Upheaval ✔️

3- can I please stay?

As I was preparing to get ready for school Julian texted me asking me to pick him up for school as well I agreed as I got ready.

I walked out to the kitchen and grabbed a bagel I quickly put cream cheese on the bagel and waved my parents and brother goodbye.

Julian sent me his address and I followed the GPS he lived about 20 minutes away. Once I arrived he hopes in the back seat as he smiled ear to ear "I'm assuming you have to pick up Sofia too, so I'll save the front for her" he said leaning forward turning the station.

A couple of minutes later we arrived at Sofia's house she came out walking sadly with her head down so I wasn't able to see her face. She slowly opened the door when she realized Julian in the back seat.

She kept her head down and I started to drive after a while she finally looked up and there were tears streaming from here eyes I glance over at her then back at the road when I realized the marks I quickly looked back again.

"What the heck Sofia did he hit you again?" I yelled once I saw her black eye. She turned towards the window and ignored me as Julian sat confused in the back seat.

We had an unspoken rule that started in middle school to never bring up our family issue around anybody else especially people from school but, once I was finally removed from that situation Sofia started to feel lonelier because while she thought I was getting better her situation was getting worse.

We arrived at school and I parked the car "Julian..I'll met you in class" I said as he stepped out the car making his way into the building.

"I'm sorry..." I said looking down fiddling with my hands she sighed at me as she took out her makeup to cover her eye "it's fine...just don't tell him" she said finishing up and leaving me alone in the car.

Sofia has always been a closed off person she never likes to talk about her feelings but that's partly because of what she goes through at home, she's afraid that if she speaks up her mouth will only get her in trouble but that's only partly true.

I got out my car and made it over to my first class to see Julian sitting in the same seat from the day before I plopped down beside him and he smiled over at me "what was that about?" He asked in a concerned voice.

"...it's not my business to tell" I said shrugging my shoulders at him he scoffed right as the bell rang and the teacher made his way into the classroom.

______________________

The last 2 months me and Julian have been hanging out more and more we've really gotten to know each other but, as I was gaining a friend I was also loosing one.

Sofia stopped answering my text and then my calls, then she stopped asking me to pick her up for school then she stopped showing up to school and I started to worry about her.

It was night around 10pm and we were having a family night my mom invited Julian over too since he's literally always there he's really grown on my family especially my little brother Jackson.

We were all laughing at the movie that we were watching when the doorbell rang.

My dad got up and answered the door I heard sniffling from the front door and my dad pulled the person in.

I looked over to see Sofia standing there drenched from the rain holding a couple of bags with bruises all over her arms and face.

"Omg Sofia!" I said springing up from the couch walking towards her embracing her in a hug. She burst out cry as I held her.

I excused the 2 of us and Julian relaxed on the couch playing with my brother.

"Sofia what happened!" I asked looking at her from head to toe as she shivered from the wetness.

I pulled a towel around her shoulders and she started talking through the tears "I-I just c-couldn't take I-it anymore so I packed m-my thing and jumped out the back window and I ran...this is the only place I could think of"

She started crying harder and I pulled her into a hug again "you can stay here I'll talk to my parents...but, I have to tell them sofia" she nodded her head and I handed her a clean towel and washcloth and she headed to my bathroom attached to my bedroom.

I closed my door and walked out to the living room I sat down on the couch and smiled at Jackson "can you please get me a soda out of the freezer in the gauge?" I asked Jackson he rolled his eyes at me "fine but you owe me" he said running off.

As soon as he left I turned over to my parents Julian scooting closer to listen
"c-can Sofia stay here for...a while?" I asked looking back and forth between my parents.

"For what?" My mom asked coming off a little harsh my dad interrupted in a calmer tone "what's going on bub?"

I sighed and started fiddling with my fingers "her f-father well he isn't the best father...he beats her and.." I couldn't even get the whole sentence out before I started crying "please let her stay..I'll do anything".

"Your a good friend bub" my dad said moving over to hug me as Julian rubbed circles on my back for comfort.

"She can stay as long as she needs" my dad said pulling away my mom nodded in agreement as Sofia came walking out into the living room wearing her pajamas.

"Join us!" My mom said as she quickly came to sit beside me.

"Daddy drank all the soda so I got you water instead" Jackson said skipping to me with a water bottle in hand.

I engulfed him in my arms as I tickled him "well thank you little prince" I said as he giggled I came to a stop and took the water from him.

"We'll start the movie already!" Jackson said getting off my lap sitting between me and Julian.