"Psstttt."
"Let me sleep." I groan and swat away the finger that kept tickling my nose.
"Psstttttt, Grace, wake up!"
"Niko can you please shut up and stop-" In the middle of my sentence I open my eyes to James and Ryer standing over me at the side of Niko's bed.
My eyes grow the widest they've ever been and I shriek in horror.
"Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out!" I push them out of the door after springing out of bed and ripping the blankets off Niko to cover myself. I shove them out of the door and close it, making sure to lock it this time since clearly we didn't yesterday.
"Do you guys ever knock? Or do you just want to come move in?" I yell through the door, knowing they're still standing there like lost dogs.
"Oh I don't know Grace, between you, Niko and the sex you guys are having, I don't think there'd be any room." James laughs. I roll my eyes and sigh as I saunter back over to the bed where Niko was laying, completely uncovered except for boxer briefs.
As I sat wrapped in the blankets beside him, I couldn't help but drown in guilt from what happened yesterday. Was I really so down and vulnerable that I let myself sleep with someone who had a girlfriend?
Someone that in this moment, I'm not sure if I felt anything for anymore.
I felt it all as tears poured out of me yesterday, but maybe I just convinced myself I did so that what happened between us would happen. I didn't only feel bad for Bella, I felt bad for Niko. I let myself almost use him because I was in a low moment, a low moment over my feelings for someone else.
Vincent is a fucking dick but now it's clear to me that liking him is inevitable for me. I should've come to realize that yesterday before me and his best friend had sex. The worst part of it all is thinking of where Niko's feelings were at, did he actually like me, is that why he went through with it too?
My head was a mess, I just needed to get to school and pretend this never happened more or less.
"You're pretty focused on that wall there." Niko laughs as he sits up in the bed.
"Sorry, I was just zoned out." I shake my head and snap out of it.
"Talk to me then, what's on your mind?" He closes some of the distance between us as he scoots beside me. I look into his beaming blue eyes, but I couldn't form a smile even if I tried.
"You're going to hate me, but I really think yesterday was a mistake. I wasn't myself and I was super upset, I shouldn't have taken advantage of the fact you cared. I'm so sorry Niko, I really do care so much about you. It's just, I can't-"
"You can't shake the face that it's Vincent you want." He practically reads my mind. My eyes widen in the shock and fear of what he says next.
I'm a horrible, horrible person.
"Look, I think you've forgotten I used to sleep around a lot. You're the last person who needs to feel guilty, I wanted it and it was fucking great. And hey, I fucked up too, I just fixed things with Bella and you were all crying and shit. Next thing you know we're getting down and dirty." He says with a smirk.
"I don't think I'm going to be able to forget about yesterday." He wiggles his eyebrows. "So don't feel bad, we can just laugh about this one day yanno? I'm going to fix things with Bella and you're going to figure your shit out with mister anger management. Shit happens Grace, we all make mistakes."
I couldn't believe how chill he was about it all.
I guess he didn't feel the way I thought he would, I was sure now that yesterday was our emotions getting the best of us, he was worried about me and his emotions were high, I was practically heart broken and just wanted it to stop.
It's not like I lied to him, I did once feel things for him but I knew I felt more for Vincent somehow. I really do care about Niko, but I just don't think me and him were meant to be anything but best friends.
And I think that's exactly what the world wants for us too.
"Thank you for being so understanding, you really lifted a lot of weight off my shoulders." I smile. "I guess you could say we're pretty close friends now huh?" I giggle as I joke, I almost felt a bit awkward. Now that there was nothing more than friendship between us, thinking of last night sort of made me cringe.
"I hope you're not aiming to get this close with me and all my friends, it's just the one right?" He tilts his head as he asks me sassily.
Touché, I have knocked two out of the four off the roster.
Unintentionally.
"Fair enough, I deserve that." I nod and laugh."But I promise you I have no intentions whatsoever with dumb or dumber okay."
"We're going to be just fine Larsen. Now let's get the fuck to school before they send a swat team to get us." He claps once and makes his way to the bathroom. The door closes behind him and I take it as an opportunity to put my uniform on.
I guess it's time to get this day started.
— —
"Name?" The blonde with her hair tied in a red bow yells to me.
"Grace Larsen." I shout back, standing in the green grass of the football field. Today was the tryouts for Brighton Academy's cheerleading team, though we don't travel for our games and cheer against other schools, the team offers scholarships if you take it seriously enough.
So I thought why the hell not. Plus, I used to do cheerleading last year. I mean I tried out the first day of school and made it, but I don't remember how things played out after that obviously..
I was hoping for my sake, to save myself embarrassment, that I knew a thing or two about how to move.
"And you'd like to join the team, have you ever cheered before?" The blonde questions me again, looking at me as if she doubted me.
"Over a year ago I did a little bit, it's been a while." I smiled with tight lips.
She seemed like a bitch if I was being honest, her two little girl friends didn't seem far off from it either, as they all sat together at the table watching me.
I have neverrrr been good with girls.
"Well alright, give us your song and let's see what you got; or not." She tilts her bitchy stupid head and smiles.
I keep a straight face as I walk over to the table and type the song into the computer.
The big speakers for our pep rally after winter break were already set up, so the cheer team definitely had the best setup for tryouts and practices with new team members. I couldn't believe winter break was next week too, it didn't feel like winter, I mean we were in California.
I think it would be pretty cool if I was part of the welcome back pep rally. But it didn't matter that much.
Honestly I didn't even care if they didn't want me on the team, I was just glad I was getting the chance to blast a song I love and shake what my momma gave me.
What a white thing to say.
"Okay Grace, lets see it."
I hear the beginning of the song blasting through the speakers. I looked around the bleachers and there were actually a lot of people around for some reason. It made me nervous, but this was a year of facing my fears.
So that's exactly what I was going to do.
( Grace's dance and song - Media above )
I then, lost myself in the music as I moved. Not giving a fuck who was watching and what they were thinking.
My ponytail flipped around in the air as I moved to the best of my abilities, I was trying to impress this bitch to the point she didn't feel the need to stare at me like I can't do shit.
I'll show her...
As I'm nearing the end of my dance, I hear the chanting of my name in the background. I move my eyes towards the sound and I see Niko, Ryer, and James all pumping their fist in the air and getting hype as they yell "Go Grace!".
It was like having three little brothers.
I focus back to my moves, and as I'm finishing the dance I hear the boys screaming in excitement and I begin to goof around with my dancing as I finish, barely holding in my laughter for them.
I finally finish, my breath was heavy but I was so proud and satisfied with myself. I really just danced my ass off right there. I turn back to the bitch squad at the table as they talked amongst each other. I stand there with anticipation as I breathe like I ran a marathon.
"Well Grace, welcome to Brighton's cheer squad." She gives me probably the fakest smile I've ever seen.
I didn't care though, I really just made the cheerleading team for my last year of high school.
I was really going to be dancing for the cheer team!
"Fuck yeah!" I punch my fist into my palm excitedly.
The other girls had smiles on their faces, she looked miserable. "See you tomorrow at lunch." She stands up from the table and leaves, the other girls follow.
I guess I was the last tryout.
I turn around to see the boys already making their way over to me.
"Guess who's an official cheerleader!" I clap my hands and smile wide.
"We're so proud of you Larsen!" James grabs me and spins me around. He places me back down to the ground and I take my hair down.
"Yeah that's sick Grace, you're going to be the best one on that team." Niko grins with a twinkle in his eyes as he looks into mine.
He's the greatest friend anyone could ask for.
I was so grateful for him and who he was.
"Its not like anyone would be looking at Lidia anyways, she's too used up." Ryer laughs and slaps Niko playfully.
"Yeah he's not wrong there, good luck dealing with her by the way." Niko smirks.
Good luck?
"What do you mean good luck?" I furrow my eyebrows.
"He means, the hoe is psycho." James twirls his finger as he points to his temple, his eyes very wide.
So the blondie with the red bows name is Lidia, and Lidia is apparently psycho?
This should be a blast.
Another New character! Lidia💕
You guys are probably gonna hate her just you wait, just wait till you hear her last name too🧐
Oh and also, Grace has got moves okay. That girl can shake it shake it shake it!
Let me know how you guys liked this chapter.
Don't forget to vote and comment guys! Thank you so much!
-Tia