Chapter one: Oh, shut up! (Faith's POV)

"Okay, put that under the scoreboard, right over there, yup!" 

This is getting exhausting. 

"Honey, could you come over here?!" 

I rolled my eyes. "I'll be right there!" I stepped off the bleachers and put the microphone down. "Have her tilt it to the right," I mumbled to whoever was standing next to me before running off. 

Oh hi, I'm Faith. I'm seventeen and I'm the daughter of the principal here at North Ridge High. Oh also, I'm very clumsy and sarcastic, that's pretty much me in a nutshell. Nowhere near the perfect daughter or student, just a clutz. 

"Yeah?" I asked once I made it to my mom. 

"There's a problem with the placement of the banner," she sighed. 

"Oh?" I said but it came out like a question. "Why? What's wrong?" I asked while looking at it. It seemed fine to me. 

"The placement doesn't suit the team." 

What the hell does that even mean? 

"Why?" I questioned. 

"From what I'm being told, it's difficult for the team players to keep an eye on their score with the banner right there." 

But the coach is right here and he said everything was just fine?

"Who told you this?" I asked even though I already knew the answer. 

"Alex," she answered. 

Alex Ryder. He's the captain of the soccer, lacrosse, and swim team and he's trying out for basketball from what I've heard. He's an arrogant prick in short and shuffles through girls literally every week. What a fucking cliche. 

"And where can I find Alex?" I spat his name. 

"At the top of the bleachers." 

I turned to see him sitting there, his elbows resting on his knees while he waved at me with a smirk. We despise each other. He hates the way I organize everything and never lets it happen and I just hate him in general. From his player ways to the cigarettes and the arrogance. I'm sure you're wondering if he's attractive, yes he is. Very attractive. But that's beside the point because I have a boyfriend. 

I huffed while rolling my eyes before jogging my way back to the bleachers and then to the top. "You have a problem with the banner?" I sighed out loud. 

"You need some water after that intense workout?" he teased while handing me a bottle of water. 

"Cut the crap," I shoved his hand away. "What's the issue with the banner?" I asked. 

He sighed while standing up, towering over me thanks to my short height. "Well, you see, while we play the game, we need to keep an eye on our score as well as the opposing team's and from down there in the field, the banner blocks the view." 

He is such a liar. I specially made sure the scoreboard is visible while playing. 

"It doesn't," I argued. 

"It does," he countered. 

"No, it doesn't. I asked every team player during practice," I explained with pride. 

He chuckled, "Every team player but me." 

I rolled my eyes, "So?" I asked. 

"So, I'm the captain and I call the shots," he smirked. 

"Oh, shut up! If you had such a problem then you couldn't have just told me before I wasted thirty minutes telling Britney again and again which side is left and which one's right?" I ran my hand through my hair in frustration. 

"That's Britney for you," he shrugged while resting his arm on my shoulder. 

"It's your game you know. For all I care, I can just let the banner be and watch you lose." I shrugged nonchalantly. 

"For all I care, your mom will kill you," he countered. 

"Organizing games and events is not my job. Just because I help with them does not mean it's my duty. How about you try organizing this game? Do it for the team." I patted his chest before grabbing my jacket as Cody's car pulled up at the gate. 

He grabbed my wrist before I could leave. "Be back in an hour for setting up and also, tell your boyfriend I said hi," he smirked before letting go of me. I rolled my eyes with a huff and walked away. 

I walked over to my mom and kissed her cheek, "I'll be back in an hour." I jogged over to the gate and got into Cody's car. 

Cody is my boyfriend of eight months. We've been going good overall but I've just had this bad feeling for a while and I've constantly been pushing it aside but it's really messing with my head. "Hi, babe," he pulled me in for a kiss before I could comprehend. 

"Oh, hi," I laughed while pulling away. 

"Ready for lunch?" He began driving away from the school. 

"Yup," I sighed. 

"So, are you coming for the game tomorrow?" I asked as he pulled up to our local diner. 

While our school does have a football team, it focuses on soccer, lacrosse, and swimming more. And Alex happens to be the captain of all of them, what a coincidence, right? Our school is trying to up their basketball team and now he wants to be captain for that too? 

"Um- no babe, I'm sorry. I can't make it," he replied while stepping out of the car. 

"But it's the first game of the spring season," I chuckled awkwardly. Tomorrow is the first of Feb. The season is starting and he's not going to come? 

"I know, but I really have to be somewhere else." 

I followed him into the diner where we sat at a booth. "Is it something really important?" I pressed further. 

"I said I can't make it, Faith." 

Okay, someone's snappy. 

"Jesus, okay," I mumbled before calling over a waitress. "I'll take a fries with an iced tea please," I smiled at her. 

"I'll get a club sandwich with a coke," he told her. 

"Your food will be here shortly," she walked away. 

We sat in an awkward moment of silence. "Look," he sighed, "I didn't mean to snap like that I just- it's important. With family." He could have just said that earlier. 

"I understand, it's okay," I lied. It's not okay to snap like that for no reason. We ate and while it was awkward at times, it wasn't too bad. We were just heading out when I bumped into Daniel. "Oh sorry, hey!" I smiled at him. 

"Hey, what're are you doing here?" he asked. 

"I just dropped by for lunch, I'm heading back to set up," I replied. The only reason I help set up for these games is because I get to miss class for it the day of the game and the day before. 

Advantages. 

"Cool, I'll see you back at school. By the way, Hayley was looking for you, she needs to talk to you about something important I guess, I'll catch you later!" He walked away with his friends. 

I'm surprised Alex isn't here. He usually comes with his friends even though he's the only one missing class since he's the captain. 

"Ready to go?" Cody broke me out of my thoughts. 

"Yeah." We got to his car and he drove off back to school. 

"I'll see you later," he kissed my cheek bye once we got back. 

I was walking to the field when someone clung to my arm, dragging me away. "You scared the shit out of me! What is going on?" I asked Hayley who was panting. 

"You need to break up with Cody," she whispered. 

"What?!" I asked in shock. 

"I think he's cheating on you." 

Back the fuck up. 

"Hayley, what the hell are you talking about?" I asked in confusion. 

"He's not coming for the game tomorrow, is he?" She looked at me knowingly. 

"No, he said it's something important with his family. How do you know?" I questioned as the bell rang, signaling lunch was over. 

"I heard Amber talking about meeting him. I'll tell you everything later, I swear!" she screamed while running back to the building. 

What the fuck just happened? 

I stared at the ground in confusion while dragging myself to the field. 

"Chin up, buttercup. What's got you looking so down? Did they run out of chocolate milkshakes?" Alex teased while tilting my chin up and throwing an arm over my shoulder. 

"Why don't you just leave me alone, Alex? I get that we have to interact for organizing games but why do you love bothering me?" I huffed in frustration. 

"Clearly something happened with you. I just came to say your mom's looking for you," he said before jogging away to the group under the scoreboard, helping move the banner to the other side. 

"Where were you?" my mom questioned. 

"I was having lunch with Cody," I answered tiredly. 

"Is everything okay?" she asked with concern, even though she doesn't like him. At all. 

"Yeah mom, everything's fine." I huffed. 

"You're going to have to help set up with Alex. Some people have a test to give." 

Great. 

I looked over to see people leaving the field and entering the building. 

"Monica!" someone yelled out my mom's name. I turned to see my dad bringing her lunch. 

"I'll be right there, Richard!"

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And that's chapter one for you <3