Tragedy On The Roof

2: Encounter

(CREDIT GOES TO ARTIST.)

The cheerleaders were taking selfies after a beautiful practice, except Loona, who was in a corner staring at a photo of Bret with a smirk, "I'll find you."

Loona was approached by her friend, who quickly made Loona change her mood.

Loona jumped, "Henrietta! Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry, Loona." Henrietta chuckled, "What's on your mind?"

"Hen, I got that lineman on my mind. He's scaring me a little." Loona shrugged, "Besides, I know what I'm doing as a cheerleader."

Hen sighed, "I hope to get with Omar. He's charming and French. What I love."

"Yeah, but I'll do better than you if I get Bret." Loona snickered.

"I don't think so." Hen scoffed.

"You wanna test that theory?" Loona growled.

"Ha! You make me laugh!" Hen laughed, "Are you gonna manipulate him?"

Loona slapped Hen, "You make ME laugh, you dumb whore!"

Hen walked away and went with another group of cheerleaders. Loona smiled as she packed up and walked to her dorm. She grabbed her phone and started texting her dad, saying she was okay and needed some money for groceries whenever he could get the chance to do so.

Until she bumped into someone, "Hey! Watch where you're—"

Loona quickly realized who she had bumped into the lineman. It was the man himself, Bret, "Oh, I know you."

"You're that fucking cynical cheerleader, Loona, right?" Bret asked worriedly.

"Yeah. I'm better than the others. I'm in most of the headlines." Loona playfully laughed, "Besides, I make most men drool, and then I reject them."

"This is why no one likes you?" Bret growled, "You make everything about yourself only to humiliate those around you."

Loona chuckled, "You've caught on, I see."

"Caught on?!" Bret snarled, "I grew up with a narcissistic mom! Does that make you feel any better?!"

Loona's jaw dropped, "Oh, I guess you know my flaws."

Bret frowned, "I don't want love. I want to be happy and play again."

Loona wrapped her leg around his waist, "Are you sure you want happiness? I don't manipulate people like you think I would."

Bret blushed, and Loona seemed to smirk, "What's wrong? Something you want to say?"

Bret looked away, still blushing, "Why are you doing this?"

Loona was taken aback; she couldn't believe what he asked her, "Why? That's the question you ask me?"

The two stood in the hallway, awkwardly blushing about the fact that Bret was questioning her authority of manipulation abilities. She grabbed him by the collar and leaned in closely, their lips inches apart, "Do you think you can ask about me? I didn't think so, buddy. Nothing will ever see you become something you want to. I manipulate people for their reactions, not for my benefit, you moron."

Bret tried to pull back, but his head was already against the wall. Loona would start realizing Bret wouldn't fall under her spell that easily. Instead, she let go of his waist and walked away, almost crying that he wouldn't break. Her attempt broke her heart, and she brushed it off.

Bret sighed, and Loona ran up and smacked him, causing him to fall onto the ground, "Ow. You asshole."

Loona snarled, "Don't you EVER try and humiliate me by not giving in."

Bret realized his thoughts were telling him something, "It's all for a reaction. NOT for your benefit."

Loona decided to lift his sleeve, "No wonder why."

"Why what?" Bret pulled his arm back.

"The scars are from your past. Dear god, what have I done?" Loona positioned her back against the wall and silently sobbed. Bret didn't feel remorseful, so he helped and hugged her around her waist, causing her to calm down.

Loona blushed and pouted, "You win this round."

"How about we head to the coffee shop tomorrow and talk? Alright?" Bret blushed.

"Okay. What time?" Loona replied.

"Does noon work?" Bret let go of her waist.

Loona nodded, and even better for Bret. They swapped numbers! Bret was happy that a girl spoke to him. It wasn't how he wanted it to go. They hugged one more time and walked to their respective dorms.

***

It was a twenty-minute walk for Bret to reach his dorm. He sighed as he fumbled with the keys again. Daxton opened the door, "Are you going to keep fumbling with your keys? Or are you trying to unlock and open the door?"

"Shut up, Daxton." Bret groaned, "I got some shit to do. I'm doing some laundry. Anything of yours I need to wash?"

"Just my Lacrosse jersey." Daxton pointed to his desk.

"Which one?" Bret asked.

"Home jersey." Daxton smiled.

"I thought you guys were heading down to play Florida State? Wouldn't it be the away jersey?" Bret poured himself a cup of coffee, "I don't have any classes tomorrow except for Photography."

"Oh yeah, the game got moved here. Whoops." Daxton used his hand to comb his hair, "I'm starting either way for tomorrow's game. I'm happy as is."

"Did you and Loona encounter each other by chance? on the other side of the locker room?" Daxton holds back a laugh.

"Why do you ask?" Bret peaked his head from the corner, "Did my phone go off?"

"Loona is trying to call you. Thought I'd tell you." Daxton turned his desk light off.

"Please tell me your kidding." Bret groaned, "This is the third time she's tried calling me since I walked home."

Daxton rolled into his bed, "You were saying?"

"I'm heading to the laundry area. I'll be back in an hour." Bret closed the door behind him.

"Alright. Goodnight." Daxton frowned, "Sucks when you're gone."

"I'm not gay, you fuckstick!" Bret yelled after closing the door, "I might use that against Omar."

The doors open to the laundromat on campus, run by students from the Economics Club, "I'm happy this is here. Otherwise, I'd be at the laundromat down the street run by Iranians. Fuck them! They charge too much anyway."

Bret put his headphones on and started listening to music. He didn't have Spotify Premium, but he didn't care. All he wanted was music, and he got it. The music was from his "Workout Playlist." Which mostly had songs about mental health and miscellaneous stuff.

"I'm face to face with the devil." Bret mumbled, "I love Citizen Soldier. I've always had a focus on mental health. Just like Jake Segura, I too want to be a therapist."

Bret rocked out before he tripped onto his basket, or so he thought.