F.R.I.E.N.D.S

I have the power...

Maya P.O.V
Me and Riley and Lucas walk out to the football field, Lucas has football practice and Riley and I have cheerleading practice.

Riley dragged me into cheerleading tryouts against my will a couple months ago and we both made the team, as much as I hate to admit it I actually love cheerleading but I will never tell anybody that.

The principal makes us practice outside next to the football team, and the varsity soccer team is just a field a way.

Some douchebag on the football team told the principal to make us practice on the football field because it motivates them in practice to "work harder" but the cheerleaders know it's just because they want to stare at us.

Lucas disperses off toward the football players, and Riles and I go to where the other cheerleaders are stretching.

We sit down our bags and began to stretch. Riley pulls my right leg up on her shoulder to stretch my right split I deepen it into an over split.

"Have you seen Farkle"? Riley ask me while she's pulling my left leg behind me while I'm standing on my right, so I'm doing a scorpion.

"No I haven't" I say to her "have you"? I say winking at her. "No" she says blushing hard, "he usually comes before his soccer practice starts and talks to us" she says a little sad.

It's true though Farkle does always stop by Riley and I while we're stretching to talk to us, or flirt at the other cheerleaders but I won't mention that part to Riley right now.

"Listen Riles" I say "I'm pretty sure it's no big deal, he could be sick".

"Well ok" she says "but I'm going to go see him after practice".

"Ok Riles" I say "do you even know where he lives"? "I mean he never invites us over to his place".

"I'm sure I'll find it" she says.

"Ok ladies lets start the pyramid libs first, Maya your the center of the pyramid" says Lacey , she's the head cheerleader and the senior.

Everyone assumes I'm gonna be the next head cheerleader after she leaves to go to college, I act like I don't care but on the inside I'm super excited.

"5,6,7,8" Lacey shouts, my bases bring me to a prep on lib level then I tik tok to the other leg. Holding on to the flyer to my left which is Riley and the flyer on my right which is Missy Bradford, my bases throw me and I tuck in the air and land in a perfect lib still holding on to Missy and Riley.

"Great job Maya"! Lacey yells to me from the ground. "Retake" she shouts "1,2" and my bases bring me back to the ground.

"That was a great job Maya" Lacey says while she high fives me, "and I think another person thinks that way too" she point her finger at Lucas who is looking and smiling at me and clapping for me. "Friar"! I hear the football coach shout "start the play over again". Lucas turns bright red and goes back to whatever play they were running.

"I think someone has a crush on you" Lacey says in a teasing voice, "he does not" I say. "Oh but on the contrary Maya I think he's in love with you" and with that explosive comment she leaves my side. "Alright every body tumbling drills"! She shouts off to the other cheerleaders.

Riley P.O.V
I somehow manage to find Farkles house after practice, and by the way it is huge!

I step up to the big double doors and ring the door bell, "one minute" a small voice calls out. "Okay" I say I'm not even sure he could hear me though, he finally comes to the door and opens it slowly, I take in his appearance he is wearing the same shorts as yesterday but a different shirt and he has bed head.

It suits him incredibly well.

"Hey Riley" he says, he tries to laugh but it just comes out pained like it hurt him. "Hey Farkle" I say "I noticed you didn't come to school so I came by to see if you needed anything"?

"Oh I'm fine" he says but the expression on his face tells me otherwise.

"Can I come in" I ask, I know he doesn't want me to but I need to know what's making him have that pained expression.

"Sure" he says, he moves out of the way very slowly taking each step carefully to let me in. I walk in taking in his house it's beautiful but looks like hardly no one ever lives there.

I manage to trip over part of the rug in the living room and Farkle moves quick to catch me but shouts in pain falling down on the floor clutching his stomach after letting me go.

"Farkle what's wrong" I shout, I help him up and help him towards his room.

We sit on his bed, "Farkle your hurt" I say "tell me what's wrong". "It's nothing" he says, he tries to shrug but it looks like it hurts him.

"From what I've seen Farkle" I say "it doesn't look like nothing". I touch his stomach all the way up to his chest he winces in pain and looks away.

"May I" I say, he nods slowly. I gently tug up some of his shirt and the more skin I see the more I'm horrified. I finally take off all his shirt and I'm exposed to his raw bruised skin.

"Farkle"! I gasp, "who did this to you" ? "It doesn't matter Riley" he says "I'm fine", "your not fine" I say "please tell me who did this to you" I say in a whisper.

He cups my face in his hands so I'm looking at him "I'm fine" he says with a pained smile. He kisses me gently but the kiss deepens with raging emotions between both of us.

We lay on his bed in between kisses, when we come up for air he assures me he's fine. I trace my fingers across his bruises he flinches "I'm sorry" I say "it's fine" he says "everything is fine".

I'm so emotional I start crying.

I plant kisses along his stomach all the way to his chest going up his neck to his jaw then finally on his lips.

"I'll make everything better" I whisper to him.

Farkle P.O.V

I wake up under the covers with Riley by my side. I sigh she looks so peaceful sleeping, I plant a kiss on her forehead.

I start to hear the front door unlocking, it can't be my father he's not supposed to come back till the end of the week!

I shake Riley awake. "Riley wake up"! I say "please you need to understand my father can't see you please get in the closet".

"What"? She says still in a daze from sleeping " please" I say to her my eyes pleading. I start to hear footsteps, I rush her to my closet then get in my bed under the covers.

My father appears at my door. "We're you talking to yourself"? He ask me, "no" I say. "Of course you were" he says "not only are you stupid and worthless you have no friends to talk to" he retorts.

I don't dare defend myself Ill just get a another belt beating. "Your so pathetic you wimp" my dad says "maybe I'll go easier on you with a smaller belt next time". " I should have given you up for adoption when your mother died" he says, he then leaves the doorway and shouts back behind him "I just came back for so business papers so I'll see you next week you piece of shit".

And with that last disgusting comment he leaves.

I then remember Riley is in my closet.

I sigh, "Riley" I say "you can come out now". She slowly steps out of the closet with a look of fear on her face.

"That's your father"? She whispers without masking the fear in her voice, "yes" I say "and he did this to you"? She says her voice filled with anger. "Yes Riley" I say " but please don't tell anyone, I'm begging you I love my father very much".

"Does he even love you"? She says shaking her head, "he says love is weakness" I say to her, "so no he does not love me, but you have to promise to keep it a secret".

" I'll keep it a secret" she says "but love is not weakness" she says "love is power". "And since I love you Farkle" she says,

"I have the power".