Chapter 2: Friends Who Care

Emily, Tanya, and Vera approached Sophie on their bikes. Sophie gulped and her hands were starting to shake. Instinctively she clenched her fists and stood her ground. She had faced worse things before and made it through. She wasn't going to be so easily bullied this time by her worst enemies.

They stopped and got of their bikes a few feet away.

Emily was the first one to speak, "You're the one who called for help? I can't believe I didn't recognize your ugly voice."

"Ew, it's Sophie Summers." Tanya sneered.

Vera taunted, "I wonder how easy it will be to make her cry."

"Shut up. You'll regret anything you do to me." she said, trying to scare them away.

Sophie clutched her backpack straps closer to her. She wasn't going to let them touch her. If anything, she would be prepared to make a run for it. The last she was going to do was cry in front of them.

Emily dropped her bike and the other girls followed her lead. Emily was wearing a purple and pink athletic outfit, and she had the ends of her long, curly blond hair died horrible neon pink. She smelled of perfume that just made Sophie want to stay as far away from her as possible. Emily's blue eyes glared hatefully at Sophie. Emily had pink eyeshadow, which Sophie hated even more.

Vera was wearing a green top with purple bottoms and flip-flops. In her short black hair was a streak of green. She wore a serious expression and crossed her arms. Vera's green eyes showed no emotion, and watched her like a hawk. She had on green eyeshadow.

And Tanya had her black hair up in a bun and had a purple streak in her hair. She even wore a sparkly headband. Her skin was darker than Sophie's (Tanya was African American). She wore a pink blouse with green leggings and flats. She definitely liked glitter, for the makeup above her light brown eyes was sparkly too. She fiddled with her pink glasses.

"Forget it. There's no way I'm going to help you from whatever you were yelling about earlier." Emily said.

Sophie gritted her teeth, and was beyond furious.

"I didn't want your help anyway." Sophie snapped.

Emily was now nose-to-nose with her, and she shoved Sophie in the chest, sending her tumbling backwards.

She stumbled but didn't fall.

"Leave me alone." she said, "I'm not afraid of you."

"What a big joke. No one is coming to help you. I can do whatever I want to you. You think the Care Bears will help you or something? You're so wrong." Emily said.

"Yeah. And what's in your backpack?" said Vera.

"Nothing." she clutched it tighter, wishing she hadn't brought it with her. This afternoon was just getting worse with each passing second.

"Liar." said Tanya.

Then Beastly and Shreeky made an appearance. Sophie felt herself trembling.

"Hey you! Three girls, why don't you give Sophie a taste of Hawaiian punch?" Shreeky laughed.

"Yeah! Make it a party!" Beastly laughed.

"Just what I was thinking." Emily cracked her knuckles.

Sophie put her arms over her face instantly as Emily raised her fist. As she was about to deliver the blow, a beam of aqua light hit Emily.

"Don't you hurt her!" said a new voice.

Sophie turned and looked to the left on the side of the path, and saw an aqua bear with a shooting star on her belly. Beside her was a yellow bear with a sun on his tummy, and a pink bear with a rainbow on her belly. They all stood holding paws and their bellies were puffed out.

"If you even think about hurting Sophie's feelings again, you'll have to go through us!" they said together.

"Ugh - you Care Bears always ruin everything!" Shreeky complained.

"Hey, Shreeky, I have an idea!"

"What is it, fur ball?"

"Why don't we take Emily, Tanya, and Vera to No Heart?"

Shreeky laughed and said, "I have a better idea! Let's take Emily, Tanya, and Vera to No Heart!"

Shreeky and Beastly grabbed the three bullies. They didn't seem to mind.

"Yeah!" said Emily.

"Wait, who's No Heart?" asked Vera.

"You'll meet him in a flash. And you'll love his place!" Shreeky promised.

"No, wait!" Cheer said, "Don't go with them!"

Funshine added, "It's a trap!"

But before they could say anything else to change their minds, Beastly, Shreeky, Emily, Tanya, and Vera were on their way to No Heart's castle.

"You're the Care Bears?" Sophie looked at them.

The three bears came over to Sophie with sad smiles. They tried to comfort her by holding her hand, but she yanked her hands away and kept the space between them. She didn't want to get anywhere near them. If they wanted to be her friends, they would only hurt her later.

"We're the Care Bears. We care about you, and that's why we came to rescue you. We want to be your friends."

"Well, um, thank you, I guess. But I really have to get home… and I don't want any friends. All they do is hurt you."

She didn't want to be outside anymore. She was starting to walk away when she heard a strange buzzing noise from one of the Care Bears.

"Huh, what's that?" Cheer asked, and Wish was poking at her watch.

"Care-a-lot's in trouble!" Wish said.

"What are the details?" Funshine tried getting in closer.

While they were chatting away, Sophie began walking towards home. Besides, she wasn't sure how to thank them.

She was just a few yards away when she heard her name being called.

"Sophie!" Wish Bear said, and the Care Bears were running towards her, "Sophie, wait up!"

She stopped and said, "What is it?"

"We have to go back to Care-a-lot. Tenderheart is holding a meeting." Funshine said, and Cheer and Wish Bear nodded, "Would you like to come with us?"

She shook her head.

"Come on. You'll love it. After the meeting we can have some fun!" Funshine promised.

Wish giggled.

"Sorry, but I just can't."

Sophie started to walk home again, but the Care Bears wouldn't leave her alone.

"Sophie, we understand that you lost your mom and your best friend was Emily. We're really sorry."

"Oh yeah, you really care about me, don't you. Then where were you when I needed you most? And I bet you don't even care about my mom! Where were you when Emily pushed me down the first time?" she shouted.

The Care Bears glanced at each other, nervous.

"That's not true, Sophie." Wish said.

With tears in her eyes, she ran home. The Care Bears followed after her. She dropped to her knees on the grass once she got home.

"We care so much about you, more than you can understand. We know all about feelings, even the dark and sad ones. We know what happened between you and Emily. It can be fixed." Wish said putting a comforting paw on Sophie's shoulder, "If you need help, we'll be here. Always. Look, why don't you just come to Care-a-lot for the afternoon and see if you like it?"

She sighed, giving up arguing with them. They really wanted her to come along for some reason. "Okay, I guess. I just have to ask my dad."

"That's a step!" Cheer said happily.

"You'll love Care-a-lot, Sophie." said Funshine.

She wiped the tears from her eyes. Then her pet gray tabby kitten named Cloudy came out from behind the tree, and Sophie introduced them to her.

"Aww, she's adorable!" Cheer said, petting her. All three of them took turns petting the kitty. For a moment Sophie felt like she had friends.

Her dad pulled into the driveway in a blue Honda Civic. He was wearing a business suit, and carried a brief case and a cup of coffee.

"Dad! You're back. Um… can I go somewhere this afternoon?" she asked.

"Where's somewhere?" he replied, giving her a hug. He noticed the Care Bears, and gave them a long, hard look.

"Um, oh… Care-a-lot."

"Hmm. You know, that name rings a bell. I think your mother worked for a card company with bear characters who lived in a cloudy place with that name."

"That's where we live!" Cheer exclaimed, gasping.

"Well, it's a small world after all. Of course, Sophie, you may go."

"Really? Thank you." she said.

"Oh Sophie, how did your afternoon go?"

"Well… you wouldn't believe it, but Emily bullied me again. But then the Care Bears saved me."

He smiled.

They went into the blue ranch house. Sophie showed them to her room. It was blue and cloud-clipped, and with rainbow accents, and looked a lot like Care-a-lot. Sophie didn't even realize it. She began to pack up as the Care Bears looked around her room, admiring the details. Cheer played with the kitten who had come inside.

Wish said, "Your room really looks like Care-a-lot, Sophie."

"It does? Well, my mom painted it, so that's probably why."

Then Sophie was ready. She pulled a rainbow and starry backpack over her shoulders.

"All ready. I packed a lot extra in case I changed my mind and decided to stay a while."

"That's rainbow-tastic!" Cheer said, clapping.

"Maybe you can stay the whole summer!" Funshine suggested with wide eyes.

"Maybe." Sophie said, shrugging.

They all said goodbye to Sophie's father who was on the computer. He gave Sophie a quick hug and let her go.

The four of them hopped into the cloud car that was waiting outside, and jumped in. Wish and Sophie were sitting in the front, with Wish Bear at the wheel.

"Ready to go to Care-a-lot?"

"Sure." she smiled.

"That's better than a no." Cheer smiled, and they laughed.