Chapter Eleven

Echo

“Oh my God, I think I’m starting to fall in love.” J.J. was pressing the screen of her cellphone with the kind of excitement that would make a kid in a candy shop feel envious. “I can’t wait for it to finally happen. Don’t you love that kinda feeling?”

Sophie nodded without conviction. As far as she knew, that ‘kinda feeling’ could go die in the deepest and darkest pit of the Grand Canyon, along with all her hopes of ever hearing from Adrian again. She served the dark skinned girl her hot latte and inwardly thanked her for showing up. Jennifer didn’t work on the weekends, but she decided to show up at Papyrus anyway and see if Sophie needed some guidance on her first day at work. Sophie thought it was a sweet gesture, it was good to feel cared for, even if it was by a girl she barely knew. She had a sneaking suspicion that Charlotte may have something to do with it, but it was a sweet gesture nonetheless – from both of them.

“I have been dating the coolest guy for two weeks now. Today is actually our two weeks anniversary, but I don’t want to mention it to him, don’t want to fright him off. It was so romantic, the way we met. It seemed like a scene out of “Sex and the City”. It’s actually kinda funny how it happened because he had asked me out before, but I totally shot him down. A few days later though, I found him all depressed in a bar and went to talk to him. We ended up having our first date that same Saturday night. I guess I’m just a soft heart but I’m glad I am because it all kinda fell into place since then and-“ Sophie kind of dazed off during J.J.’s rant, like she usually did. She wasn’t really in the mood to hear about romantic stories, especially not the “how I met him” kind. She had a good one of her own, only the ending wasn’t quite as happy as J.J’s. Besides, precisely two weeks ago, she wasn’t really having the time of her life and she’d rather forget it altogether.

“Yes, I think I’m ready to fall for him!”

Sophie couldn’t really understand how that worked, but she wished she could control herself like that. It would’ve saved her from all the pain she felt in her lungs every time she filled them with air.

“Gosh, Sophie, you look bloody awful,” J.J. commented, as if looking at her for the first time that day. “Did you get any sleep at all? You have such huge dark circles under your pretty eyes.”

“Thanks. I guess…”

“Were you nervous about coming to work today?”

“Yeah, a little anxious. I can’t really sleep when I’m anxious.” It was a lie. She didn’t sleep because since her and Adrian’s quarrel the night before she could barely breathe, much less rest. She felt a deep agony ever since, like something was seriously wrong with the whole world.

“Oh, don’t worry about the job. It’s easy. Besides, you already worked on a restaurant, compared to that, this is nothing. The stress level is almost non-existent. I bet you learned a lot from your previous job, right?”

Sophie nodded again and thanked her kindness. She did learn a lot working for Bob, like refrain from dumping beer on top of your customers’ heads, for example.

“Hey, Sophie, I know that is none of my business but...” Oh, great. She could see what was coming for miles now. “…and I don’t know what happened between you two but, I thought you should know that Charlotte is really depressed with this whole situation.”

What? Did she look like she was having a great time?

“I can tell that she really likes you.”

Why was she always the bad guy?

“I mean, she doesn’t talk about it, but I can tell that she’s hurting and that she misses you.”

Sophie sighed. “I miss her too.”

“Great! Then why don’t the two of you just put whatever happened between you behind your backs and move on together? I know I don’t really know any of you very well but I do know that I never saw one of you without the other at school.” J.J. shrugged. “It just seems like a real shame, if you let something unimportant mess up that great friendship of yours.”

The dark haired was thoughtful for a few minutes, as she prepared a costumer’s sandwich. She looked at J.J., who was standing by the counter and tried to fake a smile.

Sophie was grateful for her new job. The weekend went by in a hurry and the job kept her so busy, she barely had time to think, which was a blessing. When she wasn’t serving customers or cleaning, on the little free time she had during her working hours, she would write on her notebook or read one of the store’s many books on display. Everything to avoid thinking. At late afternoon, she would return so tired that she only managed to have a warm bath, dinner and wrestle through her homework before she fell asleep.

The real challenge would be Monday and, sure enough, like everything you dread, it arrived quicker that it should. Soon enough, Sophie was back in those unfriendly and chilly halls (funny how she never noticed how grey and dull they were before), with boring classes that would give her more than enough time to think about Charlotte, sitting on the other end of the room and avoiding looking at her, and about Adrian, who should be having his Literature class – she chuckled as she thought how he sucked at it, but it was a bittersweet moment, because he would probably never speak to her again.

When lunch time came, Sophie decided to just buy a sandwich and a bottle of water at the bar. She quickly fled outside, she didn’t really feel like sitting with Aaron’s gang today, she wanted to eat on the outside stone tables and get away from all the grey of the walls and the loudness and crowds of the cafeteria. The warmth of the sun on her skin and the cool, soft breeze allowed her to feel more than the numbness she had gotten used to feel on her chest and mind.

She wasn’t the only one choosing the colorfulness and calm. Small groups of students were also enjoying the light and the relative quietness of the outside, most of them being couples in search of privacy, which ended up ruining her idea a little. She sat alone and took a little bite of her awful, dry sandwich. She was kind of hungry, but she didn’t feel like eating, if that made any sense.

Sophie took out Aaron’s mp3 - she conveniently forgot to mention to him that she had it though (“Where the hell is my mp3?”, “Has anyone seem my damn mp3?”, “I can’t believe I lost my fucking mp3!”), but she didn’t feel guilty about it, because it was really old and full of adhesive tape and he barely even used it anymore, he had way better devices to listen to music with. She was in the middle of putting the headphones on when she saw a scene that made her drop them instantly.

At one of the tables, at her far left, she witnessed the most bizarre scene she could’ve thought of at the moment. There was J.J., with a huge smile on her beautiful face, and sitting right in front of her... Mark! What the… It only got weirder when he leaned closer to her and she grabbed his cheeks and kissed him. What followed was a kiss fest of massive proportions. Sophie was completely caught off guard. That scene could only be more bizarre if instead of J.J., Mark was kissing Aaron.

So the boyfriend J.J. had been babbling about, nonstop, these last few days was Mark! But that meant… wait a second… J.J. said they had been dating for two weeks. They started Saturday night but he had already asked her out before. That meant…

“That son of a bitch!”

What she did next was stronger than her. She got up and went to their table so quickly that she didn’t even remember making the conscious decision to do it. As soon as she arrived, J.J. shot a gigantic smile at her. The same couldn’t be said about Mark, the only glare angrier than his was Sophie’s.

“Hey, Sophie,” J.J. said, “Oh, this is my boyfriend, the one I’ve been telling you about. I believe you know each other right?”

None of them replied, both Sophie and Mark just stood there, in a silent angry stare contest. If J.J. thought it was weird, she didn’t comment on it. “Do you want to join us for lunch?”

“How could you?” Sophie asked.

“Ah, you’ve got a lot of nerve!” he replied.

J.J. was looking at them, confused. “What is going on?”

“You started dating J.J. on the same night we were together? After you told me you hadn’t gotten over me?”

“What did you expect me to do? Cry you a river?” he mocked.

“You bastard! You didn’t actually mean any of the things you told me, did you? You had already asked her out before you asked me out!”

“Wow. Wait a minute.” J.J. raised her hands. “Mark is your ex-boyfriend?”

“Yes,” she said.

“Unfortunately,” Mark replied.

“And you were together the night we started dating?”

“Yes!”

“Unfortunately!”

“What the fuck Mark? Sophie, I-I didn’t know, I’m sorry!”

Sophie shook her head. “No, you did nothing wrong, J.”

“Neither did I! May I remind you that we ended everything that night? Before we were together at the bar,” he said the last part looking at Jennifer.

“But you asked her out after you asked me?“

“And he said he hadn’t gotten over me yet!” Sophie completed.

J.J. looked at him with surprise. “What in the bloody hell is going on?”

“So that’s where my mp3 has been!”

Sophie raised her hand to her forehead. Aaron was the only person capable of making the situation worse. He was standing behind her already, his mp3 on his hand, Chester and their friend Jason just a few feet behind. Aaron didn’t have time to pick on her for stealing his mp3 though, as soon as he noticed who Sophie’s company was, his face turned into a frown.

“Oh, Mark,” he said in disgust, “Janet Jackson,” he said to J.J. with coldness.

“Not now, Aaron, please!” Sophie begged him.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing of your concern. Go back to your nest, I think I hear the shrieking sound of a teeny fangirl calling for you,” J.J. added with even more coldness.

“What concerns my sister, concerns me, Ice Queen!”

The fight between Aaron and J.J. was starting to attract the attention of the students that were on the outside. There were more now than before, apparently they had decided, just like Aaron and his friends, to enjoy a little bit of the sun after their meal.

“I would be careful if I were you, Backstreet Boy wannabe. This can’t be good for your ‘reputation’!”

“You’re the one who came down of your pedestal to commune with us, common mortals. How does it feel? I bet your neck appreciates it, not looking at everybody like they are dirt in your shoe.”

“Wow, so many words. I see you’ve been using your brain more than usual, it must hurt.”

Aaron bitterly laughed and turned to his sister. “What are you doing here with these losers? Let’s get out of here, they deserve each other.” And he tried to push her by her arm.

“No, Aaron!” She refused to leave. “He doesn’t deserve J.J. He’s been playing both of us.”

“Oh, please! Don’t put Jennifer in the same level as you,” Mark said.

J.J. gasped. “Mark!”

“I would shut up if I were you, asshole! I’ve been dying to beat the shit out of you for months, don’t make it easier on me!”

Mark only smiled and Sophie could sense Aaron’s muscles tensing. “Aaron, just go back inside. I’ll handle this.”

“I’m staying right here.” He stubbornly crossed his arms and looked at Mark with killer intent.

“It figures,” Mark said, “now, I’m the bad guy. Listen Sophie, if you can’t handle the loss-“

“What?”

“Honestly, I always knew you couldn’t stand being on your own. You’re so Goddamn needy. But don’t come here all high and mighty just because you’re jealous-“

“You wish! I’m not jealous, you bastard! I’m pissed off because I believed you! When you told me you had changed, I believed you! When you said you wanted me back and wanted to make it work, I believed you! When you said I meant something for you, I believed you, you son of a bitch! And all this time you were just playing me! It was all a lie! You were chasing J.J. at the same time you were making me believe you!”

“Hey, you rejected me! I didn’t cheat on you; we were over when I went out with Jenny! I was honest! I didn’t use you or deceived you! You did! You’re just as guilty, if not more, as me! You were going out with me with that phone-dude on your head. You fell for that guy way before I asked Jenny out! The only difference is, he didn’t want you back, am I right? The difference is, I found someone to be with and you didn’t! Because not even phone-guy would want you!”

J.J. interrupted him, “Mark! Don’t say that!” She looked at him in shock, it was like she was seeing him for the first time. Aaron was clenching his fists. But Mark continued anyway.

“The only reason you’re mad is because you can’t stand to see me with someone, when not even phone-guy would be with you! Not even at a distance the guy could stand you!”

“Mark, how can you say those things? She’s your ex-girlfriend,” J.J. whispered. Sophie struggled to keep her tears away. It was like Mark could read her mind. He was saying to her everything she actually believed to be true. For someone who wouldn’t even bother to learn her favorite color, he surely did learn her deepest insecurities.

“No one could ever want you. You’re meant to be alone!” Then he laughed. “Why would I ever want to be with you when I can have someone like Jenny? You’re not even worth the shoes she wears. Why would anyone ever want to be with you? I bet the only reason phone-guy keeps talking to you is because he never actually saw you!”

Aaron then moved closer in a clear sign that he was about to punch Mark senseless, but Sophie was faster. She grabbed his can of juice and threw it all over his face, throwing the can right into him as well. “You liar!” She felt a rage and a strength she didn’t feel in a long time. He was too shocked to react. “You never respected me! You were never honest with me!”

A small group of students were now gasping and putting their hands over their mouths in amazement. Some of them were laughing at the scene. Sophie thought she could hear the distant cheering of Chester and Jason.

“You’re such a bitch, Sophie!” Mark said through grinned teeth, quickly getting up. Aaron put himself between Mark and Sophie immediately. He was actually grinning. Chester and Jason were approaching as well.

“Enough, Mark,” J.J. said, getting up and walking towards him. It was the first time Sophie saw her with a serious face.

“Look at what she’s doing, Jenny!”

“Is it true, though?” she asked. “Did you ask me out, then asked her out and then asked me out again? Do you respect any of us, at all?”

Mark could only mutter, “Babe… You know it’s you. It’s always been you.”

“I am what? A sleazy backup plan?”

“No, babe, you got it all wrong! You’re an upgrade.” Then he looked at Sophie. “She’s the backup.”

“That’s it!” And Aaron plunged himself into Mark. Fortunately, Chester and Jason grabbed him in time, to prevent him from actually reaching the brown haired boy. Sophie put herself in front of Aaron, putting her hands in his chest and trying to remind him that it wasn’t worth it, that he had enough detentions already, that he could not afford to be suspended again. Eventually, Aaron calmed down – not because of Sophie’s words – but because of his friends who had turned him immobile. Sophie looked at J.J. and could see her staring at Aaron with a kind of newfound vision, a kind of look she had never given him before. Then she looked at Mark. “Really, baby? I’m an upgrade?”

“Obviously.” He smirked.

J.J. smiled and got closer to him. For a second, Sophie actually thought she was going to hug him and judging by his open arms and winning smile, Mark thought the same. When J.J. was only a few inches away from him though, she didn’t hug him. She slapped him with all her might. Everyone was caught by surprise; everyone had their mouths wide open. Mark put his hand on his reddened cheek and looked at her as if she had suddenly turned into a pink elephant.

“That one is for me,” she said. Then she grabbed his shoulders and, with her knee, she kicked him where it hurts the most. The sound of shuddering guys imagining the pain was music to her ears. “This one is for Sophie.” And then she grabbed her things and left towards the school building, never even looking back. Aaron followed her with his eyes, with amazement written on his face. It was like he, too, was seeing her for the first time.

Mark stared at Sophie, but instead of anger, what she saw in him was pure sadness. She felt her heart breaking.

She did that.

Author's Notes - So, how do you feel about my continuous reign of evilness?

Sorry, I know this chapter is shorter than usual (at least it feels like it, let's see what wattpad tells me). And, ooooh, no Adrian =/. Not to worry my dear fellow wattpaders, I think I might regain your love next chapter. Or, at least I hope so...

Thank you, because I will never be able to say this enough, for all your amazing support. Thank you so much for your loyalty, for reading, voting, adding, fanning, commenting, everything! Thank you. Talk to me, please. Don't be shy. I don't bite.... not all the time, at least.

By the way, I feel I have to say this - the original title of this chapter is just "Echo", don't know why but wattpad wasn't feeling it, so I had to add the "Reflection of Sound" thing, which is, as I'm sure you all know, a redundancy. Why, Wattpad? Why?