Beautiful Scars [1] ✔

Chapter Twenty Four

I sat at the table, my head in my hands, scrunching my hair tightly, still unable to comprehend to what Aston had told me.

Melissa was missing. My best friend was missing. My head was pounding, and my heart racing. Aston was lying. That was it. He had to be.

In the midst of me thinking, the door opened, and I started.

I whipped my head around to see Mrs. Tilly walking in, a suitcase in hand.

"Where were you?" I asked before she could take off her shoes.

"I was out. I had something to do. Why?"

I laughed, and I felt my old attitude towards her returning. "Oh, no particular reason. It's just that I broke up with my boyfriend and my best friend and I got into an argument, and now she's missing."

The suitcase dropped to the ground with a thud. "Sophia, I'm so sorry."

I rolled my eyes, a smile forming on my face. "You know what? I'm so sick of the 'I'm sorry' bullcrap. From you, from Melissa, from Aston, from everyone! Being sorry isn't going to change the fact that my best friend's missing and my parents are dead." I spat angrily.

What happened next was something totally unexpected. Mrs. Tilly's face turned a burnt red, her eyebrows furrowing. "You know what I'm sick of, Sophia? A spoiled brat who only thinks of herself. Sure, you lost your parents, but you're still lucky. You have me; you could've been in a foster home. You're not the only human being who has problems. I'm married, and my husband is in the army. How do you think I feel when he has to go back? I rarely see him, and every day, all I can think of is 'Is Stephan dead'? You spend too much time thinking about yourself than you do about others."

I swallowed, guilt and anger rising in my stomach.

Suddenly, my phone beeped. I checked the message, and stood up, grabbing my phone, giving Mrs. Tilly one last hard glance before the door slammed shut behind me.

--------------------------------------------------------

I walked along the side of the road, cars occasionally passing when necessary. I kept on walking, grass scratching at my ankles and urging me to scratch at it.

Finally, I reached the park, and I noticed that it was empty, except for a few leaves, and one boy sitting on the bench, waiting for me.

I took a few breaths, and then walked to the bench, twirling my hair around my finger nervously.

The boy looked up at me when I reached him, smiling. "Glad you could make it."

"I'm here as promised."

He scooted over, and patted the now empty spot next to him. "Let's talk."

I sat down reluctantly, then sighed.

"Ladies first."

I glared at him, said, "You go."

Rolling his eyes, he blew a puff of air. "I was trying to be a gentleman, Sophia."

I laughed. "Matthew, don't even bother trying. We both know you don't care about me, so why did you invite me here?"

He smiled. "Let's just say I wanted to have a little chat with you."

"About what?" I asked, eyebrows furrowed.

He grinned. "Certain things. You'll find out soon enough."

I swallowed, my face becoming hot. I didn't like Matthew like that, in fact, I never really did. I guess I was just so desperate for someone to like me that I grabbed the first chance I got, when the real prize was Aston, but let's face it, I lost him. And that's one prize that I won't get a reward for.