I’ve seen the love that lights up Stephen’s eyes when he talks about his son. It might have been years since he’s spent any decent amount of time with him, but he fondly remembers the little boy he helped to bring into this world. Although after the past few hours, I wonder if that little boy no longer exists.
I think of the stories of the Lego loving boy he’s fondly told us about and realize that there’s a very good chance that Stephen knows nothing about his now hotheaded and very angry son.
I release a frustrated sigh as the arguing continues. One of them will win soon, and I have no doubt that when that person does, the music will continue and that none of us will be getting any sleep tonight.
As predicted, less than five minutes later, the bedroom door slams but the music doesn’t turn off, in fact, I think it actually gets louder.
After having to get up early to meet the squad for a morning workout session, I spend the day half asleep. It doesn’t matter what we’re doing in each class I drag my exhausted body to, my eyelids just get heavier and heavier as I desperately try to concentrate.
“What’s up with you?” Harley, my best friend, asks when she drops down beside me with her own lunch tray at the cheerleaders’ table.
“Ugh, don’t ask.”
“Well, I did, so…”
Rolling my eyes at her, I push my tray away and rest my elbow on the table.
“Ashton has come to visit.”
Her brows draw together as she thinks. “Ashton as in your stepbrother that you’ve never met but the one I lust after anytime he posts a picture on Instagram?”
I can’t help but groan. “Yup, that one. I can assure you though, that beauty, it’s only skin deep.”
“Fine by me, I don’t have any intentions of making him my new BFF.”
“Jesus,” I mutter. “He’s… argh. He’s a nightmare. His music was booming all night. He was smoking weed in his bedroom. He’s been here less than a day and I want to kill him.”
“Why is he here? I thought he always refused.”
I shrug, not really having the answer to her question. “He was suspended from school, that’s all I know.”
“He’ll be there after practice, right? I need to meet this enigma.”
“No, Harley. I really don’t think that’s a good idea,” I argue, although as I do, I can’t help but wonder why I’m so against it.
She’s interested, I’ve always known that, but just assumed that she’d never get any closer than his Insta. Now that he’s under the same roof as me, the way he looked down at me last night, the way his lips pressed against mine, I’m not sure I want her anywhere near him.
Not that I want him, of course. He’s an asshole. But I love Harley and I refuse to introduce her to a prick like him knowing that if anything were to happen that she’d only end up with her heart broken.
“Oh shush, I’ll just come for a bit. Show him what he’s missing.” She winks, flicking her bright red hair over her shoulder. “You know what they say, once they go red, they never go back.”
“And who exactly says that?” I ask curiously, knowing that the farthest Harley had got with a boy was a sloppy fumbled kiss at the summer formal a few months ago.
She shrugs. “Someone, I’m sure.”
A few other members of the squad join us and thankfully our previous conversation is forgotten. There are only a handful of juniors on the squad, and both Harley and I were lucky enough to make the cut not so long ago.
I’ve spent years at both gymnastics and dance classes in the hope of making varsity. Pride washes through me as I think about all my hard work paying off.
My eyes roam over the squad, taking in their perfection before I stop on Chelsea, our captain, and Shelly, our assistant captain, sitting beside her. That’s my next mission. I want to prove myself enough to have a shot at captain next year once Chelsea graduates.
Practice is killer. I’m not sure if it’s just because I’m exhausted or that Chelsea is extra hard on us today, but I feel like I screw up every move I make.
“Ruby, lock your fucking knees,” Chelsea barks. “If you don’t straighten up and hold position, you’re going to end up on your ass.”
I wobble about as Krissy and Victoria try to keep me steady.
“Fucking hell, there are plenty of other JVs who’d love a shot at this. Get it together,” Krissy snaps as I try to make my body respond.
I eventually manage the move to Chelsea’s requirement before one of the girls below my grip slips and the world falls out from beneath me.
My cheek connects with something, someone’s head maybe, an elbow, as I fall, sending burning pain through my face and down my neck before I collapse on the floor, landing on my already painful shoulder, I’m sure only making it worse.
“Fucking hell, Ruby,” Chelsea says, racing over and staring down at me along with a huddle of the other girls, including Harley. “Are you okay?”
Releasing my cheek, I roll my shoulder. It hurts, but it’s okay.
“Yeah.”
I place my hand in Chelsea’s as she reaches out to pull me up. Everyone else disperses, going back to what they were all doing before some drama kicked off.
“Is everything okay? You’re not your usual self this afternoon,” Chelsea asks. She’s got a reputation for being an epic bitch, but while that may be true, she’s an incredible captain, and every now and then, like just now, she does show that she has a softer side.
“Yeah, I’m good. Just family stuff, you know how it is.”
“Sure do. But I need you to lock that shit down in here. You got that?”
I nod, despite the fact she’s not looking at me.
Thankfully, the rest of practice passes without any more drama.
