Not Your Average Cheerleader

NYAC - Part 14

As I walked down the halls to get to the art room, I managed to bump into Nicole and 2 of her bitchy friends who were also on the cheer squad. They all had their arms folded with menacing looks on their faces. I really wasn't in the mood for this, could it not wait until after school?

"well look who it is girls, It's the girl who doesn't deserve to be team captain"

"What do you want Nicole?"

I sighed and stood in front of her, I was already disheveled and defeated, it wasn't going to take much from this lot to send me into emotional distress. She walked up to me, towering over me, Nicole liked to use her height as a source of intimidation, but I was beyond letting it get to me, I rolled my eyes at her, but when she grabbed my by the scruff of my shirt, I had dropped the books that were once clinged to my chest.

"I warned you about giving up that position of yours, and you didn't. So now it's time you learned to play by my rules."

All of a sudden the only thing I could feel was pain before being tossed to the ground. I covered my right eye and winced as she took another step forward. She picked up my math text book and then used it to beat me with in a crazed manner, but I had no help. Her friends watched in fascination and corruption. She tossed the book to the side and then picked me up again, throwing me into wall after wall, my head bouncing off each one. She threw me down once more and then watched as I lie there, not even completely conscious anymore. I heard the sound of snaps in the back ground coming from multiple phones, and then I was left there in a pile of my own papers and books. I closed my eyes, well as much as I could because one of them was now swollen, and just laid there, hoping someone would come, I didn't want to move in case Nicole and her lackeys were still there, she was out for blood.

With every breath came another shot of pain. I felt the wind from the doors that were just opening from outside, but then I heard the sound of footsteps, they sounded like they were rushing towards me. As they got closer I could hear him talk, but it wasn't who I wanted it to be, I would much rather Hayden than to have to deal with this.

"(Y/n)?, Oh my god."

He kneeled before me and tried to pull me up, at least to get his head into my lap, but with every touch I just groaned in pain. I opened my one good eye as much as I could and stared up at him. His brown eyes looked so worried as they stared back at me. He quickly ran around me and picked up all of my scattered papers and books, putting them all into a pile, before placing them into my bag. He placed my bag over his shoulders and then very carefully, Dan picked me up, carrying my broken and defeated body, bridal style towards the School nurse with a quick pace to his step.

When we get there, he rushes me into the room, calling for help. The nurse takes one look at me and instantly shows Dan to the spare bed that's lying in the back of the room. with Delicacy he puts me and my bag down and then then nurse rushes over to assess my wounds.

"Is She going to be okay? I found her on the ground"

"You found her like this?!"

"In the Hall"

"Oh honey, It looks like you took one hell of a beating"

I clutched my arms close together, just trying to focus on my breathing, I was so sore from the text book being smashed down on me over and over, how could someone treat another like this? As the nurse looked over my body for marks and other wounds, Dan took a seat beside me, his hand reached out for mine and gently rubbed his thumb over the top of it. I was a mess, a real mess, and I didn't want to be here anymore.

"Daniel, you can go back to class now"

"No, I'm good right here. She needs someone here"

"I'll call her parents"

I looked at the nurse as best as I could and wheezed out some words that I slapped together.

"Not.. Home, On trip"

The nurse gave me a concerning look and then sighed.

"Well, you need to get home somehow, I can't let you stay like this, I mean. You have bruises all over your body, you have a black eye that's swollen and you can't even breathe properly, You need to go home"

Dan looked up at her whilst he squeezed my hand, I would have told him he was hurting me, but what was a little more pain.

"I'll take her home, I have a car here"

She gave him the okay as long as he came straight back to school. Why did he even care though, especially after what he said this morning to me. I didn't get it. I was given as much time as I needed to gain my breath back and to gain movement to get to Dan's car, but he remained there the whole time, not saying a word, but just calmly stroking my hand. When I nodded that I was okay to go, Dan picked up my bag and then placed his vacant arm around my hip so that I was stable against him. We slowly walked out to his car and he kindly helped me get in. Dan got into the drivers seat and turned on the ignition, but before he decided to drive, he looked at me.

"I'm sorry"

"What?"

"For this morning. it was me there on Saturday. I don't know why I said that in front of my friends, It was a dick move, and I'm sorry."

I sighed and rested my elbow on the window.

"Can you just drive me home please"

"Oh. Okay. Sure."

He placed on his seat belt and set course for my home, where we remained silent for the whole drive. I wasn't sure if he was screwing with my feelings or what, but I didn't think I should be so quick to forgive him. He pulled up to my house about 15 minutes later and turned off the car.

"Look, (Y/n), I need you to know how sorry I am. I think you're actually a nice person. And well..."

"Well?"

"Just. I'm sorry. Please know that."

"I don't think you understand how I felt Dan. What am I to you?"

"Oh Christ. I know this is corny as shit, but recently to me, you're like the rain in a drought. You're like coming up for fresh air when I'm about to drown. I don't know what it is recently about you, but after last Friday I've felt different towards you. And if you would like, I'd go to prom with you"

I looked at Dan, he seemed genuine, but then again I thought that before. He embarrassed me greatly, how did I know that it wasn't going to happen again. I frowned a little and grabbed my bag, wincing as I tried to get out of the car, I gave Dan one last look before I opened up the car door.

"It's not enough"

"What?"

"If that's what I am to you, it's not enough, not after what you said earlier. I just. I'm hurting too Much Dan."

I got out of the car and flung my bag over my shoulder. Slowly I walked towards my door, not looking back. Dan sighed and turned his car back on. When I reached my front door, I opened it up and looked back at him. He looked sad, but then again so was I. I just received a beating by the school's mean girl, I didn't need this. I watched as he drove off, back in the direction he came from and then walked inside where I just began to sob uncontrollably.