Dear Diary

Chapter 44

It has been several weeks since Olivia broke her arm and Luke and Sophia had that conversation. In the time that has passed, there have been a few track races, of which Sophia won every one and also broke a few records. Alice and Blair, along with the rest of the group, haven't really changed too much. 

However, Sophia was slowly beginning to distance herself from them ... and mostly Luke.

No-one was at fault for it though; just that Sophia refused to get even more attached to anyone than she already was. She has been in Ridgeview four months now, and in a month (maybe two at the most) she will leave. 

Her father has never stayed in one place longer than seven months. 

She knew that Luke instantly picked up on her distancing as she was no longer going to Sunday lunches. She used the excuse of needing time to study, but she wasn't actually studying. She felt bad about lying to them, but what could she do? She didn't want to get attached to them because it would only hurt her when she had to leave. 

At least, there was one good thing happening in Sophia's life - Rachel had been rather scarce lately. It was something Sophia found very strange, but accepted quickly. She didn't have energy to deal with girls like her. 

However, one chilly autumn Wednesday she found out why.

Sophia had been walking outside with her group on their way to break. It was quiet at first, but then she heard the familiar snarl of the Queen Bee, Rachel Pierce. 

"You really are pathetic, you know. With your baggy, old clothes and fat legs, no wonder your own father couldn't even stand the sight of you. Eh, four-eyes?"

An evil gaggle of cackles ensued and Sophia's eyes narrowed as she began making her way towards the sound, her group scurrying after her. After a few seconds, she rounded a corner and there she saw Rachel towering over the new girl who had curled up against a wall and hid her face in her hands.

Sophia watched for a moment as Mindy tried her best to keep from crying in front of the popular girls and she suddenly realised why Mindy had such a familiar feeling about her when she first saw her in History. 

She was behaving exactly like Sophia's mother. The fact that she was being bullied brought her thoughts back to her mother's diary where she had experienced the same thing and she felt her anger spike.

Rachel scoffed loudly as she took in the sight of the small girl struggling to keep her tears at bay. "No wonder your father left you. You aren't even worth the air you breathe."

Before her group could stop her, Sophia was already marching up to the auburn Barbie doll. 

"Back off, Rachel," she demanded as she stood in front of the sobbing girl hunched against the wall and shielded her from the vicious gazes of the popular girls. 

Rachel smirked. "Oh, of course," she smiled and stepped away from Sophia. "Anything for the girl who murdered her mother," Rachel smirked with an evil glint in her eye.

Sophia froze at her words, as did everyone else. So, this was the Rachel that everyone feared, finding out secrets and twisting them into whatever she wanted. This was probably also the reason she's been so quiet: she's been digging. 

Sophia kept her face calm, but inside her blood was boiling and she balled her hands into fists.

Rachel's smirk broadened at her victory of finally being able to get under the General's daughter's skin. It had taken a few weeks, but she had finally found her weakness. 

"Well, girls, we best get going," she said to her posse and her eyes locked on Sophia's. "Wouldn't want us to end up the same way."

Sophia very, very nearly lunged at her. How dare she impose on her life and speak about something of which she had no clue!