𝙋𝙀𝙍𝙁𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 || EDDIE MUNSON

Nervousness

NANCY looked at Brandy excitedly, "Oh thank God, I thought I was gonna have to work that food drive by myself." She said as the pair walked down the hall. "I can pick you up later tonight if you need me to," Nancy looked at Brandy with her blue eyes.

"That would be nice," Brandy nodded. "I have cheer practice. So it might be a little late." She patted the duffle bag on her side.

"That's fine," Nancy smiled. "Hey," She turned to her. "Are you okay?" She asked. "You seemed a little- I don't know, peaky today."

"Yeah," Brandy reassured. Even if it was false. "Just had a rough start this morning."

Nancy nodded, "Well, I should get going," the girl held up her keys. "Mike had his stupid club thing today, so I get the house to myself for a little while." She said excitedly.

"I'll see you later," Brandy waved. Her mind set on going to the locker room. She didn't feel particularly chatty, it was something she likes about Nancy, the tended to observe rather than speak. She loved Tracie, Tate, and Chrissy to death, but she didn't know if she felt up to being very social after today. Even hours after her freakout she still felt all jumbled and nervous.

She silently opened the gymnasium door, watching her friends talk to the other team members happily. Brandy snuck past them, breaking into a small sprint as she neared the locker rooms. She let out a long-held breath when she got to her destination. Pressing her back against the door she turned the bolt lock, keeping out anyone. Brandy looked for feet in the stalls and showers, when she was satisfied she was alone she walked to the mirror.

She placed her palms on the edge of the granite sink, letting out a shaky breath. Her face was bare and puffy, she looked absolutely washed out. Her hair was frizzy and unstyled, looking freshly rolled out of bed. "Jesus," Brandy muttered to herself. Turning on the tap she cupped her hands under the cool water. Splashing water onto her features she looked back up at her reflection, gripping the edge of the sink harshly.

She couldn't tell if it made her look worse or better. After staring for a good long while she decided it was the former rather than the latter. Brandy exhaled a frustrated sigh, squeezing her eyes shut. It didn't help, flashes of hospital monitors, bloody foreheads, bodies slumped over the wheel. Brandy snapped her dark eyes back open, her breath hitching in her throat. Making her feel choked. The whites of her eyes were red and irritated, she looked high she thought.

The blonde gripped the sink tighter, her knuckles turning white in contrast to her sunkissed skin. Her lip trembled the longer she looked at herself. She gripped the sink tighter. A single tear ran down her cheek, her eyes tracked it as it fled down her freckled face, dissipating at her neck. Tighter. Her shoulders shook as a whimper escaped her throat. Another tear escaped her eyes, and another. She felt a painful sting at her fingertip, seething she looked down.

A crack in her nail bed from the base to the tip. Blood gushed from underneath her fingernail, "Fuck." She swore, sticking her middle finger in her mouth. With her spare hand, she angrily shut the tap off. Furiously wiping her tears away.

Brandy threw her cheer bag on a bench, unzipping it harshly. She stripped herself of her clothes, balling them up and tossing them into the sage green duffel bag. Brandy pulled her cheer skirt out of her bag, pulling it up her legs and over her hips. Then the top, the material scratched at her neck uncomfortably. She zipped the bag back up, carrying it on her shoulder as she left the lonely locker rooms.

Brandy took a deep breath before walking into the gym, laying her duffle bag on the bleachers. "We didn't even see you come in, girl." Tate said, putting a hand on Chrissy's shoulder.

"Just quiet I guess," Brandy gave the best smile she could, dropping it as soon as their looking eyes drew away from her.

"Quiet?" Tracie laughed, "You're a Goddman ninja!"