The Other Side

#15 Past

I stand leaning against the inside of my bars at the early hours of the morning. My clothes were folded neatly in my grip and I whistled a tune.

Ben comes around to start unlocking the doors.

"Finally" I sigh

"Someone can't wait for chores" Ben rolls his eyes

"Only part of the day worth looking forward to" I cheer in sarcasm.

"You better. Your groups working with me today. Go gardening!" He says lamely.

I snicker and grab my clothes before ignoring my slop again and running past Ben and into the bathroom.

I snicker again when I hear Ben calling threats after me about running in the halls.

What was this? Primary school?

How would I know I never went to primary school.

Well a real one.

The Other Side had a school which was a small room for each age group. It was double the size of our house and seated about ten desks.

I remember walking in one day and taking me set seat that was the left side of the classroom, second row. Of course I was stuck next to the whiny witch herself. Lisa.

Lisa was Max's biggest fan and called dibs on him at a young age. She glared at me every possible chance and made living painful. But I ignored her. Instead of yelling and fighting with her I would turn the other way and then when at home I would exercise. I would work out to realise the pain. I would do it so often and so much that I would collapse.

But this one day when I was fourteen I bite back. I'd had enough and pushed.

"Max is to good for you" she sneered. I glanced at her and then over my shoulder at where Max was sitting in the back room between his mates.

The classroom went three desk in front and middle row and four at the back and he was two from the left so fairly close to mine in the small compact room.

I sigh and look back at Lisa taunting smile "If you want him try but everyone with a half a brain can foretell that your not good enough for him"

She turns red but swallows back her anger and then spoke "well no ones good enough for him but I'm closest" she smirks at the end at her lame come back.

"That's it princess keep your hopes high because they'll fall and crash. I don't want Max but it's gonna happen. Me and him will be together one day"

Lisa cracked. She's had enough and had stood up so I stood up too. Both our chairs screeched and crashed into Dylan, my best friends desk and one of Lisa's followers behind her.

Everyone instantly shut up and watch us glare at each other. For a small class it was even more strict than usual. Especially since our grade showed most potential.

"I'm going to put you in your rightful place Sophie. You maybe Susan's favourite but your only here because your parents dumped you here with us. Now we're the ones who have to love with you"

"Maybe I'm not wanted anywhere Lisa but I'm still here. I'll fight until I die. I will live here and I will sadly be with Max" truth be I didn't know why I was fighting over him. It's not like I want him but maybe I did a little.

She screeched and stomped her foot "your impossible"

"How? I know I haven't been caught yet but that's because I've only been on three missions. So it's a bit early to judge on whether it's impossible to catch me or not"

Lisa snarls. I was just waiting. I wasn't going to hit her. I wouldn't be caught doing it first but boy, would I hit her back. The years of pain she had caused me.

"Max doesn't want you!" That was her normal last defence

"I don't care!" I raise my voice and she steps back "for all you know he probably doesn't want you either"

By now a class of ten were screaming at us to have a cat fight but it didn't last long. Cat fights were a rarity among us. Four girls and three were friends. They never fought only picked them with me. I would ignore them so it never came down to this. But that day something was different. Lisa and I were at the end of our lines. Lisa went to swing but I blocked it. I kneed her in the stomach and the class went crazy. Lisa started the water works and tried to claw out my eyes but I spun and kicked her in the guts sending her crashing onto her friends desk.

"Sophie Newman!" The teacher screamed. Only now did she raise her voice. I was Susan's favourite but everyone else preferred Lisa. She was the teacher pet but nasty behind their backs. She was the richest in this room besides Max and she acted like it to. People treated her like royalty but true be that her house was a dump to. Just a bigger one.

Lisa sat there getting comforted by her friend with big fake tears running down her cheeks.

"Sophie" the teacher yells and I turn to her "don't you come back to my class ever!"

And that was how I got kicked out of school. I then took homeschooling with mum teaching English. Dad taught maths and Luke even helped with technology's which I fail. I had weekly meetings with Susan to show improvements and go through training courses. I started completing missions at the age of fourteen. Max started and fifteen and everyone else at sixteen. Some people choose to say at base and don't leave. Field work isn't their cup of tea. But it sure was mine.

When I was leaving the classroom that day I walked past Max's desk. He grabbed my wrist and I yanked it free and kept walking.

I remember it because it was the first real time he had ever interacted with me. The first time he let himself believe that we were partners and four years down the track look at us.

We are partners and Lisa's is with Dylan. I feel so sorry for my best friend. If I could swap out Max I would but I'm still not marrying my best friend. To awkward. We could just run away and start a new life. Meet people we really loved.

But no. I'm stuck at the Other Side with Max. You'd think I'd be great duo for what little I had but not when that something cause your biggest pain.

"Good morning Soph" Max walks into the bathroom. His normal, easy smile on his face. He had no idea of the memory I had just recalled and he stood there waiting for a reaction at his words.

I shove past him "it's Sophie"