Believing You and Me

It is Friday which always meant there was a football game. Today’s football game was different; it was the make or break game and the last game of the season. Acey Walker would be stuck cheering up the fans and the team on the sideline, just like every Friday. She would have a peppy smile on her face and more energy than someone should so late in the day. First she would have to go through a full day of school with her hair in a ponytail and her uniform tight on her body.

She felt like shit today, she felt fat and disgusting and she just wanted it to be the after party everyone was raving about. Acey had first heard about the party from Roxie, who heard it from Garrett who had heard it from John. Acey dismissed that it was John who gave the full information and definitely confirmed she was going with Roxie. She woke up this morning thinking Jack would be going but the text message she got only made this shit day worse. Sorry, mom grounded me last night for coming home plastered. I’m sorry. ily. She didn’t even answer him. This has been happening too often lately. Jack would piss her off and she wouldn’t answer.

The happy couple was slowly drifting apart. Jack didn’t feel the same for Acey like he did when they first started dating. At first, Jack Hansen loved Acey Walker so much it hurt his head. He would think about her constantly but the more he wanted to touch her the more she pulled away. Jack was like any other boy in high school, driven by hormones and just wanted to touch and feel parts of Acey he’s never touched before. He was embarrassed that he’s been with Acey for two years and he hasn’t even gotten to second base.

Acey had morals but she wanted to be physical with Jack just as much as he did. But she was afraid to slip up. One tiny mishap and she’s be completely washed away from her family. She has so much to compete with. Her sister is perfect and her parents were perfect when she was younger. Acey has to be perfect herself. If she had sex and God forbid got pregnant, she’d be burned at the stake for sure. Jack didn’t understand this because he was an only child and his parents didn’t see only his flaws like Acey’s parents did with her.

Her mind felt clouded as she walked through the halls alone, Roxie had told her to meet her in the choir room but Acey had a feeling she had no idea where that is. Her mind drifted to how mad at Jack she was she didn’t notice she was walking right into a wall. There weren’t many students in the hall so when her body smacked into the white concrete no one paid any mind except for one person.

“Are you okay, Walker?” His raspy voice filled her ears and his green eyes stared down at her as he helped picked her up. John O’Callaghan had one soft spot for Acey Walker. He smiled kindly to her she rolled her eyes at him.

“I’m fine, O’Callaghan.” She groaned staring at her scattered books and bent down to pick them up. John started to help her and she looked at him. “What are you doing? Don’t you have detention or some nerds to pick on or something?” John’s smile faded and he shoved Acey’s things at her.

“Actually, Walker, no. I was heading to this music club I’m in.” Acey rolled her eyes and then realized he’s going to the same place she was.

“Oh great, that’s exactly where I was going.”

“So you know you were heading in the wrong direction?” His tone was light but Acey felt like slapping him. Honestly, John O’Callaghan gets on her nerves so easily. She didn’t answer him but followed him to the choir room where she spotted Roxie talking to Garrett. Acey forgot that she had walked into the room with John and joined Roxie.

“So I see we have two new additions, females this time,” Mr. Greene spoke up getting the two girls attentions and they smiled.

“Acey Walker and Roxie Anderson,” Roxie introduced and Mr. Greene nodded, smiling at the two girls. He quickly went over how the club runs and the little assignment that the five original boys were going to demonstrate. But then a thought came to his mind.

“Do you guys play an instrument or sing?” Acey and Roxie looked to each other, shrugged before nodding to Mr. Greene.

“I play some guitar and Acey can sing.” John stopped messing around with his phone when he heard that Acey can sing. Mr. Greene had asked the two girls to play them a song and they shrugged. John watched Acey get up and stand next to Roxie, who had grabbed a guitar and sat down on a stool. “This is the only song I know how to play well that Acey know the words to.” Roxie laughed a little and Acey smiled, blushing a bit. John’s heart began to race as he heard a familiar song begin to play.

“Well I won’t back down, no I won’t back down.” Acey sang in a way that surprised John. John had figured Acey was a Top 40 girl and that she sang the song like she’s been listening to Tom Petty her whole life has he did. She enticed him with her voice he hadn’t noticed the rest of the club singing and playing along. He watched her smile and light up the whole room.

Once Acey and Roxie had finished and everyone clapped and suddenly the room was in such a better mood. The boys had played there song having Acey and Roxie clapping and laughing along. The day started to get brighter for Acey until she walked to lunch and finally seeing Jack.

Jack walked up to his girlfriend, pulled her into his side with his arm and kissed the top of her head. “I’m still mad at you,” she mumbled and Jack laughed.

“You know, baby, I can never understand you when you mumble.” Acey rolled her eyes, pushing Jack away and sat down next to Roxie at the table. She stole one of Roxie’s chicken nuggets, earning a look from her best friend and she stuck her tongue out at her. “Why are you being a bitch?” Jack asked sitting down next to her. Roxie dropped her fork and tensed beside Acey. Acey shook her head, got up from the table and pulled Jack with her. They walked into the empty hallway outside of the cafeteria and she stared up at him.

“I’m being a bitch because I am sick and tired of you, Jack. All you do is get fucking plastered and ignore me. You know I’ve seen you like five times this whole week and every time you pick out one stupid flaw of mine. I get enough of that shit at home, thank you very fucking much.” She snapped at him, putting her hands on her hips and stared at him coldly. Jack rolled his eyes, holding back at laugh at his pathetic girlfriend.

“You don’t have to be so damn clingy, so you don’t see me all the time. It’s not the end of the world, baby.” Acey felt tears spring to her eyes.

“Fuck you Jack.” She walked away, Roxie had walked out of the cafeteria, looked at Jack and then Acey’s fleeting figure before narrowing her eyes back at Jack.

“I really don’t like you.” She growled at him, protective of her best friend and Jack just laughed.

“Likewise, really,” Roxie rolled her eyes at Jack’s rude comment before walking away to go comfort her best friend.

The whole day Acey had managed to avoid Jack but it wasn’t like he was looking for her. He had managed to flirt with half of the people on Acey’s squad, whom she thought she was friends with and John watched it all with a twist in his gut. John really wanted to punch is “best friend” in the face repeatedly for acting like an ass to Acey.

“Man you are so lucky Acey hates you,” Jack told him, sitting on the bleachers after school before football practice. Acey and the cheer squad were across the way in the field doing their one last practice before the game.

“Why is that Jack?” John asked in a bored tone and Jack laughed, leaning back with his elbows holding him up on the bench behind him.

“She’s so clingy and demanding. Oh and always complaining about how shit her family treats her. She’s so fucking spoiled she has no idea.” Oh like you do, John wanted to say but just nodded, smoking the cigarette he wasn’t afraid to smoke. John listened to Jack rant on about Acey before he had to run to change and Acey had walked over to the bleachers to talk to him.

“Do you know why he’s being like this?” Acey asked John with hurt in her voice, John shook his head not sure how to answer her question. Acey nodded and sat down on the bench.

“Why do you like him?” He asked after a few minutes and he watched Acey look at him, her eyes swimming in tears she wouldn’t let fall.

“I don’t even know anymore.”

“Well if you figure it out at the party, let me know, I’ll keep you company from all those guys who want to slip roofies in your drink.” John shrugged before leaving the bleachers. Acey watched him walk away, confused but she smiled to herself. Today was the first time in ten years that John was actually being genuine to her. Of course his comments sounded a bit rude and odd but he was actually genuine. Who knew that John O’Callaghan could act that way?

The football game ended up being uneventful and a loss for the school. Not like any of the students really cared. The football team was actually really bad and most came for the cheerleaders who always had a great routine for the halftime. The party afterwards was going to happen, win or lose, because that’s how the school rolled. It was a typical high school party and Acey was glad that she got to change out of her uniform and dressed in something more like her. She had arrived with Roxie a little after ten and the party was in full swing. Acey’s nose filled up with the various smells of alcohol, weed and sweat. Loud music blared in the living room but her and Roxie headed straight for the kitchen filled with alcohol. Roxie grabbed an unopened can of coke and mixed some rum and coke in two red plastic cups.

“Cheers to the big lose today!” Roxie yelled in an excited tone, Acey laughed before they linked arms and downed their mixed drinks. It was some sort of tradition they stared since they began partying. The first drink would be some sort of cheers and their arms linked. Acey made herself another drink while Garrett walked up to Roxie and began talking to her about his new band with his friend Pat. Acey smiled to Roxie before walking away and sipped on her drink. She could faintly smell cigarettes, the alcohol in her stomach already calling for some form of nicotine in her. She walked outside and saw John, feeling like she should say hi she walked up to him.

“Hey, do you have another?” Her voice shook a little, feeling everyone’s eyes on her as John looked at her with raised eyebrows. John smirked, cigarette barely dangling from his lips as he pulled out a Marlboro red and handed it to her with his lighter. She took the stick, lit it and inhaled. She exhaled through her nose while handing him back the cigarette. “Thanks,” she muttered and he nodded.

“So did you figure out why you like Jack so much?” Acey looked up at John, almost choking on the smoke in her lungs. She shrugged and blew out the smoke.

“I don’t even know anymore.” John nodded, drinking the beer in his cup and watched Acey smoke the cigarette. Acey thought about John’s question over and over, drinking the alcohol in her cup and it only fueled the thoughts of her not even liking Jack anymore. He’s rude to her, he’s only about partying and doesn’t care for her the way she wants him to.

Acey tossed her finished cigarette and looked at John, “yes?” He asked after noticing her staring at him.

“Want to keep me company?” He nodded, smiling before they walked back into the house. They stayed in the kitchen, mixing random drinks and taking shots.

“You know,” he paused to suppress a hiccup that bubbled up, Acey looked up at him feeling her body vibrate with intoxication. “You have a g-gorgeous-s s-singing voice.” He slurred, smirking at her and getting dangerously close to her and she giggled.

“Thank you.” He just kept the smirk on his face before leaning down and his lips pressed against hers. They kissed for moments that felt like forever until he took her by the hand and lead her upstairs and into an empty room. They kissed until they fell onto the bed, Acey started giggling which made John giggle himself. They kissed and touched each other until clothing began coming off.

“Don’t worry, baby,” John muttered into her ear, kissing her ear lobe and began sliding her dress up. “I have protection, this isn’t just another hook up for me.”

“Okay,” she mumbled letting him take full advantage of her intoxicated state and she loved every second of it.