The Cheerleader's Side Piece

The Fall Pt. 1(5)

It was raining today. The fields around town were becoming green again and the bushes would have buds growing soon. Though it becomes sunny so quickly here and with the sun comes heat, it's been overcast and even a nice breeze has been blowing through. Track has been running more and the football team seems to have picked up their late afternoon training sessions. Even now I can see baseball kids doing their laps around the back hill. Laughing and galloping around. Some even seemed to be enjoying it. One boy in particular was flinging his arms around, racing with his peers. The way they all sprinted up the hill, grabbing each other shirts and toppling over with laughter was odd. Their happiness and open affection was odd. One-by-one they each rose to their feet and charged up that hill, slipping over rocks and roaring with laughter at each and every failure.

"Ani!" Startled, I withdraw my attention from the window and see Alex flustered, a visible frown presented on her face, "What's up with you? I've been explaining the reports to you for over ten minutes!" Feeling numb or more like lost, I take the reports from her and try to focus on the information but I just couldn't. Everything was so hard to understand and the more and more I tried to focus, a migraine would form. "Are you still sick?" She reached to put her hand on my forehead, but I moved away before she could. Slowly placing her hand by her side, she made a displeased face.

"I'm fine," I said, "just a bit out-of-focus is all." I shut the report and stand up from the wobbly table. Walking out the door, I take a deep breath and feel the pressure in my head disappear. For the past week headaches have come and gone, but it came out of nowhere. When I was doing work in class or having meetings in ASB. It's like whenever I was doing something that took mind power, my headaches would come on.

Massaging my forehead, I feel a buzz in my pocket. Tense. I pull out my phone to see Cassie's message:

Just finished up practice😫😫😫Imma go home and change then swing by your house❤️

Since the odd crying session, Cassie has been extremely kind to me. Bringing me sweets whenever she came over, calling me at night and even texting me 'good morning' and 'good night' everyday. At first I felt uneasy, constantly on my tippy toes. Whenever she hugged me or kissed me, I felt this frightening emotion. Now... I've become disconnected; uninterested even. She could be having pizza at my house and I would feel like nothing. Like I was floating through life. I'm not sure what is going on and I know it's causing a hindrance to my work... but I can't stop it.

It's like I'm no longer in control of my body.

The work finished early and I left without saying a goodbye. Alex and Olivia were going to meet up with their boyfriends to have a double date so it's pointless for me to talk to them. Walking home, I kept staring at the ground. Random thoughts and memories ran through my head, some pleasing others not. Before I even knew it, I was home. Unlocking the door, I knew my parents were still busy doing work and I would be alone until Cassie came. Dropping my bags on the floor and sitting down on the couch, I fell into deep thought.

The dark room provided me the ability to think. My body became heavy, so heavy. Two hundred pound weights would still be lighter than them. A faint like queasiness overcame me, sucking me through this world of burning and blackness. Patches of my skin burned, sizzling until it was thick as leather. Tight, twisted, and churned was my stomach; as if someone had taken it out and wrapped it around my person. Deeper and deeper I sank, my eyes becoming tired.

*knock*

And just like that, I was fine. That gloom and despair vanished. Rising to my feet, I drag myself to the door and without peaking through the hole I find Cassie standing there; hair thrown into a messy bun and baggy clothes on. A smile was on her face, her eyes narrowing because of it, "I forgot to message you I was on my way, but whatever. I brought popcorn and Oreos!!"

Coming inside she pressed a quick kiss onto my lips but to me, it was as if I kissed air. Into the living room and she busied herself with prepping everything, but I remained by the window. Outside was a little girl dressed in a long raincoat, which was purple. She was splashing about in puddles, her little brown boots soaked. I could tell by her big smile and gleaming eyes she was enjoying herself, completely excited about ruining her clothes. Again and again she jumped around, her arms flying around and her hood falling onto her shoulders. Her black hair became soaked within seconds; but to her it was so exciting and fun.

"Exciting and fun," I whispered out, the movement of my lips foreign and odd.

Cassie shouts, "I was just curious but... have you been talking to that girl?"

Twisting around, my eyes hooded and soul dampened again, I ask, "What girl?"

She's leaning against the wall, smiling at me. By her eyes and smile, people would think she really loved me. That I was her everything and nothing could change that. Coming to me, she wraps her arms around my waist, pressing a kiss onto my shoulder, she says, "The bothersome one."

Braided purple hair, dark eyeliner and a bright smile flashed in my eyes. Suddenly I wanted to cry. I wanted to kick and scream. I wanted to push Cassie away and run out to the middle of the street.

But I didn't.

"No," I wrapped my arms around her, muttering out, "I'm all yours Cassie."

•Two Weeks Before•

"PREZ!" Olivia shouted from the other side of the stage, "I need more batteries!"

Struggling to pin one of the decorations, I sigh and look down the ladder at Victoria, "Can you go over to that box, the blue one, and bring it to her?" Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, bangs hanging in front of her eyes. She was wearing a long sleeved shirt that showed off her figure well and even had on jeans without holes. She looked for the box, giving me the thumbs up. A little smile came onto my lips as I went back to pinning up the stupid pink sheets. Celebrating the school's anniversary every year was mandatory... to our principle. So here we are, setting everything up.

Climbing down slowly, I hop onto the floor and move the ladder over to the next spot. "You okay?" Victoria rushed over to help.

"Huh?"

"Yesterday," she set it up, making sure to hear the necessary clicks, "you weren't at school. I'm just checking on you."

"Oh," I become a bit frantic, "my parents thought I was working too hard and wanted me to rest is all." I wasn't lying yet I still felt as if I was.

"Well they're right. You work way too much. It's good to take a break once in a while," she fixed my ponytail, putting it a bit higher up. Her fingertips graced my neck, making me blush a bit. "Take care of yourself Antonia. I don't want you passing out on me," she pat my shoulders and walked over to help some guys with boxes.

Victoria is a great helper. Doesn't complain and hurries. The kind of worker I like the most! Right as I was about to climb up the ladder, out the window I caught a glimpse of Cassie... she was staring right back at me.

One of us shocked and the other pissed.