𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 || 𝐞.𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐟. 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

VI

"two and a half more hours....."

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steve parked next to the familiar white e30 he saw earlier. with robin in the backseat and his date in the passenger side, he stared intently at the car.

"i like it too," steve's date smiled at him, trying to instigate a romantic moment to which robin scoffed at and steve nod at.

robin left steve and the girl to rush to get band ready. he continued the small conversation as he purchased tickets, snacks, and a small hawkins flag for support.

as he got into his seat, he watched as the cheerleaders ran out into the court and smile when he caught athena's eye, the brunette giving him a small wave before she sat down at her spot.

athena had arrived five minutes before they had to begin; she didn't want to make chrissy feel uncomfortable from the argument and didn't want the awkward tension.

"hey," chrissy's shy voice made athena freeze from taking out her pom poms from the locker. she turned slowly to look at chrissy who had those puppy eyes.

"hey," athena answered back the same way, closing her locker and locking it before turning hesitantly to her friend.

"i'm sorry-"

"i'm sorry."

the girls laughed as they both said it at the same time. athena composed herself first.

"i'm sorry chris. i know i was just trying to take care of you, but i didn't listen to you and didn't want to believe you. as for the drugs, i have no right to decide that for you," athena frowned at her friend before looking down at her dirty shoes.

"i know athena. i'm sorry for lashing out at you. i've  just been so paranoid and frustrated and i let it out on you. i love you to the moon and back and back again, you know that right?" chrissy watched as her friend's eyes glossed over.

athena never felt so relieved to clear things up. she hugged chrissy tightly as the coach called the girls to line up. she knew her jealousy wasn't letting her settle, but that would be fixed once she spoke to eddie.

the game was saved by lucas sinclair, the boy athena had been cheering for since the beginning. the crowd went wild as the cheerleaders led them.

athena rushed toward lucas first after he had been lifted by the basketball team.

"i knew you could do it!" athena jumped happily as a sweaty lucas hugged her back.

"i'm....shit!....i did it!" he sounded surprised, making athena giggle at the expression he wore on his face.

athena took out her cheer bag from her locker and followed the crowd out to the parking spots, loosing chrissy in the process. she'd talk to her more tomorrow over breakfast at the cheer meeting.

she made her way to the car, stopping with a smile as she saw steve leaning on the trunk of his car that was parked beside hers.

"so, uh, i made it to the game," he chuckled as athena smiled at him, turning around to look for robin.

she turned back to him after not seeing robin: "you did make it! how was my cheering? not too snobby was it?" athena joked as steve laughed out with her.

"no, it wasn't. um, that air triangle thing? when they lifted you in the air? that was pretty cool, if i do say so myself," he awkwardly played with his chin as athena chuckled shyly and looked away, a proud blush heating her face.

"it was honestly nothing for cheer. but, thank you," they shared an awkwardly comforting smile before robin appeared out of nowhere.

"are we going home or are we flirting until everyone leaves?" she arched an eyebrow as steve rolled his eyes at her. athena laughed as she slid into her car.

steve's girl came from the bathroom as well, "i'm ready to go home steve."

"see you two later," athena smiled at steve and waved at robin. she reversed out of the parking spot and drove away, steve watching her go farther and farther away.

unbeknownst to athena or steve, eddie had been watching their interaction. hellfire club's final campaign had finished the same time as the championship game and they had exited the same time the people from the game had.

"amazing campaign eddie!" mike and dustin complimented the senior, making him blush under his tough face at the young kids, his smile breaking through.

"i have to teach the future leaders of hellfire, don't i?" the comment made the boys smile and laugh as they joked with gareth, erica, and jeff.

eddie took a deep breath of the night air, opening his eyes and looking around, his heart pumping fast when he saw his girlfriend's car.

if she stays after the crowd leaves, he would go up to her and kiss her; he hasn't seen her all day, not even for their everyday meet up after school.

his smile lowered as he noticed a random boy leaning against his car that was parked beside hers. the hellfire club had all said their goodbyes and had left in their respective cars.

eddie sat on the steps of the exit, watching as his girlfriend came from the mass of the crowd. eddie's smile grew once again, his face hot as he watched his girlfriend's strong legs glow under her cheer skirt.

"...i made it to the game," eddie heard the guy chuckle as he spoke to athena, his girlfriend. he stared in confusion as they spoke like good friends, athena even shooting him jokes and smiles,

smiles that were meant for eddie and eddie only. eddie held his jackets on his arm as he watched athena smile at the boy and wave at the girl who looked like robin from band.

he watched as she drove away, turning back to the boy who did the same, smiling to himself as he got in his own car and following traffic out.

eddie stood in the dark confused; what had happened in the span of one day? did she not love him any more? did he do something wrong?

"hey, i'm ready to go."

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