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Meetings
Junior Year
Natalie pulled her long, dark ponytail tightly, trying to get the gold bow as high up on her head as possible. She looked at herself in the mirror, admiring her cheer uniform. She turned around and looked over her shoulder, checking to make sure the skirt hugged her just right.
"Trying to impress someone, Nat?," asked Ashley.
"Shut up, Ash," Natalie laughed.
"I'm guessing he has the number 22 on his back right now," Lori joked.
Natalie glared at them. They were her best friends so of course they could tell she liked him.
"Why won't you just talk to him?," asked Ashley.
"Showtime ladies! Get your butts on the field. The game's starting," Coach Kay yelled, blowing her whistle.
"Saved by the bell, or the whistle I guess," Natalie said with a laugh, sticking out her tongue at her friends.
They shook their heads at her. Natalie picked up her pompoms and somersaulted onto the field. When she caught glimpse of his jersey she found herself smiling uncontrollably. Lori nudged her arm playfully. Natalie, who was captain of the cheer squad, started the team's chant and started the cheer. The girls flipped and turned and jumped and shouted. When the game was finally over, their team had won. The football players were on the field celebrating. Out of the corner of her eye, Natalie saw him take off his helmet.
"Damn," Natalie sighed.
"Go talk to him," Lori urged.
"Fine," Natalie said.
She knew if she didn't go and talk to him now, her friends would never let her live it down.
"I hate you guys," Natalie said quietly to Lori and Ashley.
"Oh you'll love us in a minute, Nat," Ashley said with a wink.
"Screw you guys," Natalie whispered.
"No, screw him," Ashley said with a smirk.
Natalie rolled her eyes and turned away from her friends. She took a deep breath and started walking towards him, trying to piece together sentences in her head. When he saw her walking over to him, he took a step away from the rest of the team. Considering she was a hot cheerleader, she had his attention.
"Good game out there, tonight. I don't think we've met. I'm Natalie. Natalie Cooke," Natalie said with a smile.
"Shane. Shane Walsh," He replied, biting his lip softly.
"And tell me why we haven't met before?," he asked.
"Well you're meeting me now. The pleasure's all yours," Natalie said with a smirk.
"Yeah. It is," He said with a soft chuckle.
"Am I interrupting?," asked a guy with curly brown hair and bright blue eyes.
"I was just leaving," Natalie said with a smile.
"It was nice to meet you, Shane," She said with a wink.
Shane licked his bottom lip gently and laughed. He shook his head. Natalie Cooke was giving him a run for his money and he liked it.
