Sophie had been teased for most of her life. It was really all she had ever known. Her parents had never had much money. Her father was constantly looking for work, but with the temper that he had, he was fired more times than her mother cared to think about. Her mother worked at the local newsagent and was quite popular with the customers. She had always been well liked. She was after all a lovely woman. This didn’t stop the owner cutting down her hours. He just wasn’t making enough. It wasn’t his choice. If it was up to him, Sophie’s mother would be working full-time. Sophie’s mum knew that the owner’s wife was jealous of the attention she received. She was convinced the bloody woman was behind it.
Sophie would often hear her parents arguing. Her dad had spent too long down the pub. He was supposed to be looking for work. What kind of man was he? Sophie would hear these same words constantly. Her mother thought otherwise, but Sophie knew.
So she didn’t ask if she could go on the school trip. She thought it would be too expensive for her mum, what with her dad being between jobs. She didn’t tell her mum her school uniform was getting too tight. She would only worry. Sophie thought she could handle it all on her own. She didn’t need anyone fighting her battles for her. She was thirteen now. She could handle her own business.
Sophie’s mother would try to pick Sophie up as much as possible, though she was often late. Sophie didn’t mind waiting, as she knew her mum was doing her best. Her mother didn’t trust her father to do the same, and most days, he would be at home, moping around, often with a drink in his hand.
It was a Monday when Sophie’s situation began to worsen. She had been teased for wearing tight clothes and eating too slowly. She was often on her own at lunch, so she took as long as possible. This meant not having to speak to anyone or attract any unwanted attention. Yet that Monday reached a new level. Teasing was no longer what was happening.
Lily and Joe were often on Sophie’s case. They stared her up and down between classes, followed her around when the mood took them and sniggered, most of the time when she was looking. Sophie had known for a while that this would last. But she really thought that she could handle it, that was until this fateful day.
Sophie was late as she so often was. Sophie’s mother tried her very best but somehow, they would always end up being at least ten minutes late. Sophie noticed a note in her tray. ‘We will get you. You just watch.’ Sophie was watching. She was staring at the note, her heart palpitating and her hands shaking. She tried desperately to hide the note as she knew that if she was caught reading it, she would be in a lot of trouble. Worse still, she would have to explain herself. This was the last thing she wanted.
Sophie knew this meant business. She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t have many friends. There was nobody she could count on. Parents would gossip about her father’s addiction. They would look down on her mum and often go to the corner shop, just to make her feel that bit more humiliated.
It was lunchtime when Sophie realised her bag was missing. She was panicking. The teachers hadn’t noticed there was something wrong. Probably best.
Sophie was only thirteen. She hadn’t yet mastered the art of hiding tears. She thought the girls’ toilets might be the best place to hide for a while. Oh how wrong she was.
‘There you are. We’ve been waiting for you.’ Lily couldn’t wait to get stuck in.
‘Please… What do you want?’
‘Please she says! Pleeeeeease! What a joke. Did you hear that Joe? Hahahahahahaha!’ It was clear Lily was the instigator. Girls so often were.
‘Come here you dirty little girl. When was the last time you had a bath or washed your hair?’
Sophie couldn’t bear this any longer. She tried to run.
‘And where do you think you’re going? Huh?’ Lily grabbed Sophie and threw her against the radiator. Sophie’s head had hit it hard. She heard the bang, almost as if she was having an outer body experience.
‘Please…’
‘Please she says! Please! Oh you’re just pathetic. Dirty and pathetic!’
Joe tried to intervene. He knew he shouldn’t be in the girls’ toilets and he knew that what Lily was putting Sophie through was wrong. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to leave the scene. What would he then have to endure?
Lily eventually got bored and Joe knew this was the end of Sophie’s ordeal, at least for now. Joe couldn’t look at Sophie, nor could he look Lily in the eye. He was beginning to see how nasty she could be. The look in her eye was terrifying.
Sophie tried her hardest to pick herself up. Lily had taken her bag apart. She’d ripped her books and spread some kind of sauce into the bottom of her bag. Lily had to be quick. There was no time for tears.
Sophie’s mum was late again. Sophie was used to this and tried not to hold anything against her. She’d got through the day and nobody had noticed the cut on her face, nor the state of her bag. She hadn’t complained of any headache and she’d kept her head down. Sophie found a second note in her tray. ‘I’m sorry for Lily’s behaviour today. Are you ok? Leave a note for me in your tray tomorrow.’
Sophie was confused. Until now, she hadn’t felt like anyone was on her side. Who had written the note? She had to believe that it was genuine, so she responded. ‘I’ll be ok. Thank you for your note.’
She didn’t dare trust anyone too much, especially if this person was involved with Lily.
The next morning, as Lily entered the classroom, on time for once, she noticed a different look on Joe’s face. It was a gentle look of kindness. Sophie didn’t know what to make of this.
‘Thank you for the note. You will know who I am soon enough.’
Lily barged Sophie out of the way, just as she was processing the note. Sophie managed to hide the note under her skirt. She thought she could see Joe beginning to blush. She had a feeling the notes were coming from him.
‘Still as dirty as ever. You know, girls like you can get really ill if they don’t shower. I mean really ill!’ Lily was obviously getting some sick pleasure out of tormenting Sophie. Was she dirty? She didn’t think so. Why was Lily always so vile to her? To her complete surprise, Joe came over.
‘Meet me behind the playground at lunchtime. Please?’ He passed Sophie as fast as he could, knowing that Lily would be waiting.
Sophie thought about this and the consequences her actions might have. She was young but wise for such a young lady. She decided that although she may have a lot to lose, she would join Joe. There was a risk either way.
Joe was waiting for Sophie. The look on his face suggested that he was stressed.
‘Thank you for coming, Sophie. I’m sorry we have to meet like this. You must hate me.’
‘No… I don’t. I really don’t.’
‘Sophie, I want you to know something. What I saw yesterday really scared me. I wouldn’t usually say this. Lily’s been my friend for a long time, but her behaviour today was… Well it was inexcusable.’
‘Do you really mean that?’
‘Of course I do! I’m sorry. If I’d known, I never would’ve joined her.’ Sophie looked into Joe’s sorry eyes and smiled. ‘Sophie…’
‘Yes?’
‘I like you.’
‘You don’t need to say that Joe. It’s ok. Nobody really likes me. I’m not stupid.’
‘No Sophie. I mean I really like you.’
‘Oh… Hang on, are you…. Teasing me? Is this all a game?’
‘No! Not at all. And I’ve decided that to prove it, I’m going to the head.’
‘You can’t do that! She’ll kill us both!’
‘No, she won’t. I won’t let her. I won’t let her hurt you again. I just have one question. Will you…. Go out with me?’ Sophie didn’t know where to turn. This was a turnaround she had never expected! Joe had done a three sixty on Sophie and she didn’t know how to react.
‘Joe, you don’t need to do this. It’s ok.’
‘You don’t realise what Lily’s capable of. She’s got a vendetta. I can’t really explain it, but she won’t let this go. It’ll make her look weak.’
‘A vendetta? What have I ever done to her?’
‘It’s not what you’ve done. The truth is…’
‘What? Is it something bad?’ Sophie couldn’t believe it was this easy to speak to Joe.
‘Well… she knows how much I like you. She’s known for a while. And she’s jealous. She’ll do anything to get at you.’
‘Oh…’ Sophie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She could never in a million years have guessed that anyone liked her, let alone Joe.
‘Anyway, you haven’t answered my question. I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t want to either, especially after what we’ve put you through.’
‘No, it’s not that… I just need a bit of time to process.’
‘I get it. I really do. Look I’m going to the head after school today, regardless of what you say. And I need you to do something for me, not that I deserve it. I need you to tell them what Lily’s done. She’ll never get what’s coming to her otherwise. Can you promise me, Sophie?’
‘I don’t know… I guess.’
‘I’ll take that as a promise. And then we can revisit my question.’
‘Yes…’
‘Yes?’
‘Yes, I’ll go out with you…’ Joe looked back. He couldn’t hide his elation.
‘Yes! I’ll see you Sophie.’
Was Joe really prepared to do that for her? Was he really going to speak up against the person who had been his friend for so many years? For her?
What goes around comes around. And it did, because surely enough, Joe kept his promise and got Lily into more trouble than she could ever have imagined.
When Sophie was called to the office the next day, Joe took her hand and held it for a few moments.
‘You can do this, Sophie. I’ll be right here.’
Sophie walked into the office feeling safe for the first time in a long time.