Happier

Chapter 24

Lacey wakes up the next morning in her bed and she wonders how she got there. All she remembers was coming home and crying in her dad's lap, then falling asleep. He might've carried her up the stairs. It doesn't matter how she got there, her body is taken over with emptiness. She doesn't feel anything, but a big void. The void Cole has left. She inhales deeply before getting up and getting dressed. The Flamingo dress she once wore when Cole came over stares at her, whispering to put it on. So, she does. Paired with a pink cardigan and pink flats. She then braids her long, blonde locks and puts on some basic makeup. Once completely ready, she takes her stuff and goes down the stairs. She has to put on a brave face. Maybe let her inner Queen Bitch act up again.

"Sis, you ready?" she asks Stacey who's sitting at the breakfast island with their dad.
"Honey, you haven't eaten yet," he tells her, a little worried. His eldest daughter sighs and goes to grab an apple.
"Happy? Let's go, Stace," the youngest eats the last of her cereal and follows Lacey out the door. They hop in the car, neither of them saying anything. Stacey is too scared to start talking about Cole, or anything for that matter. She'd rather not have her sister get mad at her or start crying again. The whole car ride is silent. Only when they arrive at school, Stacey decides to open her mouth.
"I really like the dress you're wearing," she compliments as they both get out the car.
"Yeah, thanks," Lacey replies, without smiling, "trying to prove a point," she slams her door shut and walks ahead towards the school. Her friends are sitting in the courtyard, where they always are. Only this time, Cole isn't there and Lacey doesn't bother to go and sit with them either. Instead, she walks into school and goes to her locker. She needs to find out what she's going to do with her life now. No cheerleading. No Archie. No Cole. She shuts her locker, sighing deeply, and leans against it. Maybe the losers that go to this school might give her an idea. Sam and Stacey come into view, and it makes her roll her eyes. Those two are just too cute to be true. And it hurts. Because she and Cole used to be like that too. She takes another breath. No tears now, Lacey Margaret. Not right now. Then she sees Archie at the other side of the school. He's chatting up a couple of cheerleaders. Talk about cheerleaders, Melanie and Violet walk past her. Their arms are touching and they're whispering and giggling. Then it hits her. They've been making out at the party, they're always together and they act rather close. Would they? Oh, my God. Coach Rivers has a strict no-relationships-policy. That's her chance. She needs something. She needs the Roosevelt Roses again.
No sooner said than done, Lacey storms into coach Rivers' office where the woman herself is writing something down.
"Coach Rivers," she starts, making the coach look up. Oh, how she's missed the smell of the office and the look in Rivers' eyes. "I need to report something." The coach looks her up and down, and when she sees how determined the young lady in front of her is, she motions for her to sit down.
"Tell me, Goldberg. What is it that you need to report so urgently," Lacey can't help but smirk a little. Finally, she's going to have her life back.
"You know how you have this strict no relationships on the Roosevelt Roses policy?" Coach Rivers nods, intrigued by the story already, "Violet McLaren and Melanie Marshall are doing the dirty. They have been for a while now." The coach's eyes grow wide.
"How have I not noticed that?" she mumbles to herself, then directs back to Lacey, "How do you know?" Lacey's eyes avert to the wall behind the coach. Is this really what she has to do? Is this really what she wants to do? Rat out her best friends? It's the only thing she has left.
"We were at a party during spring break and they were making out the whole time," she explains, "and I've heard them talk to one another, and it's the most obvious thing ever," Coach Rivers nods, thinking about what she's going to do with that information.
"What do you want for that information, Goldberg?" Lacey's eyes focus back on the coach in front of her, a smirk tugging at her lips. This is her moment. This is what she needs.
"I want to be head cheerleader again," she demands carefully. The woman looks at the student in front of her. There's a determined, yet lost look in her eyes that almost makes it impossible to say 'no'. So, she says yes. The woman stands up from her chair and goes to the cupboard where she keeps the uniforms. One of them, she hands over to Lacey.
"Take good care of it, Goldberg," she warns the young woman. She nods and tries her hardest not to get too excited. Not even when she leaves the office and walks into the locker room. It's cheer practice this morning, so she can actually put it on right away. The textile on her skin feels like a tight hug from a friend she hasn't seen in a long time. The feeling is very familiar and to be fair, she really does love it. All she wants to do now, is parade through the hallways in her brand-new uniform. Show Cole that she can live without him. Show Violet and Melanie that the bitch is back.