chapter 3

15 1 0

by sassytamaki

by sassytamaki

Sophia's POV

I walk out, gripping the handle of the wagon in my right hand, my other encased in Sime's right. We laugh as we walk down the street, remembering old times, but never mentioning Dad. I see Sime's "bud" walking towards us, his backpack gone, apparently he's skipping school. Suddenly, it hits me; this guy only comes around Sime when I'm present. And I'd know, as I have made myself a teacher's pet, and they report to me regularly about how Sime is doing in class, and those he hangs out with. And, I'm not going to lie, but he's pretty good looking, and can win in an arm wrestle against almost all the guys in the class. He's tall, around six foot, and slim. He's not buff or ripped though, as he doesn't go to the gym everyday to lift weights. He's got brown hair, and it's long for a guy's, shaggy, like the coat of a dog. He is really kind, and speaks in a soft voice. He also has a passion for music, and plays clarinet in the band at school. He has grey eyes, open and deep, warm, with hard edges, as if he's trying to say, yeah, come at me and I'll come at you, but otherwise, we can be friends. This is when I feel the blooming sensation in my chest. I stand there, unsure, my heart fluttering, barely following the conversation Sime and this dreamboat are having. I do manage to catch his name though, and it's Cyrus. I feel like it fits his personality, and I suddenly feel as if my world is whole.

Simon's POV

As me and Cy are having a conversation, I keep an eyes on Soph. She looks a little funny, as if she wants the world to swallow her up, but at the same time, for it to send her up, into the clouds away, far, far away. I smirk, knowing that look, I put my arm around her shoulders, then pull her closer to my side. I make introductions, and as I do, Soph looks up at him in wonder, observing his eyes, his hair, the sculpt of his face.

Cyrus's POV

I politely say hello to Sime's sister when he introduces her. After that, I get kinda curious. "So, where are you guys going? I'm gonna be really surprised if you're cutting class! I mean, I know I don't have room to talk, but I expected better of you two!" I smirk, thinking I've just said something funny. Suddenly, their whole entire bodies droop, most noticeably, their ears. Sophia looks to be on the edge of tears, and Sime looks so, so tired. "Oh, I'm sorry. I've just asked something personal, haven't I?" Both of them stand there for a minute, collecting their feelings.

Sophia's POV

I can't believe he asked that!, I think, angrily. Then I realize he moved into town around 6 months after it happened. I look up into Sime's eyes, asking for permission to tell him. Sime nods, then I turn to Cy. He looks uncomfortable and akward, knowing he's asked something personal and hurtful. I look him full on in the eyes, grabbing his attention. "We know that you didn't know, but about 6 months before you moved here, our Mom was murdered."

Cyrus's POV

Did she just say murdered?! I wish I'd known! "I'm sorry I asked. Was the absolute filth who did it caught?" They both nod. Suddenly, Sime is crying again, trying to hide his tears from me, keep the 'tough kid' front he keeps at school up. I do something, and both of them look shocked. I gently hug Sime, pulling him into my chest, whispering words of comfort in his ear and letting him know that only strong people have the guts to cry in public. Sophia is wrapped around his back, her face buried in his hoodie. I stand there, then reach down a hand and gently pat her on the head. She looks up at me, a watery smile on her face. She looks genuinely grateful in this moment. I give her a smile back. Sime pushes himself away from me, then the two have a silent conversation with their eyes. Sime turns to me, nodding at Sophia one last time. "Would you like to visit our Mom's grave with us?" I'm utterly surprised, but agree with a nod. Sophia giggles, her whole face lighting up. "Yay! The more the merrier!" Sime laughs at her, then ruffles her ears. "You're so cute when you're happy shortstack!" "Hey, don't call me that! I'm 2 minutes older than you are!" "Yeah, and? I'm still taller than you are, shortstack." I place a hand on each of their chests, pushing them apart, then clear my throat. They both look up at me, curious. "I think, out of everybody here, I have the right to call both of you shortstack." They both break into laughter.

Simon's POV

After me and Soph stop laughing, I push us into action, grabbing the handle of the wagon. "Well, this wagon isn't gonna push itself!" Soph giggles, then stands on the opposite side of Cy, sandwiching him between us as we walk. Sophia is too wrapped up in her own little world, watching the different species of bird in the area, mumbling their scientific names under her breath and repeating their calls softly. At first, Cy is surprised that she does this, but gets used to this as time passes. I pull him gently closer to my side and lean into his ear, telling him details of what happened to our Mom.

~~flashback~~
After the principal comes out of his office, he kneels down, still sobbing openly. He holds out his arms to us. We both act as one, launching ourselves into his open arms. We start sobbing, crying out for anybody who could help us. Eventually, the guidance counselor gets called in. At this point, the principal has collected himself, but we are still sobbing. She gently pulls us into her office, using our arms around her shoulders for support. She settles us on a couch, then pulls over a chair. Sophia is hugging herself and hiccupping quietly. My head is tilted down, teardrops falling into my lap. The counselor starts talking, and after a while, we devise a plan. We are old enough to take care of ourselves. In a years time, we will be old enough to hold a job. While we can't work, we still need to eat, so the staff has offered to supply us with home-cooked food, each one taking a few days to feed us. We are able to eat lunch and breakfast at school, so only dinner needs to be provided. Our favorite cooking came from the football coach. He was a big, bulky, muscled man, who had a fondness for Soph. Well, who am I kidding? Almost anybody could love talking to and being around Soph. She always says her most dangerous and beautiful weapon is her words. I now understand what this means, seeing how she managed to pull the coach under in the first few days.
~~end of flashback~~