Chapter Two - In the Middle

JULIET POV (Fifteen years old)

I fold my arms as I lean back into my locker, inwardly cursing the fact that my cheerleading uniform is way too exposing, garnering attention that I absolutely do not want.

Connor Johnson is blocking me in with both of his arms, and I squint up at him.

"Don't you have a girlfriend to bother?" I ask in a bored tone when, in fact, my insides are raging.

I want to punch him, kick him in the balls, and maybe take a baseball bat to his head.

He smiles that arrogant smile at me that I absolutely despise. "You know you're my favorite toy, Ice."

Ice.

Short for Ice Queen.

In middle school, the delinquents started calling me that. I didn't go out on dates, I didn't talk to boys or bothered hanging out. Apart from school, cheerleading, and Alyssa, I didn't care about anything or anyone else.

Ice Queen became Ice in high school, and ever since, every fucking boy in a twenty mile radius has been trying to break me. I've become a challenge now. Even seniors are asking me out.

Alyssa says I should maybe date just one guy for two weeks, so the boys could give it a rest. But I have no desire to sit through a date with any of these idiots.

Especially not fucking Connor Johnson who has been tormenting me since the start of grade school. He can't seem to take no, I'm not interested, for an answer. It's totally giving off rapist vibes.

"You know I'd leave her if you gave me a shot." The slimeball licks his lips, and I shiver inwardly.

I never react, I never show any emotion. That's something that my mother taught me well.

Never show your cards.

Even after eight years, I still remember every word she said.

Connor is a thorn in my side. But this school is just part of the stepping stones I have to get over to get to where I need to be.

I don't know where that is yet. But I am following the Moretti triplets on every social media platform, I'm stalking their every move online.

"For the millionth time, Johnson, I'm not interested." I manage to duck underneath his arm and free myself from the prison he created.

I hear his chuckle as I walk down the corridor.

"Keep telling yourself that, Juliet!" He shouts after me, but I calmly take myself out of the school building to the football field for practice.

As usual, the rest of the student body gives me a wide berth as if I'm the bitch that walks these walls. When, in fact, I just didn't give two shits about anyone here except for Alyssa. Somewhere along the line, a rumor was spread that I was cold, unapproachable, and rude.

"You're late!" Tory, the cheerleading captain, scoffs at me.

"I'm sorry." Is my only apology.

Tori hates my guts. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been on the team if I wasn't the best flyer they have ever seen. She needs me, just like I need this team.

I started cheerleading after my mother died.

Flying through the air, not knowing if someone is going to catch me, became my escape.

My father couldn't give a shit. I think he was just happy that I was out of his hair most of the time. When I asked him if I could join a cheerleading academy, he happily paid the fees.

Alyssa waves at me from the bleachers. She tried cheerleading with me, but it wasn't for her. Now she's always doing her homework on the bleachers while I'm in practice.

Tori is working on my last nerve in practice, shouting at me when I know I made no mistakes. The reason becomes glaringly obvious when Trent Baker, starting quarterback for the varsity team, jogs past us and throws me a chin lift.

For fuck's sake. I'm not even interested in the guy. He doesn't have two decent brain cells in that big head of his.

It's not that I'm picky. I'm not.

It's just that none of these guys serve any purpose to me. And I'm not about to get entangled with any of them and screw up my chances of destroying the Moretti offspring.

Boys are trouble. The kind I don't want.

"Trent Baker was totally checking you out!" Alyssa whisper-shouts at me when I meet her after practice.

I throw a hoodie over my head to keep my muscles warm. "He should ask Tori out. She's been pining over him forever."

Alyssa shakes her head in disbelief. "You're the only girl in this entire school who's not tripping over her feet to get a piece of Trent Baker. College scouts are going crazy over him!"

This is true. There have been scouts at almost every game to see Trent play, the guy does seem to have a bright future ahead of him. Unfortunately, he's the wrong football player.

There's another one I have my eye on.

Alonso Moretti.

He's had a killer high school career, breaking records and hearts alike.

All of my decisions rest on his. I will go wherever he goes. That is why I don't break my head over petty high school drama and dates. I study hard because I need those grades to get into any university. Being great at cheerleading is a bonus. The sport has grown tremendously, any team would be honored to have me.

I go to Alyssa's house after practice. There's always food, and I'm always welcome.

As usual, her mother drops me off at my apartment after dinner.

When I unlock the door, I immediately get a whiff of brandy, the strong smell of alcohol burning my nostrils.

"Where the hell were you?" My father's voice rumbles from the couch. "School doesn't come out at nine pm last time I checked."

The guy is never even here. Why the hell does he care now?

"I was at Alyssa's house." I reply calmly and without emotion. It's no use poking the bear when he's clearly drunk and irrational.

But it seems that the bear doesn't need much poking because he rises from the couch and approaches me threateningly.

"You think I don't know a lying whore when I see one?"

My slender throat is in his hand before I can do anything, and he squeezes tightly, cutting off my air.

I frantically scratch at his hands, so he'll let me go, but it seems that angers him even more.

"Lie to me again." His spit flies angrily on my face. "And I'll show you exactly how I deal with girls like you."