Saving Sophia ✔️

s i x

"So Miss Layne, I just wanted to check in on you. To see how you're settling in at our lovely little school."

Miss Asher. She spoke very softly despite her rather intimidating presence. Her sparkling white teeth were quite the contrast to her dark chocolate complexion. She was extremely tall and quite built for a woman, and yet so daintily put together.

"I'm doing fine," Sophia answered, playing with the hem of her skirt.

"Make any friends yet?" Miss Asher pressed, leaning forward in her worn leather chair.

Sophia stopped toying with that darn fringe and thought about the boy who seems so interested in her secrets. "No," she finally replied. "I'd rather be alone anyways."

Miss Asher sighed softly, "Sophia, we all need somebody. Somebody we can rely on, somebody we can talk to, somebody we can share memories with. Don't you want that? Don't you deserve that?"

"No," she simply said, keeping her head held low. She heard the squeaking of wheels and the shuffling of a body. Not too long after, she felt the warmth of a hand on her forearm.

"I read your record."

Sophia's heart began to race and felt droplets of sweat forming on her forehead. The burning of vile returned in the back of her throat.

Somebody read her record. She knew.

"Sophia, please, just talk to me." Her voice sounded so far away. "I promise, I'm not here to judge. I'm simply here to listen, to maybe help you, however you will let me."

"No." Sophia stood up, pressing down her skirt. "I don't want to talk to you. Or anyone for that matter."

And with that, she left the office, and ran to the nearest exit outside. She fell onto the scratchy grass beneath her, trying the breathing technique that Dr. Myles reminds her of every time she's in his office. But it was too late. The attack already began. The only thing to do now was to just ride it out.

✦ ✦ ✦

"Sweetie? Sophia? Honey are you okay?"

She heard the familiar voice whisper softly into her ear. "Mom?" she managed to croak out through a dry and rough throat.

"Yes sweetie, it's me. I'm here." Her mother brushed her blonde locks away from her sweat drenched face. "It was another one, wasn't it?" Sophia simply nodded. Her head hurt, her throat was desert dry, and her body was still numb.

"I'm just gonna take her home now. She needs to rest."

"Yes ma'am, I absolutely agree. We'll have someone meet you in the front office with her belongings."

"Come on peach, we're going home," her mother spoke softly, helping her to sit up. "Are you able to walk or-"

"Yes," she simply responded shakily.

Slowly she planted her feet onto the tiled floor. She fought against the nausea stirring in her body as she managed to take a few small steps. Inhaling deeply, she reached for her mother's awaiting arm.

"Do you remember what happened before the episode?"

Sophia glanced over at her mother, paying attention to the road before them. "I-I was in the guidance office."

"Okay, and then what happened?"

"She knows mom, she knows."

"Who? Who knows what?"

"About the incident."

It was then that her mother took her gaze away from the road and settled on her own troubled ones. "Of course she does sweetie, it's her job to read records and and reach out to the student population." She wrapped her hand around Sophia's. "Peach, she's not going to tell anyone. It's strictly between professionals on a need to know basis. And well, this is one of those circumstances. You're safe Sophia. I promise you, you're safe."

But was she really?