WHISPERS (Chapter 15)

Sophia sat at a table in the cafeteria at Oceanview High, tearing into a salad. She usually ate with Jessie, but Jess had something to do today and was going to be late, so Soph was alone. That was OK.

Behind her Maureen Kenney was sitting. She was quickly joined by two of her best friends, Cheryl Wheeler and Christine Vlora.

"Hey, look," said Cheryl. "That slut Sophia Daniels is sitting behind us."

"Yeah, and she’s all alone," interjected Christine. "She must be in between boyfriends." Christine and Cheryl sniggered.

"Shh! Keep your damn voice down," demanded Mo.

"What’s gotten into you, Maureen?" asked Cheryl.

"Because I have to be nice to Sophia Daniels, now, or I’ll hurt someone that I care about a lot."

"What is going on, Mo?" asked Christine.

"The slut behind you is now, God help me, my best friend’s fucking girlfriend."

"Huh?" Chris and Cheryl looked at each other. Then Cheryl realized" "WARREN?"

"Yup."

"Warren Kelleher is going out with SOPHIA DANIELS?"

"Believe it or not, it’s true."

"What has gotten into him?" asked Christine.

"He’s getting laid, no doubt," smirked Cheryl. "What I can’t figure out is what’s in it for her? I mean, Warren’s a wimp. He’s not the usual type of burnout asshole she goes out with."

"Ah, she probably just wanted to bag a virgin," said Christine.

"Which Warren most definitely is, or was—I don’t know for sure that he’s slept with her," admitted Mo.

"I have to say, I’m just worried that that little viper is going to chew Warren up and spit him out. " Mo sighed. "Y’know, I’ve never felt that way about Warren, but if I knew he was going to hook up with someone like her, I would have asked him out myself, just to save him from it."

"Ah, nothing you can do about it now," pointed out Cheryl

"True," agreed Mo. "I just hope that little slut doesn’t leave my best friend in too many pieces when she’s done with him. Warren’s experience with girls is just about nil. If she just fucks him and moves on to the next victim, he’s going to be devastated. He thinks he’s in love."

"With her?" laughed Christine. "Poor boy, he’s in deep. Girls like her aren’t there to fall in love with, they are there to sleep with. Warren needs a slap!"

They left the table, still laughing over Christine’s joke. They didn’t look back at Sophia.

If they had, they would have seen her crying. She had heard every word.

Sophia talked with Warren that night, but didn’t say a word about what she had overheard. She thought about it—knowing Warren would be furious, but Mo was his friend. Sophia didn’t want to come between that. Warren had acted like a true friend in allowing things with Nickie to be sorted out—the least she could do is do the same with him where Mo was concerned. No, she would try to handle this one herself.

She made sure she got to the cafeteria early, got her lunch, chose an outdoor table, out of the way, and then went to try to intercept Mo before she could be joined by her friends.

She grabbed her coming out of the lunch line. "Maureen?" Mo looked up, and frowned. "I’m Sophia Daniels."

"I know who you are."

"I’d like to have a talk with you, if you’re willing."

Mo laughed. "What, on earth, could we possibly have to talk about?"

"Warren."

"I do not need you to talk with me about my best friend."

"I know. But I need to talk to you about him."

Mo sighed. "All right, if I must." Sophia led Mo to the table she had picked. Mo sat down, looked at Sophia, and said, impatiently, "Well?"

Sophia took a deep breath. "Firstly, I heard you talking about me with your two friends yesterday. I heard every word." Mo looked up, startled. "Don’t worry, I haven’t said a word to Warren. And I won’t."

Mo regained her composure. "You weren’t meant to hear that, but I really don’t care what you do or don’t tell Warren about it."

"I care. Look, Warren thinks the world of you. He’s told me that. He calls you his surrogate sister."

"True. We’re very close, you know."

Sophia took another breath. "Have you told him what you think of me?"

Mo blinked. "Not quite in the words I used yesterday, no. But I have voiced my displeasure. He knows I think he’s absolutely nuts."

"OK."

"Of course, he won’t listen to a fucking word I say." Mo was starting to get worked up. "You’ve got him so hoodwinked he thinks he’s in love with you."

"He is."

"Oh really."

"Yeah, he really is in love with me." Sophia got a little lopsided smile. "Almost as much as I’m in love with him."

Mo couldn’t believe her ears. "Oh, don’t give me that shit! You? In love with Warren? Get real!"

"What, you think it’s impossible for someone to fall in love with Warren?"

"No, Godammit, and you know that’s not what I meant. I mean you. You? Fall in love with someone? No fucking way. You’re incapable of truly loving somebody, especially somebody as sweet and kind and generous as Warren. So go back to sleeping with every roughhouse burnout loser you can find, and leave my best friend alone!"

Sophia looked down. She didn’t want to cry, dammit. She did not want to cry. Finally, she said softly, without looking up: "I know I have a reputation. I know what it is. And at least part of it is probably deserved. I’m not going to deny that. But I’m done with it. I can’t live like that anymore. I have had enough of roughhouse burnout losers. And if we were having this conversation six months ago, you’d most likely be correct—that I was incapable of truly loving someone." She looked up, her eyes moist. "Until Warren showed me how."

Mo blinked. Sophia went on. "I really do love him, you know. I fell for him so hard it still hurts." Even Mo had to grin a little at that. "I’m not using him. I’m not going to chew him up and spit him out. I’d rather slit my wrists than ever hurt him." Now the tears were readily apparent. Sophia paused and sniffled, trying to control herself. Mo didn’t know what to say.

"Look," Sophia went on, calmed down a bit. "I’m not asking you to open your arms and start hanging around with me." Mo smirked. "All I’m asking is that you give me a chance. Give us—Warren and me—a chance. The absolute last thing I want is to come between Warren and someone who is as important to him as you are. I can’t change my past, and there’s no point in apologizing for it or trying to explain it. But Warren knows, and understands. Please, please believe me—he knew what he was getting into. He knows what I’m like now, and he knows that we really do love each other."

Sophia stood up and gathered up the remnants of her lunch. "For Warren’s sake. If it were just me, I wouldn’t care. But I don’t want Warren hurt. Any more than you do."

Sophia walked away. Mo had a lot to think about.

"So, you’re having the first oustide bash this Saturday?" Warren was on the phone with Mo

"Yup. And they’re calling for good weather."

"The whole crew gonna be there?"

"Looks like it. Crash and Ally coming?"

"I think so. I’ll have to make sure, though."

"Good. Oh, and Warren? Bring Sophia."

Warren paused. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Mo smiled. "After all, she is your girlfriend, isn’t she?"

"Thanks, Mo."