After Coach William finished reprimanding Derek and me, he assigned Derek some extra warmups while Ryan and I moved to the stands. There were only a few people around since it was just a practice day, but the front row was packed with cheerleaders in red and white uniforms, adding a burst of color and energy to the gym. Now I fully understood why Derek and Ryan were so eager to be here; these girls were certainly a sight to behold.
As we climbed up to the third row to sit down, a few of the cheerleaders spotted us, and I caught some of them giggling. I felt a bit embarrassed after the scolding in front of everyone, but Ryan shamelessly waved at the girls. My eyes settled on a blonde cheerleader—a senior, by the looks of her—who caught my attention immediately. Unlike the others who giggled, she gave me a gentle smile, and before I knew it, I was smiling back, as if on autopilot. I guess Jared had a bit of a crush on this one, and his body had held onto that feeling. Before I could react further, I focused on settling into my seat and pushing away the involuntary reaction.
"So, Jared, have you given it any thought?" Ryan asked, breaking into my thoughts.
"Thought about what?" I replied, turning to him. But before he could respond, a commotion broke out on the court.
"It's a foul!" Derek and his teammates shouted as one of their players crouched down, clutching his eye.
*Phwwwwht!*
Coach blew his whistle, stopping the game. A tall, athletic blonde named Lucas strode forward, addressing Coach William with an air of innocence. "Coach, I was just trying to block him—my finger barely grazed his eye. Calling it a foul is blowing things out of proportion."
Derek's team, however, didn't seem convinced. "It was intentional. Lucas always pulls these cheap moves when he's outmatched," one muttered, while others chimed in agreement.
Lucas took two swift steps forward, his expression turning hostile as he squared off against Derek. But before either could make a move, Coach William stepped between them like a barrier, his imposing figure quelling any thought of escalation. "Someone get him to the infirmary," Coach ordered, motioning to the injured player. Then, glaring at Lucas, he added, "You'd better hope this was accidental, or you'll be explaining it to the principal."
Lucas glanced nervously at the injured player, who, fortunately, was beginning to see clearly again. Sighing in relief, Lucas backed off and returned to his side of the court, looking a little less sure of himself.
Just as I was processing the tension on the court, I felt a heavy thud against the side of my head. "Ow!" I turned to find myself staring into the furious eyes of a red-haired girl.
"Maya! What was that for?" I demanded, holding onto her backpack, which had smacked me in the head.
"I was hoping you'd be too sick to show up at school today, Jared. That would've been perfect karma," she snapped, her glare unwavering.
"Come on, Maya, ease up a bit," Ryan interjected, trying to play peacemaker.
Maya huffed, settling in beside me. "Why'd you go to the beach yesterday?" she demanded, still fuming.
I tried to play it cool. "I felt fine, and I needed some fresh air. You're overreacting."
"Overreacting?" Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Jared, you had a fever so high, we thought you'd end up in the hospital! Me, Derek, and Ryan had to change the sheets every twenty minutes because you were soaked in sweat. And with Aunt May and Peter gone, we thought we'd have to drag you to the ER. After putting us through that, you're saying I'm overreacting?"
I didn't realize Jared had been in such bad shape before I ended up in his body. "I'm really sorry, Maya. I didn't want you to worry, but I just needed to get out and clear my head," I said, managing an apologetic smile. Somehow, that innocent look was enough to defuse her anger—if only slightly.
"Fine. Just stay hydrated," she sighed, handing me a water bottle with a half-hearted glare.
We settled into watching the practice, though I soon noticed the blonde cheerleader occasionally glancing back at me. Each time, my gaze drifted toward her until I felt Maya's piercing stare from the side.
The cheerleaders started rehearsing a few routines, and soon enough, both Ryan and I got distracted. Some of the basketball players even threw quick glances at the girls, clearly just as captivated by the performance.
"Are you two planning to spend the entire practice gawking?" Maya asked, pulling out a thick book from her bag and flipping it open.
Ryan smirked. "A few of them come by the skate park where I shoot my videos. It's only right to appreciate their skills."
Sensing that Maya's patience was wearing thin, I decided to change the subject quickly. "Maya, I wanted to ask you something. You're close with most of the teachers here, right?"
She nodded, narrowing her eyes. "Why? What did you do this time?"
"Nothing! I wanted to ask about someone who's been giving my little brother, Peter, a hard time."
"Peter? He's one of the best-behaved kids in school. What's going on?"
"Professor Morris. He seemed to have a personal vendetta, like my dad wronged him or something," I explained, shaking my head.
Maya's expression softened. "I'll ask around about him, but honestly, I'm surprised."
"Surprised about what?"
"This is the first time I've seen you show any real concern for Peter. It's about time you acted like an older brother," she said, her face breaking into a smile.
Apparently, Jared hadn't been the most attentive sibling before. I turned my gaze back to the cheerleaders, and this time, the blonde girl waved at me. Without thinking, I waved back, grinning. Ryan nudged me with his elbow and whispered, "Dude, that's Lucia Rossi—Lucas's twin sister. Derek's biggest rival. You're playing with fire, man. Nothing good comes from getting involved with the Rossi twins."
Things began to make sense. The resemblance was undeniable, and now I understood the connection. Even so, I couldn't shake my interest in her.
After hanging around for a while, we all decided it was time to head to class. Thankfully, Maya, Ryan, and Derek were all in the same class, so I didn't have to scramble to remember my schedule. Classes were the usual bore, and on our way to the next period, I noticed an empty classroom with a TV at the front. "What's that room for?" I asked Ryan.
"Oh, that's detention. They play tapes of Captain America to make us 'responsible citizens.' As if anyone really believes he exists," Ryan shrugged, clearly unimpressed.
Captain America, still frozen somewhere, had become a near-mythical figure. As I considered whether it was worth cutting short his icy retirement, someone bumped into me while I was lost in thought.
"Sorry," a soft but confident voice said.
I turned to find a girl looking up at me apologetically. Her voice was gentle, yet it carried a confidence that drew my attention. Something about her seemed familiar, butbut before I could even turn and look at her, Ryan started tugging at my arm, pulling me along to class.
"It's alright," I said as I walked away.
As I was walking away, I couldn't help but keep thinking about everything—the tension between Derek and Lucas, the sudden protective streak I felt toward Peter, and of course, the blonde cheerleader, Lucia. Each encounter added another layer to this new life, and while some parts were still foreign to me, other moments felt startlingly natural. If I was going to keep up this act as Jared, I'd have to navigate not just the day-to-day challenges of school but also the complex web of relationships and rivalries he'd built.
**
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