Merged

Scene Two

"Sorry," he said, and then hopped in the hot tub next to me, "You looked a little tense."

Adam and I started dating the middle of freshman year. We were our class' power couple, all the other couples looked up to us, and people always told me we would win the class couple superlative. However, around Christmas time junior year, Adam suggested we should take a break.

For me, this came out of nowhere. I never saw this coming, since I truly thought we would be together until the end of high school. So we took a break before Christmas and cut off all communication, and I didn't see him until a New Year's Eve party. It broke my heart a little to go without seeing him and to think that he didn't love me anymore. That night I went to the party with a plan to get my boyfriend back. However, I didn't end up even seeing him until later and I didn't get a chance to talk to him. Finally, around midnight, Adam was alone so I went up to talk to him. But right at midnight, he kissed Jen Murray, and suddenly, I couldn't even be in the same house as him. I ran away, and I don't think he ever saw me that night.

For the next few weeks I was a wreck. My heart was split in two, one side still loving Adam and the other hating him for kissing another girl almost two weeks after we "took a break." Little by little, my heart healed and we went back to being friends since we were friends before and we hung out with the same people, so it would have been hard to just completely ignore him. Staying friends with him after our breakup was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but now I'm really glad I did because we've gotten closer as friends, and he really is a good guy, and I wouldn't want to do anything to change that.

"So, what were you guys talking about?" Adam asked, looking at me.

"Your ex here is freaking out about her senior year being ruined," Brett said dryly.

I glared at him. Really? Did he have to use the term "ex"?

"Aw, there's nothing to worry about," Adam reassured me, patting my thigh. I wasn't a fan of the body contact. "I'm sure no one would give you a hard time."

I shook my head, "No, no, I'm worried about other things, like, you know, cheer-leading." I enunciated the last word, looking at Kellie and Tiffany who were also on the cheer squad with me.

"Oh my god, Aubrey, if you're not captain, I don't even know what I'd do," Kellie chimed in.

"Yeah, I think I'd, like, quit," Tiffany added.

Kellie looked at me thoughtfully, "Have you even been named captain by Coach Jefferson yet?"

I looked down at the bubbles all around us, "No." It was a sore sport that I hadn't been named captain yet, since I was a shoe-in and had been in the squad since freshman year. Since I'm a petite 5'3", I'm a flyer who stands at the top of the pyramid and does all the stunts. It would only make sense for me to be captain so I could lead my team to victory. "I think that they're a little delayed on choosing team captains due to the merger and the other things on their mind."

"Yeah, I think that's true since Adam and I weren't chosen as football team captains yet," Brett remarked. He and Adam grinned and fist-bumped.

Adam had been the team quarterback since junior year and had been on the varsity team since freshman year. However, last year he tore his ACL halfway through the season, leaving him devastated and out of his favorite sport. This year, with Brett as his linebacker, they were planning on taking their team to victory.

"God, I hope none of the Willard girls are that good at cheer-leading," Tiffany said, rolling her eyes.

Kellie laughed, "Same, Tiff. I like my spot on the cheer squad."