Kiss Me

Chapter 7

     Sophie was walking towards me in the empty parking lot and my eyes widened upon seeing her. Zoey had taught her how to wear makeup and she was wearing the outfit we had picked out together - a short jean skirt and a white crop top, and I stared at her, stunned. She also had curled her short brown hair and as she walked towards me, I couldn't help but stare.

     "Hey," Sophie said, reaching me.

     "Hey," I said.

     Sophie looked so much like the old her. Her brown eyes were bright, her look impeccable. But, her personality wasn't the same. But despite that, I knew guys were visual creatures and would be into the new Sophie.

     "Shall we go inside?" I asked.

     "We shall," Sophie said, smiling.

     Sophie and I made our way inside the school. School was going to start soon and the hallways were crowded with the hundreds of students in our school. But upon our entrance, all eyes had flown to us.

     Sophie and I were walking to her locker, but I could feel dozens of eyes on Sophie. They were glued to her, taking her in, and I watched as a bunch of people began to whisper to each other about Sophie. Everyone seemed in shock and I glanced at Sophie, who looked uncomfortable.

     We soon reached Sophie's locker and she was opening up her locker, but we could still feel eyes on us. I glanced around the hallway and saw that the hallway had become weirdly quiet. Everyone was looking at Sophie and were whispering around her, and I frowned. I'd never seen our classmates so invested in someone like this.

     "Our classmates are acting so weird," I said, bringing my eyes back to Sophie. "It's like they've never seen a beautiful girl before."

     My eyes widened when they landed on Sophie. She was trembling in front of her locker, her hands shaking as she went to grab her textbook. Worry blossomed in me.

     "Are you okay?" I asked gently, moving closer to Sophie.

     She began to shrink back into me. Her eyes were wild as she looked around the hallway and noticed how many people were staring at her. I felt my hands move to hold her and she pressed her back against me.

     "Breathe Sophie," I whispered. She was shaking against me. Her eyes were now on the floor and I held her tighter. "Everything is going to be okay. Please breathe."

     Sophie took a deep breath in, but she was still trembling against me. Everyone was watching the scene unfold before them and annoyed, I decided we needed to go somewhere private. So grabbing Sophie's hand gently, I led her away into a stairwell that was barely used. Sophie was still trembling, but she was growing more relaxed as her shoulders slumped.

     "It's so rude to stare," I said, growing annoyed at the fact that our classmates were leering at Sophie. "You'd think by seventeen people would know that."

     "I'm sorry," Sophie said. She finally calmed down and she was no longer shaking. Her eyes moved to meet mine and guilt had flooded into her eyes. "I'm so sorry Luke, but I guess I'm not ready to change yet."

     Sophie was staring up at me and I realized I needed to ask her what happened. I needed to learn her past. Sophie had been worrying me lately and I needed to learn what had happened to make Sophie like this.

     "Did something happen in the summer?" I asked. "You've changed since then."

     Sophie looked away from me then. Her eyes were glued to the floor and she wouldn't reply. And even though I knew I should drop the conversation, I couldn't help but push further.