Young Writers Society

Sofia rolls the cigarette between between her two fingers. I watch the smoke trailing in the air of her bedroom.

"If your mom catches you, you'll be dead," I say.

"It doesn't matter. I need to distract my mind." 

"Your health could be affected."

"Eating disorder takes care of that," she replies smoothly.

"Sofia -"

"No!" She drops her voice. "I'm smoking because I can do whatever the heck I want."

I sigh, knowing she won't listen to what she's always been told. Our girls' night is canceled as I let myself out. She never listens to me. 

*  *  *

Following Tuesday afternoon in school, I'm on my way to my locker after my last class ended when I hear her just around the corner. I clutch my books and listen in. She's arguing with her boyfriend. 

"Sofia, it's over. I told you that. We don't match," Kyle says.

"What?! Ever since your grandfather passed away you've been completely irrational. You're taking it out on me!" 

"I don't love you anymore. I don't want you. I'm not standing in the way of a better guy."

"Kyle!" She shrieks. Despite the chatter of students rushing home with plans, no one else stops to listen. 

"Kyle, I love you! We were meant to forever be," pleads Sofia.

"It's over. I'm leaving."

"You said you would never leave! You promised!" Sofia desperately reaches out for his hand, but he snatches it away.

"I don't even know you anymore," he fires. "Promises get broken."

With that, Kyle stalks down the hallway and I retreat to the restroom so he doesn't see me. When I peek out, my heart pounding, I hear the sobbing fading away in the dust. 

She's gone. I run all the way home. 

*  *  *

I try texting her that Tuesday night. She just had a bad breakup, I tell myself. Everyone eventually recovers from losing their love. She doesn't answer. At 2:51 am I get a response.

I'm so sorry for everything I've become. You always told me what I should have listened to. You are an amazing friend and I'm sorry for neglecting you.

Another texts surfaces in four seconds:

Goodbye.

I shove my phone in my pocket and tear down the stairs. I know Sofia, and she would press Ignore if I tried calling her. My folks are already in bed, and so is my brother. I chase the dark away as I run five blocks to Sofia's house. I slip inside as quietly as I could, though her parents always sleep before she does.

The hallway's empty and I reach her room, ready to tackle her before she does something she'll regret. Smashing the light switch gives me a discovery of an empty room. A few drops of blood make a line out of it.

"Sofia!" I whisper-yell. My mind races. Where is she? Where did she go?

The bathroom door has creaked open while I was in her room. I speed-tiptoe my way into the dark. 

The light turns on with my trembling fingers, terrified of what I'll find. I can't breathe. 

A monster sits, hunched in the bathtub, wearing Sofia's favorite dress. A crimson-soaked cardigan is over top of it. The same thing Sofia wore to school.

In a flash, the head turns. Three discarded knives of different sizes lay splattered across the while tiles. I bring myself to look at her - red cuts extending her mouth on both sides, face pale, blood cascading down, and eyes wild with fury.

"...S..Sofia?" I gasp. 

Her arm is a mutilated mass of flesh as she raises the gun to her head. I recognize it. She always sketched guns in Art Class, careful to conceal them. A sob escapes down my throat, and I lunge for the gun. Her arm swings out of reach and she fires through the mirror. Broken glass covers us as I wince in pain.

Any second now, someone will come running.

"Don't do this," I say, clutching my hands and staring into the mirror, rocking back and forth. "Don't kill yourself. The pain will fade."

Footsteps pound the carpet like concrete being thrown on the ground.

The room spins.

I lower the red-streaked gun.

"It's okay. It's okay."