Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Chapter Sixteen

Sonya

Sonya woke up. Instead of getting up instantly she laid still and repeated the day earlier in her mind. She felt weird closeness to this group and maybe she started to consider them friends. It was weird because she did not have any friends in her previous school, much less a group of friends. She also remembered all those incidents that made her force her parents to change her school. How she was bullied.

When she was walking and was tripped by something that she fell over. No one laughed but they stared down at her like she was a walking clown. None of them helped her. Some girls smiled behind their hands with fake pitting face and how most of the guys smirked openly. She knew she fell over because someone put their foot in her way, making her lose her balance. It was not just one incident. She usually got notes telling her how she was a nuisance and nobody wanted to make her their friend. How nobody wanted to take her in their group.

How when she asked a question to any of her classmates they pretended she did not say anything or they did not hear her. And many more things. This type of bullying was subtle and never direct. Hence she could not prove anything that something like this is happening to her. She knew if she told this to anyone outside, they might think it's not a big deal and won't consider it bullying because no one physically hurt her. Little everyone knows, hurting someone mentally is much worse than hurting someone physically. Physical wounds heal over a period of time but this type of abuse leaves invisible scars. If anyone goes through her experiences will know how torturous those little things were.

These things cut you piece by piece but they do not leave their marks. Sonya spent almost two years getting through that shit without any friends. Finally she asked his father to change that school. She made her father think that this school produces more lawyers than any other schools. It was decided that she would be a lawyer much before she even knew what this profession actually means.

Finally to stop herself from thinking farther, Sonya stood and got ready for her school. She came downstairs to find Kara in the kitchen.

"Good morning." Sonya said as she came to the counter.

"Good morning." Kara replied. Kara looked at Sonya who was looking around.

"What?" Kara asked her.

"Nothing….. Where's Shane? Isn't he awake?"

"Actually he had practice earlier this morning so he left. I'm afraid you have to go alone." Kara shrugged.

"I can go alone. It's not a problem. He just usually wakes up before me, that's why I asked." Sonya said. She was thinking about yesterday but she shook her head to clear her head from thinking.

Kara left early to school, leaving Sonya alone with her thoughts. Sonya ate alone. Her mind wandered from Shane to James to her career and then she started thinking about Shane again. Something was wrong with her. She finished her breakfast and put the bowl in the sink and turned around to leave but suddenly stopped. She looked at the bowl and stared at it intently. She picked it up and started to rinse it. After washing she put it in its place.

She thought about Shane and shame crept in her face. Sonya turned around and slipped hands in her hairs smoothening them. She left the house. Sonya's mind was still thinking about different things when she realised that she had reached the bus stop. When she looked carefully, there was a guy standing there in a hoodie. He looked familiar from his silhouette. When he turned around, it turned out to be James. It looked like he was thinking something when his eyes collided with Sonya. And after a second of recognition he smiled.

"Hi Sonya."

"Hi. What are you doing here?"

"Ahh… Waiting for the bus." His voice held humour while his eyes twinkled with delight. He said it with a beginning of smile. Sonya looked at him and smirked, playing along with him she said

"Oh no. I thought you were waiting for an aeroplane to land." They both chuckled.

"I'm going to school as well. I have practice."

"Practice? Are you in some kind of sport?" Sonya asked. James shook his head.

"I am a swimmer. I started to learn how to swim when I was nine. It was a hobby but I want to make it my profession."

"Oh. Wow. Cool. I am not a swimmer but It's admirable. So how do you know Shane's group?"

"They used to come here with Matthew. You know during summer break. So we just kinda became friends. I thought you knew."

"Yeah. I think Kara told me. It just slipped from my mind."

"We all had so much fun but now everyone is busy in their lives." With that James turned and looked in the direction of the bus.

"Don't worry. Maybe this summer they won't be busy and you'll get a chance to spend summer with them again." Sonya said and James gave her a genuine smile.

"Thanks. You're really nice." Sonya smiled.

"But you know what, I actually took you as a stalker." With that they both laughed. Behind Sonya a bus came to stop. James hopped in and waved at Sonya.

"See you later." James said.

"See ya." Sonya said. She realised she was feeling less burdened. He has a soothing era around him. A little later Sonya's route bus came and Sonya hopped in.

The bus came to a stop. Sonya exited it. When she entered school she heard voices. Sonya saw that Shane and his friends with the rest of their team were practicing basketball. Sonya stopped in her tracks and watched them.

Shane stood in a side and caught the ball as it was thrown towards him. A guy came to him quickly but he turned his back and jumped around him then he passed the ball to Noah. Noah was standing much nearer to the basket as he was going to throw the ball into the basket, one guy who was taller then Noah came to stop him. Noah jumped to throw it into the basket but he deceived everyone as he passed it to Alex who went straight for the goal.

All of them erupted into cheers. As were some people in the audience. They all were dripping in sweat and some of them shook their heads to get rid of some of it. Some took off their shirts and some picked up their water bottles and soon started drinking from it.

As they were cheering, Sonya came into her senses when she realised she was looking, naa more like staring at them. However, it came a little too late because her eyes caught with Shane's. Alex looked at Sonya as the other three looked at Shane. Then all five of them stopped and turned to look what Shane was looking but Sonya looked to the ground and started walking towards her class. Sonya didn't want to draw attention. As she reached the stairs she heard someone say "Hey wait." but Sonya didn't stop.

Sonya took her classes but she remained calm and silent. She was not mentally present. Her mind was thinking about a topic that was not even in focus. After school Sonya went to work. She worked until her working hours were over then she grabbed a cup of cappuccino and took a seat near the window. Her boss, Mrs. Brown let her stay for a while. The cafe was closed and it started raining lightly. Suddenly, the cafe's bell rang as someone entered. Sonya didn't pay attention. She was lost in thought while staring at the rain when she heard someone take a seat just beside her.

Now she couldn't ignore it so she turned to look at the person who took her peace away. Shane looked back at Sonya and smiled.

"Hi." Shane said.

Sonya stared blankly at him. He was wearing a black shirt which was a little wet as well as his hair. Shane turned his head looking behind him. He then looked back at Sonya and waved his hands around her face.

"Are you following me? Why are you always near me?" Sonya said but she had that blank face like she was lost in her thoughts and talking to herself.

"No. It's my favourite place to be at. When I want to be alone I usually come here. How do you think I'm here when this cafe is closed. I'm a regular customer here. I know the owner personally, she let me stay here."

"If you're here to stay alone then why don't you?" Sonya said. She started to come out of her haziness. She saw Shane's expression and that showed her a brief flash of hurt.

"Okay then… I'm leaving." Shane said as he pushed his chair back but Sonya stopped him. She grabbed his forearm and pushed him down in a chair. Then she pulled him forward.

"What is this?" Sonya said as she pointed her finger to a bruise just below his collarbone. Where his shirt covered the rest of it.

"It's nothing. Basketball hit me here this morning and it left a mark. This bruise will heal."

Sonya looked at him, backing up in her chair.

"Oh okay. Sorry I didn't mean to be rude. My mind was not here. You can stay. I think I would like to have some company." they both smiled and turned to look outside the window.

The tapping sound of rain, the chilled air and a mug of coffee lulled them into a peaceful silence. They didn't say anything, they just enjoyed it and observed people running around to get their homes, some taking shelter in a safe place, some enjoying it with open hearts and arms letting cold drops of rain hit their faces.

After they finished their coffee Sonya said.

"Let's go."

"None of us have umbrella. We are probably going to get wet." Sonya looked at him with an easy smile.

"Sometimes you should let yourself go with the flow. You don't have to be serious all the time." Sonya said as she took Shane's hand in hers and dragged him out to join other people.

Both of them walked slowly to the bus stop. None of them saying anything. Sonya had left his hand the second they were outside. After reaching the bus stop they entered in it's shed. Sonya was lightly wet whereas Shane's shirt was almost soaked. His head was bowed. He shuffled his hand in his hairs as he tried to get rid of excessive water. Sonya felt like she forced him to come out in the rain. A pang of guilt hit her.

"I shouldn't have brought you outside in the rain." Shane turned his head to her. He smiled, his eyes amused as he shook his head, making some water droplets to fall on Sonya. Shane looked at Sonya and stopped.

"I've never felt this alive in years." Sonya looked at him. Ignoring the whole sentence she asked "Years? You sound like a grandpa." Shane shook his head still smiling.

"I didn't walk into the rain because you asked me to. Although that did push me a little but I really wanted to feel this weather." They both stared at each other in a spell when they heard honking of the bus.

"You won't be able to sit, being this damp." Shane and Sonya hopped in. Sonya walked in front of him as he whispered "I don't need to." They both stood at the end of seats.

When they reached their stop Sonya was feeling cold. She did not feel it when she was in rain but now every gust of air made her shiver. They both exited on their stop and saw that James was also there. He was rummaging through his backpack. He swung it to his one shoulder and turned to see Shane and Sonya coming his way.

"What are you doing here? This late?" Sonya asked.

"Just came back from school. Coach made us do much more practice than we expected him to. What are you doing here?"

"Nothing, just coming from work." Shane said and Sonya nodded. A gust of wind came in their way, making goosebumps appear on Sonya's arms and making her shiver. Both Shane and James noted it. They both looked at each other and then at Sonya.

"Let's go then." Sonya said. She looked at both of them with questions in her eyes when they didn't move. James shrugged off his jacket and handed it to her.

"There's no need for that." With that sentence she shivered again. Sonya took it and wore it. Sonya looked at Shane who for some reason looked annoyed. When they all almost reached their houses Sonya tried to shrugged off his jacket but James stopped her.

"Keep it. I'm in a hurry. I'll take it later." With that he ran off to his house. Sonya looked at Shane and shrugged her shoulders as Shane and Sonya entered their house.