Careful What You Wish For

Chapter Five

"I told you it was a stalker," Brianne says. Her tone insinuates that it is Sophie's own fault that this has happened.

"No, you didn't. You suggested it." Sophie tries not to yell at her friend. She grips the almost empty beer glass in her hand tighter. They are in the crowded noisy comfort of their most frequented bar, Beer and Bourbon, which is close to campus and a student favourite. It's late Thursday afternoon, closing in on evening, and the place is starting to fill up.

Brianne lounges serenely in the grey cushions of one of many sofas crammed into the busy bar, her feet tucked beneath her lithe body. The beer nestled in her lap is hardly touched, as she instead watches her restless friend bounce around in her seat. Sophie sits forward, unable or unwilling to relax. It is hard to keep her voice in check; she feels painfully agitated and wants to scream at someone, or potentially cry. "That's not the same thing."

Brianne shrugs. Her calmness is infuriating Sophie. She wants to get up and pace across the floor, work off the adrenaline. "Why aren't you surprised?" She hisses at her friend.

"I am surprised." Brianne assures her. "I'm worried, actually."

"This is your worried face?" Sophie asks dubiously.

"I guess so."

"So, you don't think I'm overreacting?"

"Of course not!" Jenna interrupts. She materialises out of the crowd. In accordance with every other aspect of her life Jenna dresses flawlessly. Her beige playsuit has not a single wrinkle despite the fact she has been wearing it all day. When Sophie first met Jenna in their first year she had been in awe of this remarkably faultless girl with the pink eye shadow and the ribbon in her hair, her clothes neat, her back straight, and her lecture notes detailed and concise to the point of OCD. It was not until they became housemates that Sophie understood just how long this process of perfection took every morning...

Jenna has a glass of white wine in one hand and a shot glass in the other filled with clear liquid. A concerned frown distorts her delicate face. Jenna is certainly the nurturing one. "You are not overreacting."

She hands over the shot to Sophie. "I think you need one of these." She says, and smiles. Sophie almost smiles herself, so uncharacteristic this is of Jenna. Jenna is not the sort of person to fix stress with alcohol. Brianne watches this with an unrestrained smile on her face, clearly delighted that Jenna has taken this approach.

Sophie takes the shot. She thinks about asking what it is and then decides that it doesn't matter. It burns down her throat and settles warmly in her stomach. The taste is on her tongue. Vodka.

"Better?" Jenna asks.

Sophie finds a smile. "Better."

"I'll go get another one." She says, and before anyone can utter a note of surprise Jenna is headed back to the bar.

"Ms Fix-It." Sophie says.

"I like this version of Jenna." Brianne says, evoking a laugh from Sophie. "Where has she been the last eighteen months?"

"Must be the new boyfriend." Sophie guesses.

"Oh yeah." Brianne gives a wry smile. "What's he like?"

Sophie shrugs. "No idea."

Brianne purses her lips, considering. "I bet he's perfect." She decides.

Sophie snorts. "So do I."

"She has much better taste than us." Brianne adds, eyeing Sophie intently. "Especially you."

Sophie stares at her friend for a long moment. "You're annoying me." She finally says glumly.

Brianne smiles. "I know."

Sophie slumps in her seat. Her auburn hair hangs lankly around her pale face. "I do have terrible taste."

Brianne takes pity on her. "But you also have an admirer. You know someone may be trying to be romantic, and they aren't aware that it's coming across super creepy..." She suggests.

Sophie rubs her exhausted eyes and doesn't respond. Red rose petals are imprinted on the backs of her eyelids. Her eyes quickly snap open again. "I don't think I can go back to the pool."

"So find another pool." Brianne shrugs. There isn't a sentimental bone in Brianna's body.

Sophie watches her friend steadily. Brianne's honey blonde hair is up in a bun on top of her head, like it inevitably always is. Brianne is a no fuss kind of girl. No fuss and straight to the point. Not for the first time Sophie wonders why they are friends.

Jenna returns with another vodka shot in her hand. She looks especially pleased with herself for some reason. It has become louder in the cosy space, and Sophie is starting to get a headache. Jenna pushes the shot across the table. "Have you talked about who it could be?" She asks them, suddenly as straight to the point as Brianne.

"Someone who knows she swims at that pool." Brianne says, sipping her beer while eyeing them both pointedly over the rim. Brianne is always trying to make a point, although most of the time she doesn't know herself what she's trying to say.

"You swim at that pool over in Paddington, right?" Jenna asks.

Sophie nods. Not for much longer.

"You should ask Jonas, then." Jenna says.

Sophie and Brianne look at her blankly. "Evan's friend, Jonas?" Brianne finally asks. "Why?"

"He swims over there." Jenna says, frowning at them as though they are both dense.

"He does?" Sophie asks. She didn't know that! She wonders if Jonas has ever seen her there.

"You guys still talk, right? Maybe he can help?" Jenna suggests.

"Not if it is him!" Brianne bursts out dramatically.

Jenna rolls her eyes. "Why would he be skulking around leaving rose petals for Soph? He already knows her."

Brianne leans forward in her chair, her eyes growing wide. "Why would anyone? It's creepy! There are better ways to get her attention. What if he's a little crazy? He is friends with Evan after all."

Jenna looks sceptical. "He doesn't seem crazy."

They both turn to look at Sophie. She knows him better than they do. Apparently. She has an odd mixture of emotions dancing across her pretty face – mostly confusion, but also a trace of alarm. Jonas. Quiet, serious, sweet Jonas. Is there something about him that is perhaps, not right? Sophie should have been able to shut Brianne down straight away. Why can't she? Is it something to do with those discreet glances? The ones that used to last a little longer than they should have?

Sophie remembers looking up and catching Jonas watching her. Not often, only sometimes. Had she wondered about it at the time? She didn't think so. Lost in the attentions of Evan DeSanto she had not really taken stock of anything around her at all. She had been in the clouds for their entire relationship. Jonas was Evan's best friend, so of course Sophie paid attention to him, she wanted Jonas to like her. But had she gone too far...? No. Surely not. And the sneaky glances? A lot of people had stared at her when she was with Evan. That was his power. His superpower.

She looks up finally, into the faces of her curious and worried friends. "I don't know." She shrugs helplessly. "I hardly know him at all."