Milo looks at the piece of paper in his hands, wandering in a area that he really isn’t familiar with. It’s a couple of blocks away from the school, but it isn’t headed in the direction he would normally walk home.
He looks ahead of him and sees a girl sitting on a bench. He immediately knows who it is.
Milo: Hey, Scout.
Sophie: Hi, Milo. *worried* Are you okay?
Sophie pulls Milo towards the bench to sit down. She examines the bruises on his face. Milo freezes.
Sophie: Milo?
Milo: *snaps back* Huh?
Sophie: I asked how you were feeling.
Milo: Oh, uhm… I’m okay. It doesn’t hurt as much as it did before.
Sophie takes in a deep breath. She lets it out apologetically.
Sophie: I’m so sorry that Simon did that to you.
Milo: *turns head* You went and told a security guard?
Sophie freezes up. She’s taken back by the random question.
Sophie: I–
Milo: You didn’t have to.
Sophie: He wouldn’t have stopped if I didn’t!
Milo: Me and Mollie got sent to the principal’s office. Our parents had to come pick us up.
Sophie: *sad* Well I’m sorry for caring about you.
Sophie gathers her things to leave the bench, but Milo grabs her hand. She turns around and looks at Milo.
Milo: I’m sorry. Thank you for looking out for me.
Milo gets up from the bench and stands next to Sophie.
Milo: Let’s take the long way home.
…
Walking through a woodsy park, Milo and Sophie walk side-by-side and continue to have a conversation.
Milo: Do you know Simon through Laurie?
Sophie: Quite the opposite really. I’ve known Simon since the beginning of the year. We were friends, actually.
Milo: *shocked* You and Simon? Friends?
Sophie: He wasn’t always this big, mad person. He was actually really kind and sweet.
Milo: Did you like him?
Sophie doesn’t look up at Milo. She looks towards the ground.
Sophie: Yeah. We sort of dated a little bit.
Milo is visibly shocked. He can’t imagine Sophie being with a guy like Simon.
Milo: How did you two even meet? Like, I can’t imagine you two even being friends.
Sophie: *sighs* Simon’s dad… is my dad’s boss.
Milo raises an eyebrow.
Sophie: I would hang out with him whenever my dad would do some business stuff. We just got close and… I don’t know. We just clicked.
Milo doesn’t like hearing that Simon and Sophie used to be close. He simply cant fandom the fact that Sophie would be friends with someone like Simon, but then again he’s not surprised since she’s friends with someone like Laurie.
Sophie: I was actually the one that introduced Laurie to Simon. They seemed really cool with each other and it was nice to have him a part of the friend group…
Sophie looks visibly annoyed for a moment, then sullen the next.
Sophie: Then began to date shortly after.
Milo: Wasn’t he with you?
Sophie rolls her eyes. Milo gets the hint.
Milo: And you’re still friends with Laurie?
Sophie: Why wouldn’t I be?
Milo looks at Sophie; concerned. He simply doesn’t understand why Sophie would still be friends with Laurie after she literally took Simon away from her.
Sophie: It doesn’t matter anyway. Simon changed and we aren’t really close anymore. He spends his time with his girlfriend and that’s that.
Milo: I mean, friends or not, Laurie shouldn’t have started dating Simon in the first place. Doesn’t that go against girl code or something?
The comment makes Sophie smile.
Sophie: And what do you know about girl code?
Milo: Hey! I know enough to know that one shall not date your friend’s ex!
Sophie shakes her head and looks away. The atmosphere gets tense again.
Sophie: It’s whatever. Simon is just this bully nowadays that I don’t consider my friend anymore. I just tolerate him because hes Laurie’s boyfriend.
Milo: You shouldn’t have to though.
Sophie: *annoyed* Just drop it, Milo.
Milo doesn’t say anything else. They both quietly walk alongside the park.
Sophie: So, I heard that auditions for Waverly are coming up! Are you excited?
Milo looks at Sophie and smiles.
Milo: I’m just waiting for it to be over, in all honesty.
Sophie: Do you not wanna go there anymore?
Milo: It’s not that, it’s just the fact that everyone in my life has been on my case about this audition. I just want it to happen so that I can just stop hearing about it.
Sophie: *insecure* I’m sorry for bringing it up, I- I figured that’s why you’re always in the music rooms during lunch; to practice for your audition.
Milo is shocked that Sophie knows that much of him and what he does on his off-time away from classes. Does she watch him go into one of the rooms to practice during their lunch period?
Milo: It’s okay. I don’t mind you asking.
Sophie smiles at Milo and then looks ahead toward the road. Milo looks at Sophie just a bit longer to take in her beauty; take in Sophie Lee in this very moment.
Letters From Liz. 