I'd Sell My Soul

Chapter 23: Sounds familiar

-OCTOBER 31st, 2007-

Allison Monroe's POV:

I opened the double doors to the gym and was blinded for a second by the fluorescent lights. The crowd was chanting for the Colfax High school bulldogs as I led the cheer squad into the gym shaking our blue pom Poms and cheering. Farrah was on my left as we formed two lines on either side of the entrance of the gym. We stomped our feet and raised our poms to the tune of "We will rock you" by Queen. I looked over at Farrah. She was beaming as the basketball players ran in the gym down the center of our line. After the last player arrived we took our positions along the sideline.

"I like your half up half down hair. The curls look good." Farrah smirked at me. I instinctively reached around and touched the big blue bow on the back of my head.

"Thanks my big sis did my hair." I chuckled to which she smiled.

"Are you going to the party at Chad Hallet's house tonight?" Farrah asked me.

"No ew. Chad's dad is a taxidermist and has dead things everywhere in that house. I think I'm going with Abbie Hart after this to catch the last half of the varsity football game in Pullman." I reply as we watch the tip off.

"Are you going to watch Levi?" Farrah asks as our eyes follow the basketball as it's passed around.

"Yeah he asked me to come if I could. I'll catch a ride back with Abbie but Levi and I have plans to go to the drive in movies tonight." I glance over at her. She's smiling still but it's her cheer smile plastered on. It's fake and I can see right through it.

"Levi is too old for you Al." She warns through her gritted teeth in a straight toothed smile.

"He's not and I wish you'd leave me alone about it already." I remarked through my own smile.

"Hey Allison if you are Abbie are going to the game tonight can I catch a ride with you?" Jenny Colt asks behind me.

"Absolutely." I say to her over my shoulder.

"What's Katie up to tonight?" Farrah asks me as the opposing team shoots a basket.

"She went to the football game with Olga Morey." I respond.

"Are you two fighting? I feel like you're never apart for more than five minutes at a time." Farrah scoffs.

"No no. I think she's just a little disappointed at how much time cheer has consumed." I sighed but kept my attention on the fast paced game before us.

"Make sure you're being the best friend to her that you can be Al. Friends like Katie are forever if you play your cards right." Farrah says without looking at me.

"Like me and Farrah, best friends forever." Jenny cuts in from behind us. Farrah laughs.

"Best friends forever." Farrah asserts. "Just think about your friends like your chosen family, Allison."

"I know." I nod. Though I could do without Farrah always parenting me.

After the basketball game I packed up my poms in my duffel bag that had varsity letters on the side spelling out "Monroe". I stared at it for a moment. Just a week ago Farrah had been going through mom's things and found letters from some guy named "Davis Callaghan". She'd brought them to our Aunt Carla, who in turn, confirmed that Davis was who she had suspected to be our father. Davis was mom's high school boyfriend who had taken a football scholarship to go play for OSU and was never heard from again. The only information mom had ever given us about our father was that we had the same one. We weren't half sisters. Aunt Carla theorized mom got pregnant at the end of her senior year, Davis left for school, mom had Farrah and then when he came back for spring break was when she must've seen him and got pregnant again with me. It was the most likely scenario. I began imagining what life would've been like if Davis had comeback and assumed responsibility for us. Maybe mom wouldn't have gone to prison for selling drugs. Maybe we could've been a happy family.

As Abbie's Volkswagen Beetle bumbled up to the parking lot of Pullman high school, I tugged on my black parka. The parking lot overlooked the football field where our team was winning with only ten minutes left. We got out of the car and I thanked Abbie for the ride before wandering down to the bleachers in the student section where I found Katie sitting with a blanket over her lap and Olga's. I squished in next to her and put the blanket on my own lap. Katie put her arms around me and pulled me in close.

"You're gonna freeze in that tiny cheer skirt." She huffs as we watch the game.

"No I won't. I have you." I grin at her.

"Quit cheesing. Your man took down some Pullman guy hard. The kid didn't play the rest of the game." Katie chuckles.

"He can take me down anytime." I smirk.

"Gross." Katie shoves me. We cheer as the referee blows the final whistle. Katie follows behind me as we wander onto the field. I find Levi walking across the field to me. He's holding his helmet and running a gloved hand through his hair. When he sees me walking towards him a smile forms on his face.

"Hey you." He beams before I jump up into his arms. He hooks his arms under my thighs and I hand my arms around his neck as we kiss.

"I missed you." I smile at him.

"It's only been like five hours since I saw you at school." He laughs before setting me down on the turf.

"Gross." Katie scrunches her nose up at us.

"Nice to see you too Katie." Levi laughs.

"So are you two riding back with us?" Katie asks as Olga catches up to us.

"Let me just change and grab my bag." Levi nods before running off the field.

When Katie and Olga drop Levi and I off at the school we walk to his truck in the student parking lot, holding hands. He chucks his duffel bag in the tailgate and we get in the cab of truck.

"Hey...open the glove box." Levi says with a half smile like he's trying to hide it. I look at him before opening the glove box to see a small black velvet box. I pick it up and open it. Inside is a dainty gold heart shaped locket. "Flip it over" he insists. I do so and notice an engraving that reads; "Levi and Ali forever".

"Levi...I'm speechless." I look up at him with my mouth agape.

"Can I put it on you?" He offers. I nod, handing the locket to him and turning around. He secures the necklace around my neck.

"I love you Levi. Forever." I look into his eyes.

"I love you too Ali...forever." He says before gently kissing me, as butterflies flutter in my stomach, I just know he's the one I'm supposed to be with forever.