The Cheerleader •Daryl Dixon AU•

Thirty-Eight

Olivia, Lori and Andrea all giggled through the try-outs, some of the applicants really should not have gone, they were terrible and through laughing all Olivia could think about was having to stay on the team until they finished school. However some were really good, amazing even. One girl, Sarah was someone whom the trio once made sure didnt get a space on the team, she was good in fact very good and the girls didnt want to be shown up. Sarah was now in the 'yes' section of the applicants.

Olivia mentally assessed all the girls trying out, some from past try outs and some who she had never seen before. At least a year ago Olivia would of videoed the worst ones and shown the entire cafeteria while all the students laughed, mainly from fear but some from the fact that as long as it wasn't them personally being humiliated it was funny. Olivia blushed and not in a good way when she remembered how awful they really were. And then she felt trumendosly guilty when she realised no one called them on it, no one pulled them and told them they were nasty and spiteful because they were, everyone still wanted to be their friend even to this day.

After telling Sarah and another girl, Katie who happened to be Karen's cousin that they were on the team the trio left for practice for the game. Andrea was going to watch the game and Olivia suggested she sit with Daryl as he too was coming to watch. "You do remember she fucked your last boyfriend right" Lori stated sarcastically "Well its too late for Daryl to knock her up now isn't it" Olivia joked playfully nudging her friend.

Olivia couldn't help look at the clock, practice was boring her and she had to go and perform for the game in separate intervals. "Urgh" she grunted to herself.

Rick caught Lori when they were about to walk out onto the pitch and the team of players and cheerleader had to pry them apart "You two need to calm down" T yelled from the back of the line. Olivia tried to find Daryl in the crowd but she couldn't see him. One of the guys from the team must of seen her trying to look for him as they pointed him out and she waved with her pom pom to him.

The energy on that pitch was electric, it had been a long time since Olivia had cheered for a game and it was so much better than practice, it was always more exciting when people were cheering, there was loud music and doing it in front of a crowd rather than eachother. But it still wasn't enough for her to stay on the team. Catching eyes with Daryl in the crowd she could see he looked proud of her even though he used to mock the cheerleaders when they first met.

Olivia's voice was becoming husky as she cheered from the side lines with Lori as the guys played, they were winning, by a lot too. This would be Woodbury High's biggest victory in nearly a decade so the atmosphere was immense.

The cheers were deafening as Shane got the final point needed to make the teams win a massive won. Olivia, Lori and the rest of the cheer squad raced on the pitch to congratulate the team, it was going to be a challenge to not get squished in amongst the guys and all their protective wear as they clanged into eachothers bodies! Olivia felt someone grab her wrist and pull her away from the jostling crowd they had formed on the pitch.

She was surprised to see it not being Daryl, it was the Coach, he had Shane on the other side of him. He stood the pair in front of the microphone aimed towards the crowd and the woops and cheers slowed down and eventually died off. "What a great game!" Coach began receiving applause from the crowd "Hats off to my star player" He added patting Shane on the back rather hard, but it didn't seem to bother a proud Shane, Olivia clapped as she joined the others in congratulating Shane on the win "And to the head cheerleader, my star player's girlfriend you make the team complete!" Coach finished by squeezing Olivia's shoulders as she smiled uncomfortably, the claps slowed down and became a deafening silent as even the crowd felt awkward at Coach's blunder.

Coach didn't seem to notice and carried on his speech, some students turned to Daryl who once Olivia caught eyes with him look saddened. And the other students hoped Coach would stop talking and referring to her and Shane as boyfriend and girlfriend still, it was funny in a awkward way but to Olivia it really wasn't.

"Actucally, Coach...Me and Liv are not-" Shane whispered trying to stop Coach putting his foot in it an further, Coach sensed the tone and cut him off looking at the pair of them "Really?" he quizzed, Shane pulled a face wondering why that man would even think Shane would joke about interrupting his speech.

" I cant keep up with you kids anymore!" Coach sighed as if they had inconvenienced him.

Olivia slowly edged away and headed toward Daryl, he feigned a smile her way but she could tell he too felt uncomfortable by the confusion.

"Coach is always a bit behind on the times" Olivia said softly as they walked into the trailer. Sensing Daryl wasnt in the mood to go to The Point party with the others Olivia decided to go home with him. "Everyone else knows we are together, one stupid alcoholic coach doesnt make a difference" she added trying to make a joke of it, Daryl looked dreadfully hurt and all Olivia wanted to do was make it right. "Its not that Olivia" he sighed slumping down on the couch.

Olivia stayed standing, "well what is it?" she asked confused. Daryl sighed before answering "I feel like ive changed your whole life, before me you were still a cheerleader, with Shane, still at home, you had your car and money and the Coach wouldnt of gotten confused" "Everyone knows about us, his opinion doesnt matter" Olivia tried to reassure him. Daryl stood and walked past her and out front for a smoke, she followed, she could still tell he wasnt himself.

She waited for him to take a few puffs on the cigarette before she spoke again "Daryl, If you hadnt arrived I still wouldnt be with Shane, I  still would of still quit cheerleading and I would of left home eventually. It was all going to happen, you just made all of it worth it, You are all I need in life" She lent on his shoulder and she felt all the tension leave him "you made me realise I didnt need all that quicker" she added, she smiled to herself when he wrapped himself up in her and they snuggled like that on the porch step for a while just listening to the crickets make noise before their wayward neighbours decided to blast music out and wake up the entire trailer park.

"So much for a quiet evening" Daryl sighed pushing himself up from the porch and helping Olivia to her feet.