Lisa’s son, Mike, couldn’t stop talking about his new friend, Sophie. Every single day, it was “Sophie this” and “Sophie that.” Lisa grew curious—and a little hopeful. Maybe meeting Sophie’s mom would help her feel more connected too. But nothing could have prepared Lisa for the shock she got when she finally opened that door.
That day, Lisa drove slowly toward Mike’s new school. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. She glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Mike staring out the window, silent. The car felt heavy, like sadness filled the air.
Ever since Mike’s dad had died, he had become so quiet, so serious. Moving to a new town was supposed to give them a fresh start, but everything still felt strange to Lisa—the unfamiliar streets, the strange faces, the feeling of being completely alone.
She wondered, Will Mike find a new friend? Will he feel safe here? That fear gnawed at her heart.
When they got to school, Mike opened the door slowly. Lisa leaned over and called out with a smile, “Have a good day, sweetie! Be brave!”
Mike gave a tiny wave and disappeared into the building.
When she came back later to pick him up, she was stunned. Mike came running across the parking lot, beaming.
“Mom! I made a new friend! Her name is Sophie!” he shouted, throwing his backpack into the car and climbing in.
Lisa’s heart warmed immediately. Maybe things really will get better, she thought.
From that day on, Sophie was all Mike could talk about.
One sunny afternoon, Lisa pulled into the school parking lot again. Mike ran over, practically bouncing.
“Hey, buddy!” Lisa called, smiling wide. “How was your day? You seem super happy!”
“Yeah! It was awesome!” Mike said, grinning from ear to ear.
Lisa laughed as she opened the car door. “Really? What happened today?”
“Sophie invited me to her house tomorrow to play!” Mike said, almost bursting with excitement.
Lisa raised an eyebrow as she started the car. “Oh? And when exactly are you going?”
“She said after school! She even gave me her mom’s number!” Mike pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his backpack and handed it over proudly.
Lisa took it, nodding. “Thanks, sweetheart. I’ll text her tonight to make sure everything’s okay.”
At home, after Mike went to his room, Lisa sat down on the couch and pulled out her phone. Her fingers hovered over the screen for a second before she finally typed:
“Hi, I’m Lisa, Mike’s mom. He told me Sophie invited him over tomorrow. Is that okay with you?”
It didn’t take long for her phone to buzz.
“Hi, Lisa! Yes, Sophie already told me about it. We’d love to have Mike over!”
Lisa felt a wave of relief. She smiled and quickly typed another message:
“That’s great! Is there anything I should bring with Mike?”
The answer popped up almost instantly:
“Maybe some wine, so the moms don’t get too bored! 😄”
Lisa chuckled. Seems like Sophie’s mom has a good sense of humor. She texted back:
“Sounds good! See you tomorrow!”
For the first time in a long while, Lisa felt a little excited. Maybe, she thought, this could be the beginning of a real friendship for both Mike and me.
The next day arrived. Lisa and Mike walked up to Sophie’s house. Lisa held a bottle of wine in one hand, feeling a little nervous but hopeful. Mike was practically bouncing with excitement as he knocked on the door.
The door swung open—and there stood Sophie.
“Mike!” Sophie squealed, grabbing his hand.
“Sophie!” Mike laughed, and the two of them ran inside without a second thought.
Lisa smiled at their happiness, then looked up, expecting to meet Sophie’s mom.
The door opened wider—and Lisa’s heart stopped cold.
Standing there was Alice. Alice from high school—the girl who had made her life miserable.
Alice’s eyes widened, then narrowed. Her lips curled into a fake smile as she said tightly, “Lisa.”
Lisa swallowed hard. “Alice,” she said back, her voice sharp.
Alice crossed her arms, giving Lisa a slow, judgmental once-over. “Well, well. You haven’t changed a bit. Still the plain, boring mouse.”
Lisa felt her cheeks flush with anger. Without missing a beat, she snapped, “And you’re still wearing skirts so short, it’s a miracle you’re not arrested.”
The tension between them could have set the whole house on fire.
Alice stepped back, swinging the door open just enough for Lisa to come in. Lisa clutched the wine bottle tighter and stepped inside.
The kids’ laughter echoed through the house, but between Lisa and Alice, there was only thick, cold silence.
They sat stiffly at the kitchen table, poured some wine, and barely spoke. Lisa sipped her drink, but her mind was racing with old memories—memories she thought she had buried long ago.
She remembered the cruel jokes, the stolen homework, the nasty rumors that Alice had spread about her. She remembered standing alone at prom, her date stolen right from under her nose—by Alice.
Alice had won prom queen that night, her tiara sparkling under the lights, while Lisa sat at a corner table blinking back tears.
Now, years later, here they were, facing each other again. And nothing about Alice had changed. Not the smug smile. Not the fake sweetness.
By the time Lisa left, she was boiling inside. Some fresh start this turned out to be, she thought bitterly.
Mike and Sophie stayed best friends, but Lisa kept her distance from Alice. She thought she could avoid drama—until one day, her phone rang.
It was Miss Terry, Mike’s teacher.
“Hi, Lisa. Can you come to the school? There’s something we need to talk about.”
Lisa’s stomach twisted into knots. What now?
She rushed to the school, heart pounding. When she walked into the office, her worst fears were confirmed. Sitting there, smirking like the cat who ate the canary, was Alice.
Lisa stopped in her tracks. “What’s going on?” she asked, trying to keep her voice calm.
Miss Terry gestured to a chair. “Please, sit down, Lisa.”
Lisa sat stiffly, shooting a glare at Alice.
Miss Terry took a deep breath. “Mike has been bullying Sophie,” she said carefully.
Lisa blinked, stunned. “What? No! That’s not possible! They’re best friends!”
Alice let out a loud, dramatic sigh and leaned forward. “Sophie told me it’s been happening for a while. I tried to handle it privately, but when it didn’t stop, I had to bring it here.”
Lisa’s hands clenched into fists. “Why am I just hearing about this now?”
Alice gave a mocking smile. “Maybe you’re too busy feeling sorry for yourself to notice what your kid’s turning into.”
That was it.
Lisa’s voice shook with fury. “Don’t you dare talk about my son like that!”
Miss Terry raised her hands quickly. “Please, let’s stay calm. Lisa, I understand you’ve been dealing with a lot since your husband passed. Maybe you should consider getting some extra support?”
Lisa sat up straighter. Her voice was low but firm. “We’re doing just fine. Mike is even seeing a specialist.”
Miss Terry nodded, but her face stayed serious. “That’s good. But if this behavior doesn’t stop, we might have to expel Mike.”
Lisa was almost too stunned to speak. “You’re believing her? You don’t even have proof! Has anyone seen Mike bullying Sophie?”
Miss Terry hesitated. “No…but Sophie said—”
Alice cut in, smirking wider. “Maybe you need a specialist too, Lisa.”
That was the last straw.
Lisa stood up, face burning red. “Oh, go to hell!” she shouted, storming out of the office.
Tears blurred her vision as she drove home. It’s just like high school all over again, she thought bitterly. Alice is still the queen of lies.
Days passed, and Lisa stayed furious. Until one evening, there was a knock on her door.
When she opened it, she couldn’t believe what she saw.
It was Alice. And she didn’t look smug this time. She looked…nervous.
Lisa folded her arms. “What do you want? Here to call me a loser again?”
Alice shook her head. “No. I came to apologize.”
Lisa stared at her, stunned. She hadn’t expected that.
Alice looked down at her shoes, then back up. “Sophie’s been crying nonstop. She misses Mike so much. I can’t stand seeing her like this. She’s all I have.”
Lisa’s voice was cold. “So you’re admitting you lied?”
Alice nodded slowly. “Yes. I’m telling Miss Terry the truth tomorrow.”
Lisa narrowed her eyes. “But why, Alice? Why start all this in the first place?”
Alice let out a long, shaky breath. “Same reason I acted like a witch in high school. I was jealous of you.”
Lisa blinked. “Jealous? Of me?”
Alice’s voice cracked. “You had a husband who loved you. You have a beautiful son. I… I married Scott. Remember him? The guy I stole from you at prom?”
Lisa gave a tight nod, memories flashing through her mind.
Alice’s face twisted with pain. “He wasn’t a good husband. Or a good father. Two years ago, I finally left him. Sophie and I had to run away.”
Lisa raised an eyebrow. “So what—you did me a favor stealing him?”
Alice let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah. Looks like I did. You were always stronger than me, Lisa. Smarter. Better.”
There was a long silence. Then, Alice whispered, “Can you forgive me?”
Lisa stared at her for a long moment. Then she stepped aside and said, “Come inside. Let’s open that bottle of wine. We’ve got a lot to talk about.”
Alice hesitated for a second, then walked inside.
For a moment, it was awkward. Then, to Lisa’s surprise, Alice suddenly hugged her.
Lisa stiffened—then slowly, she hugged her back.
And in that hug, Lisa felt the old anger start to melt away. Maybe they had both been carrying heavy, painful stories all along.
Maybe, just maybe, this was the fresh start they both needed.
