Happier

Chapter 6

The clock strikes 9pm when Lacey walks into the house after her photoshoot with Cole. The smile hadn't left her face the whole way home and even when she entered the house, she was still smiling. She drops her bag on the countertop and moves over to the fridge to take something to drink. 
"Where have you been?" her dad's voice makes her jump a little and spill her water. 
"Had to work on a school project with V and Mel," she lies, then sips from her water again, "Didn't I tell you that?" she asks to try and get away with it. It always works with her dad. 
"Oh, no. I don't think you did," Lacey sighs unnoticeable; she got away with it, "Have you eaten?" With all the fun she had with Cole, she completely forgot to eat. 
"Err, yeah. We ate at the diner while working," she lies again. She's used to skipping meals by now. Lately, she's been having a stage of barely-eating. Other times, she'll eat as if there's no tomorrow. It's weird and annoying. Luckily, she has a quick metabolism for the times she eats like a pig. That's how she stays slim. That and jogging every now and then. 
"I'm visiting aunt Meryl and uncle Luke tomorrow. You want to come?" her dad asks while he sits down on the sofa. Uncle Luke is dad's brother and there's no one in the world she hates more than him. After his first wife, Cynthia passed away, he got a new girlfriend. Meryl is the most stuck up bitch Lacey had ever met. She's even worse than the captain of the cheerleaders herself. And she wiggled herself into the family way too fast after aunt Cynthia had died. That family now only ever exist of drama and useless fights. 
"First of all, dad," Lacey starts as she moves towards the sofa where her dad is sitting, "Meryl is not my aunt. And second, I don't want anything to do with a drama family like theirs. Plus, your brother is a jerk anyway for forgetting about auntie Cynthia so fast," without waiting for an answer, she goes upstairs with all her stuff she'd left on the counter. Her dad's saying something, but she doesn't hear him. She doesn't want to hear him. The day he gets a new girlfriend will be his last. 

To Cole 📷🍔: Can I see you again tomorrow after cheerleading practice? x

She plops down onto her bed and falls back to stare at the ceiling with her phone on her stomach. Her mind goes back and forth from Cole to Archie. She loves Archie, but she wants to spend more time with Cole than with him. What does that even mean? Maybe she has to break up with Archie,  but maybe she doesn't. Do you really want to continue doing something that doesn't make you happy just because you worked hard for it? The sentence repeats itself in her mind. Does she want to be with someone who doesn't make her happy? She loves Archie, but she isn't sure whether he makes her happy or not. The buzzing of her phone startles her and takes her out of her train of thoughts. 

From Cole 📷🍔: Sure. Back at the diner? x

The next day, Lacey attends her very last cheerleading practice. But she wouldn't tell the Roses that. Yet. Maybe after tomorrow's game. In her cheerleader uniform, she walks into the gym where all the other Roosevelt Roses are warming up. 
"Alright, Roses," their captain shouts, clapping her hands, "Our very own Rhinos have an important game tomorrow, so it is our duty to keep them and the audience awake. We have to make it sexy, fun and irresistible for the audience to sit still." The girls in front of her all nod, smiles on their faces. Lacey loves being a cheerleader, but something inside tells her it doesn't make her happy. Maybe it's the reputation that comes with it or maybe it's just because she felt obliged to join for her mother. She was a Roosevelt Rose in her time too.
"Coach Rivers isn't here?" Violet asks once Lacey's speech is over.
"No, she has a meeting with the principal. So you'll have to do with me today. Is that a problem, V?" her voice sounds harsh, maybe a little too harsh. Violet shuts her mouth and shakes her head. "Alright, Roses. You keep me hanging on from the top," she shouts and presses the play button on the remote connected to the stereo. While they do their choreo perfectly and Lacey softly sings along, her mind starts racing. It goes from coach Rivers whom she tells she quits to Archie and Cole. Both of the boys stand in front of her while she gives her best on the floor. Archie or Cole. Archie. Cole. The song ends with Violet and Melanie on each side of Lacey. Everyone is panting from the exhausting choreo, and Lacey almost looks mad.
"Alright everybody, take five," she then says, mostly for herself. She needs five minutes to get her mind off of the whole situation. Quit the Roses, break up with Archie.
"Are you okay?" Melanie asks and drinks from her water as if she's parched.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Got a lot on my mind, is all," It's not a lie, that's for sure.
"Oh," is all Melanie says.
"Do you want to hang out tonight?" Violet joins in with a smile. In the corner of Lacey's eye, she sees someone walk in and when she turns her head, she realizes it's Cole. He gives her a little smile and a wave, Lacey just gives him a smile.
"I can't tonight, I'm sorry," Lacey declines, her eyes still on Cole. Both Violet and Melanie shrug and leave Lacey alone to put their bottles back in their bags. Captain Lacey looks at Cole who has placed himself in the stands.
"You can't be here," she mouths, making sure to articulate properly. A shrug is all she gets from him. He doesn't really care if they call him creepy. All he really wants is watch Lacey dance and see if she's happy doing so.
"Alright, ladies, from the top!" she yells and all the Roses take their places to start the routine again. Do you really want to continue doing something that doesn't make you happy just because you worked hard for it? That's all that keep going in her head while she dances, making her miss some moves, but she doesn't really care. This is the last time she'll be doing this anyway. Maybe. Possibly.