Make My Way

Chapter Seven

Stella's POV

After the bell rang for school, I was packing all my stuff into my locker. We didn't have cheer practice since there was a home game. I closed my locker to find Luca standing on the other side. "Oh, hi! Sorry I'm in you way." I said frantically

I started to walk away when he stopped me "Wait no I wanted to talk to you." This is around the time where my heart starts beating like a racehorse. So many thought were filling my head What if Neil told him? Luca and Neil are good friends so it wouldn't surprise me if Neil told him. I mean, I told Aria, right? This was just like that.

I gazed up at him. He was around 6'4 so I had a ways to look to make eye contact. "Stella, I was just wondering if, well," he hesitated, unsure about something, "Would you want to get some dinner or coffee with me sometime?"

I stood there stunned. I definitely wasn't expecting that. Neil... I thought. How can I say yes to Luca? How can I say no? We used to be practically best friends before middle school. I was extremely conflicted. Finally I made my decision. "Sure," I responded, trying to seem casual with a cute smile, even though my answer was about ten seconds late and Luca had started to look very concerned. If Neil was really interested in me in that way, he would have asked me out already, right?

"Cool. I'll pick you up at 6 for dinner tomorrow if that works for you."

"Okay."

When I turned around to leave, I saw the back of Neil's head going around the corner and a sharp pain stabbed right through my heart.

What did I just do?

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I walked outside into the parking lot and got into the driver's seat of my bright green bug. I put my head in my hands and clicked on Aria's number, which I had on speed dial. It rang once. Twice. Three times.

"Hey Stella. Netella still going strong?" she asked.

"Hey. Wait, Netella?" I started, confused.

"Yeah. It's your and Neil's ship name. It was either that or Steil... So, going strong, I'm assuming?"

"Oh, about that... Not so much..."

"Huh?" It was her turn to be confused.

"I may or may not have just said yes to Luca when he asked me out...."

Aria almost screamed me deaf. "WHAT! You don't even like him!"

"But I couldn't say no!"

"But Netella."

"I guess, but who knows if he's even really interested in me. If he was wouldn't he already ask me out?"

"Well he was going to ask you to homecoming but now the chances are super low! He didn't see you and Luca, right? Maybe you can tell Luca you can't do it. That you don't want to go out with him." Now she was mad.

"He was kind of turning the corner when I walked away and I think he heard the whole thing...."

"Well I can try to talk to him after the football game tonight but I don't know if I can even do anything."

"I'm sorry...."

"Just remember to tell that to Neil."

She hung up. I let out a cry if frustration. I took a deep breath and changed the car into reverse. I still have to be a cheerleader tonight. Both of them are playing. I've gotta hold myself together. At least until afterwards.

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Aria's POV

I dragged myself up the stairs and into the city's football stadium that we used for our varsity home games. I set up my instrument and scanned the field. It was funny how you could tell who people were just by the way they walked. There was Blake, standing next to Adrian and his friend, Easton, and his one of Blake's best friends, Evan. There was Neil, by Jared. When I saw Luca, I glared. He shouldn't have done what he did. He had to have known Neil liked her like that. He had to have known how much that would hurt him.

I pulled my mind away from those thoughts to start playing as people came in. After we had played a few songs, Willow came and sat down next to me with her trumpet and I was suddenly aware of Vivian playing with the other clarinets in front of me.

We played the Star Spangled Banner and sat down to watch the game. It wasn't long before Merrick turned around and mouthed something up to Vivian and I. 'Help me,' he exaggerated. I saw another of the percussionists, Quinn, make a face at him and give me a big, cheesy smile. Merrick grimaced and ran around her, up to us. He tried to start a conversation and failed miserably.

When it was half time and we were done playing, Vivian and I went to the concessions counter and bought some dinner. Willow had to leave to go babysit her little brother while her parents went out. Merrick found us in line and tried to join in our conversation. Vivian bought some food for her parents and then went back for herself. She bought some nachos and candy while I bought a of bag of salt and vinegar chips and a cappuccino. Merrick was still tagging along when we went to go sit in the student section.

Stella and Aurora were cheerleaders so naturally, since we couldn't see Aurora, we started making faces at Stella. We made her mess up but I don't think she cared. She's a pretty go with the flow kind of person so if she messes up she just kinda brushes it off and keeps going.

After the game I go and find my parents. They had claimed they came to watch me, but really it was just an excuse for my dad to watch the game and my siblings to get out of the house. I have four siblings, three sisters and one brother. I'm the oldest so they make it very hard for me to have friends over. My parents give me the you did great speech which I've heard about 700 times but I just stand there and nod secretly thinking you can't even here me cause I'm the only mellophone player. Doesn't that ever cross there minds? "I'm sleeping over at Stella's. See you to tomorrow," I tell my dad because if I would tell my mom she would probably flood me with questions.

Tonight I'm going to Stella's house just to hang out and talk and probably watch a couple movies. She was going out with the cheerleaders for a late night meal and I was going to pick her up after. Until then, I had some matchmaking work to do.