Chapter Fifteen: Goodbye
"Proud wolves that we are, we'll go really far!" we chanted our corny school cheers as we jumped around, getting the crowd going.
The mascot stood next to us, doing his usual silly dance moves as the drumline went with the beat of the cheers. My ankle was still wrapped, but the doctor told me that by next week, it will be fully healed – just in time for Hallie's wedding.
Speaking of the wedding...
My eyes zoomed in on Gray on the field, running around. His game was obviously off and I don't know if I'm partly to blame for this but honestly, I don't care anymore.
I think he has already silently told me that he's not going to the wedding with me anymore and I'm fine with that.
He was the one who passed up on this gorgeous being.
The routines were amazingly executed, much to my surprise, and we didn't miss a beat. The opponent was ahead and if we lose this game, it would be a big blow for all of us.
So Gray Martyn better straighten up his amazingly sculpted ass or else we wouldn't be able to raise the school spirit on this side of the bleachers.
Turning to the crowd, I clapped my hands and yelled, trying to boost them up. The other girls followed and we did another round of cheers, waving our hands up in the air to encourage the students to join in. This was quite difficult since even the head cheerleader wasn't in the mood.
"Maybe Gray's suffering from withdrawal symptoms since Clara basically dumped him," one of the girls laughed as she bent down by the cooler to get a drink, "And I'm pretty sure that nerd is too much of a good girl to give him some."
She basically implied that Gray misses having sex and he can't get some because the girl he's currently chasing was probably a pure virgin. Whether it was a compliment or not, I was not happy with that statement. I wasn't with him just for doing it and it's like saying that he was using me.
I scrunched up my face in disapproval for her comment. I dropped my sweat-filled towel onto her face to give her a piece of mind, "I'm not his stress reliever."
She cringed when the towel touched her skin and she quickly swiped it away, flinging it back towards me. When it hit me, I gave her my nastiest look and her expression morphed into fear as she stood up and slowly backed away, "I'm sorry, Clara."
"Just watch your mouth," I threatened before I yelled at the team, "Positions!"
Don't anger the dictator.
They all scrambled around, bumping into each other along the way. Thankfully, the drums drowned out my yell and hid the fact that I was less than cheery and preppy. The people's attention were still on the game happening on the field and when I looked up at the audience, I could see Erin being sandwiched by her two best friends, Side and Kick squealing whenever Gray did the right move while the lamb stood there in amazement.
I didn't give up Gray just for you to stand there so you better stand up and cheer like a fucking maniac or else I'm going to smack this cheap pompom onto your face.
But then again, you're showing Gray just what he was missing.
My gaze then fell upon Evan, whose focus wasn't on the game, but on us. He saw me looking at him and he offered me a comforting smile, knowing all too well that I was a downer for this night.
Turning around, I clapped my hands and grabbed my pompoms, initiating another round of cheers, "Wolves!"
Last two minutes, it was an even match. We've been neck in neck for the whole game and this didn't settle in well with both competing schools. I commanded my girls to start with the pyramid, the last resort to boost up the school spirit and give those players the motivation.
"Ready?" we yelled, clapping, "Okay!"
It slowly built up, the heaviest and strongest being on the base as the girls started climbing higher and higher until it was only Vivian who was missing. We exchanged a high five and I bent down, my hands ready to give her the lift.
Our roles were reversed and for the sake of my ankle, I had to be okay with it.
I gave her the lift and she went flying up, lifting her arms so the girls by the middle of the pyramid could catch her. As she went up, I turned back and did a dance, yelling our cheers, "Let's go, let's go!"
A player got passed the ball to and he went to make a run for it. With his speed as his forte, he zoomed through the field with just seconds to match. He managed to score a touchdown just before the buzzer sounded.
The thing about these close games is that the win was much more rewarding. Our players threw their helmets off and celebrated, running towards the guy who did the winning goal. The students stood from their seats and yelled, their enthusiasm clearly showing.
The pyramid slowly went down until Vivian was safely back on the ground. The cheerleaders went crazy, jumping up and down as they waved their pompoms in the air. A smile broke on my face as my eyes went to Gray, his hair wet with sweat and his steps heavy due from the fatigue.
He gave the player who gave them the win a pat on the back as they both walked back to the benches. The girls ran up to them, hugging and squealing their congratulations.
Turning back to the audience, I glanced up at Evan and he showed a pushing gesture, silently telling me to go on and talk to Gray. I have to give myself a mental pep talk to do this.
You are the queen, you are amazing, and no one can bring you down.
Approaching Gray, I demanded the people to move away as I marched up like a girl with a mission. Stopping right in front of him, some people who was aware of our current situation held their breaths, afraid of what's to happen.
"Can we talk?" I questioned, my voice confident.
Without missing a beat, he answered, "Sure."
Looking back up the bleachers, I could see Erin staring down at us, pure curiosity in her eyes. I nodded and took a step back from Gray, "I'll wait for you in the parking lot."
As I made my way back to the locker room, Vivian patted my back, "Are you seriously going to take him back?"
Why? More competition for you?
"I'm not taking him back," I told her straight, "We're just going to talk."
And I'm not going to take him back because he wasn't mine in the first place. This is a reality that I've come to accept.
Taking off my uniform, I speedily changed into my jeans and blouse. Grabbing my jacket and bag, I turned to the rest of the room, "I'm going ahead."
"Good luck, Clara," one of them encouraged as I made my way out.
I spotted Gray's car and I leaned against it, putting on my jacket. I wrapped my arms around my body and took a deep breath.
What's my goal? To break everything off. Properly this time.
He and I both know that what we had was too important for it to be shattered into pieces like that.
When I saw him marching out of the school with his gym bag swinging at his side, I stopped in my movements.
He looked so damn delicious walking out of a game.
No, control yourself. You're going to get a better man who's going to treat you right.
Just as he stopped right in front of me, the both of us spoke at the same time, "I'm sorry."
We shocked each other and we did that awkward thing where we kept telling one another to go first yet in the end, we just kept going in circles.
"You go first," I said.
"No, you!" he insisted.
We blinked at each other before out of nowhere, we started laughing. I leant over as he threw his head back, and suddenly, we were back to another time. A time where none of our fights existed, a time before Erin came to our school, a time when he was always by my side, a time when I didn't have to break it off.
But that was all behind us, wasn't it?
I think I was the first one to snap out of it. I straightened back up and while he was still grinning with amusement, I spoke, "I'm sorry."
Like a switch, his expression fell and changed into a serious one, "Why?"
"Because I'm a bitch," I stated simply.
Am I ashamed? Hell no, I'm a bitch by choice and I'm proud. The question is, should I be?
Pfft... well, I'll let you be the judge of that.
"Then, I'm an asshole so we're pretty even," he chuckled, trying to change the mood.
This is when we realized that the arrangement that we though would protect us will actually be the reason for our downfall. Then again, we kind of just fell into place, and now, we fell out of it. But like I said, we were friends in and out of the bedsheets.
We were never awkward even though we would wake up next to each other. At school, we'll act completely normal and I think that was the saving grace in this situation.
We'll act completely normal – only this time, without the nightly escapades.
"I did mean it though," I muttered, "I'll stay out of your business."
He seemed sincerely touched by this. What he may or may not be aware is what I meant by that is I'll no longer step into his life. I'll be that acquaintance he knows because we share the same clique, I'll be that cheerleader whose job is to cheer his team during the games, and I'll be someone he used to take into bed.
And he will be just another man who I got under my belt, a guy I could gush about when I talk to the girls, the guy I'll congratulate with a shake hand after a good game, and a guy I'll pass by during those popular social gatherings.
If he thinks that we can go back to how we were before I fought with Erin then he's damn wrong.
I'm tired with this game. I raise the white flag.
After this, I so need to grab a box of chocolates and scream at my TV as it shows some romantic movies, yelling that there's no such thing as forever.
Or I can make a huge ass transformation where I'll be prettier than before and show him what he's missing.
Oh but wait, I'm already perfect so I can't do that anymore.
"Earth to Clara," he snapped his fingers in front of my face to call my attention.
Focusing on his face again, I unconsciously ducked, ready to slap my hand over the top of my head. When he noticed my weird form, he scrunched up is eyebrows in confusion.
Somehow, I thought that he would do that karate chop that Evan always do to me when I space out.
"I'm just really out of it right now," I coughed out as an excuse, "So we're good?"
"We're good," he smiled softly. Perhaps the gentlest smile he has ever given me since that night during sophomore year.
I bit my lip and looked down, my hair covering my face as I prevented myself from showing too much emotions.
"I'm still always your ally," he told me, "And you're mine, right?"
No you're not. You turned your back on me, and you didn't even know that you did.
Lifting my head, I gave him a tight-lipped smile. I didn't say yes nor did I say no. All I said was a very short, "Bye Gray."
"Hug so I know there are no hard feelings?" he suggested, opening his arms.
Stepping in, I wrapped my arms around him as he did the same to my waist. Snuggling the bridge of my nose at the crook of his neck, I allowed myself to inhale his scent for one last time. Perhaps after this night, we would no longer share any moments as intimate as this. As I moved away, I looked directly into his eyes.
Our faces were mere centimeters apart and our arms still tangled our bodies together. None of us said anything, only our breathings were heard between us.
All that we have to do is just move a little bit forward and we would be kissing.
But if that was to happen, it was like nothing changed between us and we'll go through this endless cycle once again.
He was still staring at me, probably deep in thought as I was. He was probably weighing his options, the rewards and consequences of a small gesture of affection.
My hands stroked the hair at the back of his head as his grip on my waist tightened. None of us wanted to let go.
Walk away, Clara. That was your main goal. You'll find someone better than Gray.
With a defeated sigh, I angled my head and pressed a kiss on his cheek, "Our goodbye kiss."
Remember? Every time we spend our time with each other, a kiss will be our goodbye.
Last goodbye kiss.
I dropped my arms, making him do the same. Giving him a nod, I took a step back, ready to walk away.
Although, I didn't get far, something in my mind bugged me. It was telling me that for just once, let me be honest with him and myself.
"By the way," I paused for a moment, "The only reason I did what I did was because I was jealous."
Dear pride, I'll make it up to you somehow.
"I didn't like seeing you with other girls," I told him, "I wanted you to be mine and only mine."
Adjusting my bag on my shoulder, I turned around. I only got to take one step before I felt a slight pressure on the bag I was carrying. Looking over my shoulder, I saw that Gray has taken hold of the strap, stopping me from leaving.
"Gray?" I questioned, glancing up to him, "Anything wrong?"
Say yes and ask me to stay. I'll be mad but I'll forgive you. Just tell me that you'll drop Erin and you'll have me.
After a long aggravating pause, he shook his head and released me.
And that was it, I walked away.
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The struggle I had just to put this chapter up was so frustrating. Wattpad wouldn't let me post a new chapter so I had to dig around my history and click through the link from when I updated last chapter. That's strike two, wattpad. One more and I'm out.
Not really, I love you guys too much to do that but seriously, the amount of times Wattpad made me want to leave is too damn high. I know for a fact that I'm not the only author who thinks this, if you guys only knew what happens behind the scenes.
Question: Should we give Gray and Clara one more chance?
Well, I'll see you guys next week on Friday (unless, something happens). Although this was a pretty serious chapter, the next one is hilarious and there are two parts so we'll have a double update next week.
And thank you so much for 100K reads, I stayed up until one in the morning refreshing like crazy so I wouldn't miss it. Even if I say a thousand thank you's, it still wouldn't be enough for me.
For now, please vote, comment, and follow. Once again, thank you and I love you, I shall see you all next chapter!
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