From Zero to Her Hero

Chapter 6: The Boy-Man Strikes Again

Waverly was glad that there was no play practice until the following week. Her schedule was so full that she was sure she'd have a heart attack if anything else were added to it. She had a history project to work on (with Nicole as her partner, unsurprisingly), tons of chemistry homework, and cheer practice, just to name a few. Taking advantage of her study period, Waverly went straight for the library as soon as the bell rang and found a table near the back of the building so she could focus more. She set her books down on the table and sat down in the chair. Gathering her thoughts and trying hard to compose herself, she opened her chemistry notebook and stared down at the problems.

This was going to be one long hour.

As if he could sense that she was finally able to focus and begin working, Champ decided to bring a chair over to Waverly's table and seat himself next to her. He leaned forward against the table and stared down at her hand which was working across the page at lightning speed.

"Chemistry, huh?" He said. "That stuff sucks."

"I like it," Waverly said simply.

"Yeah it's alright I guess," he shrugged. "Elements and Avocado's Number and such."

"Avogadro," Waverly corrected him. "It's Avogadro's Number."

"Same thing," he rolled his eyes.

"What do you want, Champ," Waverly set her pencil down and looked up at him. "I'm trying to do my work."

"I was just wondering if you'd like to hang out sometime?" He asked and slung his arm around the back of Waverly's chair.

"I think I'm good. I'll pass," Waverly rolled her eyes.

"How about dinner, then? I'll pick you up around, say, seven?"

"You really don't get it, do you, Champ?" She laughed and shook her head. "I want nothing to do with you."

"What, like you'd rather spend time with Nicole?" Champ scoffed.

"I'd rather be left alone so I can do my homework."

"Fine, I'll shut up," Champ looked around and his eyes landed on Nicole who had just walked into the library. He smirked.

- - - - -

Nicole loved Friday's because they were the days when she would hang out with her friends after school. Ever since she and Waverly had started spending more time together, though, she'd liked them less. Waverly didn't get invited because she's a junior, and Wynonna's rule was that only their group of friends was allowed to go do what they do.

"You have Chrissy and Rosita," the older Earp always said. Nicole usually agreed but the tables had turned now.

Thankful for her unstructured period, Nicole walked into the library with the intention of taking a nap for the next hour. Her backpack was hanging off of one shoulder and she dug into one of the pockets, fishing for her phone. She put her headphones in and plugged them into her phone before searching for the right playlist. She made her way to the back of the vast area, eyeing one of the chairs in the corner. She passed by Waverly's table but didn't notice that it was her sitting there until she heard the laugh that she had become all too familiar to lately. Stopping dead in her tracks, Nicole hid behind a bookshelf and turned toward the table.

She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw Waverly and Champ sitting together, talking. She can't hear what they're saying, but Waverly was laughing. Nicole kept her eyes on Champ and tightened her jaw when he put his arm across the back of Waverly's chair. It didn't look like Waverly was enjoying the interaction, keeping hunched over whatever she was working on, but she was still laughing and talking to him nonetheless. The thing that really got to her, though, was when Champ looked up and locked eyes with her. He smirked and moved his chair closer to Waverly, and Nicole dug her fingernails into her palms as she clenched her hands into fists.