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Chapter 63

It was half time, and I walked down the steps behind a group of freshmen carrying signs for one of the defensive players. When they cleared out, I saw Abigail on the field with the other cheerleaders.

"Hey," I said, walking up to her.

"Oh hey, Cecilia, what's up?" She asked in her usual bored tone, taking a sip of water from her thermos.

"Did you tell Cameron that Nicole wasn't into him?"

"What?"

"Did you mess with them? Cameron told me someone did, and it seems like something you would do, but I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt."

"Why would you assume it's me?"

"Because I've never seen Cameron with anyone besides you and Robbie."

"What about Robbie?" Robbie asked, coming up to us. His cheeks were red, and his hair was wet with sweat. He came up behind me placing his hands on my shoulders and kissed my head.

"Cute couple," Abigail said, rolling her eyes.

"I was telling Abigail that you and her are the only people Cameron talks to."

He looked lost and slightly shrugged his shoulders, not knowing whether I wanted him to agree with me or not.

"Look, Lia, I didn't tell Cameron anything about your friend. You can tell Lana that she can stop inventing bullshit," Abigail said her voice losing some edge to it. 

I looked at her considering whether she was telling the truth. For a second, she looked genuine and like the girl who had started to become my friend. Then one of her cheer groupies made a gurgling noise, and her countenance shifted as if she remembered who she was expected to be. 

She smiled cruelly, "Although I must say it was probably for the best. That boy gets ahead of himself too fast. He's getting sloppy with his choices. Getting over her is the best thing that happened to him. God knows someone like Cameron shouldn't be seen with that trash."

One of her lackeys giggled.

I felt myself lunge at her; Robbie's arm instantly came around my waist, pulling me close to him. He grabbed my wrists with his other hand and held them together.

I heard the coach yell, "Bennett, get that girl off the field; we're starting in five."

"God, Lia, calm down." She laughed.

"Scholarship kids are so feral," the lackey said, probably to gain Abigail's favor. Her eyes flicked up to check for approval as soon as she said it.

Abigail exhaled a laugh, "You know you were right; he does only talk to Robbie and me. Maybe you ask Robbie what happened."

I felt Robbie stiffen behind me.

Another one of her other lackeys, a tiny freshman who was always flying during cheer formations, added, "Yeah, he can explain to her how girls like that are only good for fun and not for actual consideration."

Abigail's blue eyes widened and shot her protégée a look that said, 'Too fucking far.'

"Well, that's what he said, I remember," She sputtered, realizing her faux pas and trying not to fall out of Abigail's graces.

I felt a pain in my lungs and my eyes burn, I heard Robbie whisper "Lia, Lia," into my ear. Abigail plastered a fake smile on her face "Toodles," She said and hauled off her squires to where her cheer team was waiting.

I turned around to look at him. His eyes were wide, and his jaw was clenched. He was gripping my school jacket and I looked down at his hand confused. He let go quickly and I met his eyes. 

"Tell me it isn't true. That you didn't say that," I said and tried keeping my tone even.

"Let me explain." He said after a pause.

I scoffed and started walking away. Robbie grabbed my arm and spun me to look at him.

"Lia, she wasn't right for him."

"You don't even know her. On what are you basing this?"

A voice inside my head sang don't ask questions you know you aren't going to like the answer to. 

I already knew the answer to this question. Nicole was like me. Her family did not have more than a month's rent in their bank account.  She didn't grow up going to fancy private schools or skiing on a whim with her friends. Her family didn't have any clout in society. 

He took a deep breath, then looked at the floor and shook his head.

"Say it, Robert," I spat.

He looked at me; He looked lost and I could tell he was trying to figure out how to word things.

I swallowed hard.

"I thought you were kind, I thought you were good. Liam was right." I said. My cheeks burned from the heat that was flooding every part of my body. 

I turned around and stomped off.

He reached out to grab my hand, "Lia, don't say that. You know that's not true. Can we talk?"

"Don't touch me," I said through gritted teeth.

"Bennett, get on the Field!" The Coach yelled through his megaphone.

"They need you on the field." I spat, and he shook his head, a frightened expression on his face, and reached out his hand to grab me again. 

"Here, I made these for you," I said, shoving the container of cookies into his chest before walking away.

I walked out through the gates onto the sidewalk that separated the sports field from the street. As soon as my feet hit the pavement, I took off running. It was a quiet evening in the middle of fall with not too many pedestrians, and I weaved through them easily. My lungs burned both from the cold and the fact I hadn't run this far in a long time.

I must have looked manic. I felt myself crying and was still in my Trinity uniform. My hair was probably a mess. I ran faster. My loafers making a satisfyingly sharp noise with every step. I ran for over a mile until I reached the park and slowed to a jog stopping at a small castle.

I climbed up the steps, my hands behind my head, trying to even out my breathing, and then leaned against the cold stone wall that surrounded the courtyard. 

A young mother with her toddler stopped to look at me. Maybe to make sure I was alright or to assess if someone was following me. It was getting dark, and the sun had already set. She gave me a sympathetic smile when she realized I was probably just a teenage girl in some teenage drama that she wouldn't understand anymore.

I gave her a small smile to reassure her I was fine and she could go on her way. Then I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The wind was blowing cold air into my face and drying up the sweat from my run. 

I could hear the Canada geese in the water behind me and the faint sound of a mom telling her kid to hold the dog's leash correctly. It had gotten even colder once the sun dropped behind the horizon. Still, I felt hot and uncomfortable. I loosened my scarf and took off my gloves. Taking deep breaths to calm down.

I heard footsteps tapping on the stone floor and looked up to see Maria. She gave me a tentative smile. "I'm so glad you are out of shape," she said softly, still out of breath, "I almost lost you at one point."

She was just as sweaty as I was, her bangs stuck to her forehead, and I could see she scuffed the Gucci loafers she had bought last week chasing after me.

I looked down at my shoes. They were already worn and scuffed from using them all year. My mom got them on sale at Macy's before the year started.

"Water?" She said, holding up a small cup, "it's warm; I got it from a coffee vendor," She added.

I took the paper cup from her hands.

"I'm so sorry, Lia, I heard everything. My brother is an idiot."

I nodded and took a sip of water; I had started to feel the weather nipping at me.

There was a rustling in the bushes at the bottom of the stone steps.

"Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, you guys are fast." Lana said, "That's the most running I have done in the last two years, and I was fine with that," She panted, climbing up the stairs. She walked up to us and grabbed the cup of water from my hands, chugging it down.

"I'm going to kill Robert." She said, crumpling it up in her hand when she finished and wiping her upper lip with the back of her gloved hand.

"But first, I need a second." She added, bending over with her hand on her knees and gulping for air.

"Lia, can you say something?" Maria asked, sounding worried. She took my hand between her two gloved ones.

I shrugged, "I just feel like an idiot."

"No. You are not the idiot," Lana said, hugging my waist.

"Seriously, fuck my brother. You're too good for him," Maria said, her arms around my neck. She placed a kiss on my temple.

"We should have a girl's night, there will be zero mentions of boys, and we can watch something stupid and eat take out," Maria said, rubbing my arm and fixing my scarf.

"We'll do it at my house; I'll tell Jessie to go hang out with Chris or lock himself in his room," Lana suggested.

"That sounds nice," I shrugged.

Lana grinned and nodded, then she and Maria shared one of those looks they had from years of friendship. Nicole and I could that. I was pretty sure this one said something along the lines of 'oh boy, what's going to happen?'

"Let's go get the car," Maria said, and we walked back to the school in a huddle.