Second chance

Chapter3

Chapter 3: The Cheap Thing

The campus food court was loud at noon. Trays clattering, music from someone's speaker, the smell of fried chicken and pizza.

Aria Castellano and Sofia Marchetti sat at their usual corner table. Aria had a burger she would only eat half of. Sofia had rice and stew from the cheapest stall. Aria had tried to pay for sushi. Sofia had said no so fast it almost started a fight.

"You need protein," Aria said, pushing fries toward her.

"I have protein," Sofia said, pointing at her stew. "It's called survival."

Aria laughed, that bright genuine laugh that turned heads. Sofia felt people looking. They always looked when Aria laughed.

At the next table, two girls from their business class were whispering. Not quiet enough.

"That's Aria Castellano, right? The shipping heiress?"

"Yeah. What's she doing with that Sofia girl?"

"The scholarship one? I heard she works at a diner off campus."

A pause. Then: "I bet she's just using Aria. Like, for money and connections."

Sofia's fork stopped mid-air.

Aria didn't hear. She was too busy stealing Sofia's stew. "Oh my god, this is actually better than my burger. Trade?"

More voices, a table over. A guy's voice this time.

"My roommate said Sofia cried when Aria paid her fees last semester. Like full tears in front of everyone."

"Damn. Embarrassing."

"Hey, if a billionaire wanted to pay my fees, I'd cry too."

Laughter.

Sofia felt her face burn. She stared at her plate. Don't react. Don't give them the satisfaction.

Aria finally noticed. She followed Sofia's gaze, heard the tail end of the laugh. Her smile faded.

She turned in her seat. "Hey."

The table went quiet.

Aria's voice was calm, but her eyes were sharp in a way Sofia rarely saw. "Do you have something to say to my sister?"

The girl stammered. "We were just—"

"Just being rude?" Aria stood up. She was 19, 5'6 in sneakers, but she suddenly looked taller. "Sofia is smarter than all of you combined. Professor Han said so yesterday. If you're going to talk, at least be accurate."

She sat back down like nothing happened and pushed her burger toward Sofia. "Eat. You're too skinny to fight rumors."

Sofia couldn't breathe.

On one hand, warmth flooded her chest so fast it hurt. Aria had defended her. Publicly. Fiercely. No hesitation.

On the other hand, humiliation curdled underneath it.

Now everyone was staring more. Now the story would be: Aria Castellano had to defend her poor friend. Poor Sofia. Poor charity case Sofia who needs the heiress to fight her battles.

Sofia's inner thought screamed: _Why did you do that? Now they all pity me more. I could have handled it. I always handle it._

But Aria was looking at her with those worried, pure eyes. "You okay?"

Sofia forced a smile. "Yeah. Thank you."

Aria leaned her head on Sofia's shoulder for a second. "That's what sisters do."

Later, walking to class, Aria was quiet. That was rare.

"Sofi? Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you... ever wish I wasn't rich?"

Sofia stopped walking. "What?"

Aria kicked a pebble. She looked young suddenly, not like an heiress. Just 19 and insecure. "I hear them too, you know. They think you're using me. They think I'm stupid for trusting you. Sometimes I wonder if my money makes it harder for people to see me. Like the real me."

Sofia stared at her.

This was the part no one understood about Aria. Everyone thought being rich and loved made you shallow. But Aria lay awake at night wondering if anyone would like her without the penthouse. If Sofia would have sat with her that first day if she wasn't Aria Castellano.

"You think I'm with you for your money?" Sofia asked, voice low.

"No! God, no. I know you're real. You're the only real one." Aria grabbed her hands. "I just... I get scared you'll get tired of the noise. Of being 'Aria's friend' instead of just Sofia."

Sofia's throat tightened. The jealousy, the resentment, it all twisted into something painful and guilty.

Here was Aria, the girl with everything, terrified of losing her. And here was Sofia, planning to take everything.

"You i***t," Sofia whispered, pulling her into a hug. "You're stuck with me."

Aria laughed into her shoulder. "Good."

Over Aria's shoulder, Sofia saw the same girls watching. One mouthed: _See? Using her._

Sofia held Aria tighter and thought: _You have no idea how pure you are. You defend me and you don't even see how it makes me look small. Your heart is so clean it makes everyone else see my dirt._

That night, Aria sent her a text:

Aria: Made you something. Check your door.

Sofia opened her dorm door. A small paper bag. Inside, a cheap plastic bracelet with two stars, and a note in Aria's messy handwriting:

_One for you, one for me. So even when we're old and boring, you'll know you're my person. - A_

Sofia put the bracelet on. It was childish. It cost maybe two dollars.

She wore it to bed and cried silently, hating Aria for loving her so easily, hating herself for not being able to love her back cleanly.