Until Death- Paul Lahote

15

I groan as we walk up to the field.
"You know, you could at least pretend that you're happy to be here" Olivia says next to me, seeming annoyed. 
"Well, I'm not. Kim fucking black-mailed me to help you out" I state, making Olivia chuckle.
"Figured she did that" she says, making the both of us smile as we look down at our feet.

Olivia and I hadn't talked in months. After all, she wasn't in all of this. Neither did she join the back or is she an imprint. Therefore I couldn't tell her. And I truly regret it actually. 
I miss her as a friend.

"How are you doing?" she asks me and I nod, hugging my body with my arms tightly.
"Good. I'm barely graduating but it's fine. You?" I ask her.
"Me too" she says before taking a deep breath. "Kind of difficult when you loose both your friends at the same time"
I feel fucking guilty. Like really guilty. "I'm really sorry"
She chuckles sadly. "No, I get it. It's fine. We lived apart and now the two of you have boyfriends. I get it"
I blush a little but narrow my eyes nonetheless. "Boyfriend?" I ask her, assuming she means Paul.
She looks confused. "Yeah, aren't you back together with James?"
I look at her in utter shock and confusion. "What?"
Her eyes slightely widen. "He told everyone you're back together. I mean, you were wearing his jacket the other day. We all thought..."
I groan even louder, a few other cheerleaders turning around and looking at me curiously.
"He seriously can't stop" I say annoyedly and Kim comes over, clearly already alerted by the anger I was starting to feel.
"What's going on?" she asks but I avoid eyecontact with her. I'm staring onto the field, where James and his friends are warming up.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't aware" Olivia quickly says.
"Aware of what?" Kim asks.
"James told everyone we're back together and backs it up with me wearing his jacket yesterday" I state. She looks even more confused than me right now.
"What?" she asks. "But you're with Paul now and you haven't talked to him in months" she states, a few eyes widening around us. 
They didn't know.
I glare at Kim and her eyes widen. "I'm so sorry" she whispers and I sigh.
"You're with Paul now?" Olivia asks me a little harsh.
"Yeah. Why?" I ask her.
"No reason. Do you at least like him?" she asks. Now I get where this is going. She thinks I'm using him. 
These stupid fucking rumours. 
"I really really do. I've never liked anyone that way" I say, a few surprised faces around us but I stand my ground. 
I'm definitely anything but ashamed.
"Isn't he younger than us?" a girl asks.
"Who cares? He's smoking hot" another girl adds, her smirk falling and her shoulders slumping as she catches my glare.
How dare she talk about my Paul that way. 
My Paul. Has a cute ring to it.
She quickly looks away and I feel myself getting a little hot. Kim puts a supporting hand onto my upper arm, keeping me from freaking the fuck out. 
I mean, I'm well aware of my hot ... whatever. Is he my boyfriend? 
"Should I ask Paul to be my boyfriend?" I ask her and she chuckles.
"I thought you two would never figure it out" she says, making me blush a little and chuckle. 
"Do you think he's ready?" I ask her and she grins at me.
"We both know you want it and he wants it just as bad as you do" she says just as the voice of our principal comes on. 

He starts blabbing about the new start of the season and our football team and how he hopes they are going to do well. 
This is only a friendly game today but it's still important. At least that's what he thinks. 

I drift off, instead thinking about Paul. Like I usually do. 
Apart from ignoring me the whole week he has been anything I could ever imagine. 
And honestly, I never want to let him go. How pathetic it may even sound. 
I mean, I could easily blame it on the imprint but that boy makes me feel all sorts of things and I'm convinced I would've fallen for him anyway. 
No matter what. 

"... and please welcome our cheerleaders!" the principal says, making me roll my eyes at how overly enthusiastic he sounds today. 
We all start running onto the pitch and I keep my best to have the smile actually stay on my face. I think I manage good as I shake these ponpons and make my way to my designated spot in the middle of the field. Since I'm one of the tallest, next to Kim and Olivia, they decided I should stand in the middle next to Olivia, our captain. 
Feels weird saying that again. 
Kim pokes me with her elbow and gives me a warning look. 
"What?" I hiss at her.
"Smile. They'll think we fucking forced you" she states, making me shake my head and narrow my eyes.
"You fucking did!" I hiss at her, a proud smile forming on her face at that realization. I roll my eyes at her before planting the best smile ever on my face.