L-O-V-E

Love is Worth Fighting For, Right?

Chapter 9

Emilia's POV

I made my way to 6th period. I am so lazy today because it is Monday. On Mondays, I am dysfunctional and hate everybody and everything. When is this day gonna be over!?

"Emilia, can we talk please?"

I didn't recognize the voice but from the corner of my eye, I saw the red waves bouncing as she caught up with me. Adelyn. I quickened up my pace. But, she grabbed my arm.

"Please. One minute." She pleaded with desperation.

"What's there to talk about?"

"I wanted to explain myself about the other night." She continued on, but what caught my attention is when she said, "I tried to get him off of me, but he just kept trying. Then he told me how much you aren't worth it." I stopped. Then my next action surprised me. I slapped her right in her left cheek having so much force that my hand print was imprinted in red on her 'flawless' face.

"We don't need your lying now, do we?" I asked her, and with that I walked off, proceeding to 6th period cheer. Great, I forgot she has cheer with me. Lovely. I can't believe that ginger straight up lied to my face.

I was stopped in my tracks by, surprisingly, Tanner. Tanner is my ex, being the most popular, 'most handsome', jock in the 11th grade. He had a tan as dark as mine with light brown, hair with little curls at the tips. He had emerald green eyes with long eyelashes and a perfectly straight teethed smile. His toned biceps bulged out of his t-shirt sleeve, begging for air. Snap out of it Emilia. He smiled big at me.

"Wow. You sure have gotten prettier since last year," he said to me not ungluing his eyes from me.

I blushed bright red. Why does he have this effect on me anymore? I quickly turned away so he wouldn't noticed.

"Still blushing. So beautiful."

"Thanks. But I must be going now, I have a cheer team that awaits me." I smiled at him proudly.

"Oh yeah. Congratulations on that! You deserved every bit of it. That Adelyn girl really seemed jealous of you when Lacey announced your name. Of course, get going girl. Keep in touch though, we haven't talked in forever." He winked and then left.

That's when I saw the person I would have not wanted to witness my encounter with my ex.

Dalton's POV

What did I just witness? What the heck Emilia? My new best friend, Tanner Harris, was flirting with Em. And the worst thing was that she was blushing. She's only supposed to do that for me!

She then noticed me as Tanner walked off. The shocked expression she gave me made me worry just before she broke eye contact and ran off into the gym.

I'm just going to act like I didn't see anything and try harder from now on. Yeah. That sounds good.

Emilia's POV

When I got in the gym, my eyes witnessed Adelyn demanding requests at my cheerleaders, Lacey ignoring her and flirting with her boyfriend-Elijah Ross-who was a cheerleader, and then what was the worst part of it all was that there was a male that I hadn't recognized around his late 20's that frightened me with his muscular frame.

"Oh, yay! Thanks for finally showing up, Emilia!" Coach Lindsay excitedly pulled me over to the scary man.

"Emilia, I would like you to meet your new coach, Coach Mike." New coach? What?

"Um, nice to meet you. I'm Emilia Rogers, Em for short. I am the cheer captain." I awkwardly shook his hand and instantly felt his strong grip.

"Oh, I know. I've heard a bunch about you, Emilia." His deep voice was making me uncomfortable. "Coach Lyons, now can you make the announcement?"

"Well, Attention Girls! I have some good and bad news. What do you want to hear first?" When we agreed to bad news first, she spoke up. "Well, the bad news is that my husband got a job offer in Austin, Texas. We decided to take the offer, but his job starts next week, so we have to pack and leave this week. Since I will no longer be able to coach y'all, I had to get the best of the best in the biz to take over. I found out Coach Mike is a competition cheer coach at Elite Allstars Gym of Destin, Florida." I began to mentally cry in my head. She can't leave me.

"He is the best, so the good news is that y'all will be the best cheer team in Florida maybe, but definitely Destin. However, y'all will have more conditioning to get in shape because y'all will for the first time ever, drum roll please...be competing! But, people will be cut. Only people who have clean jumps, sharp motions, fantastic tumbling, and a great smile will stay. I hate to break it to y'all but enjoy your last few days in 'paradise' on our cheer team. Be prepared that another group of girls can try out and replace some of y'all." She finished up with, "I love y'all. I have to leave now, so good luck and be my Allstars I know y'all always are."

My mouth hung open and I glanced around the room. The one expression that caught my eye was Adelyn, smiling. She acts like she is up for the challenge but she is so transparent I can see right through her.

"Alright girls, I am Coach Mike. Begin to warm up and I am going to see what you got, and what you don't got."

With that, I warmed up.

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I was completely exhausted. Practice lasted a minimum of 3 hours today. Coach Mike really likes pushing it. I smiled awkwardly at my boyfriend staring at me from a distance frantically waving.

"Em, come on babe. We are going to Starbucks then I'm taking you shopping. I am gonna spend at least 1,000 dollars on you today." He smiled at me.

Did he not see or hear anything that happened earlier. I smiled at the thought. Thank God he didn't.

"Why so much? Do you really love me that much?" I smirked.

"Actually I do!" He made me blush badly. "Someone has the case of blush-itis!" I blushed even more and his my face.

I then got a text from unexpectedly, Tanner.

You are super cute and I can't wait to call you mine again.

I immediately tensed up, and I felt Dalton hovering over me reading it. He backed away, and ran to God knows where.

I followed, and soon found out he was beating up Tanner. Tanner was surrendering and staring at me with 'help me' eyes. I ran over and broke them apart.

"Dalton, what the heck? Why did you do that?"

"You're mine, Em. He was trying to take you away from me. He is my best friend and I had to teach him a lesson. What can I say? Love is worth fighting for.

I smiled but still felt really bad. Tanner tried to smile at me but quickly frowned and said, "I know what it's like man. She was mine at once too."

I immediately tensed up yet again, and awkwardly walked away, with Dalton following. He then made his promise happen and took me for the most exciting Monday in my life. Wow, exciting. Monday. Never would've imagined using those two words in the same sentence.

*The Next Day*

Emilia's POV

I immediately regretted getting up this morning. I did my daily routine, then went through all 5 classes smoothly but lazily, until 6th period. Cheer.

"Okay girls, and guys. We will be going to my Elite Allstars Gym starting today to get training so that hopefully no one will be cut at tryouts tomorrow. This is what is best, remember that." I smiled weakly. I hoped I wouldn't get cut. I sighed nervously. "Emilia Rogers, let's get going. You will be leading the team in conditioning. We will do stunting and then we will work on tumbling passes. Tryouts will either make you or break you. Good luck." With that, he left and we made out way to the gym.

Love is worth fighting for, right? Is all I could think about. I kinda think I love Dalton, but Adelyn and Tanner are in my way of that. I guess this will be a bumpy ride.

Dalton surprisingly and cutely texted me, Remember darling. Love is worth fighting for. Tanner is an obstacle and so is Adelyn in our love. Also, cheerleading cuts are an obstacle for your love for cheer. Good luck babe, :*

I smiled at how well he knew me.