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2 chapters in one day? Ik ur welcome. Jk but it gets better towards the end. If you see this 🔪🔪🔪 that's bc sexual abuse mentions r coming up. Stay safe. Plssss don't read if you think you will get triggered.

((In cheer gym 7:00 pm, first cheer practice))

James POV

Peggy and I are both sitting on the floor, partner stretching when Laf starts talking.

"Hey guys! So today we are going to learn the halftime dance and a few of our most basic cheers. Throughout practice you will each get called into the office, where you will be fitted by my lovely boyfriend, Hercules Mulligan."

Huh. I didn't know that Herc had tailoring experience.

First, Laf and Maria arrange us into each formation of the dance. The first is two lines shaped like a V. Peggy and I are each in the front of a line because we're the shortest ones on the squad. The next formation is one for stunts. This formation has 3 flyers right next to each other. Peggy, Maria and I are the flyers (I'm in the center of the stunt.) Unfortunately, Charles Lee is one of my bases, but he hasn't even looked at me yet so it must be okay.

Then the next formation has three separate stunts going on in the back plus a ton of tumbling in the front. With all the same people in the stunts.

In the final formation, Peggy, Maria and I are doing 2 person stunts in the front while in the back they combine stunting with tumbling. I think that I could have been a flyer in that stunt, but I understand Laf wanting someone he knows and trusts to do something that difficult.

And I would have a much better attitude if Charles Lee wasn't my base in the final formation. I guess it'll be okay as long as I just ignore his creepiness. I mean, on the bright side, he is an amazing base.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xya2RAR8sOM

////this is what I imagine the cheer dance choreography like but with diff stunting. I'll look for a link later////

The dance was to the song Work from Home and I almost had the choreography down perfect when my name was called to go and get fitted for my uniform.

"Hey James! Do you want a skirt or pants?"

"Skirt, and hey I didn't know that you tailored!"

"Yeah, it's my backup if football doesn't work out, but it's also a great stress reliever."

We chat a little longer while Herc gets my measurements. I say a quick goodbye before skipping out of the door. All of the sudden, I feel myself being pushed up against the concrete wall.

"Hey baby, why so tense? C'mon have a little fun, bitch!"

🔪🔪🔪

~~~~flashback tw: sexual abuse/ assault~~~~~

3rd POV

"You're my bitch," Reynolds said, his breath hot on James's face. "You belong to me, not anybody else. Understood?

James nods, wishing that Reynolds would let go of him, physically and mentally. But he's learned that some things are just too good to be true.

"Good," Reynolds loosens his grip on James's arm. "Now come give daddy his sugar."

James knew what that meant. He knew that he had to pretend to be madly in love with this man that he hated so much.

Before he knew it, Reynolds had him pinned down and he was unable to get out from under him.

James thought in that moment

I have to get away from this, no matter how I do it. I have got to stop this

~~~~~~~~its over. Summarized: james Reynolds is james Madison's ex and sexual abuser~~~~~~

Laf POV

I'm trying to help Peggy with a move when I hear a commotion in the hallway leading to the office. It sounds like.... crying? I run down the hallway to find James crying on the floor and Charles Lee, just staring at him.

I don't know how but I just knew that this was Charles's fault.

"Hey Lee?"

"Uh. Yeah?"

"You're off the squad, get out of my sight and if you try and make contact with James, then I will beat your ass. Understood?

He just nods and runs out of the gym like the devil's on his heels.

I bend down and put a hand on James's shoulder, but that only upsets him more. He starts screaming something about a Reynolds.

He's having a panic attack. I have to get him home. Okay he hates it when I touch him but I'll have to pick him up to get him into my car.

Finally, I have him laid down in the backseat and I call Thomas to let him know what's going on. I have my phone Bluetoothed to the car.

As soon as Thomas picked up the phone I just start explaining the entire situation and I'm sure half was in French because I'm a little bit hysterical right now.

"Yo Laf, calm down I caught that James is panicking and you're bringing him home so I'll meet you at the lobby of our building. It's going to be okay and everything is fine. James will be okay and we'll figure out exactly what happened."

I'm about to hang up when I hear James talking in the backseat. His tone of voice is a lot different from his previous. He seems almost peaceful. Then I notice what he's saying.

"Tommy."

Omy gosh! Is he talking about Thomas? Okay that's adorable, but this is not the time to fan girl considering James is still crying and shaking a lot.

"Thomas I'm handing the phone to James because your voice is calming him down."

I disconnect from the Bluetooth and hand the phone to James, which he shakily accepts.

---- timeskip to when they arrive @ the dorms----

James POV

I'm still kind of shaken up about the whole ordeal, but as soon as I see Thomas I relax. I just have this feeling that he'll protect me from anything and everything. It feels nice.

As soon as I step out of the car I start to feel dizzy. I guess I stood up too fast. Thomas catches me by the armpits and holds me to his chest. I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. He says a quick thank you to Laf before walking to the elevator. I hear a ding and then we're moving again, this time to our dorm.

He sets me down on his bed and drapes a blanket over my shoulders. Then he goes to the kitchen.

He returns with a mug of green tea.

"James, I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but if you do want to talk. I'm here."

I've never told anybody about this before. I don't know if I want to say anything, the thought itself seems plain wrong. But I guess it might be good to talk about him and what he did to me. And I wouldn't want to talk with anyone else other than Thomas.

🔪🔪🔪

I take a deep breath. "It starts freshman year of high school. I was a ho. Not just a ho, the ho. And I'm okay with that because you shouldn't be ashamed for engaging in sexual activity. And I had had a few boyfriends before, but they were all really meaningless relationships. Until one day, I was asked out by James Reynolds."

I take a sip of my tea before continuing.

"He was such a gentleman. He opened doors for me and bought my meals. James took me shopping he didn't even hint that he wanted sex for a good six months of our relationship. And that's when things went downhill. Anytime I talked to another guy, he would get all defensive and ask if I was cheating on him. Whenever I got a good grade or any accomplishment he would act like I had to sleep with someone for it."

"And he started pressuring me for sex. It was no big deal because I don't put a lot of value on sex, but he started asking me and if I said no he would continue asking till I said yes. And then it got to the point where he didn't wait for a yes, he didn't even ask. He would call me his bitch and made me call him daddy."

I'm starting to shake so I set my tea on the bedside table.

"And around junior year he started running out of money because he spent it all on drugs and booze. So he would- he would rent me out to other guys at school like a fucking prostitute. And then he would scream at me and hit me because that meant I was 'cheating on him'"

I breath in and out.

"I don't know if that was to control me or just because he was so fucked up with the drugs and stuff. I decided that I had to leave him, but I knew he wouldn't let me me break up with him. I knew that I would have to move far away, and at the time college seemed like the most inconspicuous reason to do that. I had a foster family and they put aside a little money each month from my welfare check, but that wasn't enough to get away from Reynolds and to go to college. Then I started taking a cut of the money from whenever he made me sleep with other guys and I would steal his weed and sell it to some rich white guys for too much money."

"That brings me to here, I still worry that he'll find me. Charles wasn't as bad as Reynolds, that's for sure. It's just, sometimes people sound and look and feel like him, even though they aren't him."

Thomas has been quiet this whole time before he finally speaks up.

"Come on we're going for a drive."

What on earth is he talking about? I spill my heart to him and now he's taking me on a drive? And to where? I'm curious so I grab a sweatshirt and follow him out the door.

In the car, Thomas's gaze is fixed intently on the road. Suddenly he speaks to me.

"That James Reynolds guy is a dick. You deserve somebody to treat you right. I can't believe a person could even consider hurting a sweetie like you. And I promise you, if he ever comes near you again, I will beat his ass so far into the ground that he'll be tasting asphalt for weeks."

"And Charles Lee is a major creep. He'll get what coming for him, don't you worry your pretty little head about it."

I'm confused, but I'm glad that Thomas cares. He's driving with his left hand and his right hand is squeezing his knee. I grab his free hand, intertwining my left hand's fingers with it and lying my head on his shoulder. His previously tense position relaxes a bit.

Before I know it Thomas stops the car in front of some dorm building. He jumps out leaving me in the car, but I don't want to be alone so I run after him.

I follow him up the stairs without saying a word and then I see him stop and knock on someone's door. I don't think he's noticed that I'm here yet.

Charles Lee opens the door. I'm not scared of him specifically, but the emotions and things I associate him with are absolutely nauseating.

"Oh hey Thomas, what's up? Are you okay? You look pissed o-"

BAM

Thomas just punched Charles in the face, hard. Wow was that for me? That's kind of sweet.

Now Thomas is standing over Lee screaming in his face.

"What were you thinking asshole?! Are you so stupid that you didn't notice that James has zero interest in you whatsoever?! Or did you just not care? Huh?! Do you get off on preying on people who you can easily overpower? Well next time remember that there's always going to be someone bigger than you!"

"Owww. I think you broke my nose," Charles groans.

"Good! If you weren't such a dick that wouldn't have happened!"

Thomas turns around and runs down the stairs. Omy goodness.

I run up to Charles's door and see him start to stand up.

"Oh gosh I'm sorry about him!" Then I walk towards the stairs. Wait a second, I'm not sorry. Charles's got what he deserved. I run back up to Charles's now closed door and bang on it.

"What is it?" He asks

"I take it back, I'm not sorry." He just looks at me.

"Is that it?" He sounds like I'm wasting his oh so precious time, like he's the one who should be upset.

"No," I say right before kneeing him in the groin. "Fuck you!"

Then I sprint down the stairs and see that Thomas is already in the car. I jump into the passenger seat.

"Drive! Drive!!"

He does and parks in a Walmart parking lot about 3 miles away before asking me what happened.

"Oh I kicked him in the nuts."

"You are such a little badass." He looks at me all dreamily.

Out of the blue he blurts out, "Hey, the fair's in town this week and the football team gets a pass plus one. How would you like to be my plus one?"

"Like.... a date?" I ask hopefully.

"Exactly, a date."

I'm so excited that I don't even respond, I just hug him really tight.

"So... I'm gonna take that as a yes."

In the car ride home I was ecstatic. A date with a sexy ass teddy bear. Ugh. He's the best. He punched Charles for me and he always knows what to say.

We reach a stoplight and I lean over and give him a peck on the cheek. He seems surprised.

"What was that for?" He's trying to act all cool about it.

I smile wide. "Just cause."

He can't wipe the smile off of his face and I catch him gingerly touching his cheek every once in a while.

James Jefferson. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?