✓ | Happiness Is A Butterfly ~ Lucas Sinclair

|46| Change

"Think of our heroic police cheif, Jim Hopper"

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Leah was on the gymnasium floor with the other cheerleaders doing the routine.

They went to the front of the bleachers so the basketball team could run out. Leah joined the cheer squad for Lucas. The others were busy with Hellfire (although Lucas and Leah were in it, too) and Max was just distant since the night at the mall. They were all traumatized.

Leah looked down at her bare leg and saw the scar that imprinted on her lower leg from Billy.

The announcers voice broke her thoughts as Lucas and the other members ran to the middle of the gymnasium. She and the others started shaking their pompoms as a way of applause.

"First off, I would like to thank each and everyone of you for your support" Jason, the captain of the team started. Lucas made eye contact with Leah and flashed her a big smile. Leah smiled back and Jason continued.

"And of course, of course, I have to give a special shout-out to the best, prettiest fans of all time, The Tiger Cheer Squad!" Jason cheers, the rest of the highschool doing the same.

"You know. I think I can speak for all of us when I say its been a tough year for Hawkins. So much loss. And sometimes I wonder, 'How much can a community take?' In dark days like this, we need something to believe in. So, last night, when we were down by ten points at half time to Christain Academy, I looked at my team, and I said, Think of Jack" Jason starts.

"Think of Melissa. Think of Heather. Think of Billy" Jason says.

"Think of our heroic police chief Jim Hopper" Jason says, forcing the memories of that night to flood back into Leah's head. The words he told her, 'I need you to brave'. She remembered the feeling in the pit of her stomach when Murray and Joyce came out of that mall alone.  Lucas shot her a sad look, but she darted her eyes to the ground.

"Think about each and every one of our friends who died in that fire. What did they die for?" Jason asks. To save your sorry ass, Leah thought angrily at the boy. "For us to lose, to some crap school? No! For us to return home with our heads hung low in defeat? No! No. Lets win this game. Lets win this game for them, and thats exactly what we did!" Jason yells into the microphone as everyone starts cheering for him. Leah and the group stayed silent.

"I don't get the big deal" Lucas says as him, Leah, Mike, and Dustin walk outside of the school. "Just talk to Eddie. Get him to move hellfire to another night"

"Just talk to Eddie" Dustin repeats sarcastically.

"Why don't you just talk your coach into moving the game?" Mike asks.

"Mike are you serious?" Leah asks. "This is a championship game. With like 12 other schools. They can't just move it"

"A semester has led to this moment! We need you guys!" Dustin begs.

"Yeah, and the Tigers don't. They can go with one less cheerleader. And Lucas, you've been on the bench all year!" Mike argues.

"Thats not the point" Lucas says.

"Please, arrive at the point" Dustin pleads.

"If we get in good with these guys, I'll be in the popular crowd, and then you guys will be, too!" Lucas says optimistically.

"Has it ever occured to you that we don't want to be popular?" Mike asks.

"You wanna be stuck with the nerds and freaks for three more years?" Lucas asks.

"We are nerds and freaks" Dustin argues, his voice cracking a bit.

"But maybe we don't have to be" Lucas argues. "Look, I'm tired of being bullied. I'm tired of girls laughing at us. I'm tired of feeling like a loser. We came to highschool wanting things to be different, right?"

Mike and Dustin nods their heads slowly.

"So now we have that chance" Lucas says. "If me and Leah skip tonight, thats all out the window. So I'm asking you guys, as a friend, just talk to Eddie. Get him to move Hellfire. Come to my game. Please" Lucas begs as the bell rings.

A/n

I'm so excited to write this season you do not understand

730 words