Coming back was easy... but Hayden Walker? Now, that was the tricky part.
Everything Arielle left behind two years ago still there: her home, her school, her friends, even her ex... But a new bad boy is something she didn't expect to have to deal w...
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Song: I'll be there -Jess Glynne
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The rest of the day went on pretty smoothly after the whole accident with Hayden. Which was a nice change. I didn't mind the spotlight at all, but the last thing I wanted on my first day back was earning more reasons to watch my back.
The whole thing with Paris was enough. See, the thing was that I hadn't even seen her yet and I already felt challenged by her. No. It wasn't that. I already felt her challenged by the possibilities of the new me.
Two years ago things were complicated and tense, the kind of rivalry that you had over wanting the same things, but now? She was the queen. All I've heard so far were marvelous things about her. Her hair, all the AP classes she took this year, her work on the council and most important: her brilliant, deserved spot as the cheer captain.
She didn't want me in, I was going to have hell for the rest of the year. Especially because I've based the aims and schedule of the this senior year based on building up a dancing career. Getting in the squad was step one of my big plan. Without it, I was doomed.
And then there was this thing with Adam and her. As if things weren't twisted enough.
Jess had already filled me in how she'd been climbing to the top of the 'social ladder'. Paris O'Deal had taken the place I left in cheerleader team and in his heart, nothing like the scrawny, bubbly girl I remembered. Now she was a determined, smart and pretty bombshell, ready to chew up anyone in her path. And for what I was gathering, she was absolutely not happy about my comeback.
Well, I guess I have to watch out for her too. It's kinda the story of my life.
Unless I could turn all this around.
All this added stress and the need to come up with a plan made me unable to refuse when after school ended Troy offered to go eat something. Offering the perfect back up to avoid car-pooling with Adam some more -and Julian just told me he was staying with a friend or something. TO make it even better, Jess and Sadie tagged along. Remember the insistence of Jess and the council meeting? Well, it got cancelled last moment. And she still owed me an ice-cream, so....
There was this cafe a few blocks away, where they'd known us since we were literally babies and got our desserts. I asked for a big chocolate one, her a strawberry and mint -weird, I know, but it's Jess- and Sadie and Troy a piece lemon cake.
Troy Nichols had been my friend since forever 'cause our fathers were each other's best man on their weddings and we had hung out together our whole life. He was sweet and funny, but also had a protective side that came out from time to time and made you wanna hug him like a big teddy bear. He'd been on the baseball team since he was old enough to hold a bat and hate everything that went against the rules. Usually play the 'conscience's part' in our little group.
