Sophie & Carter Read Online Free PDF Page A

we’re off. Everyone heads for school.
    Chloe and Abram catch their bus. Michael jogs ahead of me so he’s not seen with me when we get to school. And Carter goes back to his house to wake up his mom and make sure she’s taken her medicine and whatnot.
    Carter’s first class of the day starts later than mine.
    I go to school all day. I don’t see Carter. It’s normal.
    I’m at lunch, planning on being late for English again when Whitney Morris bombards my personal space and nearly gags me with the scent of her perfume.
    “Sophie! I need your help.”
    No she doesn’t.
    “Have you talked to Carter?”
    “No.” I lie, as I tuck my hair behind my ear.
    Her face falls and I don’t feel bad for her.
    Whitney sighs dramatically. “It’s been five weeks. Five weeks! Is Carter seeing someone else?”
    Here’s the thing about Whitney: I don’t like her.
    Whitney Morris is popular for all the wrong reasons, and happens to be mildly attractive, so people overlook the fact that she’s obnoxious.
    Not me, though.
    Sophomore year, Whitney sat behind me in History and literally talked about her pet mouse (that’s right, she has a pet mouse—named Minnie) everyday.
    EVERYDAY.
    Minnie sleeps on a silk pillow. Minnie eats only organic cheese. Minnie gets her nails done once a week.
    By the end of sophomore year I was having nightmares about a mouse princess who made me give her pedicures and feed her cheese wedges.
    Minnie, the mouse, haunted my dreams.
    And completely ruined Disneyland for me.
    So Whitney isn’t my favorite person. But here she is now, sitting next to me at my lunch table, wanting to talk about her relationship with Carter.
    And I’d rather sit through a seven-hour description of Minnie mouse’s bowel movements.
    Whitney sighs again, “Come on, Sophie. Is there someone else?”
    Whitney’s in love with Carter and thinks that because they messed around one time they’re meant to be together. Basically, she’s a tease who needs nonstop attention from guys. I don’t say this to be mean, I say this because there are no alternatives.
    She knows nothing about Carter.
    She’s never seen him scared, or watched him take a punch for his mom, or helped him empty all the bottles of alcohol from his house.
    She knows nothing.
    But she shared her mouth with him, and that makes me hate her.
    I don’t care how shallow I sound.
    I shrug. “How would I know?” People have no idea that Carter and I are close. We like it that way. It’s simple.
    Usually.
    Whitney rolls her perfect eyes. “Helloooo? You live next door to him! Have you seen anyone go over there?”
    I think about it. The police, the paramedics, the social workers….
    “Nope.”
    “Agh!” Whitney’s insecure about this, which thrills me.
    I don’t ever want to see a girl trot into Carter’s house like she belongs there. I’m pretty sure I would follow her in and punch her.
    “What’s the big deal, anyway? Move on.” I try to focus on my food. It’s important I eat a lot now, otherwise I’ll be starving at dinner.
    “Move on? You don’t just move on from Carter Jax. He’s amazing.”
    For some reason, I’m feeling incredibly feisty. “Really? How so?” There’s nothing she can tell me that I don’t already know.
    “Well, for starters, he’s an amazing kisser.”
    Except, well, maybe that.
    I might just punch her right now.
    “And also, he’s got an incredible body.”
    This I know. I’ve seen him walking around his house in only a pair of board shorts.
    I’m annoyed that her first two examples of how ‘amazing’ Carter is involve his body.
    “And he’s brave, you know?”
    This, from Whitney, surprises me.
    I know he’s brave. He’s the bravest person I’ve ever met.
    I’ve seen him stand up to a monster of a father, and battle a hellish illness with his mother.
    I’ve watched him confront bullies at school for Michael and kill spiders with his bare hands for me.
    “I mean,” Whitney’s voice sounds like nails