Ready? Not Really.. (Fem USUK) •IN EDITING•

Alice

A/N:
you guys are giving this so many reads like im almost at a thousand
shit man
actually... you know what? share this story with your friends/followers and let's hit a thousand
maybe then Alice and Amelia will get together
hahahaha
btw thanks for the super nice comments!!!!
---------------------------
Being at Amelia's cheer practices were actually hell.
Like, if I were to die at the moment and were damned to the underworld for being extremely gay or for any other thing I don't want to put a name to, I think this would be what it looked like.
The cheerleaders were each take turns practicing their routines in their small groups of eight or nine girls. Amelia was apparently very well respected, because every single group would ask for her opinion as soon as they were done performing. She had given me a few looks that said "sorry, can't talk now, people won't stop calling me," and by now I think she had just given up on escaping her friends. So, my crush hadn't even stepped foot off of the field since she had dragged me over here.
And the girls that weren't practicing?
They were gossiping on the top of the bleachers. Or talking about blowing their boyfriends. Or both.
And some of them had actually invited their lovers to come and watch them, so a bunch of teenage guys that smelled like they had been running a half-marathon beforehand were laughing and giving their girlfriends wet kisses from time to time.
It was revolting.
Why would I subject myself to this?
Because Amelia had texted me to come and watch her while she practiced, and we could talk afterwards since I hated apologies over texting.
And because she was hot in a mini skirt and crop top. I'm not sure I've ever mentioned that.
You know, when life gives you lemons...
I could hear one of the guys moaning while he made out with his girlfriend, and I turned up the volume on my music and prayed that the practice would end. Or that my life would end before that girl decided to give him a lap dance. Whichever came first.
It was very awkward sitting by myself. Maddie had offered to tag along, but she disappeared after a little while to go to the bathroom and hadn't reappeared since. I think she may have just run away and left me to absolutely humiliate myself in front of my crush. It was a Maddie thing to do.
Some girls on the far side of the bleachers were giving me weird looks and whispering to each other. I hugged myself uncomfortably. Maybe they were just discussing cheer team tactics?
"Why is her hair so short?" I could hear one of them practically whisper-yell. She really didn't know how to whisper. "Is she, like, lesbian?"
"Shh! She can hear us!" her friend snapped.
I narrowed my eyes at them before looking away. Assholes.
Maddie came into my peripheral view, and I silently thanked whatever being was in the sky.
I glared at her and took out my earbuds. "You left me all by myself," I hissed at her. Maddie smiled apologetically.
"Sorry," she said with a shrug. "I ran into my English teacher on the way back, and he started questioning me about my homework I forgot."
I raised my eyebrows.
She was totally lying.
Like Maddie ever forgot her homework.
"So, how's Ames?" Maddie asked, completely changing the subject. She sat beside me.
"She hasn't talked to me once since we got here," I sighed. Amelia was talking to a few of the cheer girls. One of them must've said something funny, because Amelia started laughing loud enough for everyone on both sides of the field to hear. I shivered.
Maddie looked slightly annoyed. "Seriously? She was rambling on earlier about how nervous she was that you were going to come and watch her and how she was totally going to talk to you and make you like her."
I looked at her dubiously. Maddie rolled her eyes at me. "She said all that, okay? No lie."
"Whatever you say." She was definitely lying. Right? She had to be. There was no way Amelia would get nervous over me, as nice as that would be. "But she told me she wanted to apologise in person after practice about the other night."
Maddie smiled. "Really? That's really sweet of her."
I blushed. "I.. I guess. I told her I didn't like apologies over the phone, and so she swore she was going to apologise in person, which," I shook my head, "she still hasn't done."
Maddie gave her sister a look even though Amelia's back was turned.. like she was prepared to go and drag her sister by the ear to come over and pay attention to me. "I'm going to kill her."
"Maddie-" I started.
"No really," she interrupted. "She's just stalling because she's nervous. I'll go get her."
My eyes widened. "Oh my god, Maddie, no, don't you dare-"
"I'll be right back," she said, totally ignoring my protests. Maddie got up and stomped over to her sister. She started talking, and Amelia looked worried. The latter glanced over at me, then started arguing with her sister, based on how they were using big hand gestures and frowning.
I was mortified.
I covered my face with my hands and prayed that no one else was watching my friend fight with my crush about talking to me.
Don't ever get a giant crush on your friend's sister. It would ruin you.
Maddie came back almost as quickly as she had left, this time with Amelia at her heels. The cheerleader looked a little flustered, but she smiled when she saw me.
My heart leapt into my throat.
"Hey dude!" Amelia said cheerfully. She hadn't said my full name once since that strange conversation. I wasn't sure what to think of it. "Sorry I was taking so long. When duty calls, y'know?"
Her smile was absolutely blinding. I knew my face was heating up.
I forgot how to breathe. Her lips were shiny with lip gloss. What was the flavour of it, I wondered? I took a shaky breath before speaking. "It's.. it's fine. I wasn't waiting too terribly long."
Maddie shot me a look. "She totally ditched you, Alice."
"Not totally!" Amelia objected. "It wasn't my fault, either! People kept bugging me and making me watch their flips and stuff!"
I fiddled with the sleeve of my jacket. I had no idea what I should even say. There was absolutely no time I could ever remember where I wanted to exclaim how much I loved Amelia. It was nauseating, being this sentimental, but I couldn't help it.
Maddie seemed to notice my distress. She turned to her sister. "You need to do what you promised her."
No Maddie.
"And I'm not going to sit here and babysit you, either."
No Maddie.
"You two work this out. By yourselves."
MADDIE NO.
Amelia looked as horrified as I was. I didn't know why. I was terrified because I wasn't sure how long I could last while she talked to me wearing next to nothing. Surely I would die.
"Dude!"
"No dude-ing me. You two are so annoying. Figure something out yourselves, for once," Maddie started to walk away.
"Come back!" I yelled.
She just waved without even looking over her shoulder.
Amelia and I stared at each other.
"So," she said. Amelia didn't bother finishing her sentence.
"Why don't cheerleaders ever wear uniforms that actually cover anything?" I asked without thinking.
Fuck me.
The corner of Amelia's mouth lifted. She had dimples. Fuck, not the dimples. End me. "Why do dancers wear tights that ride up their asses when they try to do anything?"
I raised my eyebrows. "You're so poetic, Amelia. Please, write a book."
She grinned at me. "You never stop with the sarcasm, huh? You actually do it over text and everything."
My eyes widened. She probably thought I was an asshole! "I don't mean to sound rude, if that's what you're implying."
"I'm not implying anything," she said with a shrug. "You're just really sarcastic and I don't exactly get sarcasm. It's, like, a whole other language. Maybe Swedish?"
I snorted. "You think sarcasm is from Sweden? Really?"
Amelia rolled her eyes. She finally sat next to me. "I think you need to stop taking everything so literally, man." She rubbed her arms and scowled. "It's fucking freezing out here."
I glanced over at her and her skimpy little uniform. She was a little heavier than most of the other cheerleaders, sure, but she looked absolutely astounding in her dumb outfit. "You should've brought a coat. Not like your skirt isn't completely resistant against the wind."
"Thanks, mom."
I looked up at her face. Her nose and cheeks were bright red, as were the tips of her ears. "You can borrow my jacket, if you'd like."
She looked me in the eye. Amelia hadn't done that in a while, which was odd. She looked everyone in the eye. "I think it's too small for me."
"Nonsense." I took it off of me and wrapped it around her shoulders. I was definitely smaller than her, as was the jacket, but it worked well enough for the moment.
She looked a little concerned. "But now you'll be cold, too-"
"Hush. I'm not the one wearing the uniform."
Amelia smiled goofily. "'Kay."
I tried to think of something to say. Something smart.
You can do this, Alice! Think of something witty, something clever...
"So.." I said.
Nice job, you tit.
"So," Amelia repeated.
We looked at each other.
"Are you going to do what you dragged me here for?" I asked. Amelia winced.
"Yeah. Yeah, I know."
She took a deep breath.
"Sorry for being a total asshole the other night and for being a douchebag in general because you aren't that bad like your hair is cool and your name is really pretty like I said and just.." She exhaled. "Yeah."
I laughed. "You done?"
She smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. But really, I am super sorry for everything. I want us to start over. You and Maddie are friends, so why aren't we?" I sat up.
"Yes, you're right," I said.
Amelia thought for a second then stuck out her hand. "Hey, my name is Amelia. Amelia F Jones. You can call me Amy."
I rolled my eyes but shook her hand. "Alice Kirkland. And I don't really like nicknames."
Amelia's hand was warm in mine. She beamed at me. "I know that now, dude."
We didn't let go of each other.
If anything, her fingers tightened around mine.
What the fuck?
I swallowed heavily.
She looked away.
I felt her palm slide across mine, still refusing to leave my hand. Her fingers were outstretched, and I mimicked her hand.
She finally looked me in the eye, even if was just in her peripheral view.
I wondered..
I slid my hand so my fingers were in the spaces between hers.
"I.." she breathed.
Her hand was so warm.
Our fingers finally started to interlock.
"Ali.." she murmured, leaning closer. I inhaled sharply.
"Amelia!" someone yelled from across the field.
Fuck.
Fuck.
"Shit!" Amelia said, snapping out of it. Her hand immediately left mine. Everything felt so much colder. It was unbearable. "Shit," she repeated, much quieter.
"Amy!" the person shouted again. "Come watch Britt and I do this! We need outside input!"
"Yeah. Yeah!" Amelia shouted back. "I'm coming!"
She looked at me. My face had to be bright red.
"Nice.. Nice talk," she spluttered.
"Uh huh," I said stupidly.
"I just.." she jumped up. "Text me." Amelia sprinted across the field, my jacket still wrapped tightly around her shoulders.
I stuffed my fists in my pockets and stared at the ground.
What the hell had just happened?