Little Miss Perfect (The Perfect Trilogy: Book One)

A Dazzling Break Up

Casey and Eliza had somehow managed to go the who day without being interrupted or flocked by cheerleaders at Bucky's command. It made her tense she felt like something was going to happen simply because the quietness of the day. After the last bell rang, they bid goodbye to Zed who had to run off to the locker room and met up with Zeds dad, (who she soon learned was named Zevon) Zoey and Bonzo before the homecoming game. "Guess I have to go cheer now. Either that or find a way out," Casey sighed dejectedly, "wish me luck." 

"Good Luck," Eliza said giving her hand a squeeze before letting her go. "Just tell him you're quitting. I'll see you in the stands," she whispered into her ear. Casey's face heating up at the flutter of her breath against her cheek, she pushed away the rising blush and nodded, letting Eliza push her towards the cheer lounge.

Casey tried to control her breathing, but she found her heart beating out of her chest with every step she took towards the cheer lounge. She gripped her Pompom tightly the plastic grips marking her skin the harder she held them. "Just tell him that you don't wanna be on the cheer squad anymore just tell him that you don't like it." By the time she made it to the entrance of the cheer lounge she was sure she was edging on a heart attack. She stumbled away from the glass door, back to the wall gripping her chest, "I can't do this. I can't be here." 

Unfortunately for her and her situation Bucky had seen her, "Hey Babe." Casey stiffened she worked to restart her heart and put her perfectly crafted mask in place and turned towards the voice with the fakest smile she could muster.

He looked cheerier than he had in weeks, like he had won the lottery or actually passed biology, "Hey Bucky."

He kissed her temple, and it took everything in her not to cringe away. He was acting like the least few weeks never happened, like they were still actively together when they were, in all accounts except straight up screaming it to the whole school, defiantly broken up. "Are you ready for the game," she nodded and shook her pompoms. He looked over her appearance and seemed like he was trying to suppress his temper. "And I see your hair is still undone," She looked a little freer since she had started hanging out with Eliza, a little wilder. It was a wavy disaster right now ruffled by the wind and her nerves.

She self-consciously ran her fingers through it, "I didn't have enough time to do it properly last night. I- I can run a brush through it and pull it back into a high ponytail."

He nodded at the idea and wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her temple again. She hated this, cringing on contact, not that he noticed, it felt wrong and now that she thought about it, it had always felt wrong. "I know I've been a pretty bad boyfriend lately but after today everything will be just how it was, everything will be alright I promise." She despised the idea, she didn't want to go back to the way it was two months ago, she loved the way it was now, with Zed and Bonzo at her sides, with Addison and Bree hanging around her shoulders, With Eliza in her arms. In this picture she didn't see Bucky, and frankly she didn't want him there. 

~~~

Eliza looked around hopping to see Casey walking up to the stands like they agreed but instead she heard her voice leading the cheers. She looked down and saw Casey with a plastic smile and a dull look in her eyes. Eliza waited for their gazes to meet, 'what happened?' she mouthed. 

She shook her head and glanced at Bucky, 'I couldn't do it.' Her mask had only fallen for half a second, but Eliza saw all she needed in that time. She still felt stuck, and Eliza didn't know how to help her.

The clock only had three seconds left and the couch called a time out, before the ran back on the field Zed fell onto the bench grabbing his wrist. Casey nudged Addison, "go check on Zed he's hurt," she ran over no questions asked. 

Bucky shouted at her to come back, that's what finally made Casey snap the blatant disregarded for a teammate's wellbeing and Addisons friend. "Zed is hurt let her check on him please. God you can be so aggravating," she snapped crossing her arms. 

He glared at her, "what did you say?" He looked after his cousin, "Addison!" 

Under any other circumstances she would have cowered away, but she was fuming. Weeks of rage finally breaking forth, "I said you're aggravating. And while I'm at it you're rude, conceded, and just plain mean." Addison walked up and saw them arguing and quickly moved towards the front of the crowd. 

''Gimma me a ZOM!" 

"ZOM!" 

Bucky looked away from his fuming girlfriend to his cousin, "Addison," he snapped under his breath. He couldn't handle both of them at once and Addison knew that. 

"Gimme a BIE!" She ignored him. 

"BIE!" 

He walked up to her trying to stop her, "Your way too good of a cheerleader to throw your life away Addison."

"I'm cheering for a change Bucky," she said pushing him back Casey smirked and stood next to Addison. 

He chuckled tensely, "Don't do it. Either of you," He eyed his girlfriend.

Casey grinned and looked to Addison, ''Gimma me a ZOM!" She shouted.

"ZOM!" 

"Addison, Casey," He ground out.

"Gimme a BIE!"

"BIE!" 

"I'm warning you." 

Casey started to cower back on instinct her high wearing off, "What does that spell!?" Addison doubled down.

"ZOMBIE!" 

"Last Chance," Casey met Eliza's narrowing gaze, not at her, but at Bucky. She met her eyes and nodded slightly. 

Eliza's mere gaze made her feel strong, similarly Bucky's made her feel week. She wanted to be strong. She cleared her throat and picked herself up, "what does that spell!?"

"You're off the team you freaks!" The whole crowd stopped for a moment the most popular boy in school just called his cousin and girlfriend freaks and kicked them from the squad.

Bree ran up, "Go Zombies go Zed!" 

"You're off the squad too!" Bree brushed him off and hugged the two girls as they got the crowd riled up. 

Casey pulled the ribbon from her hair letting it out of its ponytail, shaking it free. She threw her pompoms down and ran up to Eliza in the stands hugging her tightly. "Are you okay? You're shaking." 

"I'm a little freaked but I think I'll be okay," She kept her tight hold on Eliza feeling more comfortable in her arms then she had ever felt Bucky's. 

Published: November 18th, 2020

Edited: February 13th, 2024