a story in which annie leblanc, an unpopular teenager who's being threatened by a random number begins to fall for her childhood friend hayden summerall, although he's completely out of her league.
Annie LeBlanc and Hayden Summerall have been friend...
________________________________ sunday, october 14 • Today was the day. I was just hours away from performing on the stage for the dance competition. Kenzie was over at my house so we could get ready together. "This outfit fits like a glove!" she laughed, viewing herself in the mirror. It wasn't fair, how was she so pretty? "You look great Kenz." I grinned, bringing my eyes to her grey Attaway shirt and light-washed jeans. I was wearing the same thing with black jeans. Right as I was going to put some lipstick on, my phone buzzed.
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I take a deep breath as my head lays down low. "You okay?" Kenzie questioned. "Yeah, just nervous." I lied. "We're going to do great!" she cheered.
If only she knew. ________________________________ the dance competition • "Jesus, you guys took forever!" Mads complained. "Sorry, loads of traffic." I apologized. "Its fine. We go on in twenty, so you might want to go to the mirror for touch-ups." Brooke said. Once the time was up, we were backstage, waiting for them to call our name. "Next up, the Varsity Dance Team from Attaway High!" the hostess called. Here goes nothing. The song "Birds of a Feather" began playing. I started to hit the first few motions perfectly until I remembered that I was supposed to be messing up. I didn't want to start doing some other random dance, so I just stopped. I looked into the audience. My cheeks flushed and my heart began racing when a certain pair of hazel eyes were looking my way.
Hayden.
"Annie, dance!" Riley whispered under my breath. But there was that feeling, that feeling where I was stuck to the ground again. I didn't even have to pretend to mess up on the dance; I didn't even have to try. The audience shared whispers and gasps and with that, I ran off the stage. I didn't know where to go, or what to do, so I quickly grabbed my bag and kept running until I made it out of the building. I didn't know what I was doing or where I was going until I stopped running. Looking around, I realized I was in a field of grass next to the parking lot. The image of the audience kept replaying in my head. The image of Hayden; who looked confused and in sorrow. I tried to hold in my quick, raspy breaths, but I couldn't stop thinking. Was it actual stage fright; or was it just an act? The team is going to hate me. Minutes later, a group of girls approach me.
"Man LeLoser, you really just suck at everything." Jayden complains. "I-I'm.." I began. "Save it. We've been going over this routine for almost a month. There is no excuse for you to stand there and look like an idiot. You didn't just humiliate yourself, but our entire team." Riley blurted. "Guys, give her a break! It was probably just stage fright or something." Kenzie said. "Well she can go get stage fright on another team, because you're off of ours. You can come to practice tomorrow to give me the jacket back." Mads replied. I sat there in shock. I was too nervous to say anything so I just nodded my head. All the girls except Kenzie walked away.
"Don't listen to them. I know it wasn't your fault." she said.
"Just cut the lies Kenzie, everyone knows it was my fault!"
"But it wasn't like you purposely did it. People get stage fright all the time. If you're off the dance team, then I am too." she smiled.
"No, you can't do that. You practically dance in your sleep." I worry.
"Exactly; I could be out dancing with an actual dance company but instead I'd have to be stuck on a high school dance squad without one of my best friends."
"I love you so much." I replied, hugging her.
I really needed to tell Kenzie the truth. But if I do, who knows what will happen?
"Alright, I gotta go tell the girls I'm off the team. You coming with?" she asked.
"No thats okay. I'll stay here for a little bit." I answered.
"Okay, call me if you need anything!"
Sighing, I pulled my jacket out of my dance bag. This was the last day I would see it. Forever. Right as I was about to put it on, a tap on my shoulder interrupted me.
"Anns, you alright?"
Hayden.
"I could be better. Why are you here?" I asked.
"I came here to support you and Jayden." he said.
"Guess your supporting didn't help me out too much. I'm off the team." I sulked.
"I know you Annie. And I know you're an incredible dancer. That wasn't you on that stage. You were distracted. I don't know by what, but it was something." Hayden said.
This was the time. Whether he was with Jayden or not, I was going to tell Hayden how I felt.
"Actually, I was going to tell you that the reason I was distracted was because of y-"
"-Hayden! What are you doing out here with the trash? I swear I told you to take it out a couple weeks ago." a voice snickered.
I rolled my eyes, knowing it was the devil herself. I mean Jayden.
"Come on, do you seriously have to be so rude babe? She's been my best friend since kindergarten."
"Yeah, and she's been a man snatcher since the fourth grade. Let's go Hay."
"Sorry, princesses orders." Hayden groaned, his face showing an angry expression.
"It's fine, I can tell you another time." I muttered, looking down at the green lawn.
"Later LeLoser! Oh wait, there won't be a later; forgot your stupidity got yourself off the team."
That was it, I couldn't handle her anymore.
"You know what Jayden, grow up!" I blurted.
"Excuse me?"
"You despise me for no reason. You hate me because I "dated" your crush in fourth grade! I had no clue you even liked him! And for some god damn reason, your immature self can't seem to get over it. Hell, you can't even get over Conner! So you take your pain out on me. And guess what; I don't care! Your words go right through me; in one ear and out the other. So please, if I must, give me a time and place where you can say more bullshit about me. Because not once have I said anything about you."
"-Conner?" Hayden began.
"-Babe. No, that's not true." Jayden blurted.
And this time, I got to sashay away.
________________________________ [ A.N. ]
ooh annie the mf savage
qotd: do you guys think annie only pretended to get stage fright or was it for real?
