The One I Loathe

Chapter 15

When I got home, I flopped down on my bed, mentally and physically exhausted. Audrey and Jeremy? I definitely did not see that coming! Thank god I learned how to care for an inebriated person in health class though! But even all that wasn’t thing that surprised the most.

I’d never forget the way he looked at me tonight. I was expecting him to be mad or upset or at least semi-depressed! But, instead when I went up to talk to him he looked at me rather dreamily, like he was in love. And when I touched his hand and congratulated him on punching Jeremy I felt that tingle that I always got, but that time I was almost certain he felt something too. Or when we got back to his house, he offered me a ride home, even though I could easily walk.

Then Sam had to go ruin our perfect moment! Granted he was my boyfriend and there is absolutely way I should have been having feelings for another guy, even if that guy did seem to finally like me back now.

But, the other thing that bothered me about Trent’s supposed feelings towards me were whether or not they were real! I mean, at that moment he’d just lost his girlfriend to my ex-boyfriend, and that experience can be pretty traumatizing! So, maybe instead of getting angry or sad last night, he just fell for the very next girl he saw, which would happen to be me! Why else would he choose THAT moment to start getting all googley eyed around me? Yeah, that was probably it. I’d bet by tomorrow he’d be back to his normal self.

Besides, I still had Sam to make myself like. This was proving to be harder than I thought!



The next morning I woke up at 12:00, my usual time. Instead of getting up, though, I laid in bed, starring up at the ceiling for a few moments, and thought about the night before. Sophie. I couldn’t get her out of my head. Certainly the feelings I had for her weren’t brotherly, they weren’t friendly either, but what was left except for....No! That couldn’t be it! Still, every time I thought of her, I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face. But, that grin was quickly wiped away when I thought about the circumstances that lead up to these newly discovered feelings.

Audrey. Was she still asleep? My parents were going to kill me!

I quickly rolled out of bed, and stepped over Sam who was sleeping on a cot on my floor. As soon as I opened the door, the smell of bacon filled my nose, and my stomach rumbled violently.

I hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday at lunch! Audrey could wait two seconds. I bounded downstairs to the kitchen. When I got there, I saw Mom, Dad, Abby, and...Audrey? She looked pretty rotten. Her tired eyes were looking down at her plate, and she cringed when my mother said rather loudly, “Trent! How nice of you to join us!”

They knew something was up. Then, when did they not? I sat down at the table and my mother got up and brought me a plate of pancakes and bacon, banging it louder then necessary when she placed it front of me. Audrey’s hands flew up to her head in pain.

Then, nonchalantly, my mom asked me, “Oh Trent, did Audrey tell you that she’s decided to leave early?”

I swallowed. Did Audrey tell her why?

“Uh, yeah Mom, she’s got that family thing in New York, right Audrey?” I said slowly, hoping she’d catch on.

She simply nodded. And my mother went on, “Well, that’s just too bad, and what with the Winter Formal in 2 days? Tsk ...tsk...”

She knew. Why did I even TRY to lie?

“The next flight for New York leaves at 1:00 so I suggest you two get dressed and leave as soon as possible,”

We both nodded, and I went upstairs, with Audrey following me. Just as I was about to turn the corner to my bedroom, Audrey grabbed my elbow.

“Trent, please will you talk to me?” She said, pleadingly.

She was the last person I wanted to talk to right then, but I turned around anyway.

“Look, I’m sorry about what I did. It was wrong...blah...blah...I know. So can we just forget that ever happened, and start over?”

I couldn’t believe what she was asking! I didn’t say anything, I just looked at her. How could I have ever found this girl attractive? I’d never seen her like this before. I had once seen a strong and confident girl, but the girl that stood before me was far from that. She may have had a beautiful outside, but she was an horrible insecure person on the inside, and I saw that now. For the longest time I’d felt she was hiding part of herself from me, and now I saw it, and I hated it. She needed someone who could love every part of her, and I just couldn’t give that.

“I’m sorry, Audrey, its over.” I said quietly.
She stood with her eyes wide and mouth open, looking genuinely shocked.

“You’ve changed, Trent.” She said finally.

I guess I had. But unlike Audrey, I liked that change.

“Yeah, I have.”

That was the last thing we said to each other. The ride to the airport was silent as the grave. I tried to go in with her, but when got out of the car, she grabbed her suitcase, and slammed her door. I figured, I wasn’t welcome.

As soon as I got home, there was only one thing on my mind: Sophie. I had to see her, I didn’t why, I just knew I needed to.




The doorbell woke me up Thursday morning. I glanced at my clock: 1:30. Wow, I must’ve been tired! I heard my mom answer the door, and a deep voice ask for someone.

I went to the top of the stairs to see who it was. Lo and behold, it was Trent. My heart started beating much faster, and any fatigue left in me was gone completely.

I glanced down at what I was wearing, Pajama pants and a t-shirt, that would have to do. I ushered myself to the door.

“Hey, do you wanna come outside and talk?” he asked me.

Without hesitation, I answered, “Sure,”

We walked out to the front porch and sat down on the porch swing. We swung back and forth for a little while before I spoke.

“So, how are you feeling?”

“Not as bad as you’d think. I knew it wouldn’t last, but I’m still mad,”

“Oh, at her and Jeremy?”

He chuckled at that. Well I was glad he still had his sense of humor!

“You know, I should be, but I’m not. I’m mad at myself for thinking that Audrey was really a good person when I knew she’d cheat on me eventually,”

“Well, you’re taking it better than I sure would,” I told him. Then quickly remembering, I asked him, “What did happen to Audrey?”

He sighed, and replied, “She went on the next flight back to New York.”

Thank God! I breathed a silent sigh of relief, they broke up.

“Oh...” Was all I said, though.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” he asked, turning to look straight at me.

My first thought was initially the obvious.

“Yeah, what is it?”

“Do you love Sam?”

Whew! Wow! I was not expecting that one.

“Well…I…um…he’s a great guy,”

“I didn’t ask you if he’s a great guy,”

How was I going to answer this? If I said no, then he’d tell Sam and Sam would get hurt! If I said yes, one: I’d be lying, and two: I would never have a chance with Trent!

“Oh…right…I think he’s very nice,”

“And…”

“And…what?”

“And, do you love him?”

Right then, Sam walked up.

“Hey Sophie…Trent?”

Judging by his face, he hadn’t heard Trent’s last question.

“I was hoping we could go grab some pizza or something,” he asked me, glancing at me and Trent together, as if unsure of what he saw.

Remembering I was still sitting on the swing with Trent, I hopped up and told him, “Well, actually I have plans with-”

Suddenly a yellow VW bug drove up into my driveway.

“Hilary” I finished.

She got out and walked over to me, Trent, and Sam.

“Well,” she said, glancing at the three of us skeptically, “Did I not get an invitation?”

I noticed Sam starring at Hilary oddly, and then I realized they didn’t know each other!

I walked down from the porch to the sidewalk where Hilary and Sam were.

“Hilary, this is Sam. Sam, this is Hilary,”

“Nice to meet you,” They both echoed.

Both of them were acting pretty strange.

“Actually Sam,” I said turning to him, “Hilary and I are going shopping for our Winter Formal dresses today.

“But that’s tomorrow,” He said, confused.

Hilary finally piped up, “We’ve found that if you wait until the last day, you get the best price!”

He looked impressed. “Wow, that’s very…frugal!”

Frugal? What was he, 80?

“I thought so…” Hilary replied.

Ok, now this was getting weird! I needed to intervene!

“SO…I’ll see you tomorrow then, Sam?” I asked him.

“Yeah, uh huh, at the dance…” He replied, still distracted.

He finally turned around and went back to Trent’s house.

Trent! I had forgotten! I was still sitting on the swing! Looking very amused, I might add.

Hilary then glanced at Trent, and back at me. “I’ll be in the house, Sophie,”

After she went inside, Trent came down from his spot on the porch swing to the side walk with me.

“I’d better be going,” He said.

Then I heard my mother scream from the
doorway, “TRENT? Could you come in here a second?”

What did she want with him?

“Sure, Mrs. J!” he replied.

We both went inside where mom was waiting.

“Would you do a big favor for me?” She asked him, “There’s a huge box of old books of Sophie’s in her room, that we’re donating to Goodwill and it’s just so heavy. And, normally I would ask Mr. Jameson but he’s at work, but could you bring it downstairs?”
Mom could be so helpless sometimes.

“Sure, will do!” He said right before bounding up the stairs.

I went into the kitchen where Hilary was waiting.


I went up to Sophie’s room and saw the box that Mrs. J told me about. I also noticed a crumpled piece of paper on top of the box and my curiosity took over.

I uncrumpled the paper and read it, My mouth dropped, I couldn’t believe what it said.

Dear Trent,

I couldn’t seem to tell you this face to face, but this note will explain.
Let me start off by saying that I consider you one of my very good friends, and that I'm really glad we stopped hating each other this year.
But somthing has changed now.
I lied during class that one day. The poem was about you. I know that if we ever did date, it would be complicated with our families' situation, but i'm willing to go through that. I feel differently about you than I have with any other guy.
You're different. In a very good way.
Now I know that you might not feel the same way about me, and if that's true than I think I just made a big mistake in writng you this note, and we probably can't be friends like we are now, again. But, i'm willing to risk that.
The ball is your court. I'll be waiting.



Love,

Sophie


She loved me too? Or at least she used to, judging by the crumpled paper. It was obviously written before she was dating Sam.

Sam. She loved him now. Maybe. She never really answered me. But now that I thought about it, that question was a little brash.

That’s why the note was crumbled up; I thought numbly, she DOES love him.

How could I have been so stupid? I should have never fallen for a girl I couldn’t have!

Remembering suddenly I had a task to do, I re-crumpled the piece of paper and threw it in her closet. I picked up the box and headed downstairs where Mrs. J was waiting. She told me to put it by the door on my way out. Suddenly I saw Hilary run to the door as I was about to leave.

“Hey Trent? I wanted to ask you something,”

With Hilary, that could mean anything.

“Yeah?”

“Well, since you don’t have a date to the Winter Formal, and neither do I, do you want to go together?”

I hesitated, “I don’t know…”

“Don’t worry, we’d just we going as friends. I thought we could double with Sam and Sophie?”

I thought about it for a second. I HAD already bought my ticket, and I didn’t want 30 bucks to go to waste! But on the other hand, a whole evening of watching Sophie and Sam together was torture! But then, I had to prove to myself that I couldn’t like Sophie, and this would be the perfect opportunity.

“Ok, sure,” I said finally.

“Great,” she said,” You and Sam can pick up me and Sophie here at eight!”

“Ok, see you Friday,” I told her.

I turned and headed out the door and walked to my house. Why had I gone there in the first place? I mean, I should’ve known that I should just steer clear of Sophie Jameson at all cost.

When I got home, I plopped down the sofa in the living room where Abby was watching T.V.

“So,” She asked me,” Did you ask her?”

What was she talking about?

“Ask who what?”

She looked at me like I was stupid.

“Ask Sophie to the winter formal!”

I snorted at that.

“Abby, she’s dating Sam,” I told her slowly.

She scoffed.

“As if, Trent! Everyone knows you’ve had a crush on her for, like, ever!”

I was about to openly deny that last remark, when I actually thought about it. I had always tried to protect and defend her throughout our childhood. Even when I told people I hate her, I knew I never did. I loved her! I always had! For once Abby was right about something!

I sighed, “You’re right,” I told her,

“Told ya!” She said smugly.

I now knew what I had to do.

I just had no idea how the heck I was going to do it.
Then I saw my copies of Romeo and Juliet and Cyrano de Bergerac lying on the coffee table from my English class and I had an idea.


After running up to my room and changing in to appropriate shopping clothes, Hilary and I drove to the mall.

“So,” Hilary said in the car on the way there, “Trent and I are going to the Winter Formal together!” She squealed with delight,

A twinge of jealousy rose up inside of me, but I pushed it down.

“That’s great, Hil! We’re doubling, right?”

“Of course! I told him and Sam to pick us up at eight”
Great. A whole evening of watching Trent and Hilary together, while I was stuck pretending to like Sam.

“Speaking of Sam,” Hilary piped, “Why didn’t you tell me he was gorgeous?”

Was he? I guess I had forgotten.

“Oh, yeah, he is,”

After hours of trying on dress after dress we both found the perfect ones, for the perfect prices.

Now, if only it was the perfect evening.