Loose Change~ Montgomery De La Cruz / Zach Dempsey/Scott Reed

Part 3 Chapter 1a

Maybe the Bakers were right. Maybe Liberty High was responsible for pushing Hannah so far off the edge, and for taking her happiness.

Because Ophelia Tristano left Liberty High at the end of Junior year, which ended the last week of May, and it was the best decision ever to be made. She was happy when she left. She was really, really happy.

And then, as soon she visited Liberty High one time, the happiness ended.

*****

It was the day of the Homecoming game. Tensions were high among the team. It was only four o'clock, and the game wouldn't start for three and a half hours. But the boys were already in the locker room, changing into their uniforms to get in extra practice before the opposing team arrived.

The opposing team, Hillcrest.

Hillcrest was a nearby private school, and Liberty High was their rival. Even since Bryce Walker joined their football team, Zach had felt an extra dislike for the team. He felt sick knowing Bryce would be coming back to his school. He didn't deserve to ever set foot there again.

But despite this, Zach had been looking forward to the game. How couldn't he?

Ophelia was coming.

Zach was ecstatic. It was his first football game that Ophelia would be present for. He couldn't hide his joy either. It was obvious to everyone that looked at him that he was happy. Justin was one of the only people that knew why. Him and everyone in their friend group.

Zach had just put on his shoulder pads, and pulled his jersey over his head when Justin came and jumped hallway into his back. Zach stumbled, slightly blinded, elbowing Justin to push him off. He pulled the jersey all the way down.

Zach laughed when he asked, "The fuck was that?"

Justin was grinning ear to ear. "Just getting you pumped, man!" Justin was crazy energetic already.

Zach shook his head, still laughing. "I've been pumped."

Justin wore a mischievous smile. "Because someone's got a sweetheart coming." He was teasing. 

He pushed Zach, who stumbled back happily. Zach imagined Ophelia arriving and it caused a smile to spread across his face. "Yeah," he said, happily, "I do. "

Justin leaned against the locker. He was already in his full uniform. "So what's up? When's she getting here?"

Zach checked the time on his phone. "Her squad rolls in at around five. I guess they're practicing for their half time show or something."

Justin let out a low whistle. "Wow. Ophelia's really a cheerleader now. Who would've seen that coming?"

Zach remembered how surprised he was the first week of senior year, when Ophelia called him, excited, saying she was talked into going to cheer auditions, and how they loved her. He was happy, but shocked at the news.

Zach admitted, "Definitely not me."

Justin crossed his arms. "But why the fuck is Hillcrest doing a halftime show at our Homecoming game?"

Zach scoffed. "Why else? They're showing off their expensive new uniforms."

They both laughed. Charlie, a football player two years younger than them, was intrigued by their joyful attitudes. He was sitting near them, and heard them speaking.

He walked up to them and asked, "Ophelia's your girlfriend, right?"

Charlie was a sophomore. He was out of the loop of most things that had taken place the two years prior. He knew vaguely about Montgomery and Ophelia being together, but he knew more about Ophelia and Zach being together. Zach was happy knowing the new coming players would only know her as his girlfriend, no one else's.