Sleeping with a Bully

IV. Memories

She was talking to her again.

I laid down my pen and stared at Hannah.

She was sitting on the desk of the new transfer student, engaging her in a conversation. But from the mild irritation on the new girl's face, I could easily guess it wasn't a conversation she wanted to be part of.

Her name was Sophia. Sophia Gideon. She was a small girl with long, wavy blonde hair and the most beautiful blue eyes I had ever seen. I thought she was timid by the way she introduced herself in front of the class but seeing the glare she aimed at Hannah at that moment made me rethink my initial opinion of her.

She didn't seem to care much for friends and mostly kept to herself. Most of our classmates thought that she was stuck up but I knew she wasn't. She was just shy. Everytime I glanced over at her, she was reading a book, the kind of book I had been forbidden to read. When she wasn't reading, she was staring off into space or out the window, daydreaming.

Hannah returned to her seat beside me after she gave Sophia her book back. Sophia was glaring at her and I almost smiled because I knew the feeling. Hannah tossed her hair over her shoulder and smiled brightly at me.

"Hello, Terry bear."

I exhaled and sat back on my seat. "Call me Terry bear one more time and I'll stab your eye with my pen."

She winced. "Someone's in a rotten mood."

"Because someone did not make her homework last night and yet had the time to chat casually around instead of doing it," I replied with a glare.

"You said you'd let me copy yours!" she exclaimed.

"I did not."

"I'll give you money."

"I have loads of money."

"Yeah, but do you have gold bars?"

I rolled my eyes at the ridiculousness of this conversation.

Hannah was my best friend since middle school. With red hair and green eyes that matched her fiery and bubbly personality, she was usually chatty and energetic. Unbelievably chatty and energetic. It was difficult to keep her focused and in one place. Even when class was going on, she'd fidget on her chair and try to engage me or the people around her in conversation.

She was easy to like, easy to befriend. Unlike me who had walls built so thick and so high around me, she was an open, friendly person and lived her life to the fullest. Unlike me, she was free to do whatever she wanted.

"Please?" Hannah clapped both of her hands together and adopted a puppy-dog expression. "Please, Terry?"

"No." I scowled. "Not going to happen. It's your fault for being so lazy."

"Come on. The teacher is going to have my head. This will be the last time. I swear!"

Yeah, right.

She always forgets to do her homework. Always. There were times when I thought she was doing it on purpose just so she'd have the opportunity to copy off mine and get better grades. Or because she really didn't care much for homework and used the time for things she thought were worthwhile, like painting her nails.

I briefly considered letting the teacher scold her for once so she'd do her own homework. That'll teach her a lesson. But I didn't want her to get into trouble. With a sigh, I handed her my notebook which she quickly grabbed, afraid I'd change my mind.

"This is the last time I'll let you copy off me so hurry up."

"I have nothing but love for you, you know," she mumbled as she opened her own and started to scribble down the answers.