Forward

Rooted.

"Whoa, wait. So you're telling me your ex-boyfriend is the new Baltimore Ravens wide receiver," Trinity exclaimed, putting down her fries to get the scoop on her friend's life back in California.

"He's not my ex. We were never together," Olivia explained, palming her forehead. This would be interesting. She never expected to be in the same city as Spencer again. She had finally moved on and entered the dating world. Him playing for the same team she cheered for created many unnecessary scenarios in Olivia's head.

"Okay, you fucked him in Vegas and chickened out after that. Same difference," Trinity added with an eye roll. One thing about her was she didn't hold her tongue. Olivia appreciated her honesty most of the time then there were other times when she would have been fine with silence.

"It's not the same. We never became a couple. He found out about me drinking, told my parents and they didn't hesitate to ship me off the next day," Olivia admitted with a hint of hurt in her tone. During her stay in the facility, her program focused on healing from within and  re-gaining the trust of loved ones who were hurt during the process of addiction. Olivia struggled with the trust part since she had distanced herself from her family. They talked and she visited a few times but the relationships were more strained than they were before her relapse.

"You sound like you're mad at him about that. Isn't him telling your family a good thing? Because I would have told them too if I were there," Trinity said, going back to her food."Could have sworn you complained about your family barely paying attention to you."

"I'm not complaining about him telling them about my relapse. I just wish it could have been done differently. They didn't even talk to me before searching for a new out of state program, paying up a large sum of money and now here we are. Great program but I would have liked more options closer to home back then. That place was lonely just like the first one."

Trinity threw her long locs over her shoulder. "If you miss them that much, why did you never go back? You seem to love Baltimore enough to visit your family...what...five times since you've been here all these years. Doesn't sound like someone that wanted to stay close to home to me."

"It's the principle of it, Trin," Olivia sighed,  knowing her point was going in one ear and out the other.

"Does the organization know you two know each other? Isn't there some rule about fraternizing with the players or is that only my assumption," Trinity continued.

Telling her boss about Spencer was the last thing on Olivia's mind. Cheerleaders and players couldn't have relations and the organization was serious about enforcing the rule. If it was broken, the cheerleader would be terminated immediately. Spencer was part of her past and there would be no communication from her side. Besides, she made the team before he was drafted. That was out of everyone's control. As long as she continued to live her life as she had been living, the less likely she'd fall back into old habits. Old habits meaning Spencer James.

"No. We barely talk. I don't think it'll matter," Olivia waved her off.

"Until you see him in those tight ass pants out on the field. You'll change your tune then. I better get out of here before I'm late for work. Catch you later." Trinity cleaned up her mess and was heading out the door five minutes later, leaving her friend alone with her thoughts.

Last time she saw Spencer in person, they agreed to remain friends. That was a couple of years ago while they were still in college and weren't immersed into the real world. At that time, he was dating a girl named Cheyenne. Olivia wondered if she was still in the picture. She had a lot going for herself and Olivia could see that Spencer really liked her company.

"Pull it together," Olivia muttered to herself, wrapping one of her curls around her finger to get more coil.

The Ravens were having a fan event to introduce the rookie class and Olivia put her name on the list of cheerleaders to attend the event. It was extra money in her pocket and her career allowed her schedule to be flexible so she was free for the afternoon. Knowing Spencer would be there had her stomach in knots. The last contact they made with each other was days before when she congratulated him on getting drafted. Their texts didn't go beyond two words.

Olivia pulled up to the hotel and checked her hair one more time in the mirror before grabbing her backpack and making her way across the parking lot and to the entrance. The rookie event would be held in one of the ballrooms that was still being setup for guests, team executives and players when the cheerleaders arrived. Two of Olivia's teammates were already waiting for her by the dressing room.

"How do you come in already looking this flawless," Brittany playfully bowed to her fellow rookie. "Hair and makeup may need to work a little extra hard on me today. I just got off work."

"Oh, stop it. You look fine." The cheerleaders checked in with their director before going through hair and makeup and changing into their uniforms.

Like any other event, they went through their routine a couple of times before the festivities began.  That's when Olivia's nerves usually got bad and she had to complete a couple of breathing exercises in order to bring her back to present. Right when her nerves settled, their director shared that a few of the girls would be escorting the rookies to the stage as they were introduced. Olivia's heart fell to her knees when she learned who she would be escorting. Maybe Trinity had a point and she should have shared her connection to Spencer with the cheer director.

Security led the cheerleaders behind the stage where they would each pair up with their assigned player. Olivia locked eyes with Spencer as she slowly walked over to him.

Trying to act as if he was a stranger, she muttered a low, "Hi." If she gripped her poms any harder, her fingers would cramp up.

"Hey," he mumbled back. It was no secret that players and cheerleaders could barely speak to each other without the organization nipping it in the bud and letting the cheerleader go. Though people tested their limits with it, Spencer didn't want to compromise Olivia's position on the team. She worked for the job and had every right to keep it without him interfering.

Olivia shifted her left pom to her right hand and Spencer's eyes automatically fell to her ring finger. Empty. She followed his intense gaze until his eyes were staring back into her's. That electric pull she had felt years ago was buzzing like it had never left.

Fuck, she thought to herself.

I cheered professionally for one season and I must say they do not play when it comes to that 'no fraternizing' with players rule. You can get fired for even being in the same club as players and not leaving. Good luck, Olivia.