An Unexpected Friendship

Chapter 1

I groan as I feel someone whack me with a pilllow repeatedly.

"Sophia get up! It's 7:00am. We can't be late for school again," Luca says. Luca is my best friend. Him and I have been friends since kindergarten and even now that we're fifteen, I'm still not sick of him.

"Alright alright I'm getting up, but I really don't want to go," I whine. The last place I wanted to be was at school. I could care less about what is being taught and even less about the other students. I'm basically invisible up until I have to deal with Savannah and her rat pack.

"We're only five days into the school year, so we have to go. Besides it's Friday, which means it's pizza night at my house. Just change and meet me downstairs in 15 minutes," he says.

I knew I couldn't avoid getting out of bed because he'd likely come back and physically drag me out of bed. I quickly throw on a gray hoodie and a pair of jeans since that was all that I have with me. I grab my backpack and shut the guest room door behind me as I ran out of the room. When I got downstairs, I could see Luca talking to his mom in the kitchen.

"Ah there she is," Pam says with a smile.

"Thanks again for letting me stay the night in the guest room. Somehow I always sleep better when I'm here" I say.

"No thanks needed. Aaron and I promised your parents we would always look after you. Plus, it's nice to finally have another girl in the house," she says. I half-heartedly smile at her as Luca and I turn to leave for school. It turned out to be a nice fall morning so walking to school was a little less dreadful.

*At School*

Luca and I stand outside of Newburyport High School trying to mentally prepare ourselves for what we were about to be subjected to for the day. "So we're going to meet up after our third class for our free period right?" Luca asks. "Absolutely. I'll meet you by the library right after the bell rings," I say.

Luca and I go our separate ways once inside. My first class is English with Ms. Simmons. I genuinely enjoy the class, but I was slightly less excited to be there because Savannah was in the class. Right on cue, I feel the evil spawn slap my textbooks out of my hands. Everyone laughs as I scramble to pick up my textbooks and rush off to class.

The bell rings to signal the end of third period and I practically sprint out of the classroom towards the library. Luca and I spend our free period and lunch sitting out on the soccer field. Something about being on a soccer field always makes me feel at ease, even on my lowest days.

"Did you hear that tryouts are being held next week?" Luca asks.  "I did, but I'm not trying out," I tell him. "Why not? You're better than any of those girls on the team, and I'm not being biased just because I'm your best friend," he says. "I just kind of lost my love for it after the accident. It hasn't felt right to play since," I say. "I mean I'll support you in whatever choice you make, but I think you need soccer now more than ever," he says.

...

The rest of the day goes by without a hitch, and before we know it, Luca and I are on our way back to his house. "Are you going to stay the night again?" he asks. "I think you already know the answer to that," I laugh.