Wholehearted Girl with the Hole-Hearted Boy

1

Zack O'Brien and Ella Finley brushed the doors of Wellington school open with a brisk motion. Immediately, anyone who was anyone was looking at the adorable lovebirds who were perfect for each other. Anyone in a relationship wanted to have one as peaceful and harmonious as Zack and Ella's. Ella cannot count the number of times she has been asked about how she and Zack fit so perfectly, and Zack stopped keeping up with the number of people who begged him for his tips long ago. They were just that good.

Just before the pair parted ways, Zack placed his hand on the blonde girl's cheek and brushed away a stray strand of hair from her updo. Ella blushed and smiled at her boyfriend and reached up to fix his hair and to straighten his collar. "I love you, Ella. Have the most amazing day, dear." Zack whispered. He swept his dirty-blond hair back to the way it was with a rebellious smirk. Ella gave him a playful grimace and a vicious growl as she worked her magic again. "I love you too, you silly boy. Stop messing up your hair, will ya?" Ella demanded with care in her voice. "I'll see you at practice, love. Please be careful, and don't push yourself..." Ella's voice faltered and she stood on tip-toe and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

---

"Hya! Swish!" Zack cried out joyously as he sunk a basketball into a goal with a twist. Ella watched her talented partner with dreamy eyes. She'd had never known about his condition had he not told her, because he acted just like a regular sixteen-year-old boy. She really felt remorse for him, but he never let two little holes in his heart stop him. His naiveté was what kept him running, horsing around, and being himself, because he never really considered consequences for anything. After a few more playful jeers and powerful dunks, Zack started grasping at his heart and breathing heavily. Ella walked onto the court and guided him to a plush chair and pushed him gently into it, because he wouldn't sit there if she hadn't given him a shove. She sat with him and catered to all his needs for that time: water, his capsules, and Ella's presence. Within about ten minutes, he was up in running again.

Ella didn't see the crowd of swooning girls behind her until she removed herself from her seat with Zack's sweatshirt in her hand. Since the team was off to lunch, she rushed back to the cheer practice hall from her own lunch break and changed back into her sweats and cropped tee. She swallowed a couple of bites of a piece of bread and sauntered back to her place in the formation. Ella exhaled and called out suddenly: "Laney, Maddeline, Gracie, Ciara, Kimberely, Chelsea, LeAnn, Hailey, Mona! It's time to do the stunt we practiced." Her voice rung out with leadership as she watched her cheer squad perfect the strategy and absolutely slay the quadruple-tiered pyramid. Four, three, two girls.. it was time to take her place on top.

Ella took a deep inhale and a brisk exhale. She began with a round-off and then a hand-spring and then a handstand. The girls on top grabbed her legs and then heaved her up and Ella flung her arms out with a huge smile. "Perfect!" The squad hollered loudly with joy and basket-caught each other until the last three were safely on the ground. Ella was so glad she was unharmed because she didn't want to have to lay in a hospital bed helplessly.

Someone she knew already lived that life enough for the two of them.

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Yay! Chapter one is completed! A bit short, but action packed all the same and a good introduction, yes? 

Next up: An antagonist may be coming, but so might a protagonist! It depends on the commissioner's choice :)

Please enjoy reading TWHGWTHHB!

~xylla