The football player's cheerleader✔️

5

"Mom, do I have to go today?" I asked, laying my head on the kitchen counter.

She ran her hand through my hair and along my cheek. "I'm sorry baby but unless you're really sick I need you to go to school." I groaned. She sighed sitting beside me. "Have you talked to him?"

"He's called and texted but I really don't want to talk to him."

She kissed the top of my head. "I'm sure you'll be fine. I love you."

"I love you too, mom," I whispered as she leaves the house. The front door opens again. I turned my head to see Ricky walking in with two Starbucks drinks. I sat up smiling. "Morning Ricky."

"One venti hot chocolate with cinnamon and nutmeg for my favorite twin." he set it down in front of me and kissed my cheek. "Just needs some cayenne to make it the way you like."

"You didn't have to do this."

"I always get coffee in the morning and it'd be rude if I got one for me and not you, given that i'm driving you this morning."

I stood up and walked to the pantry. I took the lid off my hot chocolate pinching in the cayenne. I turned around leaning against the sink. "You don't have to drive me."

He smiled. "I'm here now so I might as well. Are you ready to go?" I nodded. "Come on then." I grabbed my bag from the hallway. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and walked us out of the house.

"Leia?" We both looked over at Nick's house. He was leaning against his bike. He jogged over to us. "Corazón can we talk?"

I moved behind Ricky's back. He reached his hand back squeezing my hand. "Can you tell him to leave please?" I whispered.

"Nick man she's not in the mood to talk right now."

"Corazón-"

"Nick, don't make me tell you again man," Ricky said slowly. "You're my boy but you really need to go."

Nick blew out an angry breath. "Fine." I watched him walk back to his bike and get on driving away.

We get into Ricky's car. I quietly drank my hot chocolate as we drove off to school. He parked in his parking spot. I looked a few spaces down to see Nick's empty parking space. "You don't think he's with them do you?"

"He promised you that he wouldn't." We both got out of the car and walked inside. "I'm sure he's just ditching, baby." he walked me to second period. He hugged me. "I'll call to check on him if it makes you feel any better."

"Yes please." he kissed my cheek and left to go to his class. I sat in the back row with Dana and Tessa. I laid my head on my desk.

"Are you okay?" Dana asked as she rubs my back. I nodded. "Do you know where he is?" I shook my head. "Do you wanna go to the nurse?" I shook my head.

King Ricky👑: He's alright. He said he'll come in after lunch
ME: Thank you

I handed Dana my phone for her to look at. She nodded. Mrs. Graham, our psych teacher, walked over to us. "Leia do you know where Nick is?"

"No sorry," I said. She nodded marking down the attendance. She walked back over to her desk. Tessa grabbed my spiral notebook and started taking notes for me. Dana told her what happened last night. I fell asleep on my desk.

At the bell, Dana shook me awake. I packed up my stuff. Dana walked off to her next class. Tessa grabbed my hand and walked us to Spanish. We sat down beside each other in the back. "Are you okay?"

"No, but it's okay."

"I know I don't know you guys very well but I don't think Nick meant any of the things he said."

I smiled sadly at her. "I don't know what to think."

We had a sub in Spanish today so she made it a study hall. Tessa listened to music on her phone while I fell asleep on my desk again. At the last lunch bell, Tessa and I walked to the lunchroom. We sat at our usual lunch table filled with the football players and cheerleaders. I sat down closing my eyes. "Leia?"

I opened my eyes. "What?" I asked Luke.

"Eat," he said, throwing me a granola bar. I unwrapped it and took a bite of it. He smiled. He turned to Tessa. "So Tessa, when are you gonna let me take you out?"

"When pigs fly."

We all chuckled. Luke glared at all of us. He blew Tessa a kiss. "I'll make it happen baby just you wait."

She rolled her eyes. I stood up. Luke, Tessa, Ricky, and Dana looked at me worried. "I'm just going to my locker, I'll see you in sixth."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Luke asked. I shook my head. "You sure?"

"I'm sure, I'll see you guys in stat." I walked out of the cafeteria. I walked over to my locker opening it up. "Flowers?" I pulled the bouquet of sunflowers and purple lavender flowers out of my locker.

"I'm trying to apologize." I turned around to see Nick. He ran his hair through his messy hair. "I shouldn't have attacked Tyler and more importantly I should never have yelled at you the way I did."

"You really hurt me," I whispered tugging on the sleeves of Luke's hoodie that I was wearing.

"I know and I'm so sorry corazón." he stepped to me grabbing my face gently in his hands. "I was so mad about what he said about you that I lost control. The last thing I ever wanted to do was make you cry."

"Were you going to hi-"

"God no Leia I'd never touch you." he laid his forehead against mine. "God you know I'd never hit you, right? Never in a million years would I touch you like that, I'd rather die than hit you."

"You have to work on your anger, Nick."

"I will corazón. I promise I will." I held up my pinky. He wrapped his pinky around mine. "I pinky promise I will get my anger under control." We kissed our thumbs. He wrapped his arms around my waist tucking his face into my neck. "Do you forgive me?"

I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Yes, I forgive you." I kissed his cheek. "Thank you for the flowers."

"Sunflowers are your favorites right?"

I nodded. I grabbed his hand and walked us to our next class. We sat with everyone else in the back. I laid the flowers on my desk. Dana grabbed them. "Oh Nicky these are pretty, where are mine?"

"Don't call me that and you'll get flowers when I make you cry." I took the flowers from her and set them back on my desk. Nick scooted closer to me laying his head on my shoulder. "I'm really sorry for making you cry," he whispered.

"I know," I whispered back laying my head on top of his.

"I swear to god it won't happen again."