My One and Only [A Sokeefe Story]

Chapter 1

A pale light shone across the room. Sophie blinked her eyes, and then sat up. What time was it? Glancing at her bedside table, Sophie yelped. "I'm gonna be late!!" Snapping awake in an instant, she shrugged un a cream-coloured sweatshirt, some leggings, and converse. Not thinking twice about her honey-blonde hair, she ran downstairs. "Mom! I'm gonna be late!!"

Edaline looked up. "Honey. You have 50 minutes until school! You're not late."

Confused, Sophie glanced at the clock. "But, it's 7:30! School starts at 7:45!"

Edaline's soft laugh made Sophie raise her eyebrows. "You're going to a new school, remember? School doesn't start until 8:20!"

Open-mouthed and shocked, all Sophie could do was plop herself down in a chair and shovel some of her mom's famous mallowmelt into her mouth. "I woke up too early." She started complaining. Now that Edaline had mentioned it, she remembered that she was indeed going to a new school. Foxfire Academy only accepted the best. She was happy to go to a new school, but also nervous.

"Are you excited? You are going into 10th grade!" Edaline swooped by to with Sophie's backpack.

Sophie gulped down her food. "Uh... I guess? I'm excited to go to a new school. But what if no one likes me? Cause, you know..." Sophie twirled her hair between her fingers, gesturing to the lack of a streak.

Edaline set down her backpack. "If anyone teases you about that, they're not worth it. A streak isn't what defines you. Now, finish up your breakfast. Since your up so early, you might as well get to school earlier."

"Got it." Jumping up and grabbing her bag, Sophie ran out the door. "Bye!" she called back over her shoulder. Checking her phone, she saw that it was 8:00. She quickly hopped on a bus. Finding her way to a seat, Sophie sighed and sat down.

"Hey! Are you new?"

Sophie's brown eye's searched the crowded bus. "What?" Her eyes landed on a boy about her age with strawberry blond hair and periwinkle eyes. "Dex?"

The boy was taken aback. "How do you know my name?" The boy squinted closer at Sophie. "Oh! You're my cousin! I haven't seen you in like, 5 years!"

Sophie winced. "Adoptive cousin, I guess." Sophie's actual parents and sister had gotten into a car crash. They had survived, but they had amnesia and didn't remember Sophie. Since they didn't remember her, Sophie was deemed an orphan, until Edaline and her husband, Grady decided to adopt her.

Dex waved it off. "Doesn't make a difference. You going to Foxfire this year as well?"

"Yeah." Sophie was glad that there was someone familiar. Dex never teased Sophie about being streakless. Even if it was 5 years ago.

"Great!" Dex's smile spread even wider, showing the dimples in his cheeks. Since we're early, I guess I could give you a tour. You up for that?"

"Sure." That was when the bus announced the right stop. Dex, Sophie, and a couple of other kids neared the door of the bus, ready to get off. When the doors opened, Sophie gasped. She had never actually seen the grand school in person. It was, to say the least, majestic. There were like, 7 floors, and the whole building was plated with glass. "Wow," Sophie breathed.

"Yup. Big school. Now come on. What's your first class?"

"Chem." Sophie had memorized her schedule already. Photographic memory. It wasn't hard.

Dex whistled. "We've got the same class. You're in for a climb. Math's on the 6th floor."

"I think I can handle it."

---

"Slow down!!" Dex was panting.

Sophie was a flight of stairs ahead of him. "You speed up!"

"How do you run that fast?"

Shrugging, Sophie said, "I don't know. But you're slow." She turned back around and ran up the stairs. When she got to the 6th floor, she looked around. Great. Now she didn't know where to go. All she could do was lean against the wall and wait for Dex to get to the 6th floor.

"Wait for me!" Dex's voice sounded a little distant.

"Finally! Come on. Where is Chem, again?"

Dex pointed at a classroom with glass windows. "There. That's the lab."

"Great." With that, Sophie grabbed Dex's hand and dragged him into the classroom. The room was spacious. It was organized in rows, with different pieces of equipment scattered across the tables.

"You're here." Sophie turned to see a woman. "I am Mrs. Galvin. Your chemistry teacher."

Sophie wasn't sure what to say. "Uh... hi?"

Mrs. Galvin sniffed. Then she allowed them to continue to their desks.  When the rest of the class had arrived, Mrs. Galvin began her lesson. "Today we are going to do an experiment with chemicals. Go get your gloves and goggles. The instructions are on your table." That was it. Nothing else.

Sophie nervously grabbed a set of gloves and goggles and got to work. Chemistry had never been her strong suit. She was doing good until she whipped the solution. It exploded. What was even worse was that Mrs. Galvin was near her table at the moment, and the solution burned her scarf.

Mrs. Galvin almost screeched. "Ms. Foster! What have you done?"

Not sure what to say, Sophie stayed quiet.

Shaking her head, Mrs. Galvin said, "Well, better get to the hospital wing. You'll want to get that burn treated."

Sophie nodded. As she made her way out of the classroom, she felt the stares of her peers on her back. Once out the door, she wandered the halls aimlessly, not sure where the hospital wing was.

"You must be lost."