The Truth Hurts

14 │smells like teen spirit

Obnoxious, ear-piercing pop music blares from a speaker sitting on the first row of bleachers near the school's football field. A hand reaches down and taps the power button, killing the sound.

Paige turns away from the speaker and to her cheer squad, all of them sweating and panting like they had just run ten miles. Hell, with the way Paige works them they might as well have.

"Can we take a break?" Kira pleads, wiping sweat from her forehead.

"You don't deserve a break." Paige snarls. "None of you do! I don't think I should have to remind you, but cheer-offs are coming up. We need to practice our routines until they're perfect! Right now, we'd be lucky if they even let us play at the next game."

With her gym bag slung over her shoulder, Casey yawns as she walks out from between two of the sets of bleachers and approaches them nonchalantly. "Sorry I'm late." She apologizes, but her tone really says that she couldn't care less.

Paige rolls her eyes. "About time you showed up." She glances around and flings her hands at her side. "Ugh! And where the hell is Julia?! I texted her like five times."

Kira shrugs as she takes a sip from her water battle, watching as a frustrated Paige punches buttons on her phone.

Casey yawns again and wipes at her eyes, clearly not much of a morning person. She walks over to the bleachers and tosses her bag next to the speaker and digs out her pom-poms. She turns back to face her fellow cheerleaders.

"Hey sexy!"

She spins around, her eyes popping open like she had just felt a shot of adrenaline rush through her blood. A smile spreads across her face as her gaze leads to the top of the bleachers, where Riley kicks back comfortably at the top row.

"Hey. What are you doing here?"

"Well, I figured you like to often come to my practices and support me." He stands up and begins to walk down the steps between the two sets of bleachers, approaching her. "Why shouldn't I do the same for you?"

He stops at the last step and she stands on her tiptoes to kiss him. She pulls away to look into his eyes, now wide awake.

"Well, isn't that sweet of you."

He holds up his hand, a paper bag swaying from his clenches fist. Animated donuts are printed on the bag. "Oh, and I brought breakfast."

Her smile widens. "Now that's more like it!"

A few minutes later, the two are walking alongside the school building, approaching the water fountain near the gym doors as Paige tails them a few feet away, still texting on her phone.

Casey takes the last bite of her sprinkle-covered chocolate donut and covers her mouth. "Thanks for the donuts."

Smiling, Riley playfully tosses a glazed donut hole in his mouth. "Breakfast of champions."

She laughs and he notices a dab of chocolate on the corner of her bottom lip.

"Hey you got..." He gestures at her lip by pointing at his.

Standing still, she wipes at her lip with her hand but on the opposite side. "Did I get it?"

"Here, let me help you." Riley's smile turns menacing as he leans in, using the moment to his advantage, and kisses her softly on the lips. His lips suck on her bottom lip before he pulls away and he licks the chocolate from his upper lip. "Yum."

Smirking, Casey plays with the collar of his shirt. "Was that for me or the chocolate?"

"Hmm..." He plays, as if carefully considering his answer. "Good question. Well, I think we would have to combine the two one night and conduct a taste test."