Today's our final group meeting. Aiden texted everyone in the group chat, saying we'd be meeting in one of the spare classrooms at two in the afternoon. It's almost ten now, and I see his message pop up on my phone. A small smile tugs at my lips. This project is almost over, but part of me wonders if things will stay the same with Aiden.
I felt a strange excitement as I got ready, the kind I hadn't felt in a long time. My scars were healing, finally, and with no one around to reopen them, they were fading, almost like a bad memory. I even dressed a bit nicer, though I still wore long sleeves. My hair looked good too, styled in the way Maya had shown me. It was a small thing, but I felt... different, better maybe.
~
Just as I stepped outside, I barely made it a few steps before I felt someone grab my wrist. Startled, I turned around to see Sophie, and beside her, Emelie. My stomach dropped. Before I could react, Sophie yanked me towards a quieter spot, far enough that no one could hear us.
Before I could even open my mouth to ask what was going on, Sophie slapped me hard across the face.
"What the—" I barely got out, touching my cheek where it stung, but Emelie cut in with a sneer. "Wow, didn't know your little pet could actually speak."
My mind was spinning. I looked at Sophie, desperate for some kind of explanation. "Sophie, can we… can we talk alone, without her here?"
Sophie's eyes narrowed. "No. I let you off, Raven, thinking you'd come crawling back. But here you are, trying to find yourself a new master to follow."
Her words cut deep, and I felt the shock paralyze me. "Sophie, what are you even talking about?" I managed, my voice shaking.
She rolled her eyes, looking at me like I was nothing. "Don't give me that pitiful look. When no one wanted to be around you, I was there. And this is how you repay me? By running off to someone else?" She scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. "You really think those siblings care about you? They're just too polite to tell you the truth: you're nothing to them. No one wants you, Raven."
I opened my mouth, feeling the words choke in my throat. "Sophie, you know I would never— I don't even know why you're doing this. I've always apologized when things went wrong. I've done everything you wanted."
She looked at me with pure contempt. "You think those apologies mean anything? You're just a dog, Raven, following anyone who throws you a bone."
Something inside me snapped. "Sophie, who do you think you are? I put up with all of this, with everything you said and did. And now you're treating me like I'm not even a person? I'm done apologizing. I'd rather be alone than keep taking this. I don't ever want to see you again."
Sophie's expression twisted with anger, but I could see something else—a flicker of surprise. Maybe she hadn't expected me to fight back. "You'll come crawling back, you know that? You think you're something now, but you're not. You never had a voice, and you never will."
Emelie chimed in, laughing coldly. "Don't worry. A dog like you will always come running back to its owner." They turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, shaken to my core.
I stumbled backward, slumping down on a nearby chair. My head was pounding, my face still stinging from the slap. I couldn't believe the words that had come out of my mouth. I'd never stood up to Sophie before, and yet… here I was, stunned at my own courage.
I leaned back, staring blankly ahead as my mind raced. *Was I really nothing to her this whole time?* She didn't even see me as human. All those times I thought we were something that could have turned into friendship—how could I have been so stupid?
I put my head in my hands, trying to calm the spiraling thoughts. *What now?*
I took a few deep breaths, willing my hands to stop shaking. I glanced at my phone screen, using it as a mirror to check my face. The puffiness around my eyes had mostly faded; at least, it wasn't too noticeable. I still had about 20 minutes before the meeting, so I composed myself, fixed my hair, and walked toward the meeting room.
When I arrived, five people were already there, including Aiden. As I walked in, I gave a small wave to the group, trying to act as casually as possible. Then, I spotted Aiden by the back, typing something on his laptop with that usual look of concentration. I made my way over to him and greeted him with a quiet, "Hey."
Aiden looked up and smiled warmly. "Hey, Raven. Glad you made it." He closed his laptop and turned his full attention to me. "Since you've been the most helpful on this project, I'm going to trust you with holding onto the final draft until it's time to submit it. Think you can handle that responsibility?"
I tried to hide my smile. "That's quite the reward."
He grinned. "Well, if that's not enough, I can also throw in your favorite ice cream."
"That sounds fair," I replied, trying to match his playful tone.
"Oh?" he raised an eyebrow, smirking. "I thought you'd want a different kind of reward."
My brain blanked for a second and my cheeks felt hot. Wait. What? I opened my mouth to ask him what he meant, but the other four members arrived before I could say anything. Aiden gave me a wink and moved to the front to start the meeting.
The meeting went smoothly, with everyone discussing the final points of the project and making sure all the parts were cohesive. I mostly stayed quiet, listening, and taking a few notes. After about 45 minutes, we wrapped up, and people started to gather their things and head out. Just as I was about to leave, Aiden caught up to me.
"So, any big plans tonight?" he asked, an easy smile on his face.
I shrugged. "Sort of. Maya's been bugging me to hang out with her friends, and I finally caved. I lost a bet to her yesterday, so I owe her this one. But it'll only be an hour or two… you know how I feel about social gatherings."
Aiden nodded knowingly. "I get it. But you're really coming out of your shell more lately. Maybe you'll have more fun than you think." He handed me a USB drive, the one with the final drafts. "Take care of this, alright?"
I took it, smiling a little. "I will."
He leaned in a bit closer, giving me a look that made my heart skip a beat. "Besides," he said, his voice dropping to a playful murmur, "you can't keep all that beauty hidden forever, cutie." He winked before turning away. "See you around, Raven. Have fun at your little social gathering."