Twelve
“Camryn, you’re lagging behind! Make sure to keep up with the other girls,” I scolded as my eyes darted continuously from one cheerleader to the next. “Meredith, you need more power! I expect better from you.”
Her mouth moved as she mumbled something under her breath. I raised my hand to my ear, arching my eyebrow.
“Do you have something to say?”
During our last practice, Meredith tried to complain to Coach Smithson citing that I was being—and I quote— a bitch.
That didn’t go over well, though, because soon a screaming match ensued between the two of them and Meredith ended up being the one who was reprimanded for swearing instead of me being condemned for literally doing my damn job.
In the end, Coach Smithson agreed with how I was leading the team, and Meredith left her office looking like a pouty toddler with her cheeks puffed out and face beet red.
“No.” She glared at me.
“Good.” I smirked. “Less talking, more practicing!”
It felt liberating to finally embrace the sassier and more confident side of my personality in place of being some kind of brainless minion because who the fuck should have to be polite and well-tempered when it came to dealing with assholes?
If she wanted to play dirty, then I could too.
And if Kendra wanted to ignore the fallout of our friendship, then I could live like she didn’t exist.
Ever since I had taken up the mantle of being Elliot’s girlfriend, Meredith had fully embraced the grunt work of being Mason’s glorified playboy bunny.
Somehow her boobs got bigger and her dresses got shorter within the span of a few weeks.
I never intended to push the only two friends I had ever known away, but they made it so easy.
One thing was for sure, though: I was still the Queen Bee.
As it had turned out, dating Elliot actually had its perks.
Most saw it as charity work, seeking out a boy below my own standing, but simultaneously, they also viewed it as a noble conquest. Besides, no matter how much anyone disapproved, their objections would cease the moment they laid eyes on Elliot.
After all, I called him Abercrombie for a reason.
“Great job, girls!” I clapped my hands. “That’s all for today.”
“That’s it?” Meredith purred, her voice rich with bitterness. “You’re not going to have us run laps around the entire city?”
“Actually, now that you mention it…”
Their collective groans echoed through the room like a symphony of crudely composed cymbals and tambourines.
“Just kidding. I’ll see you guys next Tuesday. We only have a few more practices left before the winter pep rally, so make sure to come hydrated and full of energy.”
Their groans were heard once again.
I silently laughed as the girls scurried off to grab their bags and stormed the exit doors as if a bear was prowling behind them, threatening their lives.
Sure, the girls were friendly, minus Meredith and Kendra, but they were already far too invested in their own respective cliques to care about befriending the girl who fell from grace.
People weren’t necessarily talking shit about me but they sure were talking.
Why isn’t Clarke talking to Meredith?
How come she’s not sitting with the cheerleaders?
Is Elliot really her boyfriend?
Gossip spread through the school like a wildfire, but even now, no one dared question my place because I was still the pretty, blonde cheer captain with a million and one friends.
The only difference now was that I had this whole rule-breaker, quirky status attached to my name since I hung out with the outcasts.
Perfect way to garner votes for Prom Queen, am I right?
As I was lifting the strap of my duffle bag onto my shoulder, I noticed Camryn hurry by.
“Hey, Cam!” I called out. “Can you come here for a sec?”
She appeared to wilt as she slowly made her way towards me.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“I just wanted to make sure you were adjusting okay. You seemed a bit nervous when we did the basket toss today.”
“No,” she replied, her tone a bit defensive. “I’m just feeling a bit tired. That’s it.”
“Look, there’s no shame if—”
“I’m fine. Honestly.”
“Okay.” I sighed. “I’m gonna be watching you next practice, so don’t give me a reason to bench you.”
She nodded vigorously, her eyes wide with fear.
I tilted my head to the left, indicating she was free to leave as I watched her face light up at the prospect of getting away from me.
I was pulled from my thoughts of self-deprecation when my phone buzzed inside my bag.
Ripping open the zipper, my hands fumbled around until I felt the smooth surface of my phone.
Pulling it out, Elliot’s name illuminated the screen.
“Hey, Abercrombie.”
“Hey, Princess.”
“You miss me already? It’s only been like an hour since school ended.”
“Don’t think too highly of yourself. You’ll get a big head.”
“So, it must be too late for you then?”
His rich laughter filled my ears. “Keep being mean, and I won’t invite you to The Honeycomb Café with me.”
What’s up with this town and its obsession with any and all things bee-related?
“The Honeycomb Café?” I repeated slowly, my eyebrows furrowed. “I pictured you as more of a scotch on the rocks kind of guy as opposed to a vanilla bean latte kind of guy. Why are you going there?”
“They are having a trivia night.”
“You, at trivia night?” A quick succession of chuckles escaped my lips. “Is this a prank or something?”
“If this is how you’re gonna respond to me asking you on a date, then I take it back.”
I froze, my body glitching, as the laughter faded from my throat. My jaw dropped. Was he really asking me out on a date?
“A date?”
“More like a half-date.”
“Abercrombie, what the hell are you talking about?”
“I can’t come over to your house tomorrow for tutoring, so I figured we could do this trivia night thing tonight instead.”
“Oh,” I said, making an effort to keep my disappointment from bubbling to the surface. “Wait, why can’t you come over tomorrow?”
“My mom has to work, so I’m watching my sister.”
“Isn’t your sister a teenager? She can’t stay home alone?”
“Not unless I’m willing to risk her inviting that half-baked boyfriend of hers over and getting blackout drunk.”
“Oh.” I breathed. “Shit, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize for her mistakes.”
I pursed my lips, not knowing what to say next. “So, you wanna go to trivia night to make up for missing a study session?”
“It’s better than nothing, right?”
“I guess.” I shrugged. “So, I’ll see you in an hour?”
“Cool. It’s a date.”
But it wasn’t, really. If someone had told me on the first day of school that my partner in crime would end up being the emo kid who got held back last year, I would’ve laughed in their face.
Despite our many differences, the idea of being with someone who wasn’t a complete jackass— cough, cough , Ryan Connors—made the whole dating thing seem less like a waste of time.
It was just nice to settle into the illusion that I was actually in a happy relationship with a guy who was, not only very physically attractive, but also a little charming.
After I hung up the phone, I caught a glimpse of Kendra in my peripheral vision. She moved closer, her head lowered. Ugh . What now?
“Hey, do you have a second? I was just—”
“Sorry. I’m running late for my date with Elliot.”
“I just want to talk.”
“After two months?” I scoffed. “Now you want to talk?”
“I know. I should’ve tried sooner, but—”
“Yeah, you should’ve. Look, I gotta go. I just…I can’t do this right now.”
Shrugging her off, I sprinted to my car while clutching my bag for dear life as it threatened to slip off my shoulder with every jostling step. It was too little, too late for apologies. Honestly, I doubt that she was even going to say sorry in the first place.
If I had to guess, she was probably just gonna suggest that I take the high road in order to mend my fractured relationship with Meredith.
But I was done . And Kendra already decided which side she wanted to be on.
A bone-chilling shiver coursed up my spine as the icy air brushed against my bare legs, sending a sharp reminder of the winter’s bite.
Instinctively, I cranked up the heat to full blast the moment I turned the ignition, desperate for warmth against the relentless cold. At least it wasn’t snowing… yet.
While I was driving home, I may or may not have exceeded the speed limit more than once while navigating the winding, narrow back roads, shrouded in a canopy of overhanging trees and sunlight.
I drove into the driveway, leaped out of my car, and dashed up the grand staircase.
After quickly changing out of my clothes and taking a fast shower, I slipped into a pair of blue jeans and a pumpkin-colored sweater.
Forty minutes later, I was stepping out the door again, driving towards The Honeycomb Café.
It was a small coffee shop on the south end of town.
Ever heard of tarot card readers? They were a big deal here .
Same went for all those hippie-dippy people who enjoyed painting and smoking the devil’s lettuce.
As I rounded the corner, the soft and inviting glow of the signature Honeycomb Café logo came into view, its charming portrait of a honey bee sipping coffee plastered above the shop.
I parked my car, pulling my jacket firmly over my shoulders before stepping out into the brisk air.
Inside, laughter and warm smiles radiated throughout the room, filling the air with a sense of joy and camaraderie.
Elliot was already sitting at a table waiting for me.
The café had a faint yellow glow with wooden pieces of furniture scattered around.
“Hey. You made it.”
“Yeah.” I smiled, shrugging off my coat and hanging it on the back of the chair. “It’s freezing out there.”
“Got you a hot chocolate.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know. But I wanted to.”