Eleanor met up with Erica, Taylor and AJ ten minutes before the basketball game started. They were all standing outside of the gym, discussing why and what was happening. Taylor was the most excited as they were looking around, waiting for the gym doors to open. "Briana better not be here," Taylor said, cracking a few knuckles.
"Taylor. Calm down. You know she's here. She's on the 7th grade cheerleading squad," Erica said.
"Fine. She better not look at me."
"What are you going to do if she does?" Erica asked.
"Get out of my seat and beat her..."
"Taylor," Erica warned. Taylor crossed her arms and took a deep breath.
"What's going on?" Eleanor asked.
Erica sighed and shook her head. "Taylor is still mad at Briana for pouring milk on me at lunch, but I'm over it."
Before Eleanor could respond, Taylor looked at her with shock. "How can you be over it? She embarrassed you!"
"Taylor... I know, but she's not worth it, okay? She's worthless. We shouldn't worry about her."
"You might think so, but I think differently. I'm going to do something about this if you like it or not," Taylor said.
"Fine with me, but don't drag me into it."
"No problem," Taylor said, smiling evilly and waiting for the gym doors to open. What did I just walk into? Eleanor asked herself.
********
"Did Luke's brother ever text you back last night?" Briana's friend asked her.
"Of course not. I've been texting him nonstop, but he won't text me back."
"Wow. That's weird."
"Yeah... "
"Will he come to the game?"
"I don't know. Him and his brother never comes to these games, so I don't know."
Some of the basketball players started coming out of the locker rooms, and Briana smiled when she saw Liam. "Well...Well... Where's your freak of a girlfriend?"
"She's waiting outside, and her name is Erica. If you think she's a freak, you should look in the mirror," he said, walking away before she could say anything else.
She smiled and turned back to the other cheerleaders. "He thinks he's so brave standing up for that freak."
"Maybe you should lighten up."
"What do you mean?"
"You're bullying Erica for no reason at all."
"There is a reason!" she exclaimed, stomping her foot.
"What did she do to you to make you treat her like you do?"
"She stole Liam from me."
"He was never yours. He always liked Erica. Didn't you see how he looked at her? All the girls noticed it. He's always been crazy about her. His interest was never on you."
"He was always nice to me, complimented me on my shoes..."
"Briana, I do that!" her friend exclaimed.
She crossed her arms. "Why are you being like this all of a sudden?"
"It's just not right. I always saw it," she began, getting closer to her. She rested her hand on Briana's shoulder and continued, "Whenever he talked to you, you're right, he complimented you, but as soon as Erica walked by..."
"Okay, okay. I get it."
"You don't, Briana. He loves her. Plus, you're talking to Ted. Why do you care about them still?"
Briana stopped and looked at the floor. "I don't know. I guess..."
"Is it because it's the fact that she got something that you couldn't?"
******
They let all the people in the gym 5 minutes later, and Erica and her friends were the first ones in. The cheerleaders were in the locker room, so they didn't see Erica walk in the gym. They decided to sit on the very top bleacher, so they could see the gym better. "Looks like she isn't here," Taylor said.
"They're probably getting ready in the locker rooms," Eleanor said.
"Why?" Taylor asked.
"I don't know... Maybe to check if their makeup is good or something."
They shrugged and waited for the game to start. Erica saw Liam and his team come out of the locker room, and Erica smiled as she caught Liam's attention. He smiled at her and waved. She just smiled and looked at her lap. Then, there was Briana and her co-cheerleaders, and Liam looked at her with disgust while Briana focused her attention on Erica. When they met eye contact, Briana just smiled and waved.
"She has something in store for me. I can tell by her smile," Erica said.
"Don't worry...We have something in store for her too," AJ said, smiling at Taylor.
"What do you mean?" Erica asked confused.
"You'll see," Taylor said.
Before Erica could say anything, the game started, and so did the annoying cheers. Erica looked over at Eleanor, and her eyes were wide as she stared at the basketball teams. "Eleanor? Are you okay?" Erica asked.
She nodded. "Number twenty-one. It's him."
Erica looked and saw someone with the number 21, and the name Zam on his shirt. He is pretty cute. Now I know why she likes him. Erica smiled and sat back, waiting for the game to really begin.
*****
"That was a good game," Erica said, starting to stand up a couple hours later.
AJ pulled her back down, and Erica made a sound that was in between a shriek and a yelp. "What are you doing? It's time to leave."
"Not yet. Go on Taylor." AJ nodded towards Taylor. Taylor nodded and ran down the bleachers and out onto the gym floor. The game has been over for 20 minutes, so by this time, teachers and adults were exiting into the hall which left just the students sitting in the bleachers. Liam smiled and stood next to Taylor with a microphone. Taylor thanked him and turned to the crowd.
"What are they doing?" Erica demanded.
"Shh.. You're going to ruin the surprise."
"What surprise?" Erica's skin was turning cold, her stomach was churning because she had no idea what was happening. Considering how mad they were at Briana, she knew it couldn't be good.
"Sh...You're going to love it."
Erica gave up and stood up as she watched Taylor grab the microphone. "OK. Where is Luke Presley?" Taylor asked.
Right away, Luke and his brother stood up. Taylor looked over at Briana, and her eyes were wide. "Guys, come on down here." Taylor said. At this time, most of the teachers and coaches were already gone and in the lobby, so they basically had the right to say anything they wanted. There wasn't a lot of kids left in the gym to hear, but there were enough to get the word spread throughout the school.
This was already planned, so they came right down. A few seconds later, they were standing by Liam and Taylor, and they were looking at Briana. Briana ran over to Luke's brother and said, "Ted, what are you doing?"
"It's over between us, Briana," he said into the microphone which received gasps from all over.
Briana ignored them and looked at Ted. "What are you talking about?"
"We had this planned, Briana. Luke and I helped these guys do this, but what I'm about to say isn't. I can't be with someone who is a total jerk, and that's what you are. You treated Erica like trash! You're cruel to her, and you tell my friend, Liam over here, how much of a freak is girlfriend is. Why would you ever think of treating that sweet girl, Erica, like trash? She's the sweetest girl ever. She even told these guys not to embarrass you because you aren't worth it. She wasn't going to sink down to your level. She's right. You're not worth it, but you needed this. Tell me this...Why? Why are you such a jerk? Why do you use people the way that you do? Erica is so much more mature than you will ever be. I can't believe I actually thought you were mature enough to be in a relationship."
Briana was shocked. She didn't know what to say. "I...I don't use people."
"Really? All the boyfriends you had...You used them. Cheated on them."
"You have it all wrong."
"Do I? Do I really?"
"Yes!"
"You know why you never keep a relationship?" He turned to Liam. "You're so obsessed with him, you can't get over the fact that he doesn't like you like that. He never will. He's into Erica. You're just going to have to accept that," he said, then turning back to Briana.
"I'm not---"
"Just admit it, Briana. You wanted something you couldn't have."
"Ted---"
"Just...Leave me alone. I don't want to see you. You disgust me"--he turned to Erica-- "I'm sorry that she has made you miserable Erica. Hopefully she'll stop." Ted gave the microphone back to Taylor, and Ted and Luke walked out of the gym. Erica was having pains in her chest... It was like she just got her heart broken, but it wasn't. It was Briana. Her heart just got broken....
In front of the school.
Erica watched Briana stand awkwardly in the gym before running into the girls' locker room. She was far up in the bleachers, but Erica knew that Briana just experienced embarrassment and heartbreak all in one hit. Erica didn't know why, but she felt tears running down her cheeks.
****
"I can't believe you did that," Erica said to Liam as soon as they got in her room.
"What do you mean? She deserved it."
"Did you really have to do it in front of everyone?"
"Yes. She did what she did. She got worse."
"Liam... What if she was really happy with Ted?"
"Please, love. She's just a selfish little..."
"Liam. What you did was wrong."
"What she did was wrong! Why can't you see that?"
Erica shook her head and sighed. "Liam... I would've handled it."
"No...She would've kept bullying you. You would've ignored it and said 'she's not worth it'. She would keep bullying you so bad that you completely lost it and beat her up."
"I doubt that."
"It has happened."
"I know, but..."
"Erica. You're my best friend. I will not stand here and watch someone treat you badly."
"I know," she said, looking at the ground.
Liam sighed and hugged her. "I'm sorry."
"It's OK."
He pulled away and looked at her. "Are you sure?"
She nodded. "I just hope this doesn't come back and bite me in the bum," Erica said, smiling.
Liam chuckled and hugged Erica again. All of a sudden, her phone started vibrating in her pocket, and she jumped back and grabbed her phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey Erica."
"Hi Taylor. What's up?"
"I wanted to know how you were feeling. You were pretty angry with us."
"Yeah... I'm fine."
"I'm really sorry. I thought what she did to you deserved some payback for her."
"It's OK. Deep inside I did too, but I wouldn't have gone that far."
"I know. I know."
"Hey... Don't worry about it. At least Ted found out how she really is."
"Yeah."
"You're OK. Liam and I talked everything out. I'm starting to realize he cares a little too much."
"Yeah me too. He likes you a lot more than I thought."
"Maybe."
"Hopefully you guys get married."
"Wow...It probably won't go that far."
"Why not?"
"I already discussed this."
"Right...You think this is just kid love. Not real...Got it."
"Thank you."
"Well. I still have hope. I have my fingers crossed. I'll talk to you later."
"See ya."
Erica turned around and saw Liam sitting on her bed. "I care a little too much? I think I'd have to agree."
Erica laughed and sat next to him. "I'm glad you do care a little too much. It's better than not caring at all."
"Yeah it is," he said looking down at Erica's hand that was on his leg. He took her hand and raised it to his mouth. He gave her hand a small kiss and smiled at her. "Thank you for being in my life, Erica."
Erica smiled. "You're welcome. Thank you for moving to America and being my best friend."