Chapter 169 Who Says I Can’t Handle It?

"Humph. She could’ve told us earlier if she doesn’t want to be friends with us. She always talks like she has a lot of friends!" Elaine criticized indirectly. "Someone isn’t even remotely abashed for chasing after a man’s tail every single day but is saying that it’s a b*tchy thing to do when we’re just playing a game... From what I can see, she simply can’t handle it!"

Ryleigh echoed. "Just be frank with us if you can’t handle this game. Stop wasting everyone's time!"

"We’re all friends. Stop saying things like that to Sophia." Leah bit her lip and said, "I feel awful when you say things like that to her."

Sophia had called Ryleigh out earlier, so she found Sophia to be an eyesore at the moment. "We treat her as our friend but does she treat us the same? I know you’re a nice person and don’t want to see us fighting with each other, but look at her... Look at what she has been saying to us.

"There were so many people cheating during the professional test. I don’t think writing a cheat sheet is that terrible, right? She’s saying it like I’ve committed a heinous crime! Also, how can she call you a b*tch just because of such a trivial matter?"

Sophia's face alternated between red and blue, looking exceedingly surly. "Watch your words, Ryleigh. When the f*ck did I ever call Leah a b*tch? I just said that this is beyond common sense and that it’ll make me look like a b*tch if I do it. Don’t f*cking turn things upside down and sow dissension among us, will you!!!”

Leah did not say a word, but her eyes were even redder now. She lowered her head and sniffed.

"You’re always wearing swimsuits whenever we go to the beach, no? What’s wrong with asking you to wear a similar outfit at home and give Mr. Jones a hug now?" Elaine sneered. "You’re dawdling so much just because you can’t handle it, no? If you can’t handle this game, then just be frank. No one’s forcing you to play this game!”

Leah wiped the corner of her eyes and forced out a smile. "I'm sorry, Sophia. I didn't know you can’t… handle games like this. I'm really sorry!"

Having said that, she gave Sophia a 90-degrees bow in an exceedingly sincere manner.

Elaine straightened her back forcefully and cast Sophia a sidelong glance, saying, "I didn’t know that you’re a person who can’t even handle a game, Sophia!"

'Can’t handle a game, can’t handle a game, can’t handle a game!!!' These four words made Sophia so mad that she was about to erupt. Like her brother, she cared a lot about her reputation and image. She simply could not stomach this insult now she was being called out by three of her best friends saying that she could not even handle a game.

"Did I ever say that I can’t handle this game?!" Sophia grabbed the erotic underwear. "I just need to give William a hug wearing this, right? What's the big deal!"

Leah tugged her sleeves gently, whispering, "Sophia, if you don't want to do it, then don't force yourself. It just… It just feels like I’m forcing you…"

"Cut the crap. Where can I change?" Sophia ripped off the headset around her neck irritably and tossed it on the couch.

Ryleigh said in a queer tone, "Don’t force yourself if you can’t handle it. Otherwise, you’re going to start saying that we’re bullying you after that!"

"Shut. Up!" Sophia glared at her as she squeezed the two words from the gaps of her teeth. There were spurts of flames in her eyes.

Ryleigh retracted her neck in fear, then gulped without having the guts to say another word.

Leah sighed, then said in an aggrieved and guilty voice, “Sophia, you really don't have to force yourself..."

"That’s enough!" Sophia cut her off straight away and entered the bathroom holding the erotic underwear with a frown. With a bang, she slammed the door shut.

After seeing her reaction, Ryleigh murmured several things, none of which was pleasant.

Sophia was sulking terribly from their provocations. She steeled herself and changed into the erotic underwear. It was not exactly revealing, just like what Leah and the rest said. The size of the fabric was quite similar to that of a beach swimsuit.

However, with the word 'erotic' added into the picture, several parts of it were designed to look very… erotic.

She glanced in the mirror, having no desire to take a second look. She clutched her chest tightly and sat on the toilet lid for more than half an hour, still unable to cross the hurdle in her heart.

To be honest, she felt that Leah had crossed the line today for making such a suggestion, but...she could not stand it when others said that she could not handle it!

Bang, bang, bang!

Someone knocked on the toilet door vigorously. Elaine's impatient voice rang from outside the door. "Sophia, can you do it or not? Let us know earlier if you can’t handle it. Stop wasting everyone's time!"

"Forget it, Elaine." Leah's soft voice was heard immediately after that. "This is just a game. There’s no need to rise to this level. Maybe Sophia really can’t accept it."

The flames in Sophia’s heart were rising and fuming outward as she listened to their conversation. She shot up abruptly and walked over to open the door. Without even taking a glance at the two of them, she asked directly, "Where is William?"

"My brother isn’t working today. He’s in his room," Leah bit his lip and whispered.

"Got it." Sophia walked in between the two wearing a pair of erotic underwear. When she walked past Elaine, she harrumphed heavily. "You better grab your binoculars and open up your eyes in a while. Don’t f*cking say that I didn’t keep my word afterward!"

She liked to use a swear word or two when she was irritable and in a dilemma. She had no idea when she started picking up this habit.

After making her intentions clear, Sophia put on a coat and went to the opposite building to find William.

The moment Sophia stepped out of Leah and the rest’s line of vision, her straight back collapsed. She held the coat tighter and was starting to regret it now.

She had someone she loved now and should not be sharing any ambiguous relationship with another man. Besides, she and William had remained good friends even though she did not accept his affection. What would that make her if she toyed with his feelings like that?

She had already agreed, though. If she went back on her words right now, then she would only end up losing face, no?

Sophia felt extremely conflicted. She walked up the spiral staircase at an unusually slow pace and came to William's room door. She just needed to knock on the door, take off her coat, give William a hug, and she would be considered to have completed the challenge.

However, it was easier said than done. She stood at the door for more than ten minutes and still could not make up her mind.

Oh, if she embarrassed herself, then so be it. Her image would not sustain her anyway. As the old saying went, one could go through hell for the sake of keeping up appearances. She really did not need to put herself through such a dilemma for the sake of her image!

Sophia turned around and left but stopped after taking a few steps.

Leah was fine, but both Elaine and Ryleigh were loud trumpets. They could talk nonsense all day. If she went back on her words today, the whole school would know that she was someone who could not even handle a mere game. Those who knew her might even make a joke out of her!

"Argh!" Sophia stomped her feet and ruffled her hair irritably. She was in such a great dilemma that her head hurt.

At this moment, the door suddenly clicked open from the inside.

William walked out in a white shirt and black suit trousers, holding a mobile phone in his slender and beautiful hand that was now held against his right ear. "Sophia?"

Sophia turned her head and let out an "ah" sound.