You Belong With Me (A Sequel to "What Once Was")

4 healed up

"Ladies, I'm sure no introduction is needed, but please welcome Ainsley to the team," said Landen about two weeks after Cooper's first game. The team has been doing well ever since he started playing. Ryder has sat the bench ever since, though.

Anyways, my doctor had just cleared me to go back to sports, so I decided to play volleyball since it is my senior year after all.

Many of the girls smiled at me. Actually, all of them did, but Ella and Katie.

"Once Ainsley is feeling up to it, she will be playing in games," Landen explained.

"Yeah, hopefully as libero," Lacey commented, but she also shot a pointed look at Ella as she spoke.

Landen cleared his throat, though he did not disagree with Lacey. "Anyways, start your normal warm up. We have a game tomorrow," he said.

It was the same as last year. Run two laps, then stretch, and then do ball warm ups with a partner. I partnered up with Lacey, of course.

"I'm so happy you're playing again," she said.

"Me too," I responded.

The remainder of practice was rather easy for me since Landen made me sit out of the diving drills. I basically just did basic passing. He also told me I could not jump so I hit down balls. It was boring, but easy.

When it came time to scrimmage, he had me sit out of that, too. Though, it gave me the chance to watch Ella. She wasn't bad, but she's definitely not good enough to take the team to state. Her passes are good 75 percent of the time, but even then, they aren't always to target.

"Can I please go in?" I asked after Ella shanked another ball.

Landen rolled his eyes at me. "No."

"The doctor cleared me!"

"That doesn't mean you're good to go diving around," he responded.

"Then why would he clear me?" I challenged.

"I will make Lacey my favorite if you keep bugging me," he said. Being his favorite has been a long lasting joke ever since our sophomore year when Lacey and I played varsity for him.

"Shutting up now."

He chuckled. "That's what I thought."

-

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-

As the weeks continued, Cooper continued to play over me, no matter how much I outplayed him in practice. I'm starting to think it's because he's just kissing Ainsley's ass because she refuses to put anyone but Cooper in.

They have been all flirty and shit which pisses me off. If I had known that would get me play time, I would have broken up with Ella ages ago.

So, this Friday, it was a home game and just three weeks until homecoming, which I am hoping I will get to play in.

"I hope you actually play tonight. Duckstein is getting sloppy," said Braxton as we got ready for the game.

"No chance. Ainsley and him are too busy flirting," I replied.

"Maybe you should get on her good side again," Braxton recommended.

"Why?"

"So she plays you. It's obvious he plays because he's a kiss-up. Same situation with you last year," he explained.

"I was no kiss-up," I jeered defensively.

Braxton raised an eyebrow at me. "So you admit it, you really were in love with her, and not just with her for the name?"

I rolled my eyes and slammed my locker shut. "I'll talk to her, but I guarantee it won't do anything."

We're over a month into the school year and Ainsley and I have not uttered a single word to one another. Apologizing will definitely be awkward.

-

But of course, to celebrate our win from tonight (no thanks to Cooper), Braxton decided to host a party at his house. So, we were all walking into the house which already had music blasting from it.

I kept Ella close to me as we stepped inside and we're both immediately handed drinks. She took no time to down her drink.

One thing about El is she is a big partier... maybe even too big.

"Babe, don't overdo it. We have that dinner with my family tomorrow and it would suck if you're hung over," I said as she made another grab for a drink that was sitting on the kitchen counter.

She smiled up at me while she danced to the music. "Relax! I can control myself!"

I watched with raised eyebrows as she took a huge sip from the drink.

"I'm not even a quarter way through mine and you have almost finished two. We have been here for not even 10 minutes," I mumbled.

"Yeah! That's not even that much! Now let's go do something! I'm already bored!"

I rolled my eyes but let her take my hand. On our way to the dance floor, I tossed my drink away because I knew I would have to sober drive Ella.

She pulled me right into the middle of where everyone was dancing. It was a lot since everyone was getting rather touchy with their date. I didn't like that.

"El," I whispered in her ear, "I'm going to sit down. I'm a little tired."

She spun around from where she was dancing rather seductively in front of me. "But how? It's not like you played."

Hoping her comment was because she was on the brink of being intoxicated, I shook it off.

"Just been a long week. Stay with Katie, okay?" I said as I nudged her towards Katie who squealed with excitement when Ella danced over to her.

Happy to finally have an excuse to not deal with drunk Ella, I wandered outside. Though it was not as peaceful as I had expected because of my luck, Ainsley was already sitting on the outdoor couch. Her head snapped up the second the door shut and she seemed almost petrified when she saw me.

But I guess this is it.

-

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-

I was completely freaking out as Ryder approached and sat down on the opposing end of the couch.

"Having a good night?" he asked as he made himself comfortable.

I shook my head and looked down at my nails. The reason I had come out here in the first place was because Cooper, who I had come here with, wandered off with a girl. It's not like I like him or anything, but it would be a little awkward to be a third wheel.

"So-so. You?" I asked.

He chuckled lightly. "Could be better. Ella is a little too much to handle so I came out here for some peace. I assume you had the same idea?"

I nodded and glanced up at him. He was already looking at me which made my heart speed up.

No, no, no. Ainsley, stop right now. He hurt you!

Seeing I did not respond, he sighed. "I understand it's awkward between us, but I want to fix that," he stated. "I'm sorry for what I said to you all those months ago. That was not right of me to do. I was in the heat of the moment, but you should know that I did love you while we were together," he stated.

For whatever reason, I felt the urge to cry but I swallowed the lump in my throat. That did not suppress my uneven tone as I spoke, though. "I-it's alright. I would have personally done the same. I'm sorry for standing on the Beverley sidelines," I murmured.

He smiled softly. "Don't. That was a stupid reason for me to get mad. I know you didn't actually help them."

A moment of silence went by, but it was not really awkward. More just peaceful. "Friends again, right?" he asked.

I smiled and nodded. "Of course... friends."