Page 125 of Missed Notes (Rixon High 5)

At least, I hoped that’s all it was.

“Sofe,” I whispered, gently stroking her cheek.

“Oh, Curtis. She fainted,” Mom cried, clutching Dad’s arm as he glowered down at me.

Just what I didn’t need—more questions.

He was already no doubt pissed that I’d introduced Sofia as my girlfriend.

I should never have come tonight, and I definitely shouldn’t have brought Sofia. But I didn’t want things to blow up yet, not when we’d finally confessed how we felt to each other.

Sofia was mine.

My girl.

I didn’t want anything to jeopardize that. Least of all, my father.

She began to murmur, her eyelids flickering.

“Sofe,” I whispered again.

“Do we need to call an ambulance?” somebody asked.

“The girl fainted,” Dad said stiffly. “She’ll be fine.”

Irritation rolled through me.

“Come on,” another voice said. “Let’s give them some privacy.”

People began to move to the other side of the room, leaving me alone with Mom, Dad, and a handful of waitstaff.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t call for an ambulance?” one of them said.

“N-no,” Sofia murmured, reaching for me.

I threaded our fingers together, and said, “I’m right here. Can you sit?” I moved behind her and helped her up a little so that she could lean on me.

“W-what happened?”

“You fainted.” My chest squeezed.

“How embarrassing.”

“You can say that again.”

“Curtis,” Mom gasped. “The poor girl couldn’t help it.”

“She’s probably on one of those juice diets.”

“Dad.” I shot him an incredulous look. “Sofia is—”

She grabbed my arm, shaking her head a little.

“She’s anemic.” The half-truth rolled off my tongue. I had to tell him something. The idea that he thought Sofia was some foolish girl who cared more about her looks than her health didn’t sit right with me. Especially when the truth was so much worse.

He made some dismissive noise in the back of his throat, and said, “I’ll be over there talking to Harry if you need me.”

The second he was gone, Mom let out a small sigh. “You’ll have to excuse Curtis’s behavior, Sofia. He’s under a lot of pressure.”

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