Bad Reputation

Bad Reputation (20)

Chapter 20

 

I had decided to do as my mother told me. I didn't mean I liked the way she treated me, but I knew her. She was stubborn, and even if I had never been grounded before, I knew I wouldn't be forgiven if I ignored her rules. 

That's exactly why I told Sofia I couldn't hang out with her after school. 

"That didn't stop you from going to the party on Friday," Sofia replied.

"I talked to my mom on Saturday," I told her grimly. "I'm grounded and if she discovers I didn't go straight home she'll kill me." 

Sofia shrugged easily.

"Fine, then I'm coming with you," she said.

I closed my locker and turned to look at her. 

"Why?" 

"Because I want to be your friend. And to be that we need to hang out."

“We need to hang out at my place to be friends?” I asked her, not comprehending the logic in that sentence.

Sofia rolled her eyes, like what I said had been stupid.

“No, we need to hang out in general, to get to know each other. We need to hang out at your place because you’re grounded.”

I nodded, understanding what she meant. My mother had never said anything about having company. Either way, she wouldn’t notice. The only time she ever went to my room was… Well, never, really.

“Great!” Sofia said enthusiastically. “Jayden and I’ll be over there very soon.”

I stood still and watched her as she walked away. I wasn’t sure what exactly had just happened. Sofia had definitely taken control over the situation and decided to come over.

It wasn’t until the front door of the school had closed behind her that I realized she had said Jayden would come with her.

I sighed deeply. This would be a long afternoon.

 

True to her words, Jayden and Sofia were already outside my house when I got home. I had taken a detour to pick up a new pack of cigarettes. Due to my roofless car, I could hear that they were arguing. About me.

“I just don’t understand why---“Jayden began in his usual irritated tone.

“Because she’s my friend now, too, and I want to get to know her. It’s actually rude to judge her before you know her.”

I saw Jayden glaring at his best friend. He seemed furious.

“I don’t want to get to know her, and I have a perfectly good excuse as to why---“

Once again Jayden was interrupted.

“Hey, Mel!” Sofia yelled, waving at me.

Jayden spun around and watched as my car rolled into the driveway.

I waved back and drove past them, thankful they had both parked their motorcycles at the side of my long driveway.

With the electronic key in my car I opened the garage and drove inside. When I turned the key in the ignition and listen to the car slowly turn off, someone opened my door.

“So, what are we gonna do?” Sofia asked, stepping aside so I could get out.

I shrugged .It was, after all, she who invited them here.

“We’ll go up to your room,” Sofia decided, and then she pranced out of the garage through the door that led to the house.

I closed the garage door with the electronic key and then closed the car door.