everything about you | eddie munson

10

It was Friday, the day of cheerleading rehearsals. Steve was supposed to drop me off at school this morning. I was dressed in a white top and gray sweatpants and white sneakers.

As I was eating my cereal, I heard a car honk, that must be Steve. I finished my bowl, grabbed my bag and walked out of my house. A music starts to reason in all the street, it was Human Nature of Michael Jackson, I go towards the car before getting in.

I immediately see Mike, Dustin and Lucas behind, I frown before strapping myself in.

"What are you brats doing here?

- Steve's dropping us off at school, Mike's mom can't, what about you? Lucas replies.

- Steve's my ride.

- Yeah, since Liam dumped you!" Dustin starts laughing.

I turn around before speaking up, glaring at Dustin.

"Shut up you idiot, your girl lives thousands of miles away from here, you've got a better chance of going to see Elvis Presley in concert than seeing her again."

Dustin frowns, thinking for a few seconds before speaking up.

"Presley is dead...

- Yes, exactly." I say.

I then turn around before I hear Mike and Lucas laughing behind.

"She got you good there..." Lucas said between a few laughs.

Steve starts to chuckle softly before starting to drive. I had taken Eddie's advice to heal my bruises, and it was working. I didn't have to wear turtlenecks anymore, just a little bit of concealer to cover them up.

I hear Mike huff in annoyance behind before he speaks up, straightening up in the seat.

"Don't you want to change the tape? It's been playing on a loop for thirty minutes, it's getting boring.

- Get your ass up and pick another one then." Steve said.

I turn to Mike who gestures to me to look at the other tapes, I then open a box of some sort.

"Stick to Michael Jackson, there's no P.Y.T. by any chance?"

I search among the tapes before finding it, I then remove Human Nature and put the other one, the music plays. The boys started to sing behind the car.

"You guys really sing like a bunch of pans..." Steve complained.

I laugh softly before looking at the boys fidgeting through the rear view mirror. After about ten minutes we had arrived at the high school, Steve stops the car and we get out of the vehicle.

I start walking beside the boys, Steve starts talking.

"I feel like I'm babysitting...

- But you don't do anything to stop it. Dustin said.

- I hope your parents are at least paying him? I ask.

- Not even." Said the three friends in chorus.

Steve stifled a laugh before speaking up and rolling his eyes.

"I'll bill you for this on your future salaries you little brats.

- That's what we'll see Harrington, see ya!"

The three friends leave, Steve and I continue walking, I leave Steve outside the locker room before walking in and finding Chrissy, the cheerleading captain.

"Hi Cass! What's up?

- Hi, I'm fine and you?

- I'm fine."

I smile softly at her before putting on my cheerleader uniform. We immediately leave for the stadium and begin practice. We were in front of the bleachers, students were sitting there working or talking.

I saw Liam, Jason and Lucas practicing basketball, Liam kept looking at me, it was almost annoying. I suddenly see him talking quickly to Jason before he walks away from his team, walking towards us.

I then sigh before letting a curse escape from my mouth. I then try to hide behind some of my comrades.

"Cassie, are you okay?" Khloe asks a girl on the team.

I then look up at her before smiling at her, acting like nothing happened?

"Uh what? Ah, yeah yeah I'm fine..."

I show her my thumb in the air before suddenly feeling a pressure on my arm, I then look up before seeing Liam.

"Cassie, sweetheart. Can I talk to you?"

I felt like it was a rhetorical question, that I didn't have to answer since I had no choice. I turned to Chrissy who allowed me to
I turned to Chrissy, who gave me permission to leave, even though I would have preferred her to refuse.

I then follow Liam who moves away, approaching the bleachers.

"Stop calling me that. I say, crossing my arms at my chest.

- That's what couples do.

- We're not together Liam."

Liam stifles a sadistic laugh before speaking up.

"Of course we are, stop talking crap.

- I'm not bullshitting."

Liam's eyes darken as he sees that I wasn't buying into what he was saying, so he takes a dangerous step closer to me.

"What's going on Cassie? You've been so distant and mean to me since last Friday, do you not like me anymore?"

I let out a laugh before I set my gaze on him and then spoke up.

"No, I still have feelings of love, obviously. But I have to admit that feelings of hate and disgust are really taking over these days."

Liam violently places his arm on my neck, pinning me against one of the bleacher bars.

"I'm going to...

- You're going to what? Choke me again? Or maybe hit me? You don't own me Liam, stop the bullshit."

I put my hand on his arm, taking it off before leaving to find the cheerleading squad, while I was practicing I could see Eddie sitting on the bleachers smoking a cigarette. He noticed me, smiled, then looked down.