𝐅𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑| 𝐋.𝐂.

39: When it matters

"Hey." I say to Carter, looking up from my Louie as he walks by me.

"Hey." He flatly says and keeps walking.

"Um, excuse me. Get back here. I'm still you big sister and I can still take you down." I say and he stops in his tracks, then walks back over to me, taking a seat on the bench.

"I'm such a fuckup." Carter says, clenching his fist.

"Hey, it's not your fault you lost. You all screwed up." I tell him and he looks at me.

"Funny." He nods at me, his eyes turning into a dark blue.

"I'm actually talking about my cheerleading skills. It's probably what made you miss the shot." I tell him.

"You weren't that bad, Val. And yeah, I wish that was the reason. During the time out, Brooke broke up with me." Carter says and my face drops.

"What?"

"Except I don't think she was hypnotized this time." He says.

"I mean, why couldn't she wait until the end of the game, like a normal person? You know, I always thought that she was a little bit-"

"Don't." Carter tells me.

"Okay. Another time, when you're ready to rag on her. Hey, you wanna come with me to visit Suzanne tonight and cheer her up at the hospital? I'll call mom. She'll love it if you come." I say, taking out my Louie.

"Wait, don't call her. You should've seen her face when I miss that shot." He says, looking down.

"Carter, c'mon. Moms don't care if you lose sometimes. She loves you. And by the way, so do sisters." I grin at him.

||

"C'mon, babe. It'd help you cheer up by cheering someone else up. Come with me and see Suzanne. Please." I plead to Alex.

"Babe, I love the whole cheerleading spirit, but not tonight. You know I would, I'm just in a lot of pain right now. Just tell Suzanne I hope she's doing well and I can't wait for her to get back." Alex says.

"Okay. Thank you for being honest with me instead of making up a shitty excuse." I say, kissing his cheek and he chuckles.

"Course, babe. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I wasn't honest?" He says and I grin at him, running my fingers through his hair.

I then hear footsteps and I turn to my head to see an emotionless Carter walk in. He passes by us and then Brooke and Sophie, then taking a seat.

"You know what, bro? I'm sick of your emotions getting in the way of everything." Parker says to Carter and he clenches is jaw.

"Hey, bro, give him a break. Even KD misses a free throw sometimes." Daniel says to him.

"Nah, D. Not when it matters." Parker says, waving him off.

"Oh, c'mon, Parker." Daniel says.

"What?" He says to Daniel.

"No. No, right. I suck." Carter says.

"No, you don't, Carter. It's not his fault." I say, closing my brother.

"Yeah, alright, defend your brother. But if we're being honest here, he's the reason we lost the game." Parker says to me.

"Well, if we're being honest here, let's be honest on whose fault it actually was." I say through gritted teeth, glaring at Brooke.

"Valerie, don't." Cater says, still with his arms crossed and I clench my jaw.

"I'm out of here." I mutter, getting up from the couch, walking toward the door.

I then stop in my tracks and turn back to them.

"While I'm gone, why don't you tell them why Carter missed the shot, Brooke?" I say, then turning on my heels.

||

"Hey, there you are!" I say to Suzanne, carrying flowers in my hand.

"Ah!" Suzanne smiles at me as I walk over to her.

"I had to ask three different nurses where you were." I say, handing her the flowers.

"These are sweet. Thank you so much, Valerie." Suzanne says.

"Of course. So, how are you? I mean, you gave us quite a scare." I ask, deciding to put them by her dresser.

"I know. I promise I'll never blow up again." She says and I chuckle.

"Uh, by the way do you want something? They said they were gonna close the cafeteria soon." I offer Suzanne.

"Oh, that's okay. Leo went to get me a latte." She says and my heart races.

"Oh, Cruz is here?" I say, nodding at her.

"Yeah, you didn't know? You two must be on the same psychic wavelength, then" Suzanne jokes and I chuckle.

"Ramirez. Didn't expect to see you here." Leo says, walking in with two lattes in his hand.

"Same goes here, Cruz." I sigh, slightly glaring at him as I cross my legs in my seat.

"Thank you." Suzanne says to Leo as he hands her latte to her.

As Leo sits down, there's just awkward silence and I pray that someone talks.

"So, I have to get a new car. That's gonna be fun." Suzanne has, breaking the silence and I mentally thank her as I chuckle.

Thank you Suzanne, thank you.

"Valerie, how's it going with the Eagles? And I heard that you were in the hospital after that hike. Are you okay?" Suzanne asks me.

"Uh...yeah, yeah, it was a bit weird at first, but it's great now. And yeah, I'm okay. Just being a stupid teenager, is all. Got myself hurt." I shrug it off.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that." She says and I grin, nodding at her.

"Yeah, she's a really talented cheerleader." Leo says and Suzanne turns to him.

"I never said I was good." I say through gritted teeth with a fake grin.

"Well, what you are good at is challenges. You did fantastic on the last one, really." Suzanne says, nodding at me.

"Thank you." I grin at her.

"Pretty easy when you're a big fish, in a small pond, full of even smaller minds." Leo says and I scoff.

"Seriously? Well, if they have such, uh, small minds, why didn't you win the challenge single handedly, brainiac?" I grimace at him, trying to relax myself.

"Well, probably because his mind was on other things. I heard you and Becca are now a couple?" Suzanne says, turning to Leo.

"Oh, right. How are you two lovebirds doing?" I ask, grinning at him.

"Uh, we're not. We actually broke up." Leo says, with a grin on his face.

"Oh! What a shame. I mean, she's such a delight. How could you give her up?" I sarcastically say to him.

"Well, a lot of people are in the wrong relationships. At least I can admit when I make a mistake." Leo says and Suzanne looks back at me.

He's seriously acting like an asshole at a time like this?