Chapter 11

Every day is a brand new day. We start a new day, a chance to fix what we need to fix and get a second chance. A new beginning, a new day to keep moving forward.

Last night I had the widest smile on my face while I was walking home. That night, I knew that today would be a brand new day.

And while I was walking, I realized a lot of stuff. Not all rumors are true, and Lucy wasn’t anything like the rumors say she is. She may seem like a rude and bitchy girl, but once you get to know her, she’s one of the sweetest girls you’ll ever meet. Remembering what Kayla told me before about her, well, she was right. And because of that, the moment I woke up this morning, I was very excited to see Lucy. It always makes me happy whenever I have a new friend. So awhile ago in the classroom, she made a girl change seats with her so she could sit next to me (as always), and asked me if I wanted to watch them practice. With a grin on my face, I said that I’ll go.

That’s why right now, the four of us were hanging out on the bleachers, waiting for their coach. The other cheerleaders were on the field, doing some stretches while Lucy and Kayla were here with us. Kayla was sitting while Lexi was lying down on the bench, her head on Kayla’s lap. While me and Lucy were sitting in the next row below them.

“I wonder when will you guys break up,” Lucy blurted.

“Are you kidding me?” Kayla said in disbelief.

“Do I look like I’m kidding?”

“I don’t know, you tell me,”

“We will never break up,” Lexi stepped in the conversation.

“And how could you be so sure?” Lucy questioned, her eyebrow raised.

“Cause we’re madly in love with each other,” Lexi simply said, looking at Kayla while she’s caressing her hair.

“What if she cheated?” Lucy pushed, asking her best friend this time.

“She’s not-“

“What if,”

“Then I’ll break up with her. I’m sure Lex will do the same if I’m the one who cheated,”

“That’s it? You guys won’t give each other a chance?”

“Nope. Cause if we really loved each other, then there should have been no cheating that happened. Simple as that,”

“What if Lex will change for you?”

“Still no. I don’t want to be with someone who’ll realize how much she loves me just because she lost me,” Kayla gave Lexi a peck on her forehead.

“What if you, Lexi, want more and you’re searching that more in someone?”

“Why would I search more from someone else? If I wanted more, then I’ll search that in her. If I couldn’t find it, then I’ll search for it in me. But just so you know that I don’t need more. I’m contented with what we have now,” she beamed.

Lucy was amazed at how much they love each other. I was pretty amazed too, cause I’ve never seen a couple whose love was so pure and genuine. It’s hard to find a love like that nowadays.

“What about you, huh, Luce? When will you get a girlfriend?” Kayla asked, turning the tables on Lucy.

Lucy shrugged. “Do you think I have a chance to be with a straight girl?” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her jerk her head towards me.

It caught my attention so now I was facing her. “Excuse me?”

“Oh my god, Amber. Don’t tell me you don’t know?” Lexi sat up, looking at me like I was crazy.

“Know what?” They all did a facepalm at my obliviousness. I watched them with a confused look on my face, trying to figure out what they are saying.

“She likes you!” The couple said together.

“Nice try guys, but let’s be serious here,” I said, chuckling at their prank.

“They are serious.” Said Lucy. Cheeks a bit red, but that would be from her blush.

“You’re in this too?” I gasped.

“Lu, call the girls here please,” Kayla ordered.

Lucy called them. Without a minute, they were all lining up in front of us, arms are crossed while some put their hands on their waists. “Kayla wants to tell you guys something,”

They all faced Kayla, looking bored, and popping their bubblegums. “Girls, Amber here doesn’t believe us when we told her that Lucy likes her. Kindly tell Amber who Lucy’s crush is?” She smiled sweetly at them then at me.

Their expressions lit up, each giving me a cheeky smile. I gulped in nervousness, fumbling the hem of my shirt as I avoided their stares.

“Are you dense?” Olivia blurted.

“Lucy’s crush is sitting right next to her-“

“She talks about you all the time-“

“She’s like Amber this Amber that, Amber everywhere-“

“Don’t forget the time she told us how beautiful you are and how your eyes make her weak-“

I didn’t hear the other words that were coming, cause my eyes were on Lucy. Everyone was busy talking to one another, and Lucy was just watching them with a blush across her cheeks. And there’s me, staring at her. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It never crossed my mind that she has a crush on me, all I thought is that she just wanted to be friends with me.

I snapped out of my trance when Lucy’s eyes were now on me. At first, we were just staring blankly with each other, then she spoke, “Do you believe them now?” She smirked.

I nodded like I was still confused (which I was), which made Olivia snort. “I think you got a drool over there,” She pointed out an imaginary drool on my chin.

I shut my mouth and glared at the annoying girl. “Are you guys all annoying?”

The girl beside me chuckled, her gaze was on me and had this small smile that she always used whenever she finds something cute. “You can say that. Olivia is the most annoying one in our group,”

“And I’m proud,” Olivia smirked.

I saw their coach walking to the field where the other cheerleaders were. “Mmm, your coach is already there. You girls might wanna go there,”

The cheerleaders stood up and started going down to the field. Before Olivia went, she stopped and said, “Do we need to tell you more about what this girl has been telling us?” She pointed at Lucy with her thumb.

I let out a chuckle. “Give the poor girl a break. She looks like she’s gonna die of embarrassment,”

Olivia grinned before Luce pushed her towards the others who were already on their way down. “Ambs, I wasn’t embarrassed. I don’t care if they tell you everything I’ve said,”

“Sure. Explain the blush that I saw awhile ago,”

“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes and turned around, but turned again after I called her name. “Yes?”

“Goodluck.”

She smiled warmly at me, reaching out for my cheek and caressed it before she followed her friends. While watching them jog to their place, my eyes landed on the football team. They’re having a warm-up and Reed was leading them. Someone must’ve pointed me out, cause Reed spun around and searched for me. When he spotted me, he waved and I waved back. He started running up to me.

“Hey, Amber!” He greeted.

“Hey you,” I greeted back.

“You’re uh, gonna watch the girls practice?” He said pointing at the girls, panting a bit.

“Yeah. Don’t have anything to do so we just decided to watch them and you guys practice,”

“Cool…” He trailed off, looking nervous. His eyes twitched, scratching the back of his head like he wanted to say something. He looked at Lexi and spoke. “Hey Lex, mind if I take her away for a minute?”

“Not at all!” She smiled.

We took a few steps away from her. “What’s up, Reed?” I asked curious about what he was going to say.

“Uhm… You know, I was thinking if you uh… Do you wanna… Do you wanna g-go out w-with me?” He stuttered, chuckling awkwardly.

“Oh uhm…” I didn’t know what to say. He’s a good person and I think he’s cute, but I didn’t really think that we’ll work out together. I didn’t have an answer for him. This was too much for me, since I’ve only been in a relationship once… And it turned out he was gay. But Reed was definitely straight, but as I’ve said, it didn’t seem like we would work out.

“Can I think about it?”

“Yeah! Absolutely! You don’t have to answer right away, Amber! No pressure. Take your time and I’ll wait,” He flashed me a sheepish smile.

“Can I get your phone number? So I can text you my answer,”

He nodded vigorously. “Yeah, sure, sure!” He pulled out his phone from his pocket and we exchanged phones to put our numbers in.

I put my phone in my pocket as soon as I got it back. “I’ll text you, okay?”

“I’ll be waiting,” He waved once more before he went back to his teammates.

With a sigh, I slumped down beside Lexi who was interested in our conversation.

“What did you guys talk about?”

“He asked me out on a date.”

“I saw that one coming,” She admitted.

“You knew that he has a crush on me too?”

“It’s obvious. You’re so oblivious, Ambs. First Lucy, then Reed. Do you know that Olivia has a crush on you too?”

My eyes widen, “Really?”

“No.”

My face dropped, “I hate you,”

She snickered. “What did you say to him?”

“I said I’ll think about it,”

“Think? Why think?”

I stared at her then at Lucy who’s stretching along with her team. I didn’t know the reason why my eyes were on her, but for a while, it stayed there. I couldn’t find a reason as to why I should think about my answer. I could’ve just said yes or no. But the thing was, yes or no didn’t seem to be the right answer. “To be honest? I don’t know too.”