For an hour, I had Sophia in my arms; she'd fallen asleep.My phone vibrates. I retrieved it from my pocket.Training late, Mom texted.No, I'm with a friend; I'll be there soon. I texted back.Okay, come home soon.I put my phone down and watched Sophia sleep. She's beautiful when she sleeps, and I find myself developing feelings for her.I wish I could let her sleep more in my arms, but I must go."Sophia." I gently touch her shoulder."Hmm," she moans, her eyes open."I'm sorry, but my mom needs me," I say."It's okay," she says, sitting up and rubs her eyes."Should I take you home or leave you at the gas station?" I ask.I'd hate to cause any more trouble for her and her mother."At the gas station," she says.I nod.As we arrive at her stop, she says, "Thank you, Nate, for being here for me.""My pleasure, and feel free to call me whenever you need someone to talk to again," I say with a smile.She's about to open the car door to leave."When are you coming back to school?" I as
It's Saturday, and I'm outside mowing the lawn when Mom pops up with a cup of water.Stopping, I turn to her and take it, quenching my thirst."Thanks," I say, handing her back the cup.She takes it and starts to play with the end of her hair, twisting it around a finger, and her eyes, as dark as mine, scrutinize the areas I'd mowed.She does this when she's nervous, and I find out she wasn't just there to give me a cup of water; there was more to it."Mom, is there something you want to tell me?" interestedly, I ask.Quickly, her eyes jump to me, and worries mixed with fear take over.Finding out what she wanted to say, I angrily resumed mowing, refusing to hear anything.She runs in front of the lawn mower. I stop, almost running her over."I could have hurt you," I growl."We have to talk about this, Nate," she says, standing firmly before me."I don't want to hear anything you have to say about that man!" I'm walking away."Nate," she chases me down."How long have you been talkin
I'm coming from Mom's car when Amber shouts my name. Amber is at the side of the school building; her phone is at her right ear; she is talking to someone; and Sookie stands beside her.I approach her, and she hangs up the phone. Amber smiles at me, and it doesn't feel right. She's up to something, and I know it."How is everything about getting Nate to be your boyfriend?" She asks, then places an arm around my shoulder, drawing me to her side.I caught Sookie with a smug on her face, and I was certain that Amber was up to no good.The aching memory of Nate turning me down after I had confessed my true feelings to him struck my mind, and I lowered my head."He has a girlfriend," I tell Amber."And so, you decide to give up," says Amber.Keeping my head lowered, I give a sad nod."Well, his relationship didn't stop Sophia from chasing after him," Amber says, maintaining a straight gaze.I lift my head to see what she's looking at, and my eyes widen to see Sophia sitting in the front se
It's the weekend; I should be hanging out with a friend instead of laying in bed mulling over a guy who doesn't want me. It's almost evening, and I'm still in my pajamas.Forcing myself out of bed, I go to stand before the mirror. Combing a handful of hair out of my face, I notice myself in the mirror.Why didn't Nate fall for me instead of Sophia? I think downheartedly.Weren't I beautiful enough for him? Walking away from the mirror, I fall backward on the bed.I believed being a HotShot cheerleader and walking among the popular ones would give me the privilege to get any guy I wanted, but it didn't. If Sophia hadn't gotten in the way of Nate and me, things might have turned out differently for us.What am I thinking? I reach for the pillow covering my head.Nate had admitted he had no feelings for me, so there was no hope of us getting together if Sophia wasn't in the picture.But why Sophia, though?Out of all the girls at school, he had to choose her. I wish it was someone else,
Tristan had been my biggest crush since the first time I laid eyes on him in class during our first year at Effney High. I recall stealing glances at him when his attention was glued to his book, wishing it was me he was so focused on. I used to be overwhelmed with wonderous feelings whenever he walked past me in the school's corridor, until he no longer had that same effect after sharing my first kiss with Nate.Tristan's head remained lowered as I walked over to him.Even when he's drunk, I still get nervous around him."Tristan," I call as I stand before him.He slowly raises his head, and as he does, he rakes a handful of hair from his face, brushing them backward, like a hot character from a teenage romance movie—making my heart skip a beat, which I find attractive, despite the fact that he was extremely intoxicated."What do you want?" His bewitching blue eyes looked at me for a second before drifting all over the place, unable to stay focused.I never had a conversation with hi
I rise from the bed as the alarm clock goes off, stopping it."It is time." I stretch with an excited smile.I shove the blanket aside and get out of bed.Today is a big day for me. I'll officially be known as a member of the Hot Shot cheerleading team. I've been drafting for it to happen since I started Effney High. However, a few setbacks extended it to five years.Yeah, I wanted to join the team the first year I started, but dolefully, I began to wear glasses. The squad would never accept a four-eye to cheer with them.After pleading desperately with my mom to let me wear eye contact in the eighth grade, she finally decided to let me. I was overjoyed for a short period until I discovered from an appointment with my dentist that I would wear braces for two years. The news hit me like a bolt of lightning. I would never have a chance with the Hot Shot cheerleading squad. Eye contact could hide glasses. What could hide braces? Nothing.I was happy; two years had passed, and my teeth we
As I'm about to put on my glasses, the reflection of my mom, a petite woman with shoulder-length hazel hair, appears in the mirror.She leans onto the open door, and her eyes, which are as dark as mine, gleam with sadness."I'm sorry my life has affected you," her hands fold, and her head drops."Mom, it didn't." Immediately, I go to her.Her head rises. Tears saturate her eyes."You should be at your former school, carrying the title of captain of the swim team, and with your girlfriend and your friends."Tears flow from her eyes. She hastily wipes it away before it can reach her cheeks.I take her hand and look deeply into her eyes to avoid her black eye and the bruise on her right cheek. That is almost healed."I'm right where I belong, here with you." I say.She smiles right before hugging me; my arms envelop her."I don't want to be the reason why you're late." She pulls away."Do you have all the documents?" she asks."Yes."Her hand extends to my glass to remove it, and I hold
I never expected to be accepted as one of the Hot Shot members when I applied for senior year. I had the physical ability and the appearance to join, but not the height. I'm 5 feet 2 inches, and I fear it would have hindered me since I wasn't as tall as the members. I'm glad my height didn't ruin my dream.I and seven other girls stand gleefully in the school's gymnasium. Amber, a blonde with blue eyes, sits before us. At each side of the desk stands the co-captain, Sookie, a short-haired blonde, and Katniss, a dark-haired member, holding the uniform.I'm eager to wear my uniform for the first time, but I'm confused why there is only one when there are eight of us. I ignored the thought and tuned into Amber speaking to us."You've all done an amazing job; that's why you're here," Amber says.My face hurts from smiling excessively."I love your outfit," Amber halts to compliment me."Thank you," I giggle.At Effney High, it is a great honor to receive a compliment from Amber or any of