The Cheerleader's Secret [ Completed ]

Chapter 8: Shadows of Regret

After Olivia left the cafeteria, her mind was spinning. The overwhelming sensation of being watched, judged, and out of place haunted her with every step. She couldn’t face the stares anymore, nor could she return to class with her thoughts tangled in anxiety. So she did what she thought was best—she left.

Walking down the streets of her town, she didn’t know where she was going, just that she needed to escape. She eventually found herself at the park a mile away, her legs heavy with the weight of her emotions. She sat down on a bench under a large oak tree and put her face in her hands. The tears came, slow at first, then all at once, as she quietly cursed herself.

"God damn it, Olivia... why did you treat Maddie like that?" she muttered between sobs. "Ugh, she's probably so mad at me. She probably hates me now. It’s too late to say sorry."

Lost in her spiraling thoughts, Olivia barely noticed when someone approached. A voice suddenly broke the silence.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Olivia looked up, startled. Standing in front of her was a tall, athletic guy with a concerned expression. His short, dark hair was slightly messy as if he hadn’t really cared how it looked, and his eyes had a kind of gentleness she didn’t expect from someone who might’ve seen her at school.

"My name's Ethan," he said, his voice calm and steady. "I saw you leave the school and come here, and, well... you looked like you were in a rough spot. Just thought I'd check up on you."

Olivia, still wiping her tears, felt the lump in her throat return. She couldn’t find her voice at first, but she forced herself to speak.

"M-my name is... O-Olivia. But y-you can c-call me L-Liv," she stammered, her nerves on edge. "W-wait... did you f-follow me here?"

Ethan smiled softly, trying to ease her nerves. "No, no, I didn’t mean it like that. I actually skip school on a weekly basis, to be honest." He shrugged, as if it wasn’t a big deal. "But as I was heading out, I saw you leaving too, and, well... you remind me of my little sister. She has social anxiety too. So I thought I’d come over and see if you needed someone to talk to."

Olivia blinked, surprised at his honesty. She didn’t really know what to say, but it was comforting to hear someone acknowledge what she’d been feeling.

"W-well... y-you’re right," Olivia said quietly. "I d-do have social a-anxiety. And... th-thanks, I guess."

Ethan took that as an invitation to sit down next to her. His presence was surprisingly non-threatening, and Olivia found herself relaxing, even if just a little bit.

“So,” Ethan said, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “Do you wanna talk about what’s going on?”

For a moment, Olivia hesitated. But then, something inside her broke. She needed to let it out, all of it.

“I… I s-screwed up,” she began, her voice shaky. “I h-have this g-girlfriend, Madison. She’s perfect, and s-she’s so good to me. She’s like, the only one who understands me. But at lunch today... I just snapped. I-I was feeling so overwhelmed with everyone staring at me, and I told her to leave me alone, even though I didn’t mean it. I j-just... I just couldn’t handle it.”

Ethan nodded, listening intently.

“And n-now... now I feel like I’ve ruined everything. She p-probably hates me now. I don't know what to do. Every time things g-get better, it feels like I just m-make them worse,” Olivia said, her tears starting to fall again.

Ethan waited until she had finished before speaking. “Look, Liv, I don’t know Madison, but from what you’ve told me, it sounds like she really cares about you. I doubt she’s just going to hate you over one rough moment. You’re human, you know? It’s okay to feel like this sometimes.”

Olivia wiped her eyes, feeling slightly better hearing those words.

“And about everyone staring at you,” Ethan continued, “yeah, high school sucks. People are always going to be curious, and they’ll talk, but that doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you. I know it’s hard, but you’ve got to focus on the people who actually care, like Madison.”

Olivia nodded, trying to hold onto his words. She felt lighter, but the worry was still there.

The sun was starting to set, casting a golden glow across the park, and Olivia realized how long she had been sitting there. She sniffled and looked at Ethan.

“Hey, um… would you mind giving me a ride home?” she asked hesitantly. “It’s kinda far.”

Ethan nodded. “Sure, where do you live?”

Olivia bit her lip before answering. “Well, you know where the head cheerleader Madison lives? That’s where I’m staying.”

Ethan raised his eyebrows, a look of recognition crossing his face. “Ohhh, you’re that girl.”

Olivia’s stomach twisted at his words. “Wh-what girl?”

“Well, people have been talking around school,” Ethan said, not trying to hide it. “Some folks are saying Madison’s lesbian and that you’re living with her.”

Olivia’s heart sank. She tried so hard not to let people’s words affect her, but the way Ethan said it so casually reminded her of all the whispers she heard daily. Tears welled up in her eyes again, and Ethan quickly held up his hands in defense.

“Hey, hey, I didn’t mean it like that! I’m not like those jerks at school,” Ethan said quickly. “I don’t bully innocent people like you. I actually think it’s cool that you and Madison are together. Besides, I’m not one to talk—half the time I’m skipping class just to avoid drama myself.”

Olivia looked up at him, her tears still falling, but she felt a bit reassured. Ethan stood up and motioned toward the parking lot.

“Come on, let’s get you home. It’s getting late,” he said.

They walked together in silence toward Ethan’s car, an expensive-looking vehicle parked near the entrance. Olivia felt a little out of place as she slid into the passenger seat, but Ethan didn’t make a big deal of it. He started the car and they pulled out of the lot, heading toward Madison’s house.

As they drove, Olivia stared out the window, the fading daylight casting long shadows over the trees. The hum of the engine was oddly soothing, and for the first time all day, she allowed herself to breathe.

“You know, Liv,” Ethan said as they passed the town square, “don’t beat yourself up too much about today. Everyone has bad days, even people who seem perfect. Just talk to Madison. She’ll understand.”

Olivia didn’t respond right away, but she nodded, hoping he was right. By the time they pulled into the driveway of Madison’s mansion, Olivia felt a mix of relief and dread. She was grateful for Ethan’s help, but now she had to face the reality of what had happened with Madison.

Ethan parked the car and turned to Olivia. “If you ever need someone to talk to again, don’t hesitate to reach out. You’ve got this, okay?”

Olivia smiled weakly. “Thanks, Ethan. I really appreciate it.”

With that, she stepped out of the car and walked toward the front door, her heart pounding. She had no idea what Madison would say, but she knew she had to apologize.