Me and Cadence spent the whole day yesterday working on a performance ready for cheer tryouts. I couldn't make up the fact that my whole body was achy and sore. It took us an hour or so to come up with an idea for our routine and then it took the rest of the day to come up with the moves.

Tryouts was at the very end of the day which wasn't making me feel any good knowing I was going to have to endure the whole day worrying about what was going to happen.

I gripped both my tote bag and my gym bag in my hands and walk down the corridor to meet my friends. Apparently they had to go with Charlotte to speak to some teacher about re-joining the music club. I had only ever heard her play once when she played in the schools performance piece a couple years back. She was really good but I didn't think very much of it considering I wasn't into music like she was. I was more focused on Betty playing.

I rounded the corner of the corridor but I instantly freeze on the spot. A couple of steps away was Stephanie and Theo. She was screaming and pointing in his face whilst he was leant against the wall with his hood up and his hand shoved in his pockets. Due to his hood, I couldn't see his face.

I continued to stand still, rooted to the spot and it was genius that they didn't see me standing looking like I was actually eavesdropping...even though I totally was. I didn't know whether or not I should of just walked away and pretended like I hadn't just seen them or fulfil my noisy ambitions to listen in.

It would be too obvious if I walked down there to meet my friends because it would be clear that I had seen them. I took a deep breath and quietly leant back against the wall. With a deep breath, I poked my head round.

"How could you do this to me!" I heard Stephanie shout, her acrylic nail jabbing him in the shoulder.

He was still leant against the wall. He looked as if he couldn't give a shit.

What had he done?

"Are you going to answer me or are you going to stay quiet Theo?!" Her voice raised and she walked closer to him, her eyes bulging out of their sockets. Hearing no response from Theo, she snarled. "Why have you gone and done this, Theo! Can't we sort this out? Why can't you listen to me!"

It was if something switched in Theo's mind because he pushed himself off from the and walked forward, his hands pulling themselves out of from his pockets. She immediately stepped back. "Do me a favour and fuck off like I told you to."

She stayed still and silent for a couple, long seconds. "What? Theo! You can't do this to me!" Her voice sounded shaky as if she couldn't believe what he had just said. My eyes widened as I watched them. Holy shit.

He stepped forwards again, this time his head tilting downwards — like he had done to me before but this time he looked intimidating. I almost felt bad for Stephanie but then I realised how mean she was to me. "Did you hear what I said?" He chuckled, shaking his head. She stepped back, her hands clutching onto her Prada bag with her claw-like nails. Wait. That Prada bag. In a weird sense I recognised it from the nail salon yesterday.

My attention was drawn back to Stephanie and I watched as she laughed it off, flicking her hair off her shoulder. "Fine. If that's what you want-"

"It is." He bluntly said and she paused, biting down on her lip with a fake smile.

"Whatever. I never wanted to be in a relationship with you anyway." She spat and sauntered off down the corridor that I was looking down at. Shit.

I frantically looked around and decided I had no time to hide or run away or pretend I wasn't listening in on their argument so I grabbed out my phone and scooted along the wall so that it didn't look like I was eavesdropping.

But I totally was.

From the corner of my eye I saw Stephanie rush down the corridor where I was and she huffed to herself, swaying her hips side to side. I let out a sigh of relief when I saw her disappear into the girls bathroom.

I leant my head against the wall and pressed my hand to my chest to calm down my breathing. I had only ever seen Stephanie angry a couple times and that was when someone was either sat in her place or wearing the same thing as her.

I took my head off the wall and turned to walk down the corridor I wanted to go down in the first place, when all of a sudden I was abruptly stopped once again, but this time by a gravelly voice.

"Move." Theo sneered with a grave look on his face. I looked up in surprise but he didn't look down at me. Instead he pushed passed me with such force I almost tripped, but luckily I caught myself on the wall. His jaw was clenched and his brows were narrowed. He looked scary and also super pissed.

I turned back and watched as he strode down the corridor and pushed open the doors, almost taking them off their hinges. I blinked widely as he disappeared out of the school grounds in his mustang.

What the fuck.

♔♔

I sat down next to Charlotte in the cafeteria and placed my bag down next to me on the floor. So many things were spinning around my head. I went to sleep super late last night, staying up in the warm sheets of my bed just hung up on that message. What if it was really meant for me?

But if it wasn't, I could be really be overreacting about this and stressing myself over nothing.

Then there was what happened between Theo and Stephanie this morning. Do my friends know about it? Did anyone else know about it? I didn't know if I'd feel comfortable in telling them when it wasn't for me to say...I also didn't want to start any rumours.

"So are you nervous for later?" Angel asked, looking at me and Cadence. I sighed into my seat at the remembrance of tryouts. That was one more thing that was stressing me completely out. Though me and Cadence spent all day yesterday coming up with a routine and going over it over and over again, I still felt like I was going to mess it up. Because it was me. That was what I did.

"Excited!" Cadence squealed looking at me. "Our dance routine is amazing. Even her Mom thought so." Yes. My Mom ended up watching it and even gave us some tips. It was semi-embarrassing but I got over that fear when she said I could have ice cream in reward.

"When are the tryouts and can we come and watch?" Charlotte popped in a question and I bit down on my nail. More people were going to be watching.

"Yes. I'm pretty sure people can watch." Cadence nodder and gave me a reassuring smile. "We'll do great, Willow. We make a good team."

I nodded and suddenly I remember something. My cookies I had made!

I dug into my bag and I could see the girls looking at me curiously. Digging through, I finally spotted the pink sealed bag wedged down the side of my bag next to all my folders. "I made these last night." I placed them on the table and Cadence immediately grabbed them before anyone else could get a chance to.

"These are my favourite. How did you know?" She asked and Angel leant across the table, yanking the bag towards her.

"Girls, Girls!" Charlotte called. "Let me have at least one." She said and leant across the table to yank the bag towards her too.

As they continued to tug the bag back and fourth and side to side, Cadence turned to me making the others stop too. "We can have some right?" She asked worriedly.

I nodded and smirked as as they continued to tug on the bag. "It'll break!" Angel whined and Charlotte yanked it forwards to her more.

"So stop tanking it!" Charlotte said with a glare.

"But you're literally doing the same!" Angel retorted and Cadence rolled her eyes.

"Right! Everyone stop trying to take it, I have an idea." She said and Angel and Charlotte both stopped, but not their grip on the bag.

"What is it?" Charlotte asked warily.

"I'm getting to it, hold on." Cadence lifted her hand from the bag. "Why don't we all just share?" She asked and both girls blinked silently.

"Why would we do that?" Charlotte asked, grimacing like it was the worst idea in the whole entire world. I laughed.

"Because Willow baked them for all of us. Not just for one of us to take it for ourselves." She retorted and Charlotte sighed, retracting her hand from the bag.

"Fine."

"Thank you." Cadence sighed and Angel ripped open the bag, taking one for herself before tossing it onto the table for the other girls to take one.

I laughed again as I saw their eyes widen in unison as they took a bite. "This is the best thing I've ever tasted." Angel fell back into her chair, some of her brown hair falling over her face.

"Yeah. This is amazing Willow. When did you learn to bake like this?" Cadence asked, turning to me and shoving the last piece of cookie into her mouth.

"I used to bake a lot when I was younger." I said and I took out my water bottle from my bag. I took a sip.

"It is really good." Charlotte commented and a small appreciative smile forms one my face. "Can I make a request for these but ten times more bigger for my birthday party?" She laughed and took the last bite of her cookie.

"Thanks, and I'll see what I can do." I said with a smile.

Suddenly Cadence gulped. "I shouldn't be eating this."

"Why? Oh. It's not that stupid diet you're on is it?" Charlotte asked and rolled her eyes.

"I've got tryouts after school and I shouldn't be eating bad food like this!" She shrieked, hand covering her mouth. I watched silently as she scanned her bag, pulling out and apple and a banana.

"Why are you on a diet anyway? You don't need to be." Angel asked genuinely and Cadence took a large bite from her apple.

"Because." She shrugged and looked down at the floor, her gaze not lifting.

"You look amazing Cadence." I whispered to her for just for her to hear. She smiled at me but I could see an almost sad glint in her eye.

"So do you...I love your hair." She looked like she was in a daze. "I wish my hair was that colour but my Mom won't even let me dye it." She frowned and tugged on her ginger hair. I scooted closer to her.

"You honestly look great Cadence. Your hair is only a factor of amazing things about you. I'd say it's even one of the large factors that makes you stand out. I love your hair."

She stared at me thoughtfully and down at the apple. "You know. Fuck this! I hate fruit!" She said and tan over to the bin.

"Hey! Can I have that banana?" Charlotte asked, looking back. Cadence nodded and gave it to her before sitting back down next to me. I was instantly warmer with a hug. "Thank you, Willow. I'm glad to have a friend like you." She whispered back and I hesitantly wrapped my arms around her.

"I'm glad to have a friend like you too." A friend. That feeling made me feel warm inside.

"Have you guys finished yet?" Angel's voice was heard and me and Cadence shared a glance before bursting out in laughter. It was nice to be properly laughing again.

"Did you know that the Mona Lisa actually has no eyebrows?" Angel asked with much eagerness and Charlotte rolled her eyes, leaning back into her seat.

I snorted and shook my head at the sudden conversation change — especially if it wasn't about the Mona Lisa having no eyebrows. I looked around the cafeteria and my eyes landed on the table at the back. There didn't seem to be as much laughing and talking as there was most of the time. I wonder if it was because Theo wasn't there or if it was because Stephanie was glaring at everyone around the table.

My eyes zoned in on the floor whilst I thought back on this morning. No wonder Theo wasn't here. It must of been exhausting being in a group like that when you had to basically be on top form every time. Wait. Why was I defending Theo? Of all people..

I lifted my gaze up from the tattered floor and back to that table. But everything from what I had eaten this morning felt as if it could be thrown up. Stephanie's eyes were narrowed at me and she tilted her head to the side as if to say 'why are you looking bitch.' I dragged my focus off her and back to my own table, my fingers grazing along the top of it.

I could still feel her watchful eyes piercing into the back of me and her gaze hurt me. Like she was actually sending me daggers.

"Why is Stephanie looking over here?" Charlotte's question made me snap my head up to her, and the other girls too. "Like, she's really staring."

I bit harshly down on my lip and slowly turned my head back over to where Stephanie was. But she wasn't just watching or gazing randomly at something. She was really, intensely narrowing her beady eyes on me. Her whole self felt intimidating that I couldn't find it in me to look away.

"She's looking at you." Charlotte commenter again and a nervous feeling erupted inside of me.

"Maybe she's got a staring problem. Maybe we should do the same back to her." Angel suggested and I gulped, feeling my throat dry even though I had almost drank the whole of my bottle.

"Can we go?" I asked and took one last, savouring sip from my drink, immediately shoving it into my bag.

"But we still have like, fifteen minutes left of lunch." Charlotte said as she glanced down at her watch on her wrist. Angel lightly slapped her on the arm and Charlotte looked at her. "Fine. Okay."

I ignored the worrying feeling in the pit of my stomach and the pang of guilt for making them come with me. "Why don't we go outside and lay on the grass?" Cadence offered and the rest of us just nodded in agreement.

I could finally breathe when I stepped outside. All I could smell was the salty air. At least I was away from her.

We strolled along the grass and we found a quiet space under a blossom tree. This was one of my favourite places in the entire school. I took off my cardigan and set it down on the ground, leaning my bags against the tree.

The girls did the same and took off their jackets and jumpers and laid them down to sit on.

"That was super weird back there." Cadence said in amongst the loud chatter coming from the rest of the students dotted around the field. "She's never noticed us before, so why now?"

"Maybe it's because she thought we were pretty." Angel suggested, winking.

"If she thought we were pretty why on earth did it look like she wanted to skim us alive?" Charlotte asked, glancing around the tree and back to the school building. I felt my heart skip a beat at the thought of Stephanie storming down those stairs to confront me for something I had done. Did she see me this morning?

"I guess you're right." Angel fell onto her back, her hands placed in front of her. "Hey guys! Try this out!" She laughed.

I shuffled down next to her and tipped back, my hair sprawled out around me. I watched as the clouds drifted along the blue surface of the sky. "It looks so cool." I said and the girls all hummed in response. I lifted my hand and blocked the sun from my eyes. I should've bought my sunglasses to school.

Cadence lifted her arm up, pointing. "That cloud looks like a dog."

I tilted my head and gazed up at it. I guess I could see it. The nose, the ears, and the body, I guess..

"Oh yeah.." I quietly muttered and from my peripheral vision I could see Charlotte scrunching up her face as she looked up. I tried to not laugh. She didn't seem to be a very imaginable type of person.

"I don't see it." She said after five minutes. Cadence sighed loudly.

"Too bad. It looks cool." Cadence retorted back and Charlotte huffed, squinting her eyes back up at the sky.

After minutes of spotting random things in the sky the bell rang. I brushed off the grass from my cardigan and put it back on. I swung on my tote bag and grabber ahold of my gym bag also. Walking alongside Cadence as we headed back inside. Back inside the building which Stephanie was walking inside of too.

"See you after class." I waved to them and the door to my business class, swung open. Revealing the stern face of Ms Gill.

"Good afternoon, Willow." She said and her face softened. She pushed her glasses back onto her face. "How are you today?"

I moved passed her to get into the classroom. "Hi Ms Gill. I'm good thank you. How are you?" I always found it awkward talking to teachers. Especially when you would be the only one in the class.

She smiled and pushed the door back against the wall. "I'm very good thank you. Have you thought anymore about what you are going to do for your project?" The whole project thing daunted on me. Another friendly reminder that I had not yet thought of any kind of plan.

Don't even get me started with Theo.

"Not yet." I mumbled and she clasper her hands together.

"That's fine. You'll have a lot of time this lesson to come together with your partner and work out some ideas." She said and stepped back as some more kids pile in. "Ben! Do not push!" She seethed and I let out a wobbly sigh.

My project parter ran out of school. I really didn't think he'd be back anytime today. So that meant I was going to have to do it all alone.

I slumped in my usual seat and quickly took out my phone from my pocket. After yesterdays message, I had been on alert. I hadn't wanted to go on my phone in case they'd find some way to contact me again. Everything about this situation had me on edge, but there was also something inside of me that wanted to get to the bottom of this. Find out that it was all a hoax or misunderstanding.

I shoved my phone back into my pocket and sat up, my chin resting against my palm. I mentally cursed to myself as Marcus and some of his friends — including the creepy Joshua boy who tried to flirt with me last business class — walked in way passed the second bell. They didn't once spare a glance to Ms Gill who was practically quaking in her flat shoes.

"Thank you for getting here so punctual, boys." She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at them.

"It's alright." Marcus shrugged and Ms Gill's eyes widened as if she had just seen a ghost.

"I will not have that sort of behaviour in my class. You do not get to back chat me Mr Clayton!" She turned herself around and wrote his name down on a piece of paper. She had a special blue sheet where she wrote down people's names who had been naughty or hadn't followed her expectations of how a class "should be."

"If I here another peep coming from you I'll have you staying here for an after school detention." She warned and Marcus sighed loudly, tipping his head back in aggregation. Josh sniggered beside him.

She spun back around, dusting off her hands before picking up her laptop from her desk to start the register.

As she went through it all, she stopped, re-adjusting her glasses as she popped her head above the computer lid. "Where's Theo? Has anyone seen Theo?"

At his name I subtly glanced back to the table to where he would normally be sitting. Had no one been notified that he had left the school? I guess not.