Sticking to Tradition

Chapter Ten: Rylee

Note: All characters and settings are purely fictional. If there are any similarities to real people or places, it is merely coincidental. The plot was written by me and not copied from any other writer.

"What an amazing catch by Tatum Bradshaw! The Tigers snatch their second win of the season!" The announcer screams bellow throughout the field. The crowd erupts into a cheer. I can barely keep in my excitement. We won the game!

"Khloe, you know Tatum will want a prize after the game," Destiny jokes. Khloe rolls her eyes, but it was difficult to miss the big smile on her face. She was proud of Tatum too. I mean, she should. He was a good player, but he wasn't the star of the game. Everyone with eyes knew Theo's pass was flawless, and if Tatum didn't catch the ball, he didn't deserve to be a player on the team. I could hardly hold in my pride as his girlfriend.

"He will get a big fat kiss. That's all." Khloe replied. Destiny, Mikah, and I laughed. We all knew better. She and Tatum were having sex since the tenth grade. No one would believe all she was going to give him was a kiss as a reward. It was highly unlikely.

Our conversation was interrupted by the celebrating football team members. There was a slight tradition amongst Devenport players. Usually, after winning a game, they would do the chant. But tonight, the unexpected happened. Theo was initiating the chant while the huddled up members were hyping him up. I could see Hayden pushing up on him and shouting in his face. Theo never started a chant. In fact, if I remembered clearly, he barely participated in any of the chants offs.

"Woah! Is that Theo?" Destiny asked. My eyes followed hers and met back with the sight of Theo chanting with his team members. "What did you do to Mute Bradshaw, Rylee?" she continued.

"Gave him a good dosage of Vitamin X. I saw her dry humping him in the halls earlier." Mikah laughed as she looked at me.

"It has got nothing to do with me. He was always like that."

Khloe shook her head, "Nah. Even Tatum said Theo was practicing so much better since hooking up with you. He said Coach Fields even noticed it. Whatever you're doing Rylee, keep it up. We need this championship. It's our senior year."

Destiny agreed, "Yeah. No breakups. I'll be damned if we lose the Championship because of it." I frowned slightly. I could care less about this tradition, but I don't like how everyone is dictating my relationship with Theo because of it. I mean, I understood Destiny and Khloe didn't want to mess up their senior year, but we were people. We shouldn't be pressured into being together because of a stupid ritual. Then again, the ritual is the sole reason Theo and I are together. I sigh.

"What you need to be worried about is these other girls trying to take Theo. Since being with you, girls are noticing him." Destiny warned. My head snapped to her. She pointed to a group of girls by the stand, pointing and staring at Theo. I swallowed. As much as I hated it, I couldn't hate them. Theo is crazily handsome and talented. His lack of social skills is what kept him rated low amongst the female population at school. People took his introverted nature as him being snobbish and rude.

"So what! Have you seen the way Theo looks at Rylee? He gawks at her like she is the best thing to walk the planet. Ignore them. Just focus on Theo." Mikah reassured. I nod. She was right, but I couldn't help feeling a little insecure.

"Hey Khloe, I'm going up to Garrett. Wanna come with?" Penelope asked. Penelope Rayton was a flyer on our squad. She's really good at serving face in routines. She's dating Garrett Hutton, a linebacker on the football team. She, Khloe, and I were the only cheerleaders liking football players. For some reason, the cheerleaders at our school preferred the basketball players. Not that I blamed them. The basketball players were tall and cute, especially Jacob Walters. He was high on the social hierarchy of Devenport. Every girl at school liked him. Even I had a small crush on him in middle school, but Jacob was too much of a charmer to take any girl seriously. The boy had options, and who was I to judge him for trying them out.

Khloe and Penelope ran across the field to their respective boyfriends. Destiny drifted off to a group of boys I recognized were on the wrestling team. Huh, I never expected them to be her type. Mikah was talking to a few of the new girls on the team, while I was just standing there, staring at everything.

The crowd was scattering except for a few parents and students. I spot Jacob and his crew by the edge laughing with a few of the cheerleaders, who probably couldn't wait until the basketball season. It wasn't that I hated the basketball season. No, I quite liked the sport. But as a cheerleader, there was very little room to cheer. The crowd wasn't as enthusiastic, and there are a few times we got trampled on when a player ended on the sidelines. I guess I'm a bit biased toward football cheer.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts when I notice Theo running towards me. He engulfs me into his arms, picks me up, and swings me like I'm nothing.

"We won!" He exclaims. He swings me a few times before he puts me back on the floor. He is wet from his sweat, but he smells like him. My smile is etched on my face. Seeing him happy is so infectious.

"I know. You must have some luck on your side." I tease. Theo laughs, and the sound of it broadens my smile.

"Nah, just you." He says nonchalantly, but it is enough to take the wind out of me. I gaze into those brown eyes, and my knees buckle. How was he able to do that with just three words?

He clears his throat before adding, "I'm going to head home and change. I'll meet you at Tyler's." I nod. His eyes lock on mines.

"Don't forget to bring your jacket. I want to show off my man." I spout out. Theo smirks, his eyes trailing me up and down. I tiptoe and peck his lips.

"Keep that same energy tonight, Ry." He says before he lets me go and jogs off to meet up with Hayden. I know I'm walking a thin line with Theo.

"I swear the two of you are like sex walking machines together." Mikah blurts.

"We just have good chemistry."

"Tagging along with me to Tyler's?" Mikah asks. I nod and walk with her to get our stuff from the gym.

"You gonna have sex with Theo later?" Mikah asks. The question is so out of the blue, it catches me off guard.

"What? We're going by Tyler's."

Mikah laughs, "So? Which girl hasn't had sex by Tyler's yet?" I laugh nervously. This girl, I want to say, but I don't. Mikah doesn't know I haven't. She doesn't know I haven't had sex before either, but I don't say anything. Mikah starts ranting about some boy in her math class, and I sigh a breath of relief.

It is not that I'm ashamed of being a virgin. It's just I don't want people getting involved with it. I've seen how crazy Mikah and the others get when a girl on our squad says she's never had sex. They don't stop until she does. I don't need the peer pressure, especially when things are so heated between Theo and me. I want that choice to be mines and mines alone.