Page 56 of Shadows Within
“Oh, thank you,” I say with a smile.
“Thanks for the participation today, Scarlett. Good to have you back.” He looks over my shoulder, then disappears past me through the crowd of students. I look up and don’t see anyone directly in front of us, but I notice a tall figure with sandy hair, almost like Chase’s, briskly walking past.
I make my way across the courtyard to the coffee shop. Sophia sits at a table with both of our drinks. She frantically waves, then stands and embraces me with a tight hug. “Hi,” she says into my hair. Our hug is longer than usual.
“Hi,” I say back. She doesn’t know how much I needed this. Until now, I didn’t either.
I place my bag down on one of the seats and sit across from her, taking a sip of my coffee.
“Thanks for this. I needed it.” I take another sip.
“Anytime. How was class?” She picks up her iced concoction and stirs it with the straw.
“It was good actually.”
“Okay, we don’t do small talk. How are you? I wanted to give you space, but I’m worried Scar.” I know that it’s probably been hard for her to see me so closed off.
“I’m okay. I’m just going to class, going to the gym, and trying to focus on the good.” That’s a lie, I haven’t been able to box. I’ve walked into the gym a couple of times, but I keep giving up once I’m there. Maybe I’ll try again tomorrow. I know she isn’t buying it.
“Are you okay?” I want to say no but instead I nod. I don’t know how much she’s been told.
“I thought you would’ve heard all about it by now.”
“I begged for Harrison to tell me, but he wouldn’t budge. And Stirling said he didn’t know all the details. All he told me was that Vanessa was at the party… I’m sorry.”
“Ha!” I let out a sarcastic cackle. “At the party? No, she was working it, Soph.”
Sophia’s eyebrows dip as her face contorts.
“She’s a hooker or something I guess, Soph. My mother left us to be free and fuck men for money.”
“Jesus, are you sure?” She stutters.
“Well, unless you can think of another reason why she would be dancing naked at the party with men all around her and tassels on her nipples. It didn’t look like just stripping to me. She didn’t look like someone there to dance, she looked like someone there to sell herself... and it seemed like the men there already knew her and what to expect. It’s not the job, I respect anyone who can do it. It’s that she left us, Soph. And he didn’t even fucking tell me, yet he knew.He. Knew.He fucking knewSoph. I opened up to him about my feelings and he kept that from me.” Tears fill my eyes, but I don’t let them fall. Not today.
I don’t need to tell her who, she knows.
“Scar, I’m sorry. That’s really awful.” She grabs my hand.
“And the worst part is how much I miss Callum. This is why I didn’t want to start anything. I should focus on what the hell I want to do after I graduate and the last thing I need to worry about is guy drama. But I want to continue this, I just don’t know how.” I pause for a minute, thinking about what I really want to say. “I just feel like maybe I’m more into this than he is.”
Sophia squeezes my hand. “I’m not taking his side, and you know that you’re my ride or die. But do you think, maybe there’s a reason he didn’t tell you? Guys like Callum don’t date, and they sure as hell don’t open themselves up, Scar. It sounds like it wasn’t nothing to him. I’m sure it will all come to the surface soon.”
I have thought about that, but it still doesn’t excuse the lie.
“Yeah, I know. But it doesn’t mean that it’s okay. Where do we go from here? We aren’t even together, are we?” I look to her, hoping she can provide the answers but knowing that she can’t.
“Well, I think the first thing you need to do is talk to him. And I dare you to tell him that you aren’t together and see how he reacts to it—might get kind of steamy.”
I snort, she’s probably right.
“Thanks, Soph.”
“I’m here for you,always. We’re best friends, we don’t shut each other out.” She’s right.
“I know, I just needed some time to breathe.”
“I understand that. I’m sorry about Vanessa. I swear, when I see her again, I’m going to punch her for hiding all of this from you and Jake. What do you think is going on?”
