NANNY FOR MENDES.

Seventy-three

𝗦𝗢𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗔'𝗦 𝗣𝗢𝗩

When we finally step into the apartement, I take Raul immediately to his room.

"I don't want to sleep right now. I want to make sure that Dad isn't mad anymore."

"It's so late, baby. You have to sleep, come on. And I'll check on him, don't worry."

He nods and lies on the bed. I cover his body with the duvet.

"Goodnight, baby." I kiss his forehead and cheek.

"Goodnight, Soph."

And I leave his room and go to Shawn's.

I'm kind of scared of him; he will never hurt me physically, but if I know him well, then I do know that when he's angry, or hurt or upset, he tends to be mean.

When I walk into Shawn's room, I see him sitting on the edge of the bed.

"You okay?"

"What do you think?" He sounds harsh.

"Okay." I nod. He's right, though.

"I can't fucking believe it."

"Shawn, you'll have to get over it, eventually."

"'Get over it'? Are you fucking kidding me right now Sophia?" Sophia? Oh my God.

"Soph." He corrects. "I won't get over it anytime soon, okay? They fucking betrayed me!"

"Stop swearing, please!"

He sighs.

His phone rings again. His dad, this time.

"Maybe you should answer this."

"No, definitely not."

"Come on. It's your dad. Answer it. You don't want to upset your father, do you?"

"You're in no position to tell me what to do with my father. You don't even know anything about yours."

Oh. This is sick. Fucking sick.

I never thought that Mean Shawn would back again.

"Neither did I."

Did I say that out loud?

"Oh my God. I can't even look at your face, right now. I'm disgusted and disappointed in you." My voice breaks at the end, and a single tear rolls down my cheek.

He moves his hand to wipe it off, but I step back.

"No. Don't."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Fuck!" He tugs at his hair.

I walk toward the bedroom door, but he stops me and turns me around. His hand on my arm. I yank it off.

"Just let me go!"

"No, please. Don't leave me!"

"I need to be away from you right now. Now leave me alone. I need to go."

"Where the hell will you go right now?"

"That's really none if your business. Besides, I'm not a kid. I can go home at this time, all by myself."

"This is your home."

"No. This is your home."

The pained look on his face shows that my words hurt him. Good, that's what I wanted to do anyway.

I walk to the apartment door and he follows me.

"Soph, please. I'm hurt. Badly hurt, that's why I said what I said. I'm not giving myself excuses, I'm just telling you where I'm coming from. I'm sorry."

"Doesn't change anything. I'll still go to Mom's."

"Are you.....going to break up with me?"

"Oh my God, no. I just need some time. But I'm not breaking up with you. I love you, but am so mad at you and hurt for what you said."

He looks so relieved.

"Let me drive you."

"No."

"Please."

"No, Shawn. No."

"Sophia—"

"I told you not to call me Sophia again. Yet you said it earlier in our bedroom."

"Sorry."

"Act like it."

"When I'm hurt, I always behave stupidly."

"I know. I know you, Shawn. You don't have to tell me such thing."

He sighs.

"I'm leaving. Alone."

And I leave his apartment. He doesn't follow, thank God.

I take the elevator and press the G button. When I'm finally on the ground floor, I walk too quickly out of this building and start walking around.

"You're in no position to tell me what to do with my father. You don't even know anything about yours."

He's right, though. I don't know a single thing since he left almost seven years ago.

But....thinking of it.....where the hell am I going? I can't go to Mom's right now. I do have a key, but I cannot go there. Seeing me like this will upset her. Even if I do go there, how will I? I have no car and am certainly not going to order a cab at almost three in the morning.

I have an option.... I can call Noah.

That's what I'm doing.

"Soph! Oh, my God! How's he? And how are you?"

"I left his house. Can you pick me up?"

"What? Why?"

"Not now, Noah, please. Can you pick me up?"

"Of course. I'll come pick you up at the apartment building?"

"Yeah. How's Aaliyah?"

"Crying her eyes out and feeling guilty."

"How are you?"

"Feeling guilty because I did this. I made her cry. And because my best friend is upset with me because I fucking betrayed him. But I couldn't help it... you know? I love her! I love her so fucking much, Soph."

I sigh. "I know you do. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm coming to pick you up right now. Already on my way."

"Okay, thanks." And I hang up.

I wait for him, and eventually, 10 minutes later, he's here. I get in his car quickly.

"Hey." Noah says.

"Hey."

"Where do you want to go?"

"I don't know. I don't want to go to Mom's."

I start crying and bury my head in my hand.

"Hey. It's okay. Why did you leave the apartment?" He rubs my back.

"I don't want to talk about it, right now, Noah."

"Okay. I'm going to Aaliyah's. Do you want to come with me?"

I nod and say weakly, "yeah. Okay. The company will be good."

He starts driving the car.

"You're in no position to tell me what to do with my father. You don't even know anything about yours."

I can't stop thinking about this. I need to know my dad.