Chapter 18 : I got frozen half way
HAYDEN’S POV
By the time school ended, the gym already sounded like it was game night.
Music thumped through the speakers. The bleachers were packed with students, athletes, and even a few teachers pretending they weren’t invested. Someone had hung handmade signs over the railings. Half of them read Team Ella and the other half read Underdog Queen with glitter that was definitely going to be impossible to clean up later.
I paused outside the double doors for a second before pushing them open.
The noise dipped and heads turned. I could hear conversations stuttering with a ripple of whispers following me as I stepped inside. I didn’t look at anyone directly. I didn’t need to. I could feel it.
That’s him.
He’s here.
Who’s he cheering for?
I kept walking, jaw set, hands loose at my sides like none of this mattered. I wasn’t going to give them a reaction.
My eyes scanned the gym automatically and then I saw him.
Stephen was standing near the lower bleachers, one arm draped casually over a guy I didn’t recognize at first. He was tall, had dark hair with a soccer build, and a confident smirk. The guy leaned into Stephen, as he belonged there.
It was Marcus.
I’d heard the name earlier from someone in the hallway, about how they are the school's most loving couple now. Marcus was the hot nerdy guy while Stephen was the hot jock guy. They fit like gloves.
Stephen looked up at the exact moment our eyes met and he didn’t look away. He just stared at me.
Marcus said something to him and Stephen leaned down slightly, close enough to murmur in his ear. Marcus laughed and tightened his grip around Stephen’s waist like it was a show.
My stomach twisted. It wasn’t jealousy or anger.
It was… nausea.
The sight of them felt intentional, like he wanted me to see it and this whole thing was another move in whatever game we’d been playing for months.
I broke eye contact first not because I lost but because I couldn't stand them kissing, and the whole school acted like it was normal…..ewww!
I headed toward the middle section of the bleachers and took a seat where I had a clear view of the floor. The cheer squad was already warming up on opposite ends.
Ella looked exactly like how you would expect her to look. She was polished, sharp, perfectly in control. Her ponytail was high, her posture flawless. She thrived in moments like this and the crowd was oxygen to her.
Across the mat, Lilian was stretching quietly with two teammates, though she didn't have the spark Ella had, she didn’t look nervous….she looked focused and when her eyes found mine in the crowd, something in her expression shifted slightly.
I gave her a small nod.
“I’m here,” I whispered and she smiled with approval.
The music cut abruptly and the coach stepped forward with a mic, explaining the format. It was going to be three rounds, with their skill, choreography, and leadership execution being judged. The Judges were seated at the front table.
The gym went quiet.
Round one started with Ella.
She moved like she owned the floor with sharp transitions, clean lines, and a big smile. The crowd roared at every stunt she pulled out. When she finished with a flawless landing, the applause was deafening.
Lilian stepped up next.
There was no flashy entrance or dramatic pause. It was just her presence.
Her routine was controlled, powerful without being loud. Where Ella demanded attention, Lilian commanded it. Her timing was exact. Her transitions are smooth. When she hit her final stunt and stuck the dismount perfectly, the gym erupted again and it was louder than I expected.
I didn’t clap because everyone else was. I clapped because she earned it.
The Judges tallied scores and it was a tie. The gym exploded with noise again.
Round two started. This time it was choreography and crowd control.
Ella leaned into her strength which was big gestures, confident shouts, getting half the bleachers chanting her name within seconds.
She was good, like really good.
Then Lilian stepped forward. She didn’t shout over the crowd, she slowly drew them in. Her rhythm built slower, but by the time she hit the midpoint, the entire gym was clapping in sync with her dance routine. Even people who had clearly walked in as Team Ella were on their feet.
I found myself standing without realizing it.
When round two ended, the judges leaned together again and it was another tie.
The noise was unreal now. People were on their phones recording, and teachers were whispering. Even the basketball and soccer teams had pushed closer to the floor.
Now it was time for the sudden death, the tie breaker. One final routine. They were to do freestyle leadership under pressure.
Ella went first this time.
There was a flicker of strain in her eyes now, it was just for a second but she covered it fast. She performed cleanly, almost aggressively. Every move hit hard and she finished strong. The applause thundered.
Then Lilian stepped into the center and the music started softer this time, then something changed. She wasn’t performing in front of the crowd, she was performing for herself. Her movements were fluid but grounded. There was emotion behind it and something raw that hadn’t been there before. When she called out the final sequence, her voice didn’t waver.
The last stunt lifted and held together in perfect posture.
There was silence, and then…..the gym detonated. People were screaming now, on their feet with their phones in the air. Even some of Ella’s usual supporters looked unsure.
The judges didn’t take long this time to decide. It was clear as day who the winner was but we all waited with anticipation.
The coach stepped forward with the envelope. My pulse was steady, but my hands were tight against my knees.
“This year’s cheer captain is…” she paused. She looked at the crowd, and everyone was waiting to hear the result. If a pin dropped, I'm sure you would be able to hear it.
“LILIAN!!!!!!!!!!!!”
The gym went wild. Her teammates who supported her, rushed her as glitter exploded everywhere. Someone nearly knocked over the judges’ table. The music blasted through the speakers again.
Lilian stood frozen for half a second like she hadn’t processed it. Then she laughed, wide and shocked and real. And then she ran, but it was not toward her teammates or the coach. It was towards me. I barely had time to stand before she was in front of me, eyes bright, breath uneven.
“You came,” she said like she still couldn’t believe it.
“I said I would.” and before I could process what was happening……she grabbed my face and kissed me.
The gym didn’t quiet this time and it exploded with screaming and gasps. Someone dropped something metal that clanged against the bleachers.
For half a second, I didn’t move.
My brain stalled. What the hell just happened?