The Pep-Rally!
"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou, my Romeo?" Ari chanted dramatically as she leaned against the locker next to mine.
"Shut up, Ari," I groaned and banged my forehead repeatedly on my locker door. I still can't get over the humiliation I'd experienced in class this morning. All those creepy smiles and jokes that our classmates had thrown at me made me want to puke. And the weird thoughts I've been having about Aiden since then are so not good.
Ari pinched my side playfully, and I recoiled, shooting her a glare. "Aww, I've never seen you this embarrassed before. It's cute."
"It is mortifying, Ari," I said with a growl. "I honestly would've preferred detention to that freaking play."
"Hey, come on. Let's think of the positive outcome. You got to act a love scene with Sexy Pants Aiden. That's a girl's dream come true. And don't think I missed you checking him out."
"Yeah. Well, I'm nothing like the other girls. And I wasn't checking him out." I muttered, shaking my head.
"Mh-mhmm. Tell that to someone who'll actually believe you." She said with a smile on her face. Sometimes, I hate that she knows me so well.
"Enough of this. Let's go. I'm starving."
As soon as we arrived at our table in the cafeteria, Ash asked me, "Why is your face so red?"
"Don't ask," was my immediate answer. I slid into the booth beside Ashton, finally noticing Sloane. "Hey! Sloane, right?"
"Yeah. It's nice to meet you again." She's pretty. Her platinum blonde hair shines in long, flowing locks, and her natural tanned skin on full display in skinny white jeans and a skin-tight cropped black tank top. Definitely Aiden's type.
"Yeah. You too."
"Uh-uhh, you are not getting out of this conversation this time." A sly smile spread across Ash's face. "Does your blushing face have anything to do with a certain sexy blonde boy with a beautiful set of green eyes?"
"I don't blush."
"You bet," Ari chuckled. "You should've been there, Ash. I've never seen Thea so shy and embarrassed before."
"Stop teasing me," I bellowed, burying my face in my hands. "Not you too, Ash. It would be really reassuring if you didn't join this mess."
"What mess?" Aiden asked, taking a seat beside me. I let out a loud groan as I covered my face with both hands.
"Don't you have somewhere important to be?" I asked him, my voice muffled.
"No one is as important as you, Lady Juliet." He winked, making me scrunch up my face. I can't deny the trail of butterflies that left in my stomach, though. Geez! Get a grip, Athena.
"You're disgusting," I said.
"But you love me."
"No, I don't," I said. Ari, Ash and Sloane looked between us, a hint of amusement dancing in their eyes. I mentally groaned, placing my head on my table. So much for the invisible Athena!
"Athena! Can I please talk to you for a moment?"
I lifted my head and turned to the source of the voice. Gabe is walking towards me, his hands in his pockets. I scoffed, slightly shaking my head. This embarrassment is all his fault.
"Oh my God, it's the second Knight sexy boy," Ash muttered, sliding inch and inch closer to me. "You have to introduce me to one of them. You don't get to keep the two. That's selfish."
"Not now, Ash." I gritted out. I turned to Gabe, who was still looking at me expectantly. I raised my eyebrows as if telling him to say what he wants to say.
"Ohh, I was hoping we could go out and talk." I raised my brows again, making him take a deep breath. "I know you're mad at me, and you should be, but if you would just let me explain."
"Fine." God! I'm too freaking kind. I walked out of the cafeteria with Gabe on my tail. "So, what's up?"
"Hey, I'm sorry for what happened in class this morning." He pleaded.
"Yeah, you should be. I don't quite appreciate the whole drama in front of the class." I mumbled, folding my arms to my chest. "What was in the crumpled paper anyway?"
He scratched his neck nervously as he let out a light chuckle. "There's a party at Mason's house on Friday. I wanted to know if you would like to go with me."
Have you ever been in a situation where your heartbeat is the only sound you can hear? Yeah, me too. I think I'm going insane cause if I'm not, I won't be imagining Gabe Knight asking me out to a party.
"I'm sorry! What?"
**~**~**
"He did what?"
We are currently lined outside the school field, waiting for the school principal to call us in. Ella and the rest of her minions keep talking about their future wedding with the guys on the football team. A girl can dream, right?
"Sheesh. Quiet down." I whispered, making her roll her eyes. "He asked me to the party. It's no big deal, Ari."
"Why would Gabe ask you to go with him to a party? It seems--- sudden and strange. And you don't even go to parties." I nodded, letting out a deep breath. "So, what did you tell him?"
"I couldn't say anything. I was shocked out of my mind." After he unexpectedly asked me that question, I froze. I couldn't talk or blink. No guy ever looked twice at me before not to talk of them asking me out. It all felt strange and unusual.
"That explains it. What are you going to do now?" Ari asked.
"I don't know. He told me I could think about it and let him know tomorrow. I'm not sure if Levi will let me out of the house."
"We both know Levi is not like your mom. I'm sure he won't have a problem with you going if Ash and I are going too." Lenny's voice resounded through the locker room, interrupting what I was going to say.
"Okay, girls! We go out in two minutes. Don't forget the routines." Eleanor turned to me. "You remember the routine, Athena?"
"Yeah. Thanks for letting me do this." I said. She nodded her head.
"I hope you don't fall flat on your face out there. That would be so embarrassing." Ella said curtly, making the rest of her minions laugh.
"Don't let her get to you, okay? We're going to have fun today." I nodded as we ran out to the field.
We're all lined up for the pep rally. Varsity players escorted by the cheer team, each of us paired up. The pairs chosen by Eleanor, the head cheerleader, and Kent, her boyfriend and the captain of the football team, very cliche, but they're cute.
Ari, much to my surprise, is paired with Sean King. Sean, Ella's ex-boyfriend, had asked Ari out after he unexpectedly broke things off with Ella for cheating on him. But Ari turned him down because she believes she was in love with Chris. What a way to spice things up. My friend is pretty popular with the guys. Me? Not so much.
I'm placed with Aiden, something that seems to annoy Ella to no end. I can't shake the guy off no matter how hard I tried. Ella threw a fit when she discovered she is with Smelly Jim, a senior that no person will willingly touch with a ten feet pole until the day he discovers deodorant. Sadly for Ella, that day is yet to come.
The names rolled out one by one, and I hold onto Aiden's arm. The thought of being in front of so many people is finally starting to have an effect on me as I grip his arm tighter. I've been doing this for some time now, but that doesn't mean it's easy each time.
"Like what you feel?" He asks me, not bothering to take his eyes off the crowd of students as we walk onto the court. His lame way of helping me with my anxiety is actually working.
I pinch a piece of soft skin, still not used to his unwavering arrogance. "Nah, I've seen better ones."
He winces in pain, "That's definitely gonna bruise later."
"Not my problem. It's our turn, smile pretty."
One of Eleanor's yearbook committee photographers snaps a picture, the flash momentarily blinding me as Aiden leads me to the side. We stand patiently as the principal goes over the pleasantries of welcoming the team and giving the daily reminders.
"Hey, Hazel," Aiden whispers.
I pretend not to hear him. He begins to poke my side, ignoring the giggles I'm fighting to hide from the crowd.
"You look really nice in your uniform, Sweetheart." My stomach flutters at his compliment. A smile forms on my face, but I don't answer him. Instead, I flick his nose and go out to perform with the squad. My anxiety has gone from my head after our little encounter.
Perhaps, cheering him on won't be as bad as I thought it would be.