A Shade Of Blood(56)

Something was wrong and I knew it. No matter how much the whole appeal of football escapes Sofia, she wouldn’t walk out on a game she knows is this important to me. “Do you know who this friend of hers is?”
“No… I haven’t seen her before… though she isn’t exactly someone easy to forget. Tall, pretty young woman with black hair.”
I searched my mind for anyone Sofia and I knew who could fit that description and shook my head. “I’ll try to call Sofia.”
I walked toward the benches where I left my phone with one of the junior second-liners. My mom and sister were trailing behind me. I got the phone from him and dialed Sofia’s number. Several rings later, I was about to give up, but someone picked up.
“Hello?” a deep, male voice spoke from the other end of the line.
It took a couple of seconds before the familiar voice registered. “Dad? Where’s Sofia? Is she alright?”
“Yeah. She’s fine. We’re back home.” He tried to lighten up his tone. “Hey… Did you win the game?”
“Yes, we did. Can I talk to Sofia please?”
“She’s unconscious at the moment, but don’t worry. She’s…”
“Unconscious? Why is she unconscious? What happened? I’m gonna be right there…”
 
“Ben.” My father’s voice was both firm and soothing. “Trust me. She’s alright. Take a shower, have a celebratory dinner with your mother and sister… Don’t worry about Sofia. She’ll be waiting up for you when you return.”
“She’s my girlfriend, dad. How can I not worry?”
The shock on my mother’s face upon hearing what I just said didn’t escape my notice. I didn’t care. It was about time she found out. I didn’t even wait for a response from my father. I shut my phone and rushed to the locker room to get changed, without bothering to explain to my gaping mother. We were already driving home when she brought up the subject.
“You and Sofia…” Her grip tightened around the steering wheel. “How long have you been together?”
“I saw them kissing, mommy…” Abby piped up from the backseat.
“Shut up, Abby.”
“Don’t talk to your sister that way. Answer my question.”
I glared at my Abby as she stuck her tongue out at me before replying, “We started dating a couple of weeks before prom.”
She gulped before firing her next question. “Did you sleep together on the night of prom?”
Way to get straight to the point. “No, mom…” I clenched my jaw. “Well, yes… we spent the whole night together in the same room, but nothing happened.”#p#分页标题#e#
“She’s trouble, Ben.”
“See? There it is. That’s why we kept it from you, because we knew you’d react this way… You’ve always been overprotective of me, Mom… and Sofia doesn’t need to deal with being rejected by you…”
“You don’t know her.”
“She’s my best friend and now she’s my girlfriend. I know her far better than you ever will. And if you had even bothered to spend time with her over the past eight years, you would know what an incredible person she is. Dad did.”
I could see anger flare in my mother’s eyes. “Your father knew?”
“Yes. We didn’t tell him. He just knew…”
“What if she ends up like her mother, Ben?”
“That’s a low blow, Mom. Sofia’s nothing like her crazy mother.”
Amelia smiled bitterly. “You didn’t know Camilla. You never met her. She was just like Sofia. Beautiful, sweet, charming, soft-spoken… They both have this arresting way about them… like they’re both oblivious of the effect they have on others. Look at what happened to Camilla, Ben. Carted off by her own husband, never to be seen again.”
“Sofia’s not going to end up that way.”
“Go ahead and tell yourself that.” My mother stepped on the brakes and I was relieved to find that we were already home.
I jumped out of the vehicle, eager to get as far away from my mother as possible. I raced to the front door and up the stairs and went right to Sofia’s room.
I drew a breath when I saw her lying on the bed, eyes shut. She stirred slightly. I was immediately beside her, climbing on the bed and holding her hand. I slipped my arm beneath her shoulder in order to lift her head over the pillow. The motion caused her pillow to move. I caught sight of something beneath. Curiosity sparked, but Sofia’s eyes opened and the moment they fell on me, she had my full attention.
I hated the way she was looking at me. A thousand apologies were in her eyes and I dreaded to find out the reason behind her need to say sorry.