A week passed...

A week since Ella has been avoiding Hunter after their almost kiss. She didn't know how to face him. What to say to him. He texted her a few times but she didn't reply.

She faked sickness and stayed home for a week. She didn't go to school or outside of her room. When Hunter came to know about her sickness, he went to her house to check up on her but she told her mom to tell him that she was asleep.

Now, she looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. She checked her cellphone and found no message from Hunter. She knew she was being unfair to him. She can't just pull him in for a kiss and then leave without any explanation and that too when he was waiting for her answer.

She opened up their picture from their first date and smiled. They made a really cute couple; she smiled to herself.

He must hate her for leaving him hanging like that but there was this hesitation... Uncertainty... Something that was stopping her from accepting her feelings for him. She couldn't understand what it was.

She scrolled down her gallery and found Ace's pictures. Her heart sank...

Hesitantly, she clicked on a video.

The video played and Ella could see herself muffling her laughter. Ace's face was buried in her neck as Ella secretly filmed both of them.

"I want cuddles" he whined in her neck

Ella laughed inaudibly. "You want what?"

"I want cuddles," he mumbled clearly and kissed her neck

"You want cuddles?" She asked

"Yes..." he nodded

Ella laughed out loud and Ace got startled. "I finally caught you being a baby! You can't deny later" She laughed. "Now I have proof"

Ace suddenly got up and hovered over her. Her cellphone fell from her hand followed by a loud happy scream. The camera was now facing the floor and all she could hear is her uncontrollable laughter while Ace blew raspberries on her belly and tickled her sides.

She locked her cellphone and placed it in her bag. She walked out of the house and Matthew drove her to school.

She stepped out of the car and saw Hunter getting out of his car as well. Her eyes widened and she hid behind a pillar.

The whole day, Ella avoided Hunter until he cornered her in the hallway. It was still pretty crowded but he placed both of his hands on either side of her locker, trapping her in-between. Ella's heart dropped in her stomach.

"Are you ignoring me?"

Ella looked here and there, not meeting his scrutinizing gaze. "No..."

Hunter squinted his eyes. "So, you were sick?"

Ella nodded. "Yeah... Very sick"

"And it has nothing to do with the fact that you tried to kiss me the other day?"

"Nope... I'm late for class" she mumbled, her voice quivered.

Hunter sighed and took off his hand from her locker. Ella sprinted out of there the second she got the chance. Hunter stood there stunned watching her almost running in the hallway, pushing people out of the way. He rested his back over her locker and smiled.

"Oh my god, girl! I'm so happy" Kimberly hugged her tightly.

"I thought I would never be a part of cheerleading again," Ella mumbled

Veronica's lips peeled back in a sneer. She clenched her jaw and saw Zoe looking at Ella with a wide smile.

"Did you already forgot what she did?" Veronica asked

"It wasn't her, Didn't Ace tell you?" Zoe asked

"Tell me what?" Veronica snapped

Zoe frowned, Veronica was his girlfriend. She should be the first one to know about. If Ace didn't want to tell her then she shouldn't also. "Nothing..."

"Zoe, tell me!" Veronica asked

"You should talk to Ace," Zoe said and walked to where Ella and Kimberly were.

"I'm so glad, you're back on the squad," Zoe said, smiling.

"Thanks" Ella smiled.

Kimberly clapped her hands. "Okay, positions girl! Ella, you might wanna spend some extra time because there is a whole new routine that you need to learn"

"Yeah" Ella shrugged happily. "Sure!"

"Acey! Baby!" Veronica said loudly and all the heads turned towards her. Ace looked in their direction and Veronica waved enthusiastically, telling him to come closer.

Ace walked towards them and Veronica threw herself in his arms. She looked at Ella and found her looking somewhere else. She frowned as Ella didn't even notice them. She saw the same guy Ella was skating with the other day, walking in her direction.

"What?" Ace asked her.

"Nothing..." Veronica smiled, pulling him closer.

"We're done for the day, when are you getting free?" Ace asked

"I don't know... BECAUSE OF ELLA, we need to practice some more!" Veronica said Ella's name with so much hate and emphasis that Ella involuntarily turned towards her and frowned.

"Oh, you guys can leave. I'll practice alone, it's fine" Ella shrugged.

"I'll stay with you," Hunter said from behind her, and the butterflies came in full force. Ella bit her lower lip to muffle the smile that crept on her lips involuntarily.

Ace looked down to the ground and clenched his fists. It was difficult for him to hide his anger.

Kimberly scoffed. "You should worry about yourself, Veronica! You are too lazy!" She snapped. "Ella, let's start with the pyramid, and this time you should be on the top" Kimberly wanted to see Veronica squirm.

Ella looked at her, her eyes widened. "Kim!"

Hunter laughed. "Ella on top would be a sight to behold," he said suggestively and elbowed Ella's side as she stared at him bewildered, swatted his elbow away.

"She is..." Ace added dazedly. These words left his mouth before he could stop them.

Everyone at the scene was stunned. Veronica stepped back from Ace with a look of disappointment and hurt. Hunter's smile fell and was replaced with a scowl. Kimberly rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. And Ella, she was alarmed... Her first thought was Hunter. She looked at Ace unbelievably and then at Hunter. She noticed his scowl and gulped. She was ashamed, ashamed of what she used to be.

Ace's main slut...

That is what Hunter called her... 

"What?" Veronica asked stunned

Ace squeezed his eyes shut as he realized what he just said. "Nothing..." He said, looking everywhere but Veronica.

"What did you just say?" Veronica asked, frowning deeply.

"Nothing" Ace mumbled looking away.

Veronica nodded as tears shined in her eyes. "I have to go" she mumbled and walked away.

"Veronica..." Ace called her and followed her.

The atmosphere turned uncomfortable and tense. "That was awkward..." Zoe mumbled

"Hunter---"

Ella got cut off by Hunter. "Call me when you're done..." He said and walked back towards his friends.

Ella stared at his retreating back with disappointment. Is Hunter going to judge her for what she used to be? She was in a relationship with Ace, she had sex with her boyfriend. She didn't do anything wrong. It doesn't make her a slut. Then why does she feel so damn shitty, every time her sex life with Ace was mentioned? Her heart broke a little. It took her a lot of time to get it fixed, she didn't have it in her to feel that kind of pain again.

"Okay! Come on! Let's go! Veronica can catch up tomorrow" Kimberly said

They started practicing but Ella wasn't in the right headspace. She messed up a few times and huffed. "Ella how about you sit this one out and just observe today," Kimberly said and Ella nodded. "While you're at it. Go get poms-poms for me, please. I put them in Mr. Dickson's classroom." She said

Ella walked down the empty hallway and all she could think about was Hunter. She sighed and unlocked Mr. Dickson's classroom. She opened the cabinets and found all the pom-poms. She looked for something to put them all in.

She felt two hands creeping around her waist and she jumped in surprise but those hands hand kept her in her place and pulled her into a warm hard body. Her heart throbbed in her ears, loud and irregular. Her stomach seemed to rise to her throat.

"I miss you..." He whispered in her ears, nuzzling his face in her hair.

His front glued to her back. She tried to pry off his tight grip from her waist but he crushed her into him more. "I miss your voice, I miss your scent, I miss your warm hugs, fuck! I miss everything about you" he whispered

Tears welled up in her eyes as she made a tiny crying noise. "Let me go," she cried "Please let me go, Ace"

He turned her in his hold and stared at her tear-stricken face. She pushed him and he staggered back.

He stepped closer to her and she stepped back, her heart hammering against her chest as she cried.

"I know you're mad but I promise to make it up to you. I will leave Veronica and we can go back to the way we were. I was stupid to think that I loved her... I now realized that I never stopped loving you, Ella. It's you... It has always been you..." He smiled and held her hands. "It's Ella and Ace forever, remember?"

She slowly pulled her hands out of his grip. "How can you stand here and say all those things to me? How, Ace? After everything, how?"

"I... I love you. I wasn't thinking clearly when I left you but now Ella, I realized that I can't live without you. I need you. I'm not Ace without my Ella" he said, staring at her adoringly.

Ella scoffed and wiped her tears. "Why are you saying all this? What do you need?" She asked "What? Did you need a quick fuck? Is that it? Needed a change of scenery, Ace?"

For several moments he stood unmoving, trying to understand what she just said. "Ella... It's not that..."

"What is it, Ace!" She snapped. "Veronica isn't fulfilling your sexual fantasies? You don't get to beat her up? So, you are back to me because you know stupid Ella will silently take all the shit you will throw her way?!"

Ace shook his head immediately. "No, please El, listen to me---"

"Don't you dare call me that!" She almost yelled. "You manipulated me every step of the way with that fucking name! El, do this! El, do that! El! El! El! I HATE IT!"

Unhappy lines on his face etched deeply. "I have been calling you El since we were six..."

"We are not six anymore, Ace... Neither are we anything else..."

"Hey..." He stepped closer heartbrokenly. "Don't say that... We can work on our relationship together and I will tell everyone about us if that's what you want"

"What are you gonna tell everyone?" She asked monotonously.

"About us---"

"What about us?" 

"That we are together... That we lo---"

"Don't you dare complete that sentence! Did you break up with Veronica?" She asked

His eyes lit up. "Is that what you want? I'll break it off with her right now. I'll do it in front of you."

Ella laughed unbelievably. "So, you are still in a relationship with Veronica. You are standing here telling me that you love me while your unsuspecting girlfriend might be waiting for you, thinking that you love her and only her." She held her head in her hands and thought for a second. "Is that what you did to me? Did you make fun of me with Veronica? While I was calling you and waiting for you, you were telling Veronica how much you loved her? Did it give you some kind of sadistic satisfaction to hurt me like that?" She asked.

He frowned as he thought about what to say next. He opened his mouth but nothing came out as he stared at Ella anguishedly. He looked at her with sad puppy dog eyes, the ones used to make when he wanted things to go his way.

"Tell me, Ace. Was it fun making a fool out of two girls at the same time? Fucking her in the morning and then fucking me at night?" She asked

He frantically shook his head. "I didn't sleep with her while we were together. It was after we broke up---"

"WORDS, ACE!" She said and he looked at her confused. "You need to change your wording, Ace. Say it like this... We didn't sleep together while I was fucking you on the sides. We slept together after I made a fool out of you... Say it like it was, Acey" She dragged the end of his name sarcastically.

His mouth opened but words couldn’t find their way out. He had never seen this side of her. He swallowed as his own spit choked him. "What has gotten into you, Ella?"

"You mean what happened to the dumb, naive Ella who believed every word that came out of your mouth? Well, guess what? You broke her heart, no that sounds so modest compared to what you did to me. You shattered my soul, and you still didn't feel like it was enough. You went on and ruined all of my other relationships. You made my heart bleed." Hot tears streamed down her face as she wiped them furiously. "I was humiliated, harassed, and wronged but you didn't care because you didn't love me. You never did"

He tried to hold her hand but she stepped back. "Ella..." He breathed as his own tears rolled down his cheek. "I did love you. I do love you. I never stopped loving you---"

"THAT WASN'T LOVE, ACE!" she shouted "It wasn't love. We had a bond, we had fourteen years, we were forcing it, I was forcing it. I was trying to turn it into something bigger---"

"NO!" Ace felt like his soul left his body. He could never imagine a world where Ella wouldn't love him. It was out of his mind, his senses, his whole being. His childhood friend, his partner, his first kiss, his first love... He shook his head stubbornly. "No! Don't you dare say that! Before everything... We loved each other. You were my everything. I know I made some mistakes but I won't let you shit over all our memories like that! Ella, baby, we loved each other..."

She saw the look on his face with satisfaction and wanted nothing more than to hurt him further. "I kissed Hunter when you and I were together and I felt like shit the second I pulled away. I lied to you that day because I was afraid of you... Afraid that you might hurt me... Physically. I was afraid of my boyfriend. I was afraid of you, Ace..." 

She took a deep breath. "That's why I took every punishment like I deserved it. Those stupid punishments made me feel better. I felt remorse because I loved you. On the other hand, You fucking played me, broke my heart, and wrecked my life and I couldn't even find a speck of guilt in your eyes. You were so happy after ruining me..."

Time stood still like never before. His pupils dilated, his hands ached and his heart sunk to his feet. He twitched, only because his body reacted.

Is that how she felt when he proposed to Veronica? Is that how she felt when he broke her heart? Is that how she felt when he'd deliberately shove his love life on her face?

"El..." A whisper, muffled by his own tears.

She wiped her tear. "I was obsessed with you. I was obsessed to the point where I just wanted to please you. I didn't care how much it hurt me. I wanted to make you happy when no one cared about my happiness..."

"I did care, El... I'm sorry" he mumbled "I don't care if you kissed Hunter... We all make mistakes like I made a mistake with Veronica"

She looked at him, vision blurred with tears, and she laughed, a laugh that sent a chill down his spine. She stepped forward and he flinched involuntarily because he saw it... The hate and disgust she holds for him in her eyes.

"I loved you so much... I loved you so much that I couldn't breathe without you. That's why I let you treat me the way you did. You diminished me into a sex object and I played along with it idiotically, so, that you'd stay with me. And now, I don't want to hear that you love me or you miss me but I HOPE YOU DO!" She stepped forward again and glared straight into his eyes. "I hope you miss me so much that you can't breathe, Ace. I hope you see me happy and fine without you and I hope it kills you from the inside"

"El..." A helpless whisper, his face lost its color.

"I hope you drop to the floor just like I did and cry until you feel like your soul is getting sucked out of you! I hope your stomach churns whenever you hear me laugh. I hope your pillows get drenched in your tears! I hope your heart aches whenever you hear my name! I gave myself to you completely, body, mind, and soul. But you didn't deserve it. Fuck you, Ace!"

He looked at her with wet eyes and choked back a sob. But Ella didn't care, it was nothing compared to what he did to her. "And I hope the worse for Veronica,  I hope she adores the way you walk, the way you chew, the way you sleep, the way you talk. I hope she knows that you always like your sandwiches cut in triangles or else you won't eat them. I hope she loves your eye color, laugh lines, scars, that... That crinkles between your brows when you're mad at something but are trying to hide it. I hope she loves the way your voice cracks when you are trying to laugh and talk at the same time. I hope she overlooks your flaws, your temper, your selfishness, your inability to love anyone but yourself. I hope she falls in love with you so hard that it consumes her entire being. And when she at the point of no turning back," she laughed venomously "I hope a new girl comes and steals you away from her just like she did to me!"

Ace shook his head, unable to accept that everything they had was finally ending. Ella was moving on and she had no space for him in her life. Maybe, she doesn't love him but he was willing to stay with her as a friend. He didn't want to lose her. "You can't end everything... Not like this... I love you... I love you so much"

She smiled sadly. "I didn't even know what love felt like until---"

And