The It Girl [COMPLETED]

Chapter 36 - "Why are you leaving?"

"Have you talked to him since lunch?" Courtney asked the empty bathroom.

To an outsider it would look empty, Lynn lived inside Courtney's phone for the moment.

"He texted me," Lynn said.

Courtney focused on her reflection, carefully knotting the two bright-colored silk scarves around her ponytail. She wouldn't say she was taking more care than usual on her appearance but well, that was exactly what she was doing. A girl had to put in effort for her man, right? Her man. His girl. She liked that.

"He asked if the squad was going to make it to Ted's party," Lynn said. "I'm guessing he wanted to know if you'd be there. With Micah. Are you going to be?"

Courtney stepped back from the mirror and turned her head one way and the other. She looked like the epitome of a football fan. A very cute football fan to be exact.

"I had planned on asking if Micah wanted to go. Do you think I shouldn't?"

When Lynn didn't answer right away, Courtney let go of her vanity and picked up her phone.

"Lynn?"

"I think you should still go, the girls want to see Micah. But maybe don't be overly open about being with Micah. Like, don't start making out in front of everyone."

"Yes, obnoxious public displays of affection, definitely my forte."

Lynn laughed. "True. I don't think I ever saw you and Aiden be that type of couple." She fell silent and Courtney rested against the sink, putting her reflection away. "Did you ever figure out what went wrong? Between the two of you."

"We were two trains on parallel tracks with different destinations."

"Oh. I'm glad you were able to understand that."

"Me too."

Courtney pictured Aiden's startled face from lunch and bit her lip. It might have been one thing if Aiden had broken up with her because he hated her. It was another thing entirely that he loved her and let her go.

"Did he say anything at lunch?" Courtney asked.

"No. He talked about tonight's game. But you know, Aiden. It takes him time to process things."

Courtney nodded. She knew. She knew really well since she'd become the person he could process things with. Now he no longer had her. Worse, the things he needed to process were about her.

"Lynn? Could you look out for him?" Courtney asked. "If I do it that would be weird. But I don't want to hurt him."

"Of course. Just don't rub you and Micah in his face. Okay?"

"I won't. And feel free to remind me if I'm being an idiot."

"Obviously. That's a besties' duty."

Courtney left her bathroom and walked into her closet. Yes, walked. As in two feet, two working ankles - one working ankle, one braced - two moving legs, two arms free of crutches. It was a glorious freedom.

"How are you feeling about tonight?" Courtney asked, sinking down in front of her shoe rack. "Did you get the problem with the squad worked out?"

"Yes. Though I will admit it was a relief to see you walking today. We need you back."

"One more week and I shall reclaim my title as cheer captain."

"You never lost it, you temporarily misplaced it."

"That sounds better."

Courtney found an older pair of white cheer sneakers and smiled. They were already worn out, stretching one out with her brace wouldn't be that big of a deal. Though she appreciated her ability to power clash a tennis shoe with a polkadot flat, she wanted to go with a classic look for tonight. Yes, a certain boy was the reason. Though this certain boy didn't notice fashion the way she did so maybe it was a moot point. It didn't matter, sneakers it was.