Lisa’s son, Mike, couldn’t stop talking about his new friend, Sophie. Every day, it was “Sophie this” and “Sophie that.” Lisa tried to smile and nod, but after hearing so much about Sophie, her curiosity grew. She had to meet Sophie’s mom. Finally, she decided to give in and arranged to meet her. But when she opened the door, Lisa’s world came crashing down—there stood someone she never thought she would see again. It was Alice—her worst enemy from high school.
Lisa drove slowly, her eyes glancing at Mike through the rearview mirror. He was staring out the window, lost in his thoughts. The silence between them was thick, heavy with the weight of everything that had happened. The town felt new to Lisa, still unfamiliar with its strange faces and unfamiliar streets.
She hoped this fresh start would help them both heal. But she worried about Mike. Since his father’s death, he had become quieter, withdrawn. Would he ever find his place in this new town? Would he make new friends? Would he feel at home here?
“Have a good day, sweetie! Be brave!” Lisa called to Mike as he jumped out of the car.
When she picked him up later that day, Mike practically skipped to the car, his face lit up with excitement.
“Mom! Guess what?” he said breathlessly. “I made a new friend! Her name’s Sophie!”
Lisa smiled, relieved. Maybe this move was the right decision after all. Sophie was the center of Mike’s world now, and she became a regular part of their conversations.
The next afternoon, Lisa was picking Mike up from school again. As soon as he saw her, he ran over with a grin so wide it seemed to light up his entire face.
“Hey, buddy!” Lisa greeted him, “How was your day? You seem happy.”
“It was awesome!” Mike beamed as he jumped into the car. “Guess what? Sophie invited me over to her house to play!”
“Really? When?” Lisa asked, glancing at him as she started the car.
“Tomorrow!” Mike said, his voice full of excitement, bouncing in his seat.
“Well, I need to talk to her parents first, just to make sure it’s okay,” Lisa said, smiling as she drove.
Mike dug into his backpack, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. “Here, Mom! Sophie gave me her number!” he said, handing it to her eagerly.
Lisa took the paper and nodded. “Thanks, Mike. I’ll text her tonight.”
Later that evening, Lisa sat on the couch, phone in hand. She typed out a message to Sophie’s mom: “Hi, I’m Lisa, Mike’s mom. He told me Sophie invited him over tomorrow. Is that okay with you?”
After a few minutes, her phone buzzed with a reply: “Hi, Lisa! Yes, Sophie told me about it. We’d love to have Mike over!”
Lisa’s heart lifted with relief. Things were going smoothly. She quickly typed: “Great! Is there anything I should bring with Mike?”
The reply came quickly: “Maybe some wine so we moms aren’t too bored!”
Lisa chuckled. Sophie’s mom seemed like someone who knew how to make light of things. She typed back: “Sounds good! See you tomorrow!” She felt a bit more at ease now, thinking this could be the start of a new friendship for her too. After all, Sophie’s mom was raising her daughter alone, just like Lisa. Maybe they would have things in common.
The next day, Lisa and Mike walked up to Sophie’s house. Lisa carried a bottle of wine in one hand, giving Mike a little smile. Mike knocked on the door, practically bouncing with excitement. When the door opened, Sophie stood there, her face lighting up.
“Sophie!” Mike shouted happily.
“Sophie!” Sophie squealed, grabbing his hand, and the two kids ran inside, laughing together.
Lisa stood there for a moment, watching them. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. Then, Sophie’s mom stepped out, and Lisa’s heart skipped a beat. There she was. Alice. From high school. Her worst enemy.
Alice’s eyes narrowed as she saw Lisa. “Lisa,” she said, her voice sharp, her smile thin and fake.
“Alice,” Lisa replied, her stomach sinking.
Alice crossed her arms and looked Lisa up and down. “You haven’t changed. Still the plain, boring mouse.”
Lisa clenched her jaw. “And you’re still wearing skirts so short, you’re practically giving everyone a show,” she shot back, her voice tight.
Alice’s smile faltered, but she stepped aside, holding the door open just wide enough for Lisa to pass. The tension between them was like a thick fog, and Lisa could feel it crawling up her spine.
As she walked inside, Lisa gripped the bottle of wine tightly, trying to ignore the heavy feeling in her chest. The sound of the kids laughing filled the air, but the space between Lisa and Alice stayed cold, distant. They sat down with their wine, barely exchanging a word.
Lisa’s mind raced as she took a sip of the wine. She couldn’t stop thinking about how Alice had treated her back in high school. Alice had been the queen, the one everyone adored while Lisa had been invisible. Worse than invisible—Alice had made Lisa her target.
The bullying, the rumors, the times Alice had stolen Lisa’s homework just to get ahead. But the worst moment had been prom night when Alice had stolen Lisa’s date. Lisa had watched from the sidelines as Alice danced, laughing, while wearing the crown of prom queen.
That pain still haunted Lisa, even years later. Alice had never apologized, and now here she was, sitting across from Lisa with a glass of wine in hand, acting like nothing had ever happened.
The night dragged on, the air thick with unspoken words. By the time they parted ways, the bitterness between them was still alive and well. Mike and Sophie remained friends, but Lisa avoided Alice whenever she could. That was, until one day, when Lisa received a call from Mike’s teacher, Miss Terry. She needed to come to the school immediately. Lisa was nervous as she drove there, unsure of what was waiting for her.
When she entered the office, her stomach dropped. Sitting across from Miss Terry was Alice.
“What’s going on?” Lisa asked, her voice tight.
Miss Terry gestured to the chair. “Please, sit down, Lisa.”
Lisa sat down, looking between Alice and Miss Terry, feeling a sense of dread rising in her chest. “Now, will you explain what this is about?” she asked, her voice shaking.
“Mike has been bullying Sophie,” Miss Terry said, her tone serious.
Lisa blinked, completely stunned. “What? That’s impossible! They’re friends!”
Alice sighed loudly, putting on her best sorrowful expression. “Sophie has told me about it several times. I tried to handle it myself, but when nothing changed, I had no choice but to get Miss Terry involved.”
Lisa’s frustration bubbled over. “Why am I just hearing about this now?”
Alice sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. “Maybe you’re not paying enough attention to your son. You haven’t been taking care of him, and now he’s becoming a horrible person!”
Lisa’s anger flared. “How dare you? You can insult me all you want, but don’t you dare speak about my child like that!”
“Please, calm down,” Miss Terry interjected, trying to calm the situation. “Lisa, I know it’s been tough managing things alone since your husband’s passing. Maybe you should think about getting some help.”
Lisa stood up straighter, her voice firm. “I am managing. We are managing just fine. Mike is seeing a specialist.”
Miss Terry nodded, her expression still serious. “I see. But if this behavior doesn’t stop, we may have to consider expelling Mike from the school.”
Lisa could hardly believe what she was hearing. “She’s making all of this up! Can’t you see that? Mike and Sophie are friends! Has anyone seen him bullying her?”
Miss Terry hesitated. “No, but Sophie has told me…”
Alice smirked and added, “Maybe you need a specialist too if you can’t see what your son is doing.”
Lisa couldn’t take it anymore. “Oh, go to hell! I’ve had enough of this!” she shouted, storming out of the office, her heart pounding with fury.
Tears streamed down Lisa’s face as she drove home. How could Alice be doing this? After all these years, she was still stirring up trouble, just like back in high school. But this wasn’t high school anymore. They were grown women, mothers. Lisa couldn’t understand why Alice was still acting like a teenager.
A few days later, there was a knock at the door. Lisa opened it to find Alice standing there, her expression different—more subdued, less cold.
Lisa crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. “What do you want? Come to throw more insults at me?”
“No,” Alice said quietly, looking down at her feet for a moment. “I came to apologize.”
Lisa froze, unable to believe what she was hearing. Apologize? From Alice?
“I’m sorry,” Alice said, her voice cracking a little. “Sophie’s been crying non-stop. She misses Mike. She wants to be friends with him again. I hate seeing her so upset. She’s all I have, Lisa.”
Lisa felt a lump form in her throat. “So, you’re admitting you lied?” she asked, her voice thick with disbelief.
Alice nodded, her face troubled. “Yes. I’m going to tell Miss Terry the truth tomorrow.”
Lisa’s mind raced. “But why? Why lie in the first place?”
Alice sighed deeply. “For the same reason I did in high school. I was jealous of you.”
“Jealous?” Lisa’s voice rose, the anger creeping back in. “I lost my husband. I’m raising a child alone.”
Alice bit her lip, looking ashamed. “But at least you had a husband who loved you,” she said quietly. “I married Scott. Remember him? The guy I stole from you at prom?”
Lisa nodded, the bitter memory rushing back.
Alice continued, “I don’t want to get into the details, but he wasn’t a good husband. Not a good father either. Two years ago, I finally got the courage to leave him. Sophie and I ran away.”
Lisa raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. “So, I should be thanking you for stealing him, huh?”
Alice gave a sad laugh. “You were always better than me—smarter, braver. You had a good family. And when I saw how strong you were with Mike, how well you were doing on your own, I couldn’t handle it.”
Lisa didn’t know what to say. The weight of Alice’s confession hung in the air.
“Can you forgive me?” Alice asked softly.
Lisa looked at her for a long moment before stepping aside and holding the door open. “Come inside. Let’s start with some wine. We have a lot to talk about.”
They stood there for a moment, unsure, before Alice stepped forward and hugged Lisa tightly.
Lisa was caught off guard, but she hugged her back. And in that moment, the anger she had held onto for so long began to melt away. Maybe they could both heal from the wounds of the past. Maybe they could start fresh.