Book Smart, Romantically Challenged (Wesley Stromberg/Emblem3 FanFic)

Chapter 6

*Wesley’s POV*

I don’t know why, but the little comments Sofia mutters under her breath irritate me like no one’s business. I just know that they’re judgemental about me and that she thinks so little of me. I know I’ve done nothing but make her believe I'm actually like that, but it still just irritates me that she doesn’t see who I really am.

I head into my room, needing to do something to blow off steam. I grab my guitar out of the corner and sit on my desk chair. Instinctively, I start to play one of our songs called Reason. But, today my strum is heavier and the lyrics have more passion.

Half way through the song, one of my strings breaks. Muttering curses under my breath, I get up to see if Keaton may have some strings I could borrow as I remember that I’d used my last one a couple weeks ago.

I hear the sink running downstairs, so I figure Sofia must be washing the dishes. I open Keaton’s door and just as I’m about to ask if he has any strings, the words get caught in my throat when I see that it’s not Keaton in the room, but Sofia. She lays on her  side, facing the wall, sobbing.

"Ina, why is it so hard to do the right thing? Why can't I just do something to not make him hate me? Why am I so different around him? Why does he hate me? This problem wouldn't have happened if I would've just went with you to the market that day, Mommy. I should've gone with you. I shouldn't be without you. I shouldn't be here," she sobs.

I gently pad into the room and lower myself on the bed next to her. I grab her by the waist and pull her into my lap. My arm drapes around her waist and I brush her hair out of her face.

"Shh. You should be here. You were meant to be here," I whisper. “You are meant to be here.”

I continued to stroke her hair until she calmed down. She stayed in my arms, curled into me.

“Ngano? Why?” she asks.

“What do mean why?” I whisper. I turn my head to look into her brown eyes.

“Why are you helping me? Shouldn’t you be videotaping me blubbering about my life? I’m sure everyone would praise you for the perfect chance to completely humiliate me,” she tries to laugh humorlessly, but she can’t get it out. She turns and moves away from me. All of a sudden, it feels like I’ve lost something.

“Okay, I guess I deserve that. But look, I’m not that guy anymore. I promise. Listen, I know what I said was really wrong and I shouldn’t have said it. I’m sorry. All you’ve ever been was nice to me and I was a dick to you,” I try. I know she isn’t one to give in easily, but I have to at least get it out there that I’m sorry for what I did. I grab her wrist and she turns back to look at me. “You didn’t deserve it, Sofia.”

“She really didn’t. And you really don’t deserve to be forgiven,” someone pipes in. I turn to see Keaton standing in the doorway with his arms crossed.

“Fuck off Keaton. You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” I say.

“I actually quite know what the hell I’m talking about. So why don’t you get the fuck out of my room and leave Sofia alone. You’ve done enough damage as it is,” he spits.

“Whatever Keaton. Fuck you,” I storm out and down to the garage. I push the door open and see Drew sitting on the couch with a guitar on his lap, a pad of paper in front of him, and a pencil in his hand.

“What’s up bro?” he asks as he writes down a small note.

“Fucking Keaton. I’m gonna go skate around. Try to clear my head,” I sigh and grab my skateboard. I make my way out the door before i throw my board to the ground and take off.