wrapped around her finger again," Ansley says and I sit against the wall. "Still, I don't know which would be worse." Ansley smiles at my joke as I pull my sleeves down.

The bell rings, signaling that we're late and I look at Ansley. She shrugs and fixes her hair. "A little tardiness never hurt anybody," I say as I stand back up.

Ansley smiles and looks at me as she pulls her hair into a ponytail. "How about a lot of tardiness?" Ansley asks and I start walking. "Onward!" I say as I walk out the door, hearing Ansley laughing behind me. I smile, knowing I'll have her as long as I want.

"Sophie, we need to find you a boy here," Ansley says as we walk to the ice-skating rink. "Yeah right," I say, laughing and she smiles.

"I am a master," Ansley starts, "I shall find you a boy!" With that, she's off. I quietly laugh and start skating in circles.

I watched as Ansley talked to boys and pointing to me every once in a while. She probably had a handful of papers right now and was still going. I laugh and get off the ice, taking my skates off.

"Sophie, what are you doing here?" I look up to see Jackson. I smile to him, "skipping." He sits besides me as I untie my skates.

"I thought you quit skipping?"

"Sometimes you just have to remind yourself of times you don't want to remember."

Jackson laughs, "Sophie has become deep and less mean to little olé me." I smile a little. "Sorry for being mean to you earlier in the year, Jackson. I thought all I needed was Jason, I guess," I say an stand up, walking to the booth and get my shoes, Jackson following.

Ansley walks over to me and Jackson and looks at him. "You're Jackson right?" Ansley asks and he nods.

Ansley looks at me and smirks, making me roll my eyes. I look at Jackson, "Ansley here has been trying to find guys for me because of, I don't know exactly, but do you want to come hang out and play videogames with me so she'll stop?" I ask him, laughing. Jackson looks at Ansley then me and laughs before nodding.

Jackson leaves after a few minutes of Ansley asking him questions. "Well, I kind of got you a boy," Ansley says as we walk out and I laugh. "Yeah, but he'll leave once the arms are shown."

Ansley rolls her eyes, "you just have fun on your date." I look at her, "madame, it is not a date," I say and she smiles. "Sure it ain't."

Jason POV

Sophie broke our promise. Why did I make a deal with Makayla? I've been trying to get out but just can't.

I want Sophie, I want to tell her the truth. Tell her it wasn't my fault. I should've never let Makayla do this. I could've just stayed with Sophie and protected her.

Her bandages were so red. Blood must've been soaking through them for hours and yet, I still couldn't contact her. I sigh and stare at my picture of Sophie and me at the beach.

Every year we went to the beach with her brothers. This was the first year I wouldn't go. I told Lawrence I had school work I had to make up and couldn't go. I wasn't going to make this hell worse for Sophie.

I just have to make it to the exams. Just the exams.