I Never Imagined ✔️

Chapter 5: Internal Victory

"So, your homework today is page 134, problems 1-20. I want them done, with work shown, and turned in tomorrow. Got it?" my math teacher bores. I'm ready to fall asleep at this moment, and honestly, all I want is my bed, some Oreos, and YouTube, and I will die happy. I'm just begging the bell at this moment to ring, so that the bars trapping us in this hellhole will be lifted and we can go home and live our lives. 

Thankfully, it's not long before my wish is granted, and the sharp ringing of the bell signals our freedom. "Have a nice day," our teacher tells us, and with that, I get up, and sling my backpack over my shoulder. 

Once I do that, Ray gets up, and says, "Sophia, can I talk to you really quickly?" 

I grab my textbook off of my desk, and say, "Yeah, sure." 

Ray throws his backpack over his shoulder, and says, "You've been acting a little bit distant lately. Is everything okay? I just want to make sure that you're doing okay, and you're not mad at me." 

I just take a deep breath, while trying to fight all the emotions boiling inside of me, and say, "Yeah, everything's fine." 

He raises an eyebrow at me, and says, "You sure? I trust that everything's okay back home, but please tell me, are you mad at me?"

I try not to lose my composure and scream, "YES, I AM MAD AT YOU. CAN'T YOU SEE THAT?!" Instead, I raise my head up a little bit higher, and say, "Just ask Pete. He knows the answer to this." With that, I strut out of the classroom, with my head still hung high, and make my way to my locker.

*******

"How was class sitting next to Ray? Did you stab him anywhere with your pencil?" Sonia asks, as we walk to our lockers. 

I roll my eyes, and say, "I don't want to get arrested, Sonia. I didn't talk to him much. He did ask if I was mad at him, so I told him to ask Pete." 

Sonia stops dead in her tracks, like she saw the Slenderman in front of her, and says, "Are you serious right now? You said to ask Pete? Are you mental? Pete's going to give him the Spongebob clip of Sandy denying him and Patrick water and will say that's his answer." 

I raise an eyebrow, and say, "Aw, you watch Spongebob? I guess you and Pete have something in common after all! We're one step closer to your wedding!" 

Sonia playfully raises her fist at me, and then she says, "Give me your calculus book. I need something heavy to whack you with." 

I just chuckle, as I finally reach my locker. I turn the lock, and say, "Come on. We all know that you're going to marry Pete one day. I mean, opposites DO attract." 

Sonia rolls her eyes, and says, "He's too careless for my liking. Do you remember the time he hit the puck into the other team's goal? Three times in a row?" 

I snicker, and say, "Ah, hockey. The only sport where I was good at, and the only sport where you could willingly hit people in the shin and not get suspended over it." 

Sonia scoffs, and says, "I should've taken advantage of that. Man, I regret that now." I take my books out, and start to walk to my car. Sonia follows behind me, as she takes her keys out of her pocket. "But anyways, don't fret too much about it. But I'm sure that Ray is going to sniff this out extremely soon. Because he's not an idiot- unlike what I thought in 7th grade- and Pete is a goof, so he's going to let it slip one way or the other." 

I nod, as I shove my keys in the lock, and say, "True that. See, this is why I never tell Pete about my crushes. Ever." 

Sonia rolls her eyes, and says, "Okay, I think I know the answer to this, but I just want to make sure. Sophia, do you like Ray? Like, more than friends?" I open my car door, throw my things down, and look back at her. I close the door, and lean against the car. "Well? What's the answer? Do you like him?"