Lara Bergen: Sophie the Sweetheart

Oops.

The good news was Max did not throw up that night.

The better news was Sophie’s mom called Ms. Moffly and Mr. Bloom to invite them to dinner on Friday. And both of them could come!

Sophie skipped all the way to the bus stop the next morning. She was so excited she couldn’t stop. Plus it was a good way to keep up with Hayley so she could be extra -sweet to her!

Hayley had helped her so much with her great date idea. And Sophie wanted to say, “Thanks!” But sweethearts didn’t just use words, Sophie knew. They also did lots of sweet things!

She had already made Hayley’s bed that morning. And picked out her clothes.

“What’s this?” Hayley asked when she saw the shirt.

“I made it for you!” Sophie told her proudly. “Last night!”

Hayley was speechless for a second. “Why?” she said at last.

“Because you’re the best sister in the whole world. And I want everyone to know. See? It says ‘World’s Number One Big Sister,’ because that’s exactly what you are!”

“Did you use my favorite shirt?” asked Hayley. She was touched. Sophie could tell.

Sophie crossed her arms proudly and grinned. “Yep, and my handy fabric markers! And glitter glue, of course!”

Hayley held up the shirt and stared at it. Sophie guessed she didn’t know what to say about such an amazing gift. But that was fine. Sweethearts didn’t need thank-yous.

“You are very welcome,” Sophie said, anyway.

Still, she was a little surprised later, when Hayley headed to the bus stop — in a different shirt.

“Why aren’t you wearing the shirt I made you?” Sophie asked as she skipped by her side.

Hayley shrugged. “Um … well … it’s so nice,” she said. “I don’t want to mess it up.”

A sweet feeling shot through Sophie, like she had warm maple syrup in her veins. “Oh, don’t worry. I can always make you another one. In fact …” She got a great idea. “I can make a bunch!”

“No! Don’t!” Hayley said quickly. “Really, Sophie, that’s okay. One shirt is … plenty.”

Sophie shrugged. “Whatever you say.”

Then she noticed Hayley’s backpack. Hey, that was another sweet thing she could do!

“Here!” Sophie yanked the strap off Hayley’s shoulder. “Let me carry that for you. And here!” She pulled a brush out of her own bag. “Let me fix your hair, too!”

“Sophie!” Hayley waved the brush away. “Everyone’s staring — cut it out!”

Sophie looked ahead to the bus stop. A bunch of kids were already there. And yes, a bunch of them were staring. But let them stare at Sophie the Sweetheart helping the Number One Big Sister in the Whole World. Big deal, Sophie thought. Who cares?

Meanwhile, Hayley grabbed her backpack and hurried off to join her friends. Sophie sighed and sweetly called, “I love you, Hayley!”

Then Ella Fitzgibbon ran up to her, and Sophie sighed again.

Ella was in kindergarten. And yes, she was kind of cute. But Sophie thought she would be cuter if she weren’t such a pest, too.

“Sophie! Guess what,” Ella squealed.

“What, Ella?” Sophie said. (She would have ignored her if she weren’t Sophie the Sweetheart. But she couldn’t do that now. Oh, well.)

Ella hopped up and down. “No!” she chirped. “You have to guess!”

Sophie crossed her arms. “Okay. Um … do you have to pee?” she asked.

Ella giggled. “No, silly Sophie! I peed at home! Guess again!”

You’re moving to Alaska? Sophie smiled at the thought. But maybe that wasn’t the sweetest answer. “I give up,” she said. “What?”

“My mom had her baby!” Ella announced. “Now I’m a big sister, just like you!” Then she clapped her hands and spun around and around … until she got dizzy and fell down.

Sophie helped Ella up off the sidewalk. And she even tied her shoes. She had to admit, this was pretty big news.

Sophie remembered how excited she’d been two years earlier when Max was born. Then she remembered breakfast that morning and all the oatmeal Max had thrown. Sophie quickly felt her hair. Was there still some oatmeal there? Yep. There was.

“Congratulations,” she told Ella. “I hope it’s a girl.”

“Woo! Sophie’s ears were tired by the time she got to school. Ella’s baby sister hadn’t even come home from the hospital yet, and Ella still couldn’t tell Sophie and Kate enough about her.

Sophie was glad to say good-bye — sweetly, of course. And glad to get to her classroom with Kate. And very glad when they saw Ms. Moffly.

“Good morning, girls,” she greeted them.

“Good morning, Ms. Moffly!” said Sophie. “So can you really come over on Friday? You look nice today, by the way.”

Ms. Moffly smoothed her hair. Her cheeks got pinker. “Why, thank you!” she said. “And yes. I’m looking forward to Friday. Your mom told me it was your idea.” She turned to smile at Kate. “I’m so glad to hear you’ll be there, too, Kate. It will be a night to remember, I bet.”

Sophie looked at Kate and they shared a smile. Oh, if Ms. Moffly only knew!

They moved on to hang up their coats. “Here,” Sophie said, reaching for Kate’s. “Please. Allow me.”

“Why, thank you, Sophie the Sweetheart!” Kate tossed her coat to her. “I think I’m going to like this name!”

“Hey, Sophie.” Their friend Dean walked up just then. “Did I hear that Ms. Moffly’s coming to your house?”

Sophie nodded. “You sure did.”

Dean raised his eyebrows. “Why?”

“Yeah,” said Jack, who was right behind him. His nose wrinkled up. “Ms. Moffly’s nice and everything. But isn’t seeing her in school enough?”

“Wait. Ms. Moffly’s coming to your house ?” Eve said. She and Mia were on Sophie’s other side.

Sophie grinned. “I know it sounds a little weird. But wait till you hear the whole plan.”

She waved them all in a little closer. But before she could explain, snooty Mindy VonBoffmann walked up and said in her snooty voice, “Sounds like Sophie wants to be the teacher’s pet.”

“Yeah,” said Mindy’s best friend, Lily Lemley. She always said “Yeah” to everything Mindy said.

Grrrr.

Sophie felt like growling. It was a feeling Mindy gave her a lot. She turned to Mindy, glaring. Then she remembered: She was Sophie the Sweetheart now!

She could not let Mindy get to her (like the old Sophie had).

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and let her glare melt away. By the time she opened her eyes, there was a sweet smile on her face.

“As a matter of fact, Mindy, I don’t want to be the teacher’s pet at all. All I want to be is a sweetheart.” And she described her plan, right down to the wedding day, to everyone around.

“Who’s Mr. Bloom again?” asked Jack.

“He rides that bike …,” Kate reminded him.

“Do you really think they’ll invite us all to their wedding?” Eve chimed in.

Sophie shrugged. “Who else would they ask?”

Sophie could see her friends getting more and more excited. She could also see Mindy getting more and more mad. Wait till I’m a flower girl! she thought. She could just imagine Mindy’s face then. But of course, she didn’t say anything. A sweetheart would never rub it in.

At the same time, Sophie couldn’t keep her smile from spreading from ear to ear. Sophie the Sweetheart was by far her best name yet!