Borderline

Session Two Chapter 3

A new school year was rolling in, Sophie and Sebastian had reached the eighth grade, which meant after this they would be going on to high school, and according to her father, who knew how she would survive that.
After her episode at Alice's house, Sophie refused to change schools, refused to run away, and stayed put, suffering from the stares she got from everyone who heard about what happened, which was practically everyone in school. Alice did try to talk to her a couple of times, but Sophie didn't want to revisit anything, she was not about to repeat the same mistake twice. Eventually, Alice had moved on and found a best friend in Tessa. No one wanted anything to do with Sophie.
At the beginning of eighth grade there appeared to be one person who didn't know her story and that person was Jonathan,the new kid. Jonathan Lodge came as the shy kid, he was nice to everyone and minded his own business. Most important of all was that he didn't listen to gossip. He ended up in Sophie's history class and his locker was next to Sebastian's. He quickly befriended Sebastian, but didn't get swiped into the whole popularity thing. He always came over to their house and was always nice to Sophie, never judging her on her low social status. Sophie had quickly developed a crush on him. How could she not, he was the only person other than her brother that treated her like a human being, not a walking bomb.
Several months had passed and Sophie just stayed admiring Jonathan from a distance. Until one day when Jonathan came to Sophie near her locker after her Literature class ended. She thought he was walking home with her and Sebastian as he did some days, and told him Sebastian was in basketball practice since it was Thursday, he told her he already knew and that he came by to walk her home. At that moment Sophie's heart practically melted to the floor, her crush was finally acknowledging her! This would be a great day in any 14 year old girl's life. They talked all the way home. He asked her questions about her, she answered and then asked him questions. They got to know each other and from that day on, they became friends. Everyday they would walk home together, always chatting, always laughing. Sebastian was relieved, Sophie was getting back on track and who better to help her through than his good friend, Jonathan.
On Friday February 7th, Sophie finally opened up to him about her past. About how as a little kid every year she would start a new school year at a new school, because every time she would have an episode at school and would break some school property. She always got angry at the smallest of things and then at that point she wouldn't be able to control herself. She told him about her father who despised her, and her mother who cared for her brother much more than her. Jonathan held Sophie's hand that day and wiped away her tears. He told her that she was brave for going through that and being able to open up to him about him. At that moment, Sophie felt like she was in love. From that day on, they always walked while holding hands. And once they reached home, they always talked some more on the phone. He never grew tired of her, never held her past against her and was always so sweet.
The next Friday, Valentine's Day, Jonathan gave her chocolates and a heart shaped card, he asked her to the dance that was being held that night at the school auditorium. They danced to all the happy songs and then slow songs, he told her that he thought she was beautiful. He was the first person to say that to her. And then as the song was slowing to an end, he leaned in, but Sophie leaned back. She was not ready for her first kiss. She told him she didn't want her first kiss to be at a stupid school dance where almost everyone else was waiting to see the crazy girl's first leap into the big world. Indeed, as she looked around most people stood staring at them, some laughed, some snickered. And there among the crowd stood Alice, a look of sympathy on her face with her cronies Jen and Josie with her, but Tessa no where in sight. Seeing Alice was a reminder of what happened the last time she trusted someone enough to let them in.
That night Jonathan texted her good night, but Sophie didn't reply. She didn't reply to any of his texts that weekend, most of them telling her how he missed her, and how without her his day wasn't as bright. These texts were the usual that he sent, all the time and she would usually blush once she read them, but now she just couldn't stand it anymore. Why wouldn't he just leave her alone? She was sick of his constant need to shower her with loving words. He never grew tired of her and was always too damn sweet.
Monday morning, Jonathan came to her locker and asked her why she didn't reply to any of his texts. He told her he was worried about her. "You don't have to be worried all the time about me Jonathan ok?" She snapped at him. Jonathan was taken by surprise, he did not expect such a reply from Sophie.
"Is everything ok? Did something happen at home? Did your father say something about the dance?" Jonathan asked her, once again worriedly.
"Look, Jonathan. I don't need you breathing down my neck ok? Nothing happened at home. We don't need to talk all the time ok?" She told him then slammed her locker "And don't bring up my dad every time I'm upset" then stormed off to her first class.
By Wednesday, Sophie couldn't stand the sight of Jonathan. Only looking at him, made her feel this loathe for his existence. He had come up to her and tried to tell her about his plan for their first official date, but she just couldn't stay there and listen to him talk about their perfect day out, it was too much for her, and she was beginning to lose patience. He even went as far as confronting Sebastian about it, wondering if things were alright, if anyone said anything to her to change her mind. That was the last straw.
She approached him on Friday, with one main purpose: to break it off with him as smoothly as possible. "Hey Sophie, I've missed you this past week, I was wondering when you'd be ok to talk again. After Sebastian let me know nothing as going on I assumed maybe it's that time of the month again" he just couldn't shut his mouth and wait for her to at least try to be civil.
"Ok first of all, I already told you nothing was going on, you should've trusted me instead going to my brother to ask him, you only believed it when it came from him. I got sick of talking to you ok. I got sick of your constant need to talk and shower me with love and always be so freaking sweet. It's exhausting really, a person needs space. And I mean you're so whiny and clingy, I swear it's too much effort even looking at you. So no we're not 'ok again', we're done" I blew it all out, so much for being smooth.
"Oh and Jonathan if you ever do end up having a girlfriend again don't just assume that every time she's upset that it's that time of the month. It's misogynistic, really"
***
"It sort of took a turn for a romance novel there. I presume Sebastian stopped hanging out with Jonathan after this?" Dr. Claremont asked as if he truly was in the middle of reading a romance novel.
"Naturally. Sebastian had only one constant in his life and that was Sophie, he wasn't about to stick around with the guy, who for all he knows broke her heart"
"But he didn't break her heart. It was more the other way around. If Sophie was so irritated by someone being nice to her how did she stick with her brother so long?"
"Doctor I think you're missing the concept of family here. He's her brother, her twin. She wasn't about to turn on him for caring" I was getting ready to leave, any minute now Dr. Claremont's secretary, Wilma, will be beep him letting him know Missy was here for her appointment.
"You're right, family is a major part of Sophie's life. To her, family matters most"