"I don't know, Sophia. It's pretty complicated."
Ashley said slowly.
"Please, Ashley ? We're friends, right ?"
"We are ! But, Melissa seems ferocious."
Sophia gave Ashley one of her puppy eyes, waiting for her reaction.
"OK, fine !"

Ashley groaned, and started to walk towards Melissa, who was trying to open her locker, but was somehow failing.
"Hey, Melissa ! Welcome to our school."
"Go away."

Melissa murmured angrily.
"Sorry ?"
Ashley asked in confusion, not hearing her as her voice was too low.
"I said go away !"
Melissa exclaimed angrily, making Ashley back away, taken aback by her sudden reaction.

"Okay, sorry !"
Ashley said, and started to walk away, towards Sophia.
"Happy ? I told you she's ferocious."
Sophia nodded.
"You were right."
She muttered, and they both started to walk towards Mr Rock's classroom.

....

"Why did you ask me to say whatever you wanted to say to Melissa though ?"
Ashley asked as soon as they got out of Mr Rock's classroom.
"I don't know, I guess I was too nervous to talk to her myself. But then, when she yelled at you like that, I realized that she wasn't the same."

"Who was she to you ?"
Ashley asked.
"We used to be best friends."
The dark-haired girl waited for her friend to say more, but she didn't. Ashley automatically knew that Sophia wasn't ready to talk about Melissa, or anything else.

So she sealed the topic shut.

Later That Day :
The Den :

"So..Sophia asked me to do something really weird today."
Ashley started.
"Hold on, Ashley. We really have to finish this."
Hank said as they pressed their fingers over and over again on the joystick.

"No, Hank. You have to listen ! You haven't been there for Sophia."
Hank and Frankie glanced at her, giving her the attention she needed, not caring for once as the screen changed to a 'game over' in bloody handwriting.

"What is it, then ?"
"Sophia said something earlier about Melissa being her best friend."
Hank gave a questioning look.
"And ?"

"I think Melissa used to go to that boarding school, and maybe something happened there that made Melissa so furious at Sophia. But what ?"

Frankie rolled his eyes.
"Ugh, we lost the game for that ?"
"Wait, Frankie, she's right ! Sophia was really distracted lately. I might be able to get it out of her. Any ideas how ?"

"Maybe there's a way."

. . .

"Hey, Sophia. Having fun, sweetie ?"
Mick spoke loudly, leaning in to kiss his daughter's forehead. She smiled at him, then nodded.

"Yes, daddy. Thank you !"
Mick glanced at his son, who was sitting in the corner of the room, scrolling down his phone.

As soon as Nick looked up, his father gave him a threatening glare, resulting him to sigh sadly. He got up and sat next to Sophia.

"Hey, Sophia. Would you like to watch a movie with me ?"
Sophia noticed the tension between her dad and her brother. And for the first time, she decided to back him up.

"Sure thing."

The reply surprised them both.

___________________

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