***

Once upon a time, she used to love everything and everyone. No matter the flaw, she would adore them unconditionally. When she was stung by a lone bumblebee, she cried in the orange field. Not for her pain, but for the bee. Its stinger was lodged in her skin, but she didn't care. Sophie held it in the palm of her hands, watching it die a most painful death.

And she blamed herself for it.

Years later, she still thought of that bee, and Sophie told herself she wouldn't let another creature die like that. And she wouldn't let herself cry either. Her dad used to call her a crybaby all the time, then he'd paint her face black and blue for her tears. But his fists didn't stop them from coming.

Sophie loved too easily; it was a trait she sought to bury as she grew. When she'd open her heart to others, it only let in unwanted hatred. And as she sat alone in the cafeteria, shuffling the soggy fries around her plate, it seemed to attract unwanted attention.

"Hey, pretty thing." She peered up to find a boy her age with floppy blonde hair and a crooked grin leaning against the table, his eyes glued to her. "Why're you sitting here all on your lonesome?"

"Because I don't know anyone." Sophie dipped a fry in the puddle of ketchup on her plate, swirling it in the thick liquid as she prayed the boy would leave.

"Well, then." For some reason, he took that as an open invitation to sit across from her at the same table. "I'm Harley."

She briefly glanced back. "Hi."

Her cold exterior did not deter him. "Can I get a name off you, pretty thing?"

Two hands latched onto his shoulders. The boy flinched under the firm grip of Billy Hargrove. He leaned down, speaking into his ear with a hushed tone. "You call her pretty again," he tugged on Harley's jacket, baring his teeth as the boy's face flushed, "and I break your nose."

"Billy, don't." Sophie's voice was flat. Her chin tilted upwards, but her stare lacked warmth. "It's only the first day."

Her brother released his clenched jaw, straightening his posture. Billy's palm tapped the boy's shoulder. "I guess I'll let you off with a warning, then." His frown returned. "Now, scram."

Almost immediately, Harley scampered out of his chair, rushing off to who knows where. The poor boy was scared to death though. Billy took his place, sinking into the plastic chair and folding his arms over the table.

"I was handling it." She stated.

"How were you handling it?" Billy took a fry from her plate. "Should've just waited for me."

She rested her fork against her plate. "I'm not expecting you to follow me around like you're my bodyguard. You don't even follow me to class."

He shrugged half-heartedly. "At this rate, I should be." 

"What, my bodyguard," she smacked his hand away from her plate as he reached for another fry, "or come to class?"

His lip curled in disgust. "The guys around here are dogs."

Sophie frowned. "You don't even know them yet."

"Yeah, but I know when guys are desperate," he pointed in the direction Harley went, "and that dick certainly was."

Her eyebrows pulled close, her forehead creasing as she leaned forward. "Is that your sixth sense?"

He sputtered, shifting back in his chair. "Look, I don't want anyone taking advantage of you."

She crossed her arms. "I'm fine. Like I said, I was handling it."

Billy's face tightened. "I need people to understand you're not a prize to be won."

"So, what -- you're just gonna scare them into submission?"

"If that's what it takes."

"You don't have to fight everyone, Billy." Her brother had learned at an early age that violence allowed him to release his suppressed rage. Billy could batter anyone in this room, and he wouldn't give a shit who they were; this was his form of therapy. "No one else is looking for a fight except you."

Under the table, he lightly kicked a chair leg with a pout. "Why'd you gotta ruin my fun?"

"Can't we just get through the next two years without causing any trouble?" she pleaded with him. "Dad's still on your case after what happened last year."

"I don't give a shit what he thinks." He responded.

Sophie cocked her head to the right, her mouth agape. "You set a dead cat on fire."

Billy was unphased by her argument. "So? It's not like it was alive."

She bowed her head, taking a long, deep breath. When she closed her eyes, she saw the blissful blue of the Californian ocean. The water called to her from so far away, and she longed to swim in it again.

But when she opened her eyes, Sophie was still in the school cafeteria -- in a town in the middle of Indiana where there were only murky lakes and unkept pools. This place was a shitshow waiting to burn.

Sophie looked up, just catching Billy stealing another fry from her plate. "I just want to get out of here as soon as possible."

"We will. I swear, we will." He foolishly believed. "As soon as graduation's over and done with, we'll move back to San Diego or at least somewhere in California where there's water."

Their dad would never let them go. The thing with Neil Hargrove is that he'll hate your guts, but he'll make sure you stay with him forever. So, Sophie shook her head, leaning her chin against her wrists. "Billy."

"I promise." He grasped a hold of her hands and wore a pained expression. "Okay, just trust me. He's never gonna hurt us again."

She sucked in her cheek, staring down at his arms. "What about Max?"

Upon the mention of her name, something changed in his demeanour. He pressed his lips together, ripping his hands away. "What about the little bitch?"

Sophie let out a hard sigh. "Come on, Billy."

"What? Come on -- you know it's true." He pointed out.

Sometimes his attitude could match their father's heartless nature, but Sophie hoped he would be a better man. She still held hope, even when it was beginning to diminish. "We can't leave her with him."

His nose wrinkled and his fists clenched against the table. "It's not like he hits her."

"I don't want her to go through the same thing we did. She's just a kid." Sophie couldn't meet his tense gaze, looking down at her food. "She's too young for that shit."

"We were younger." The moment he said those words, Sophie could no longer stand to be around him. She returned an irritated glare before reaching for her bag and slinging it over her shoulder. Billy leaned back, letting out a weighted huff. "Where are you going?"

"Bathroom." The plate of fries slowly glided his way as she stood up. "You can have the rest of it. I'm not hungry."

And though he reached out to stop her, Billy could not grasp her arm in time. Sophie marched out of the cafeteria, searching for a place to hide away from prying eyes. She folded her arms over her chest, hugging herself as she moved through the hallway.

When the girls' bathroom was in sight, Sophie rushed in as if she were about to throw up. Her shoulders weighed her down once she was inside, and her shallow breaths gave her little comfort.

Sophie's bag slipped off her shoulder, crashing against the linoleum flooring. She squeezed her eyes shut, her chest caving over one of the sinks. As she attempted to get her breathing under control, a voice piped up behind her. "You okay?"

Her head jerked back and a hand landed on her chest. "Jesus!"

"Oh, my bad." In the stall behind her, a girl sat cross-legged on a lidded toilet with a sandwich in hand. "I didn't mean to scare you. It just looked like you were about to have a panic attack, and I have those a lot. And when I say a lot, I mean..." she hesitated. "... I'm saying too much already."

It took a few seconds to regain her breath. The shock did manage to quell her panicked form, though she didn't appreciate the scare. "Yeah, you kinda sound more manic than I do."

"Sorry. Sometimes I kinda implode information onto people." The girl placed a hand on her knee, looking up at the ceiling. "Wait, is "implode" the right word to use-? Doesn't matter." She shook her head before her eyes landed on Sophie, noticing her awkward stare. "I'm sorry. I'm totally freaking you out right now, aren't I?"

"No, no. It's fine." She took a moment to breathe, putting on a light yet assuring smile. "Honestly, it's fine."

"If you say so." The girl stuffed the remnants of her sandwich into her mouth before hopping off the toilet. She brushed the breadcrumbs off her hands. "Usually at this point, people sorta turn around and leave. Then they forget I even exist. Not that I really mind. I don't care. I'll just get out of your hair. You have really nice hair, by the way -- kinda jealous."

She rushed to pack up her lunch box, shoving it into an ivory-green backpack that was filled with a million other things. Sophie's eyes narrowed as she realised where she had seen this girl before.

"You're in my French class, right?" The girl halted, her eyes widening. Sophie's smile brightened, twisting her whole body around to face her. "You laughed at my joke."

The girl unfurled, wearing an incredulous look on her face. "You actually remember me?"

"Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I?" Sophie was quite perceptive, acting as a casual observer when she focused on reality. "I was so happy someone shared my sense of humour."

She discarded her bag on the floor, taking a step forward. "I was planning to introduce myself afterwards," she briefly mentioned before pausing, "until you got abducted by the priss, that is."

Sophie's brows furrowed. "The priss?"

"Nancy Wheeler." She answered.

"Oh." Sophie's opinion of Nancy wavered for a moment. "She didn't seem that prissy."

The girl scoffed, shifting against the stall door. "Oh, you are definitely new here."

Her eyes scanned the room, acknowledging the flickering lights and graffitied doors. It looked abandoned, except for this random girl spending her break in a toilet stall. "So, you're having lunch in here?"

"Er," the girl looked back at her things, "yeah." Her head snapped back to Sophie. "I mean, usually I'd sit with the band kids because I'm kind of a "band dweeb". Then sometimes I'd chill out in Mr. Hauser's classroom, but, er, he left this year, so I don't have anybody to complain to anymore." Her eyes scanned the bathroom. "So, for the last month or so, I've been in here."

She did talk a lot, but that didn't really deter Sophie. It was nice to have a normal conversation for once. "So, like, do you not have any friends?"

The girl shrugged. "I kinda tend to drift away from them over time."

"So, you're friendless at the moment?"

"Yeah?"

"Good." The girl flinched, her eyebrows drawing together. Realising her comment may have caused offence, Sophie stammered. "No, I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just-"

"You're in desperate need of friends?" she finished with a coy smirk.

Sophie scratched her face, breaking eye contact. "But it's not just because I'm new. I think my brother's scaring people off."

"You mean the guy with the mullet?" her jaw went slack for a few seconds. "He's your brother?"

She nodded, pressing her hands against the ceramic sink. "Twin brother, yeah."

Her lips tightened. "He does look intimidating."

"He just intimidated a guy to stay away from me," she told her, "so I think I'll hide in here for a bit."

The girl tucked her hands into her jacket pockets. "Well, you're certainly welcome to join me. No one comes in here anyway."

Sophie tilted her head, unsurety creeping in. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, apparently, a ferret or a pigeon -- it really depends on which version you listen to-" This story was already off to a weird start. "- got loose in here and pooped on a lot of girls. They had to kill it in the end." Her lighthearted tone turned into a frightened whisper. "Sometimes, I think I hear its ghost."

Her mouth fell open. "Seriously?"

The girl let out a soft chortle, shaking her head. "Nah, I'm totally messing with you. I don't know why girls don't come in here. It's not that bad of a bathroom."

She observed the near-empty stalls and clean flooring, considering the possibilities. "Looks like a great hiding spot."

The girl grinned, stretching a hand towards her. "I'm Robin."

Her eyes narrowed. "Like the bird?"

"Yep." She was a free-spirited creature in the form of an overly talkative, socially anxious teenage girl with the brightest grin Sophie had ever seen.

The blonde took her hand, giving it a little shake. "I'm Sophie."

"That's a pretty name. Makes you sound like a princess or something." She commented as they broke away from each other.

The child inside of her buzzed with glee. Stories of princesses and grand adventures had always delighted Sophie, and she wished her life was a little more magical. Her smile turned bashful. "I guess."

Robin stuck her hands back into her pockets. "Well, it's very nice to meet you."

"You too." She replied. "Oh, you don't smoke in here, do you?"

Once again, Robin shook her head, pursing her lips. "I don't smoke at all."

Right, she wanted this girl to be her best friend. She tried her best not to squeal. "Thank you!"

***

She needed to finish sorting out her things. Most of her personal items were strewn across the floor and she knew if she didn't clear up in time, her dad would be pissed again. After finding a place to hang her 'American Gigolo' poster, Sophie began to sort through a box of old trinkets she'd collected over the years.

And though it would be wise to throw some of these items into the trash, sentimentality and nostalgia haunted her like a ghost. Speaking of ghosts, near the bottom of the box, she discovered a photo of her and Billy as kids on Halloween. She dressed up as a ghost -- an unoriginal costume when compared to other children, and her brother chose to be a pumpkin. In this case, he carved a jack-o-lantern and held it in front of his face.

That was the last Halloween they spent with their mother before she left.

1981 was the last year Sophie put some effort into the holiday. She bought herself a Michael Myers mask since the film was still popular at the time. And Billy promised he'd dress up as Jason from 'Friday the 13th Part Two' so she wouldn't be alone, but he bailed on her at the last minute.

She never bothered to dress up on Halloween again. The mask was still in the box, playing as a cruel reminder of her brother's minor betrayal -- the memories still hurt.

As she inspected the costume piece in her hands, she heard the front door slam. "Is that stupid game really that important to you?"

"Yeah, it is. I'm good at it!" She heard Max yell at the older boy.

Sophie sighed as she unwillingly listened in on their argument. "Oh, because you score the highest?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed. 

Billy scoffed. "I don't see why you need to keep playing it if you know no one's going to beat you."

"Because it's fun!" Max raised a good point, though Sophie wasn't an arcade fanatic. "You don't understand that because you never have fun!"

"I have fun!" he argued.

"Your idea of fun is having sex with girls you barely know!"

"Just fuck off, Maxine!"

"It's Max!"

The front door opened and closed again with a loud bang, and the female Hargrove knew Billy was going for another drive. This was one of many arguments they would have -- and their stepsister would always raise the best points. However, Billy could never handle defeat, so he wouldn't stop until he proved he was in the right.

Sophie heard her stepsister's footsteps before her figure appeared outside her room. "Hey!" Max halted in front, slightly stunned by Sophie's kind greeting. "How was your first day at school?"

The young teen didn't know how to respond at first since the two barely spoke. "It was fine."

"And the arcade?"

"Yeah, fine."

"Cool."

Max's gaze landed on the mask in her hand. "Is that a Michael Myers mask?"

"Oh, yeah. I forgot I even had this." It drew the strawberry blonde into her room, kneeling beside Sophie on the wooden floor. "Dressed up as him for Halloween a few years ago."

"Mom hates me dressing up as serial killers." Max pouted. "I mean, they're not even real." She stopped, her mouth hanging open. "I don't mean that. I meant serial killers from films. I know serial killers are real, but the ones in movies aren't."

"Yeah, I gathered." Sophie put the mask back into the box and twisted her body towards her. "Speaking of Halloween, what are you dressing up as tomorrow for trick or treating?"

"No clue. I've got nothing on me." She frowned, brushing her palms against her baggy jeans. "And I don't really have anyone to go with."

Sophie knew how isolating it could be to be a teenage girl and to live in an abusive household. She wasn't going to let Max sink into the same loneliness.

Her lips pressed together in a slight grimace. "You didn't make any new friends today?"

Max considered the thought, angling her head to the side. "I've got some stalkers, actually."

Her face wrinkled and a light chuckle escaped her throat. "Stalkers?"

"Just these four boys who followed me everywhere." She described, her eyes bulging. "I swear I saw two of them at the arcade, too."

"And you've never spoken to them?"

"I sent them a note -- told them they were creeps and to stop spying on me."

The girls shared a giggle. "I'm sure there's a reason. I mean, you don't think they'll hurt you, right?"

"Oh, no. They look harmless." Max's muscles relaxed as she grew more comfortable around her stepsister.

Sophie eyed the box of trinkets again, and a curious thought came to mind. She reached a hand inside. "Well, I'm sure I have a fake knife in here somewhere," her fingers gripped the latex mask, pulling it out, "and I will proudly give you my mask if you want it for Halloween?"

She raised her eyebrows in shock. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, you can have it. I'm not using it, so..." Sophie held out the mask for her to take it.

Max stared at the mask, slightly astonished before her gaze returned to her stepsister. She carefully took the mask from her and clutched it close to her chest. "Thanks."

"Anytime." She leaned over the box, sorting through a few items. "Once I find the knife, I'll give it to you."

Trapped in a never-ending war with Billy Hargrove, Max was in serious need of some compassion, and Sophie was more than happy to give it to her.

***

I'm literally obsessed with this fic at the moment. I love writing it. It's a bit fairytale-like as well, which is one of the reasons I changed my OC's name. Also, I watched Howl's Moving Castle over the weekend so there's that too.

In later chapters, there's going to be a parallel to the bee thing I mentioned. You'll know when you read it...

Anyway, originally, this book was going to have two original characters and one of them was going to be Dustin's sister. But when I first wrote this scene, I realised she's a lot like Robin. Then I figured it could be Robin.

So, yeah, Henderson OC got cut and Robin and Sophie are gonna be besties.

- Alice.

ps: i made a little polaroid of sophie which is where i got inspiration for mask thing...