Lara Bergen: Sophie the Sweetheart

“Of course!” Kate nodded eagerly. “It’s tomorrow! I’m so excited!”

“Me too!” Sophie grinned.

They both turned to Toby to hear his “Me three!” But all he did was chug his milk and burp. Then he jammed a taco into his mouth.

“Uh … so … what do you think?” Sophie went on. “What kind of wedding should they have? Big and fancy, like a royal wedding? Or outside, like my mom’s cousin had, with sunglasses and bare feet?”

“Definitely royal,” said Kate.

Sophie nodded. “I agree.”

Finally, Toby swallowed and shrugged. “I don’t know. I hate wearing church shoes. So outside sounds pretty good to me, I guess.”

Toby didn’t say much more at lunch. He just ate and cleared his tray, then went outside for recess all by himself. He was still all by himself a few minutes later, when Sophie headed out with Kate.

Usually, Toby played basketball at recess. But Archie was already on the court. Toby looked like he wanted to go out there, too — until Archie shot him a long, hard look.

Poor Toby , Sophie thought. Good thing he has Sophie the Sweetheart around!

Sophie knew how it was hard to lose a friend. Even a friend like Archie. (Yuck.)

She dragged Kate over to Toby, grinning. “Forget about Archie!” she said. “You can play with us! It’ll be fun. Right, Kate?”

She smiled at Kate. But Kate didn’t really smile back. Instead, she crossed her arms.

“But I thought we were going to play our game,” Kate said in a low voice.

Sophie nodded. “I know. And Toby can play, too. Come on!” she said, turning back to him. “It’s way more fun than basketball.”

Toby frowned as if that were impossible. “How do you play?”

“You just play,” Sophie explained. “Remember when we were little? How you used to pretend you were a superhero? And I was a talking horse? Well, it’s like that … except way more grown up, of course. I’m an international super-spy. And Kate’s a wild animal emergency vet.”

“Do you want to be a sick animal?” Kate asked him. “We could rescue you and operate.”

“No.” Toby crossed his arms and made a “what are you talking about?” face.

He didn’t want to be a superhero, either.

Or a flying robot, believe it or not.

“Well, what do you want to be?” Sophie finally asked him. Playing with him in kindergarten had never been this hard!

“I don’t know.” Toby kicked a pebble. “Why can’t I just be me?”

“Because that’s no fun!” said Sophie. She almost rolled her eyes. But since that wasn’t a sweet thing to do, she just sighed. “Okay. Be yourself.”

But the game wasn’t the same. Sophie wasn’t sure any of them had fun. And she wasn’t even sure she was cheering Toby up that much.

Before long, he said, “I think I’ll go play basketball.”

But almost as soon as he said that, Archie yelled over, “Having fun with your girlfriend, Toby? Is she your sweetheart now, or what?”

Grrr! Sophie didn’t know who was madder, Toby or her. Toby was a lot redder, that was for sure. But Sophie was steaming inside. It was hard to be sweet. She had to close her eyes and bite her lip and squeeze her fists.

Finally, Sophie opened her eyes and took a deep breath. “Who cares what he says, anyway?” she told Toby. “He’s just a jerk-face, right?”

But Toby didn’t say anything back. Sophie looked around. He wasn’t there!

“Where’d he go?” she asked Kate.

Kate nodded to the big school doors.

He ran inside? Sophie sighed. She guessed Toby cared what Archie thought. Or maybe he just had to pee. (But somehow, she doubted that.)

It looked like Sophie would have to be even sweeter to Toby now. So sweet that it made up for Archie’s big fat mouth. But she also had to be careful. She wanted to be a sweetheart. But not Toby’s sweetheart, or anything lovey-dovey like that. Gross!

So what could she do? Hmm. She didn’t know. But Hayley was an expert in boy stuff. Sophie would ask her for advice on the bus!

Sophie couldn’t wait for school to be over. She hurried to the bus as soon as Ms. Moffly let them go. But Hayley wasn’t there. Had she gone home sick? Sophie hoped not. Especially after she’d brought Hayley that nice orange that morning. And peeled it for her at the bus stop, too. And told Sam, “Get away from my sister!” when he started to sneeze all over it. Ew!

But when Sophie got home, her mom said Hayley was fine. Hooray!

She ran upstairs and found Hayley reading in their room.

“Hayley!” she cried, hugging her. “I missed you! Why weren’t you on the bus?”

Hayley sighed and hugged her back. “Kim’s mom was picking her up,” she explained. “So I asked her to bring me home, too.”

“Oh, okay.” Sophie gave her one more tight squeeze. Then she hopped up on her bed. “I have to ask you something!”

But before she could, Hayley closed her book. “I didn’t want to ride the bus,” she said.

“Okay.” Sophie shrugged. She didn’t always want to ride the bus, either, she guessed. “Now, here’s my question —”

“Hang on, Sophie.” Hayley stopped her. “Don’t you want to know why?”

Sophie shrugged again. “Because Kim’s mom has that cool van? Hey! Do you think Kate and I could get a ride with you guys next time?”

Hayley bit her lip. “That’s the thing, Sophie. That’s why I didn’t ride the bus.”

Huh?

“You’ve been all over me this week, Sophie. And, well, it’s just too much.”

Too much?

What was Hayley saying? “I’m just trying to be sweet,” Sophie explained. “And show everyone what a great sister you are. Don’t you want them all to know?”

Hayley sighed and shook her head. “Honestly? No.”

Then she sat down next to Sophie. “Look. I know you’re just being sweet, Sophie. But it’s embarrassing in front of my friends. I know that you love me. And I love you, too. But you know what the sweetest thing you could do for me is?”

Sophie shrugged. She couldn’t imagine. She thought she’d done everything she could.

Hayley put her arm around her shoulder. “Leave me alone.”

Sophie looked up at her sister. Really? She watched Hayley smile.

“It’s kind of like Ella,” Hayley went on gently. “And how she drives you so crazy, you always say.”

Oh, no!

“I’m not that bad!” Sophie swallowed hard. “Am I?”

Hayley patted her back. “No … but almost.”

“I am so sorry!” Sophie hung her head. “I’ll never talk to you again.”

Hayley laughed. “That’s not what I’m saying. I know you’re just being nice. Just like Ella’s trying to be. But if you could talk to me like you used to, that would be really great. Besides, it’s not like I’m asking you to stop making my bed or anything.”

Sophie smiled.

“Just kidding,” said Hayley, winking. “So, what did you want to ask me?”

Oh, right! Sophie had almost forgotten. How to help Toby. Of course.

She started to tell Hayley everything. But then she stopped. Hang on! Maybe Hayley had already answered her question in a way…

“You know what? Nothing! Never mind. You really are the World’s Number One Big Sister! Hey —” Sophie suddenly got another idea. She was so full of them that day! “If you’re not going to wear that shirt I made you … could I have it back, Hayley?”