Out of Thin Air

Confrontation

Leila walked into school on Monday feeling triumphant. It had been pretty simple to make sure that Max wouldn't tell the world how crazy she was. Just a simple phone call to Makayla, saying that Max had forgotten her name again, and all was arranged. Max was now the subject of all school gossip. 

She walked into class and sat down at her usual seat next to Makayla, who gave her a thumbs up and a big smile. A few seconds later, the class quieted. Everybody was staring at Max as he walked in, some were whispering and giggling. The boy nervously went to sit at the back of the class.

One of the boys yelled something rude at him, and soon the whole class was laughing at him openly, his high school social life was over before it had even begun. Try and mess with me again, New Boy. Leila thought triumphantly.

Leila hadn't expected for Max to ever talk to her again after that, but he caught up to her a few days later when she was walking home again.

"Hey Leila, wait up!" Max ran up to her side.

"What are you doing here?" She asked sickeningly calm.

"Walking home, just like you." he replied just as evenly.

"Sure..." She replied sarcastically, "What do you want?"

"To know why you did it." He stated.

"Did what?"

"Please, it's obvious you spread those rumors about, but I don't understand why. " he explained.

"Isn't it obvious?" she asked, turning to face him. "You would've told the whole school I was insane. So, I made sure you were no longer a credible source." 

Max stared at her silently for a long time, a sad look on his face.

"I wasn't going to tell anyone." He said finally. 

"W-What?" Leila stammered out, completely taken aback, "Why not?"

"What could I gain from making you feel terrible?" He asked angrily, on the verge of tears, then stormed away. His words stayed behind, stinging Leila like a slap. 

Whatever, she reassured herself, he's just some stupid crybaby. She tried to forget about it, but that last question of Max's followed her all the way home.

But life went on, as it tends to and Leila got up and went to school the next day, and followed her usual routine of learning, and hanging out after school with the girls throughout the week. Until that conversation with Max had faded in her mind, replaced by schoolwork and other drama. 

"Hey Leila, guess wha-at?" Makayla yelled to her across the hallway one lunch period, "They just posted it on the announcement board! Cheerleading tryouts in two weeks!"

"What? Oh my god, we have to try out!" Leila squealed in response.

"Duh, I've heard any girl worth anything at this school is on the cheerleading team!"

"Hey, you girls are trying out for the team?" Taylor bounced excitedly up to the girls, followed quickly by Savannah, "We were just going to sign up!"

"We were?" Savannah asked confusedly, "I thought we were going to the b-Ow!" Taylor had stepped not so inconspicuously on her foot, and dragged her towards the sign up sheet.

"Anyways..." Makayla continued with a roll of her eyes, "There's no way we won't get in with our talents! Do you remember when..." Leila half-listened to Makayla's reminiscing and half-daydreamed about her future , a senior and the cheer captain, queen of the school along with Makayla, loved by everyone....