"Okay, take ten," Nadia instructed the girls.
Today is the tryouts for the cheerleading squad and Nadia is stressed out about it all. Luckily she has her best friend Kali there on the bleachers for moral support.
Nadia goes and joins her as she downs all the water in her water bottle. "So what do you think?"
"About what," Kali asked.
"The girls! How did they look? Who do you think is a shoe-in?"
"You know cheerleading is not my forte," Kali laughed.
"It doesn't have to be in order to recognize talent when you see it. Come on."
"Um okay. That Lia girl looked promising. Good, uh- posture and everything."
"I was thinking that too," Nadia nodded. "Are you coming to Sammy's pool party tomorrow?"
"Should I be?"
"Um, yeah? It would be nice to have someone there that I'm actually close with."
"Swazz-meister isn't going?"
Nadia's face fell.
"I don't know. He's been a little distant lately, you know?" Nadia answered. "With football and everything pressuring him this year, it just seems like there isn't any room for me."
"Force him to make room then." Kali began to put her books back in her bag. "Send him a picture of the swimsuit you plan on wearing...he'll show up, I guarantee."
"Do you know how many swimsuits I own?" Nadia grinned. "How will I pick the right one?"
"I doubt he'd care. I have to get going."
"But wait! You didn't tell me if you were going tomorrow or not!"
Kali sighed and thought about it as she stood up. "Fine. I'll be there. And...I'm bringing a friend."
"Can't wait to meet her!"
Kali giggled. "Her...right."
. . . . .
Cameron was giving Lucy a ride home since her car was in the shop. Lucy glanced at the backseat covered in t-shirts from his second job at the pizzeria.
"You're different than the other guys at school," Lucy spoke.
"How so?" Cameron chuckled.
"You actually work two jobs even though your family is rich and could give you anything you want."
"I just think it's important to keep some sort of humanity when you're, as you say, rich. I like to pay for my own stuff. My family believes in that too."
"I can see that," Lucy nodded as she looked out the window. "You guys own one of the most successful chain stores on the west coast and you don't even live in a mansion like everyone else."
Cam shrugged. "For what? It's only me & my parents. My sister lives with her boyfriend in San Fran. Why have a mansion when we can have a regular two-story home and save money on bills?"
Lucy looked over at him and smiled.
"What?" Cam chuckled.
"Nothing," Lucy chuckled back.
"Are you going to Sam's pool party tomorrow?"
Lucy's smile faded. "I don't know yet."
"Still worried Nate will be there?"
"Oh I know he'll be there. High as hell but he'll be there." Lucy chuckled.
"When are you gonna tell him?"
"On the 32nd of Nopetember."
"You wanna act like this is just gonna go away but I'm telling you now, as your friend, it won't. It's gonna sit there as long as you let it, staring you straight in the face."
"Well then, I hope it takes a picture."
Cam takes a deep breath as he pulls into Lucy's driveway.
"Wanna come up for a quick puff?" Lucy offers.
"I don't...smoke. Besides, I have work tonight. But I'll see you at that party tomorrow, right?"
Lucy leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. He wanted to turn his head to meet her lips but he left it alone.
"Thanks for the ride," she said, never answering his question but shooting a smile as she hopped out the car.
. . . . .
Meanwhile back on campus, Swazz shows up to football practice still in his regular clothes. He puts on an act as if he were sick.
"Coach," he groaned, holding his stomach. "I've been sick all day. I don't think I can do practice today."
"Very funny Swift," the Coach folded his arms. "I saw you earlier laughin' with your friends, you're not getting off that easy. Suit up...you're late."
Swazz should've known better than to try and put something past his Coach. He got dressed in the locker room, alone. After looking at the dark bruises on his stomach & back, he popped two painkillers even though they would make him drowsy.
Finally he made it to the field and got right into practice. Coach made him practice on the football sled. When it was time to actually play, Swazz still wasn't putting forth his best effort. And it wasn't because of the painkillers, it was because they haven't kicked in yet. Swazz simply didn't want to feel anymore pain than he already was. Coach blew the whistle.
"Swift! Get your ass over here! What the hell was that?!"
"Sorry Coach," Swazz replied taking the mouthguard out of his mouth.
"Are you on drugs? Have you been drinking? What's goin' on son? This entire week you've been half-assin' it on my field and you're not only letting me down, you're letting yourself down...you're letting your team down."
"Coach...I...I don't know okay? I'm just having a bad couple of weeks."
"A bad couple of- okay well I'll tell you what," Coach shook his head. "I'm gonna have to bench you for the first game. Kiger will have to take your spot. I'm sorry."
Coach blew his whistle again. And Swazz stood there feeling a mixture of disbelief and indifference.
. . . . .
"Bro, pass me a beer," Sammy called out to Gilinsky.
Sammy's pool party was in full swing. Many people were already in the pool but most of the football team decided to just stick their feet in for now while they got liquored up. The sun was bright, bodies were glistening, and music was booming.
"That's crazy about Swazz huh," Gilinsky mentioned as he sat down next to Sammy.
"Yeah man, I don't know what's goin' on with that guy," Sam shrugged. "He doesn't tell me shit anymore."
"Me neither."
"Jack!" Gilinsky looked up to see Madison already in the pool & smiling. "Get in here!"
"In a minute," he winked at her.
Sammy gave him a smug grin.
"What?" A bashful Gilinsky asked.
"That's you?" Sammy nudged him.
"We're just friends."
"That's what they always say. I remember being just friends with Serenity."
"I'm not you," Gilinsky laughed.
Madison swam up between Gilinsky and Sammy.
"What's up guys?"
"Talkin' about you guys being just friends." Sammy wiggled his eyebrows.
Madison playfully splashed the guys with water. "We are just friends," she giggled & reached for Jack's can of beer, taking a few sips herself.
"Beer drinkin' a beer," Sammy smiled.
She put the can down on the tiled stone and proceeded to pull Jack into the pool against his will, laughing at his surprised reaction. But he wasn't upset at all. They began splashing each other and somehow Madison ended up on his back as he carried her around the pool. Vanessa was watching from her pool chair at the other end with a sour look on her face.
She wished it was her instead of Madison. She wished Jack would give her the time of day to get close to him, but he just didn't view her like that. And she thought back to every single detail, wondering what she possibly could have done wrong or what it was about her that never gave Jack the curiosity to pursue her.
Her attention was then turned toward Lucy, Serenity, & Cameron who had just entered the party looking a little too happy to be there. Sammy had shouted with joy when he greeted his girlfriend, picking her up & spinning her around.
Vanessa stood up from her chair and stormed toward Lucy.
"What the hell," Vanessa exclaimed.
"Hello to you too," Lucy chuckled.
"You told me you weren't coming!"
"Cameron convinced me to come."
"I figured she needed to get out more and have a little more fun," Cameron added but Vanessa could care less.
"So you didn't call or text me back including the other times I needed you. You ditch me at lunch to sit with Serenity whom you barely know," Vanessa scoffed. "What's gotten into you Lucy? I thought we were best friends."
"Oh my God, we are. I've just been going through some shit lately, if you don't mind."
"If I don't mi- Lucy you're supposed to tell me what's going on! I could just shake you right now. Did it ever occur to you that I've been going through things too?"
"I wouldn't exactly call your situation going through it," Lucy rolled her eyes.
"Wow," Vanessa scoffed. "You know what? Forget it. You're just a shitty friend."
"Whoa, back off goody two-shoes," Serenity interjected. "You walk around with your perfect hair and your big house thinkin' you have it all figured out-"
"No one was talking to you," Vanessa glared at Serenity then put her attention back on Lucy. "I swear, ever since Nate dumped your ass you turned into a selfish bitch. I needed you and you abandon me every time!"
That sent Lucy off the edge. Waves of emotion hit her all at once.
"You've got some fucking nerve!" Lucy screamed, gathering the attention of most of the party. "I didn't abandon you! I was- I was..."
Lucy thought she had the courage to speak out on what she went through, but she couldn't. She knew word would get back around to Nate. If anything, she was just saved by an angel because she turned to see Nate and Tiffany, hand in hand, entering the party.
"Whoa," Nate spoke. "What did we...miss?"
Serenity tried to comfort Lucy but Lucy stormed into the house & Cameron went after her. And just like it was nothing, the party resumed.
"What the hell was that," asked Vanessa.
"It was you being an insensitive bitch," Serenity told her. "Sammy, I'll be right back."
Serenity went looking through the house until she found Lucy in one of the bedrooms, pacing as Cam sat down on the bed.
"I wanna go home," Lucy sniffled.
"You can't let her ruin your good time," Cam said.
"No," she shook her head. "This was a mistake, I wanna go home. I thought I was ready."
"Lucy," Serenity spoke softly. "I really think you should tell Nate. This is eating away at you & it's gonna consume you whole unless you get it off your chest."
Lucy looked over at Serenity with glassy red eyes. "It would break him...just like it broke me. And any sliver of hope I had for us to be friends again will be shattered."
. . . . .
Swazz had found the keg and was already pouring himself a second cup. Nadia was clearly annoyed.
"So you're just gonna drink," she asked with her arms crossed.
"Yeah...and chill." Swazz burped.
"Are you gonna swim at least? It's hot out."
"Nah...I'm good."
"So I wore this expensive swimsuit for nothing?"
"Babe, you look good in it. And look, Kali's here. Maybe she'll swim with you."
Nadia turned around and saw Kali standing with Jack Johnson as they surveyed the place. She saw her wearing shorts & a tank top.
"Doubt it," Nadia sighed.
Almost immediately, she walked over to Kali.
"Hey," Nadia said blankly, giving Kali a hug.
"Hey sunshine, why so glum?" Kali fixes Nadia's crooked sunglasses.
"John is just being John," Nadia shook her head.
"So, a downer?"
"Yep. Hey Jack," Nadia waved but then she realized he wasn't just a regular guest. "Oh...Oh! This is your...guest?"
"...and boyfriend," Kali said.
"I would've never guessed," Nadia finally smiled. "Nice to finally meet you...kinda. I mean, I know of you, we just never talked."
"I'm guessing that would've been different if Gilinsky and I were still cool," Johnson spoke as if he were still bitter about the friendship ending years ago.
. . . . .
While Tiffany took countless selfies by the pool, Nate proceeded to smoke along with Sammy who was already clearly intoxicated.
"I don't know what the hell was goin' on man," Sam slurred. "Vanessa was like blah blah blah and Lucy was like bah bah bah. My theory is Vanessa doesn't know about what happened, you know, what Lucy did. In which, I gotta say I'm so sorry about man."
"What are you talkin' about," Nate laughed.
"You know the...thing...Serenity told me that.....oh. Oh shit. Nothin' man. Forget it. This is some fire ass weed."
"Nah bro," Nate blew out a stream of smoke. "Tell me."
"I, uh...I can't. I just remembered I'm not supposed to. Seriously forget I said anything." Sam shook his head and took the blunt from Nate.
"I can't just forget," Nate chuckled. "Whatever bro, I'll just ask her myself."
"Fuck. Don't do that, whatever you do, don't ask. Serenity will kill me."
"She loves you too much to kill you, bro." Nate stood up. "It's Lucy. She'll tell me, it's cool."
Nate walked off into the house and Sam was turning red.
"Shit shit shit shit shit," Sam said to himself.
. . . . .
"I'm just saying, you'll feel better if you tell Nate. 100 times better," Cam said, clenching onto his towel.
"Tell me what," Nate said as he entered the room. He took his hat off and ruffled his hair.
"Nothing," Lucy took a deep breath, trying to hide the fact she was just nearly scared to death.
"Don't tell me it's nothin' when you're in here with tears in your eyes and Sam tellin' me he's sorry. Shit, somebody fill me in."
Lucy was confused, looking between Cam and Serenity. Serenity kept her eyes low and Lucy threw her hands up.
"You told Sam?!"
"He's my boyfriend, what do you expect me to do?"
"Uh, NOT tell Sam! I have to...I have to get out of here."
Lucy grabbed her purse off the bed and tried to move past Nate but he grabbed her arm.
"Tell me what's goin' on," Nate asked, clenching his jaw.
Lucy almost couldn't resist as she stared at his lips, his scruff, and smelled his cologne she loved so much. But she yanked her hand away.
"No," she simply replied.
"Baby, just tell me." He moved a strand of hair out of her face.
Lucy's eyebrows furrowed. "Baby? Do I look like Tiffany to you?"
Lucy finally pushed past him and walked to the other wing of the large home where she found another room to hideout in. She locked the door and leaned against it, crying her eyes out. The balcony door was open and the wind blew the curtains inside. She could hear the music from the pool area blaring through & everyone having fun, wishing she was one of them; being careless, wild & free.
"I usually don't like tears with my joints," Kian said suddenly walking in from the balcony.
"Oh God, are you following me or something?" Lucy wiped her eyes.
"Uh...you came in here, so..."
"Yeah well, got any weed left?"
"I just finished it," Kian answered. "But I do have some X, if you wanna take a nice trip."
"No," she shook her head. "No more pills."
"Gotta learn to live a little."
"What are you, the bad kid from an after-school special?" Lucy snapped. "Just fuck off."
"You fuck off! I was in here first, Little Miss Soap Opera."
Lucy glared at him and then bursted into laughter. "You're such a dick."
"Correction: I have a dick. I'm not a dick."
"Ha, yeah right. That's debatable."
Kian laughed. "Debatable? You wanna find out or something? Perv."
Lucy's mouth dropped. "I'm not a perv," she laughed. "You're the one that brought up your dick."
"Hey, if you got it flaunt it, right?"
"Do not flaunt anything right now, Kian. I swear."
"Well...I guess it's a good thing you're laughing before I pull my pants down."
"Jesus, you're a sicko." Lucy moves past him and sits down in a chair close to the balcony.
"Why aren't you down there with your sheep," Kian asked, going over to kneel down next to her.
"Didn't feel like being a sheep herder today."
Lucy just barely peeks over the balcony to see the crowd down below. She didn't want anyone knowing she was up there. She took a deep breath, remembering all the good times she had with most of those 'sheep' last year and then how it all took a turn when she got pregnant. She didn't know what to do. Growing up, she thought she'd never be one of those girls. Her head was in her books & her heart was with her boyfriend at the time, Nate Maloley. For a moment, she thought she & Nate could pull it off & make it work. Then he broke her heart. And she would rather think about her ill-fated pregnancy a million times than remember the night they broke up.
"You're better than them, you know?" Kian spoke, breaking her train of thought.
"You hardly know me." She took her bottom lip into her mouth, her fingers fidgeting on her lap.
"I mean, you were always at the house," Kian added.
"Doesn't mean you know me."
"Really doesn't take much for me to read people. I always see everyone caught up in materialistic shit, trying to be the next Kardashian so bad. It's bullshit. But you're real."
Lucy rolls her eyes and gets up to go lay down on the bed. She stares up at the ceiling and rubs her bare stomach. Kian lays next to her but keeps a reasonable distance. Lucy tears up with all of her current thoughts.
"For once I wanna feel something and not have it be a bad feeling. A smile, a genuine laugh, something," Lucy cried.
"What's stoppin' you?" Kian propped up on his elbow, his eyes occasionally wandering to her tropical bathing suit.
Lucy thought about it but nothing came to mind. She looked at Kian who was waiting on an answer. Then out of impulse, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him until their lips met. They pull away and look at each other in slight disbelief. But they liked it.
"That works too," Kian nodded. He slowly moved back in and this time they kissed deeper.
His hands did more exploring as he moved on top of her. She pulled his shirt up over his head and he grabbed her thighs until he rested comfortably between her legs.
. . . . .
Swazz had left the party early because he wasn't feeling it too much. He just wanted to eat and rest. Nadia was mad at him still and he didn't feel like arguing again, not today, not ever.
When he got home, he turned on some music and looked through the fridge.
"Alright, what can I eat," he asked himself as he put various tupperware dishes on the adjacent counter. "Mom's leftover mac and cheese, oh yeah. Sandwich stuff, Pepsi..."
Swazz closes the fridge door and is frightened when he sees his father standing behind it with his arms crossed.
"Holy-!! You scared me," Swazz shouted.
"Saw Coach Kane at the Benefit luncheon today," his father said a little too calmly.
"Oh?" Swazz gulped.
"He said he was worried about you. And I said...why is that? He told me you've been performing poorly and you'll be on the bench for your first game...giving your spot to Mike Kiger. Wh-why? Why do you like to piss me off?!"
Swazz flinched at his father's raised tone. "It physically hurts to play and you know why!" He snapped back.
"You needed to be taught a lesson! You wanna run around and be some punk who thinks he's from the streets instead of focusing on your studies & football, being a functioning human being in society. This could open doors for you, John. Doors to the major leagues! And what do you tell me? Dad, I don't wanna play football anymore, blah blah blah. Your mother and I didn't put you through years of little leagues and buy all this sports crap every Christmas, donate thousands to the school's sports program and bend over backwards to get you to your games and tryouts only for you to be a loser!! Now you get your ass upstairs and soak in some hot water & epsom salt until you heal. Coach Kane said he'll give you one more shot next Wednesday. Do not mess this up or so help me God I'll show you some real pain."
"Anyone home?" His mother called out from the front door.
Swazz gulped repeatedly and tried to disguise his emotions as his father glared at him, still red in the face.
"In the kitchen, honey," his father said, fixing his hair.
His mother entered the kitchen with a smile on her face. "My two favorite men."
Swazz put on a fake smile as his mother kissed him on the cheek.